Dupes of Designer Candles and Soaps

The coziest season is upon us — and for me at least, that means finally being able to burn my most luxurious candles (and perhaps tending a bit more toward hand care as the weather cools, too). Recently, Element Brooklyn — a sustainability-focused home scent, hand care, and cleaning brand that dupes some of the most beloved aromas — came onto my radar, and I’m already obsessed.

“I started Element Brooklyn in 2022 after spotting a gap in the luxury fragrance market,” the brand’s founder, Andrew Nicol, tells Business Insider in an email interview. “I noticed many spending hundreds of dollars on soaps and candles, only to throw away the bottles and jars when they ran out. Cheaper brands offered sustainable refills, but nothing in the premium, designer-adjacent space did the same.”

With that, Nicol and his father began the formulation process in his apartment with the ultimate mission of making a positive impact on the environment and providing luxe yet accessible fragrances. The website is explicit that the products are not affiliated with or endorsed by the brands they are comparing them to.

Element Brooklyn is a “net plastic negative” brand that dupes some of the most-loved scents

Sustainability is at the forefront of Element Brooklyn, so much so that they’ve gained a “net plastic negative” certification from rePurpose Global. “It means we remove twice as much plastic from the environment as we produce,” explains Nicol. “We’ve already prevented hundreds of thousands of single-use bottles from being produced through our refill model, and the certification takes that one step further by making our overall impact positive, not just ‘less bad.'”

Scent is another pillar of the brand, and duping popular scents has definitely gotten them noticed. “We study what makes popular designer fragrances resonate — the key notes, the mood they create, the feelings they evoke — and then craft our own versions,” he says. “We’ve been noticed by some of the brands we take inspiration from, and while there’s been some push-back, we take it as a sign that our concept resonates. Our goal has always been to provide a more sustainable and accessible way for people to enjoy a luxury fragrance experience, and naturally, we hope that makes an impact.”

Element Brooklyn is not alone in offering high-quality comparatives of luxury scents; Dossier is another well-known brand that similarly dupes cult-adored perfumes and some candles, though they’ve yet to break into the body care or cleaning categories like Element Brooklyn.

Here, find an honest review of the Element Brooklyn lineup.

The candle and diffusers are so luxe

I take my home scent game seriously, but honestly, my most expensive candles are often left unlit, and ultimately, unused (because it can hurt to literally burn away that money). Element Brooklyn solves that issue with its high-end scents at a more affordable price. The candles are made with a soy wax blend with a cotton wick, with the refills sized to fit in the vessels of the candles they are being compared to. Inner Circle is true perfection. Inspired by Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille, the aroma fills your home with the sultriness of woody tobacco, toasted vanilla, and cacao notes. Plus, the refillable glass jar feels weighty and substantial, with a super minimal aesthetic that’s sophisticated. By comparison, Inner Circle costs $27 with the glass jar and only $19.50 for each refill, while Tom Ford’s candles are typically priced at a much higher $140.

Jaclyn Turner, Business Insider’s senior home editor, shares similar sentiments for the In Full Bloom candle. “This candle manages to convey the complexities of Diptyque’s Baies, a beautiful fruit and floral-forward fragrance (blackcurrant and rose with a base of cedar and musk), at a third of the price. I chose to select the candle, but it’s also available as a $17.50 refill that fits the 190g Diptyque container if you have an existing candle and a diffuser. While the original Diptyque vessel is a status symbol turned covetable ‘décor objet,’ I wouldn’t mind leaving the minimalist lavender-colored glass vessel with Element Brooklyn’s simple branding out on display either. Lit, it took only a few minutes to fill my living space — with its high ceilings — like a beautiful greeting.”

As for the Campfire Stereo diffuser, which nods to the beloved By The Fireplace scent by Maison Margiela, the intensity of its woodiness is beautifully softened by the reeds. That being said, it does radiate the fragrance throughout my smaller apartment space, making it feel as if we have a cozy fireplace burning (even though it’s still the end of summer). By The Fireplace does come in diffuser, candle, and perfume formats, with its diffuser priced at $96. Campfire Stereo, on the other hand, is a third of the price at $33. Element Brooklyn also sells the scent in a candle and a candle refill, too.

The soap easily elevates your hand washing experience

Whether I’m cleaning up after my baby, playing with my dog, or cooking, I feel as if I’m constantly washing my hands. So many formulas leave my hands craving moisture, but this one feels incredibly silky-smooth and non-stripping. Moreover, the lush Commodore aroma, which is a dupe for MALIN+GOETZ Rum, leaves a trail of boozy rum and tangy bergamot that lingers on my hands and in the air. Element Brooklyn’s 1-liter refill is $23.50, while MALIN+GOETZ’s hand and body wash is $28 for 8.5 fluid ounces.

