So today I decided to spray on Bath and Body Works Hibiscus Guava Fresca ( an incredible $3 find at the semi annual sale! ) as my scent of the day, and I noticed something... this smells nearly identical to my lifelong favorite, Victoria’s Secret Pure Seduction! Maybe a 90% dead on match!

Now.. let’s dissect these fragrances, shall we?

Notes for Hibiscus Guava Fresca: Acapulco Hibiscus, Fresh Guava, Grapefruit Agua Fresca, Beach Iris, Sea Salt Driftwood

Notes for Pure Seduction: Plum, Freesia, Chamomile

Now... from the notes, you wouldn’t think these could smell REMOTELY similar! And who would be trying to copy Pure Seduction WAY past it’s prime in the fragrance scene right?

Well... then I remembered how! Bath & Body Works Victoria’s Secret are owned by the same company. So I’m sure they can toss formulations back and forth between the brands with no issue lol.

VS PURE SEDUCTION

VS PS is a classic. It is still just a juicy, fruity plum with a big overdose of freesia. It’s one of those body mists I’ve been wearing since middle school that I still feel is “ grown “ enough to keep in my current collection as an easy grab. It served me well on a casual day/over my loungewear and I can get 3-4 hours out of it before I need to reapply! I also feel like it’s strong enough sillage wise that I can wear this during the cooler months too and it can still poke through the layers of my sweaters and jackets on a very cold day.

B&BW HGF

The B&BW HGF is almost dead on, but they have toned down that freesia and made it fruitier! The freesia isn’t as present, but it’s still there! Its what breaks through all the fruitiness and “ rounds “ it out. I do smell that guava note in there that’s been added, but I’m not too sure I’m picking up on the grapefruit at all. As someone who drinks a lot of iced hibiscus tea ( agua de Jamaica ) I can FAINTLY pick it up behind those plum notes, but not enough to be a picked up without looking for it. Honestly If I didn’t know it was in there, I wouldn’t have guessed there was anything more than that freesia and plum in the base. Overall this one lasts 4 hours on my skin and clothes before becoming a skin scent... but this one DOES have a teeny bit more staying power than Pure Seduction!

Overall this smells like a summer flanker for Pure Seduction. I’m not mad at it! I like it enough to have two backups in my closet!

VS Pure Seduction: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

B&BW HGF: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5

The winner between these two for me is B&BW HGF! It’s a little fruitier, which is a plus for me, and the longer staying power makes me reach for it a little more.

Nothing wrong with the VS PS, it’s still a fantastic choice, and when I finish my current bottle my backups of the B&BW fragrance, I will have no problem falling back on my old faithful!