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Comparison

Imagination vs Sauvage Elixir

Side by side. Scored honestly.

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Notes overlap

Side by side

Comparing the originals — price, breadth, listed-note depth.

Original price
$360
Imagination
$265
Sauvage Elixir
Season coverage
3/4
Imagination
2/4
Sauvage Elixir
Note depth
8
Imagination
6
Sauvage Elixir
What Imagination smells like

Bergamot and orange hit immediately — bright, slightly bitter citrus with a ginger snap underneath that keeps the opening from going full cologne. Neroli softens the heart while cinnamon adds warmth without going spicy or gourmand; the tea note threads through everything, giving it a clean, almost aquatic dryness that prevents sweetness from building. The dry-down is where it lives: ambroxan and guaiac wood create a skin-close, woody-musky base with real depth and quiet tenacity. Projection is moderate, sillage intimate. — Warm-weather office or evening casual wear for someone who wants effortless sophistication without loudness.

What Sauvage Elixir smells like

Opens with a sharp grapefruit that burns off fast, giving way almost immediately to a dense spice core — cinnamon and cardamom packed tightly together, slightly medicinal, unapologetically loud. The heart pushes amber and sandalwood into a thick, resinous warmth, while vetiver grounds everything with an earthy bite that keeps it from going full-sweet. Projection is aggressive early, settling into a heavy, close-skin sillage by hour three. The dry-down is long, dark, and persistent — this doesn't whisper. — Cold-weather evenings, confident wear, best when you're not trying to go unnoticed.

How they overlap

Imagination and Sauvage Elixir share exactly one note (cinnamon). The overlap is real but narrow — most of the wear experience will diverge.

The buying decision

Sauvage Elixir is the cheaper original at $265 compared to $360 for Imagination — about 26% less. Imagination is built for spring/summer/fall; Sauvage Elixir for fall/winter. Pick by when you'd actually wear it.

Best dupe for each

Free: The 30 Best-Tested Dupes Under $40

A community-scored cheat sheet you can download now — 30 designer scents matched for under $40, ranked by accuracy and longevity.