Is Perfume Parlour Unlit Defiant a dupe of John Varvatos Dark Rebel?

Dark Rebel EDP

John Varvatos by Rodrigo Flores-Roux Original Statement

Unlit Defiant EDP

Perfume Parlour Inspired Favourite

Comparison

82%

Estimated similarity

Dark Rebel EDP John Varvatos · 2015 M Original

Unlit Defiant EDP Perfume Parlour M Inspired

Top

Rum

Sugar Cane

Cardamom

Artemisia

Clary Sage

Heart

Leather

Canadian Fir Balsam

Pepper

Styrax

Base

Tobacco

Woody Notes

Castoreum

Akigalawood

Vanilla

Top

Clary Sage

Cardamom

Artemisia

Sugar Cane

Heart

Pepper

Styrax

Canadian Fir Balsam

Leather

Base

Juniper

Woody Notes

Akigalawood

Castoreum

scentverdict.com

Dark Rebel EDP

EDP	Concentration	EDP
M	Gender	M
2015	Year	-
££	Price Tier	£

Unlit Defiant EDP

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£11.00 from

30ml at Perfume Parlour

Best value £0.32/ml (100ml)

Buy Unlit Defiant

Where they differ

Biggest gaps first. The bolder side leads.

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Which Should You Buy?

Our Verdict - Dark Rebel EDP

Dark Rebel is a divisive beast: some hail it as a smoky, boozy leather masterpiece, others recoil from its animalic edge. Expect a bold, confident statement rather than a people-pleaser, delivering serious bad-boy vibes but with often disappointing longevity.

Statement

Our Verdict - Unlit Defiant EDP

Perfume Parlour's affordable interpretation of John Varvatos - Dark Rebel - a warm spicy fragrance led by Clary Sage, Cardamom, Artemisia, with aromatic depth. The dupe trades some of the original's depth and longevity for a wallet-friendly price, keeping the recognisable character.

Favourite

Scent Profile

How they compare

Dark Rebel EDP A Unlit Defiant EDP B

Where they part company by gap size

How They Wear

Showing: Overall Blend

Mood

Mood Energising

Calming

Character Playful

Serious

Sentiment Uplifting

Brooding

Dark Rebel EDP

Unlit Defiant EDP

Notes

Top Notes

Rum 30% Sugar Cane 21% Cardamom 18% Artemisia 16% Clary Sage 15%

Top Notes

Clary Sage 30% Cardamom 27% Artemisia 23% Sugar Cane 20%

Heart Notes

Leather 35% Canadian Fir Balsam 23% Pepper 21% Styrax 20%

Heart Notes

Pepper 31% Styrax 27% Canadian Fir Balsam 23% Leather 19%

Base Notes

Tobacco 24% Woody Notes 17% Castoreum 16% Akigalawood 15% Vanilla 14% Juniper 14%

Base Notes

Juniper 31% Woody Notes 27% Akigalawood 23% Castoreum 19%

Shared Notes

Leather 35% vs 18%

Canadian Fir Balsam 23% vs 22%

Pepper 21% vs 31%

Sugar Cane 20% vs 19%

Styrax 20% vs 27%

Cardamom 17% vs 26%

Woody Notes 17% vs 26%

Artemisia 15% vs 23%

Castoreum 15% vs 19%

Clary Sage 15% vs 30%

Akigalawood 15% vs 23%

Juniper 13% vs 30%

Only in Dark Rebel

Rum 30% Tobacco 24% Vanilla 14%

Shared Notes

Sugar Cane 20% vs 19%

Cardamom 17% vs 26%

Artemisia 15% vs 23%

Clary Sage 15% vs 30%

Only in Dark Rebel

Rum 30%

Shared Notes

Leather 35% vs 18%

Canadian Fir Balsam 23% vs 22%

Pepper 21% vs 31%

Styrax 20% vs 27%

Shared Notes

Woody Notes 17% vs 26%

Castoreum 15% vs 19%

Akigalawood 15% vs 23%

Juniper 13% vs 30%

Only in Dark Rebel

Tobacco 24% Vanilla 14%

Note weights are our estimate from each note's place in the pyramid, not the share of the formula. Brands do not publish formulations.

Performance

Dark Rebel Unlit Defiant

Moderate (4-6h)

Longevity

Short (2-4h)

Moderate

Projection

Intimate

Moderate

Intensity

Moderate

Season and Occasion Fit

Dark Rebel

Seasons

Best For:

Autumn Winter

A cold-weather scent - best worn in winter and autumn.

Occasions

Best For:

Date

Also Works:

Casual

Dark Rebel's strong, dark, and often polarising character, combined with its boozy and smoky notes, makes it less suited for professional or sporty settings. It shines brightest on dates and in casual evening wear, where its mysterious and edgy vibe can truly make a statement, though its inconsistent longevity may require reapplication.

Unlit Defiant

Seasons

Best For:

Autumn Winter

Best in autumn and winter - the warm spicy, aromatic profile suits those conditions, while extremes of heat or cold flatten the dupe's lighter composition.

Occasions

Best For:

Date Formal

Also Works:

Office Casual

Keep it for evening and daily - the warm spicy accord gives presence while the gentle projection keeps it crowd-friendly.

Similarity Breakdown

Our estimate of how alike these two fragrances smell, calculated from their published notes. It is a position on our scale, not a measured percentage of shared smell.

Overall scent match

82%

Key Similarities

Every one of its 12 notes is in the original, including Leather, Sugar Cane, Woody Notes

Key Differences

Without rum and tobacco