Byredo Bal d'Afrique Absolu dupes

What is Bal d'Afrique Absolu?

Bal d'Afrique Absolu is a perfume by Byredo, a brand from Stockholm in Sweden. It came out in 2025.

It is a stronger, richer version of Bal d'Afrique, one of Byredo's best-known scents. That first version came out in 2009.

Both were made by the same perfumer, Jérôme Epinette. He is a French perfumer who has worked with Byredo since its early years.

Byredo was started in 2006 by Ben Gorham. He did not train as a perfumer, so he explains the idea he wants and lets perfumers like Epinette build it.

This page covers the Absolu. The original Bal d'Afrique has its own page and its own dupes.

The story behind the name

"Bal d'Afrique" means "African ball" in French. Byredo says the idea came from Paris in the late 1920s.

At that time, Paris was fascinated by African art, music and dance. Dance halls held African-themed balls, and the American dancer Josephine Baker became the star of the city.

The perfume was meant to mix that Paris energy with warmth and sun. Byredo built the first version around vetiver, a dry, earthy grass root.

What does it smell like?

Fragrantica lists blackcurrant, bergamot and lemon at the top. Then come praline, musk and violet, over black amber, cedar and vetiver.

The praline is the big change from the first version. Praline is a sweet, nutty caramel, and it makes the Absolu much sweeter.

One fan described the mix of violet, blackcurrant and praline as "fresh but it's sweet." They added that it is "rich and syrupy but somehow isn't thick."

Most people say the vetiver is hard to find. One owner of the original said they get "zero vetiver," just "sugared violets and musk."

How it changes on your skin

The opening. It starts bright, with tart blackcurrant and citrus.

The middle. The praline and violet come through, and it turns soft and sweet. This is where it feels closest to a gourmand.

The drydown. Hours later, it is mostly musk and soft woods. Fans call this part clean and creamy.

Why people love it

It wins over people who did not like the first version. One said they "did not like the regular version but immediately bought a bottle of Absolu."

Another said they had never liked the original, but tried the Absolu in a shop and called it "absolutely divine."

People also call it a great clean scent. One fan said it is "the BEST shower scent," and another called it "the most gorgeous casual feminine scent."

On Fragrantica, "love" votes far outnumber every other vote.

Why some people don't

Some find the sweet note too synthetic. One person said it has a "synthetic sweet note that reminds me of melted plastic" and compared it to Baccarat Rouge 540.

That same person said the Absolu smells more feminine than the first version. Fragrantica voters still list it for men and women.

Others think it is overhyped. One person smelled it at a mall twice and said it is not worth the money.

How long does it last?

This is the main reason the Absolu exists. The first Bal d'Afrique is known for weak staying power.

One fan of the original said its "staying power is truly awful." Another called its performance "pretty crappy."

The Absolu is much stronger. One owner said it is "pretty loud," to the point where you could easily overspray it, and another said it "lasts all day on me."

Not everyone agrees. One person tried both versions in two shops and could barely smell either one, even with their nose on their arm.

Musk may explain that split. Many people are partly blind to certain musks, so the same perfume can seem loud to one person and faint to another.

The dupes

Two dupes are listed on this page. Both target the Absolu, not the first version.

Khadlaj Karus Gold Absolu

Khadlaj is a perfume house from Dubai. Karus Gold Absolu is the dupe most people name for this scent.

One reviewer put it at about 90% the same. To their nose, the only difference is more musk, "which gives it a fresher cleaner smell."

That extra musk also helps it last. They said it has "a larger dose" than the original, so it lasts longer and projects farther.

Other owners are just as keen. One rated it 9.4 out of 10 and called it "the best interpretation" of the Absolu they had tried.

That reviewer also noticed "candy lemon" as a twist the original does not have. Another called it "definite designer quality."

Not everyone likes it. One owner of the original said something in Karus Gold "just immediately disagrees with my nose."