When it comes to the Wild Pear scent, Turner notes how comparable it is to the Byredo Suede Hand Wash, with its notes of pear, bergamot, lily of the valley, and musk. “While I haven’t had direct experience with Byredo’s $75 Suede hand wash ($60 for 450 mL refill) to tell you how it feels, I did stop into a department store to give it a sniff. I could barely tell a difference in scent.

Examining the ingredients, Element Brooklyn leans on essential natural oils and stronger detergents, creating a fresh, botanical scent that feels very clean but may irritate sensitive skin. Byredo, meanwhile, relies on synthetic fragrance compounds and emollients, delivering a consistent, perfume-like scent with added conditioning benefits.” As for the wash’s feel, Turner explains what a beautifully smooth lather it creates, the lingering fragrances, and how it makes those everyday moments feel a little bit more luxurious.

The hand and body cream is nourishing, yet still somewhat lightweight

Frequent hand washing means frequent hand cream application — and especially come the coldest months of the year, the need to rehydrate intensifies. For me, I like my hand cream to have a few key qualities: be rich enough to keep my hands nourished for hours on end, yet be lightweight and absorbent enough that I’m not leaving a trail of lotion all over my clothes, my phone, and my keyboard. This formula is definitely rich with its efficacious ingredients like glycerin and coconut oil, yet it doesn’t feel too thick or balmy, which makes it a great choice for year-round use (not just winter). The Desert Bloom scent is a non-powdery, earthy floral that dupes Aesop’s Geranium Leaf aroma, though personally, I do find that it’s strong enough to clash with my perfume. For those who wear a lotion like it’s a fragrance, however, this would be the perfect choice for you, as it makes my hands feel baby-soft and doesn’t leave a sticky mess all over my laptop.

The cleaner concentrate cuts down on single-use bottles

Surface cleaners typically don’t boast a luxe fragrance, but Element Brooklyn has dropped their own multi-purpose cleaner concentrate in a Mandarin Crush scent — and Turner has thoughts. “While Aesop doesn’t make a cleaning concentrate just yet, the scent of this cleaning concentrate is fully inspired by and reminiscent of Aesop Resurrection, an orange, citrus-forward scent. The $10 3.4-ounce concentrate is equivalent to two standard-size cleaning solutions and was created as an alternative to single-use household cleaners. Just combine half of the vial with water in a spray bottle (sold separately). The main active ingredients, Caprylyl Glucoside and Decyl Glucoside, are plant-derived, non-ionic surfactants that help lift dirt and grime from surfaces. The cleaner was great at removing visible dirt, but it was a little streaky on glass. I wish there were instructions on which surfaces it’s suitable or not suitable to use on, but the pricing is right on par with other multi-surface cleaners from Method or Mrs. Meyers, instead with a sophisticated citrus scent.”

Cons to consider

For those not used to the refill life, one con to consider is that you’ll have to source your own jars and bottles for things like hand soap, cream, and cleaning products (though they do have containers you can purchase separately on their website). Ultimately, after that small initial investment, you’ll be able to save a chunk of change over time—and benefit the environment. An added bonus is that you can curate bottles that perfectly match your home’s vibe.

Another thing to consider is that not all the scents are available across product categories. For instance, while the Jardin Azteca candle is comparable to Loewe’s viral Tomato Leaves candle, there is no hand soap formulation available in the coordinating scent.

One more con is that currently, the brand isn’t stocked at major retailers, so a bit of planning is involved when ordering your refills if you aren’t one of the few lucky current stockists.

The bottom line

All in all, Element Brooklyn has managed to be environmentally friendly with its “net plastic negative” title, yet still provides high-end fragrance options that are luxurious and endlessly elegant. Not only do the familiar scents make it easier to shop online and know what you’re getting, but the dupes still feel of great quality at a significantly lower price than their counterparts.

Personally, I love refilling my seasonal hand soap containers with yummy scents that elevate my daily experience. Commodore is one I can see myself repurchasing, as the gentle formula, silky lather, and scent are on point. Turner also highly recommends Wild Pear for those who prefer more feminine-leaning, fresh scents. The Inner Circle candle will also be one of my most-used products from the brand, and I’ll definitely be constantly burning it through the coming fall and winter months.

Shop all Element Brooklyn products.