Elixir La Rive 2024

The La Rive Elixir immediately caught my eye with its striking color. When I tried the fragrance during my search for an oriental scent, I really liked it at that moment and it reminded me of the scent Alien Eau de Toilette, and I considered buying it.

However, I noticed that this perfume had a very feminine vibe and despite its pleasant smell, it’s not really something a man would wear. With its sweet, oriental floral notes, this would make a very good gift for a girlfriend who enjoys such sweet fragrances.

And with its low price, one cannot complain about the shorter longevity of a few hours, as the scent is also lighter than Alien, which is an advantage since Alien can be a bit too intense, and the Elixir does not have that problem.

Therefore, this fragrance is a good alternative to Alien and can be found in many dm stores for just a few euros.

I had a brief love affair with Alien in the past. Unfortunately, the 1.5ml sample was enough to make me feel nauseous, as it is very intense.

As a result, I rejected every dupe until... today.

Yesterday, I was in the drugstore and browsing around. I came across a shower foam and a hair leave-in that smelled incredibly good. I was instantly smitten and wanted THIS scent. Online, I read that this care line (limited edition and currently on sale) is inspired by Alien. However, I found the scent to be much more beautiful and searched for an alternative to Alien.

The reports here that it is a fresher and lighter dupe of Alien led me to this perfume. So, during my visit to the drugstore, this scent came home with me and was immediately applied. Yes - lighter and fresher (and unfortunately not quite the scent of the hair care, but it’s in the right direction). This was around half past eight today. When I got home at ten, I told my husband to smell it - and he said he could hardly perceive anything. Now, after about four hours, I can hardly smell anything either, even though I’m a bit of a truffle pig when it comes to scents. But that’s okay, because throughout the day I often have different scent preferences, so I don’t have to wait long before I can apply something else.

The scent itself has the classic Alien components, is very warm and sweet, but smells mysterious and well-groomed. Above all, it’s not overwhelming; I believe it’s the first Alien dupe I’ve smelled that truly doesn’t give me a headache. I can pick out amber and cedarwood, while the other components are more in the background. There’s not much of a scent development to experience, except for the fading of the intensity.

For people who like a long-lasting fragrance, this perfume is not for them. The positive aspect is that you don’t smell like you’ve bathed in it - I find overdoing it with scents terrible and started to gag again while shopping today when a cloud of fragrance with an attached woman passed by me. Please, one spritz is enough, not 20 spritzes!

Yesterday I tried the fragrance at DM. It convinced me immediately, and I bought it. As mentioned here, Alien, but a bit fresher. The scent accompanied me for about 2 hours, but when I got home, I could barely perceive it anymore. What a shame. Unfortunately, it's only suitable for a short appearance, no longevity.

This Alien dupe is not just well-made and affordable. It’s even better than the original.
At least that’s my opinion.
Because the original is sitting at home with me. I bought it on sale when a local Karstadt branch was once again on the verge of closing. I thought I absolutely needed it. And then never used it because it was just heavy, massive, dark, and nauseating - and somehow also felt outdated to me. Maybe that happens with classics?
Out of curiosity, I recently saw the dupe at Rossmann and of course immediately identified it as an Alien reference. What Alien aims to do, this version does too. Oily jasmine, mystery, sex. Just not so old-fashioned. Not so oppressive, much lighter. Much fresher, more modern, and skillfully done. And not cheap at all!
Sure, you can tell the price by the longevity... Two hours later it’s noticeably weaker. But that might be good news for a scent banger of this kind (for the environment?). Elixir is definitely the more everyday-friendly, younger Alien.

In any case, the original is just sitting in the closet at the moment. While I’m really considering buying Elixir. That would be totally crazy, right? What do you think?