On performance, reports vary. One owner smelled it on their skin twelve hours later, while another found it still felt like a skin scent.

The Dua Brand Paris 1920 Absolu

The Dua Brand is an American company that makes its own versions of famous niche perfumes. Paris 1920 Absolu is its take on this one.

It is named for the same 1920s Paris idea. Dua sells a regular Paris 1920 too, and that one targets the first Bal d'Afrique.

One owner of both put it this way: "A little different in the first 5-10 minutes but then its identical."

They also did a blind test with their wife, and she "couldnt tell the difference." They get eight to ten hours on skin.

A second owner of both agreed on the opening. They said it is "definitely very alcohol like," but the drydown smells similar.

Karus Gold or Paris 1920 Absolu?

The main difference is the start. Paris 1920 Absolu opens sharp and boozy, then becomes very close.

Karus Gold changes the scent on purpose, with more musk and a candy lemon note. It smells cleaner and fresher, but a little less like a copy.

Other names you will see

Bujairami Too Damn Good. It is made to copy the Absolu. One person tried the original after hearing about it and found the original "super subtle."

Maison Asrar Belgravia. One owner tested it against Karus Gold and liked it more, saying it projected stronger. They did not claim it is closer to the original.

Aroma Concepts Echelon Soleil and Montagne Azonto Absolu. Both are named in lists of Absolu dupes. We have not found owners who compared them side by side.

Sospiro Contralto. This is a niche perfume, not a cheap clone. One fan of the Absolu said it smells very similar but lasts longer.

Initio Musk Therapy. People often compare it to Bal d'Afrique. But several fans of both say they smell very different.

Which should you buy?

Buy the original if you want the real blend and the best-known name. Smell it on your own skin first, because people sense the musk very differently.

Buy Khadlaj Karus Gold Absolu if you want a cleaner, fresher take with longer wear. It is a twist, not a twin.

Buy The Dua Brand Paris 1920 Absolu if you want the closest match after the first few minutes.

Skip all of them if you dislike sweet musk scents, or if Baccarat Rouge 540 bothers you. Some people find the same kind of sweetness here.

When to wear it

It works all year. Fragrantica voters pick spring and summer most, but autumn is close behind.

Voters also lean towards day over night. It suits the office, weekends and warm afternoons.

Tips for wearing it

Go easy at first. Fans who find it loud say it is easy to overdo.

If you can barely smell it, ask someone near you. With musky scents, others often smell it more than you do.

It also layers well. One fan wears it with Byredo's Black Saffron, and says that pair was all they needed from the brand.

A few fans even use it as a full routine. One plans to buy the matching body wash and body cream once their other products run out.

Bal d'Afrique Absolu or the first Bal d'Afrique?

The first Bal d'Afrique is lighter and drier, with more citrus and vetiver. One fan called it "an airy musky floral."

It is lovely, but it fades fast.

The Absolu is sweeter, creamier and much longer-lasting. If you loved the first one for its airiness, the Absolu may feel too sweet.

A short story about Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker was born in Saint Louis, in the United States, in 1906. She moved to Paris as a young dancer in 1925.

She became famous almost overnight in a show called La Revue nègre. Within a few years, she was one of the best-known stars in Europe.

Her life in France went far beyond the stage. During the Second World War, she worked for the French Resistance, passing on secrets she heard at parties.

In 2021, France moved her memory into the Panthéon in Paris, where the country honours its heroes. She was the first Black woman to receive that honour.

That is the Paris of the late 1920s that Byredo had in mind. Bright, loud and full of music.

The bottom line

Bal d'Afrique Absolu is a sweet, creamy blackcurrant, violet and praline scent over clean musk. It fixes the first version's weak staying power, but it is much sweeter.

Khadlaj Karus Gold Absolu is the most praised dupe, with more musk and longer wear. The Dua Brand Paris 1920 Absolu is the closest after a rough first few minutes.

Because musk smells so different from person to person, test any of them on your skin before you buy.