Bethenny Frankel knows how to sniff out a good budget-friendly beauty buy.
So when the self-proclaimed “accidental influencer” posted about Alt. Crystal No. 23 Extrait de Parfum on Instagram Stories this month — and compared the $40 fragrance to Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s $360 Baccarat Rouge scent — we were immediately intrigued.
“This smells so similar to Baccarat for a fraction of the price,” she wrote, saying she was “shook” by the find.
She kept the praise coming on her shopping account, The List, writing that she likes to “smell a little richer” in fall.
“Love an expensive fragrance as much as the next rich b*tch, and Crystal No. 23 gives me my Baccarat Rouge fix for a fraction of the price,” she added.
The unisex scent features notes of rich jasmine and saffron, plus hints of cedarwood and amber. According to the brand, it’s bold, unflinching and “ideal for wearing for both work and play.”
Several reviewers agreed that Crystal No. 23 smells more expensive than its price tag suggests — and it has a 4.6-star average out of over 14,000 reviews.
“I literally went into an exclusive restaurant and the hostess asked me if I was wearing Baccarat,” one shopper wrote. “I asked if she was kidding and looked around to see if I was on Candid Camera.”
Alt (short for alternative) offers a litany of scents similar to other luxury fragrances — minus the three-figure prices, of course.
“Whatever your expensive scent is, ALT. probably has a version of it,” Frankel wrote in her post.
Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping
This article was written by Hannah Southwick, Commerce Associate Editor for Page Six. Hannah spies deals on actually affordable celebrity-worn styles, puts celebrities’ brands to the test and finds the beauty products that keep stars red carpet-ready. She consults stylists and industry pros — including celebs themselves — for firsthand product recommendations, trend predictions and more. In addition to writing for Page Six since 2020, her work has been featured in USA Today and Parade.
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