Why Aussies are flocking to this ‘hidden gem’ at the back of a convenience store in Sydney

In a modest supermarket in Sydney lives a master perfumer who is known for creating on-the-spot imitations of all kinds of scents.

A world of scents lies at the end of the supermarket aisle in Rockdale, where Ali Jalloul lives Jalu scents promises ‘A-grade inspiration’ dupes, made to order.

With bottles filled with all sorts of exotic perfumes, the colourful counter looks like the home of a mad scientist with a penchant for perfumes. Since opening three years ago, the store has attracted fans from all over Sydney.

Safa Abouradi’s visit to the perfume store known for “amazing perfume dupes” was viewed 1.1 million times after being posted on TikTok.

Safa, who has been wearing Yves Saint Laurent’s best-seller Black Opium for five years, asked for a copy of her favorite fragrance.

Ali only had to take a quick sniff of the luxurious women’s fragrance, beloved for its intense coffee notes and seductive floral scents, before he told Safa, “I know I can do it.”

After twenty minutes of mixing and tweaking different scents, Mr. Jalloul had perfected his clone of the YSL designer perfume, which retails for $282 for 90 ml.

“I’m here trying the perfume and I can tell you it’s exactly the same. I’ve been wearing Black Opium for five years and I know what it smells like,” said a delighted Safa.

Perfumer Ali Jalloul needed just twenty minutes to create the coffee floral scent of YSL’s bestseller Black Opium

Safa Abouradi couldn’t believe how accurate the Jalu Fragrance dupe of her YSL favorite was

Jalu Fragrances is easy to miss, hidden away at the back of Nobby’s Discount store in Rockdale

Obsessed with fragrances since childhood, Ali Jalloul has been making perfume dupes for knowledgeable Sydney residents for the past three years.

“When I say I found a hidden gem, I really mean it,” she added.

Commenters were impressed to find that Sydney perfumer Safa was charging $70 for his version of Black Opium, over $200 cheaper than the original.

Fans of Jalu Fragrances agree that Ali has the uncanny gift of recreating most popular scents.

“Almost all of the scents I’ve tried are very similar to the originals. Two of my scents are clones of Louis Vuitton Ombre Nomad and Imagination, and both are great,” said one man.

“He’s handsome and his perfume is perfect,” another woman agreed.

Ali Jalloul of Jalu Fragrances mixes perfume to order in the back of a Rockdale supermarket

Jalu Fragances makes dupes of beloved classics from Tom Ford, Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel

A perfume lover was thrilled when he discovered it was possible to recreate a favorite, no longer available fragrance.

‘OMG I have a little bit left of a perfume that is no longer made! I’m definitely going to check this out.’

The Jalu scent The website offers an extensive range of fragrances for him and her, with many replicas of bestsellers from brands such as Tom Ford, Chanel and Louis Vuitton.

People who wanted to know if the counterfeit perfumes lasted as long as the original perfumes were told that the scents lasted just as long, or even longer.

Mr Jalloul spoke to Femail about his obsession with fragrances, which began when he smelled the scents of his mothers and fathers as a child.

The first perfume he fell in love with was Black XS by Paco Rabanne.

While Ali can create scents from scents, he usually relies on formulas to meet the demand for his perfumes, which has exploded in recent years.

Mr. Jalloul names Baccarat Rogue 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian and Creed by Adventus as his most requested imitations for women and men.

Jalu Fragrances can be found at the back of Nobby’s Discount Store in Sydney’s southern suburb of Rockdale.

The current cost of living crisis has increased the popularity of designer clothing. Many people are having to cut back on luxury items as mortgages, rents and grocery prices skyrocket.

Beauty products from budget retailers such as Kmart remain popular among cash-strapped Australians.