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Comparison

Oud Wood vs Sauvage Elixir

Side by side. Scored honestly.

← Compare different fragrances
Notes overlap
Unique to Oud Wood
Unique to Sauvage Elixir

Side by side

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

Original price
$300
Oud Wood
$265
Sauvage Elixir
Season coveragetied
2/4
Oud Wood
2/4
Sauvage Elixir
Note depthtied
6
Oud Wood
6
Sauvage Elixir
What Oud Wood smells like

Opens with a soft, spiced warmth — cardamom lifting the rosewood into something almost edible before the oud arrives. And this oud is polished, not barnyard: smooth, slightly smoky, more boardroom than bazaar. The heart settles into a clean wood accord where sandalwood and rosewood blend seamlessly, with vetiver grounding it from beneath. Dry-down is amber-rich and skin-close, leaving a quiet, persistent sillage that lasts for hours without announcing itself. Projection is moderate and intimate rather than room-filling — a fragrance built for proximity. — Fall and winter evenings, anyone who wants sophisticated warmth without heaviness.

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

Oud Wood and Sauvage Elixir share 4 notes (cardamom, sandalwood, vetiver, amber). The same note name doesn't always mean the same scent — different houses use different vanillas, different woods, different musks — but a multi-note shared spine usually does indicate genuinely-comparable wear character. The remaining notes (2 unique to Oud Wood, 2 unique to Sauvage Elixir) are where the divergence happens.

The buying decision

Sauvage Elixir is the cheaper original at $265 compared to $300 for Oud Wood — about 12% less. Both wear best across the same fall/winter — they're interchangeable on weather fit.

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.