Dupe review · French Avenue
Liquid Brun
French Avenue made Liquid Brun with one brief: Parfums de Marly Althaïr.
- Smells like
- Parfums de Marly Althaïr
- Price
- $124
- Size
- —
- Per 100ml
- —
- Original per 100ml
- $387
- Made by
- French Avenue
The FragDNA review
Althaïr at a quarter of the price — and some prefer it
FragDNA editors · the consensus of 4 reviewers and wearer threads · 21 October 2026
- Opening
- Cinnamon, orange blossom and bourbon vanilla: spicy, glowing, immediately recognisable.
- Dry-down
- Praline and ambroxan over vanilla — very close to Althaïr, a touch less creamy and rounded.
- Longevity
- Good; some find it a little shorter than Althaïr, others call it equal.
- Projection
- Moderate, with a warm, sweet trail.
- Best for
- Autumn and winter, date nights, fans of spiced vanilla.
Of all the dupes released in the last two years, Liquid Brun is the one that made the most people put down a Parfums de Marly bottle. The reason is simple: side by side, plenty of owners struggle to tell them apart.
Both are spiced vanilla — cinnamon, orange blossom and bourbon vanilla up front, praline and ambroxan underneath. Reviewers who own both describe the resemblance as striking; a few go as far as calling it one-to-one.
The honest gap is polish. Althaïr's praline is creamier and rounder, its development more seamless, and some wearers find it lasts longer. A handful of owners, though, prefer Liquid Brun outright — rounder and more addictive to their nose.
The verdictAbout 88% of Althaïr — the same spiced vanilla, slightly less refined. One of the very best dupes of the decade.
What we read: Parfumo reviews · Parfumo reviews · Fragrance Lord comparison · Scento guide
Strong contender
FragDNA score · on paper
On paper
Strong contender. That is where Liquid Brun lands when you weigh what it costs, what it is made of and how firmly it is matched to Althaïr.
French Avenue sells it on the name alone — no note list of its own — so the brief is Althaïr's pyramid, and the closeness votes below are the real test.
At $124 it costs 57% less than Althaïr.
The match is claimed by more than one source, which is as firm as a pairing gets.
Reviewed on paper: from the notes and strength French Avenue publishes, the price per 100ml, and how firmly the match is claimed. How it really smells on skin is what the votes below are for.
What it's built to smell like
What it is chasing: cinnamon, orange blossom and cardamom up top, bourbon vanilla and elemi in the middle, praline, musk and Ambroxan underneath — the shape of Parfums de Marly Althaïr.
Top
- cinnamon
- orange blossom
- cardamom
Heart
- bourbon vanilla
- elemi
Base
- praline
- musk
- Ambroxan
Cinnamon and cardamom over bourbon vanilla, landing on praline and candied almond — a warm gourmand built for cold weather.
How it ranks against the other twins
Of the 29 twins of Parfums de Marly Althaïr we can price, Liquid Brun is number 29 on price per 100ml.
- 01 Kunooz Qissah EDP Perfume $25/100ml
- 02 Kunooz Qissah $25/100ml
- 03 Dupes.se Liquid Brun $26/100ml
- 04 Ard Al Zaafaran Al Dirgham Special Edition $30/100ml
- 05 Palermo Perfumes Althaïr $33/100ml
- 06 The Dupe Spot Althair #317 $36/100ml
- 07 Dupes.se Liquid Brun French Avenue $37/100ml
- 08 Lattafa Ghazala Of Arabia EDP Perfume $40/100ml
- 09 Lattafa Ghazala Of Arabia $40/100ml
- 10 Khadlaj Island Vanilla Dunes $40/100ml
More from French Avenue
Every French Avenue fragrance →-
After Effectsmells like Initio Side Effect $37.91 -
Luscioussmells like Kayali Yum Pistachio Gelato | 33 $34.10 -
Cosmic Tonkasmells like Montale Arabians Tonka $31.26 -
Fiertesmells like Yves Saint Laurent Babycat $52.16 -
Opus Magnumsmells like Amouage Opus XIV Royal Tobacco $160 -
Royal Blendsmells like By Kilian Angels' Share $128 -
Spectre Wraithsmells like By Kilian Black Phantom $113 -
Ravine Ice Eau De Perfumsmells like Goldfield & Banks Pacific Rock Moss $36.96
The community
What people say about Liquid Brun
Rating
—How close to Althaïr
—Would buy again
—Longevity
Projection
Best in
No reviews yet. Be the first to say how it wears.
In the forum
Start a discussion →Questions
What does French Avenue Liquid Brun smell like?
It is built to smell like Parfums de Marly Althaïr — cinnamon, orange blossom and cardamom up top, bourbon vanilla and elemi in the heart, praline, musk and Ambroxan in the base.
Is French Avenue Liquid Brun a dupe of Parfums de Marly Althaïr?
Yes — French Avenue sells it as its version of Parfums de Marly Althaïr.
Where can I buy French Avenue Liquid Brun?
It is in stock at $124 — the link on this page goes straight to the shop.