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Post in Fragrance Fans
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Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

As some BIC members are fans of Nirvana scents which seem to be getting phased out of Sephora, I thought it might be helpful if we shared recommendations or dupes or suggestions! It's been awhile since I smelled the Nirvanas so these are not dupes, just suggestions of other fragrances you might like to try. I tried to look for fragrances with similar notes.

 

WHITE (peony, muguet/lily of the valley, musk)

  • Calvin Klein Woman is by the same nose
  • Stella Peony
  • Penhaligon's Lily of the Valley
  • Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede

BLACK (violet, sandalwood, vanilla)

  • Jo Malone Orris & Sandalwood is by the same nose
  • Le Labo Santal 33
  • Serge Lutens Feminite de Bois
  • Diptyque Tam Dao
  • Kilian Sacred Wood
  • CdG Concrete

ROSE (may rose, geranium, vetiver)

  • Juliette Has a Gun Mad Madame
  • Etat Libre d'Orange Eau de Protection
  • Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin

BOURBON (bourbon vanilla, tuberose, oak wood)

  • Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille
  • Perry Ellis Black Vanilla Absolute
  • Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanilla

FRENCH GREY (neroli, lavender, musk)

  • L’Artisan Parfumeur Seville a l’Aube
  • Serge Lutens Encens et Lavande

AMETHYST (tobacco, honeysuckle, cedar)

  • MAC Velvet Teddy <--don't know if it's still available
  • Serge Lutens Fumerie Turque
  • Kilian Back to Black

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

Ulta has restocked all Nirvana scents! ❤️

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@RGbrownThanks for sharing! I hope this means they're not discontinuing the house.

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@pocketvenus 

I hope so too, though I do still wonder if this is a real restock, or if they just found an extra pallet while doing inventory or something 😋 I tried TJM/Marshall's but never found any, so I'll be picking some up from Ulta ASAP. Bourbon and Black were both on my "maybe I'll grab one some day" list, but suddenly being unable to find them moved them to the need list lol.

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@RGbrownit does seem more like they just found a bunch...? I'm not really seeing it restocked anywhere else. I def know the feeling - I also thought about picking some up myself even though they're not my style!!

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

Nirvana black was one of my favorites! This isn't an exact match with the main notes (only overlap is vanilla) but YSL black opium is my other go-to for a warm/spicy fragrance. I used to interchange those two a lot as my night-time perfume. I don't know if I would consider them dupes, more of a "if you like this, I would also recommend" kind of thing. Definitely worth checking out.

Anonymous Insider

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

It's not the same but I find that Dior Poison Girl has a pretty similar feel to the Rose.

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

Well, I think it's official Sephora is unloading the Nirvana fragrances and they will not be replaced... the E&J display in the store was removed last week.

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

They've returned E&J to the bottom shelf of my local Sephora - there's only Black, French Grey and Amethyst.

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

This is so disappointing @pocketvenus 😞 I loved these fragrances so much! Even more so, the Bourbon Dry Shampoo 😞

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@Mcakes, if you really love them, I would definitely stock up. I'm seeing inventory dry up on other sites too 😞

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

Had another sniff of Bourbon in store with only the tester left, by the way. Realized it's way woodier than I remembered. A possible replacement could be CdG's Palisander Wood or Bois 1920 Extreme. Whisky & Cedarwood by Jo Malone could be a lighter fragrance of interest.

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@pocketvenus Bourbon is the only one I haven't found in Winners yet.  The others are all rollerballs, but they have had a few of everything else, so I'm still hoping I can find a bourbon... maybe a few full size.  I don't know why I waited so long to buy them, but they are all quite up my ally this winter.  Thanks for all the suggestions for substitutes!

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

Thank you for this thread! Will be on the hunt for these escents if I can't get my hands on anymore of the elizabeth and james ones. 

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@savyshoppergal, you're welcome!

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

If you like Nirvana Black or Nirvana Bourbon, I'll throw out another suggestion...SJP Stash. Bourbon is a little sweeter, and Black is a little woodsier, but it's a good middle ground between both of them...similarly rich and warm without being too heavy.

 

Fragrance Notes:
Top - Grapefruit zest, black pepper, sage
Heart - Cedarwood atlas, patchouli, ginger lily, pistachio
Base - Olibanum, massoia wood, vetiver, musk

 

 

 

 

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@RGbrown I couldn’t agree more about the oft forgotten SJP gem! Between Stash and MM Replica Jazz Club I think Nirvana Bourbon fans will find a substitute that fits their preferences. 

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@LCResz - I have a sample of Jazz Club (I really like that scent).  I'll have to do a comparison.

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@LCResz 

Yeesss, Jazz Club is another great sub to add to the list! 

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@RGbrown, I've read very good things about Stash!

Re: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Dupes and Suggestions!

@pocketvenus 

I *adore* it. I haven't quite fallen down the indie rabbithole that you have yet, but in my (limited) experience, it's one of the best designer fragrances on the market, and still my all time favorite scent. Not the typical floral or powdery or sugar bomb so many put out these days. It really is unique for the mass market and simply lovely. 

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