Quick answer: Mykonos Inception, Dua Imagine Extrait, Zimaya Mazaaj Infused and Al Haramain Amber Oud Aqua Dubai are all linked to Louis Vuitton Imagination, and all four are listed for spring and summer. They are not equally close to Inception, though. Dua Imagine shares eight of its notes, including cinnamon and black tea. Mazaaj Infused keeps the citrus, ginger and neroli but drops the tea and cinnamon. Amber Oud Aqua Dubai takes a fruity, green route with melon, pineapple and galbanum, sharing only bergamot and musk with Inception.
Mykonos Inception vs Dua Imagine, Amber Oud Aqua Dubai and Mazaaj Infused is our second roundup of Imagination-linked scents around Inception. The first, Inception vs Marwa, Hectic and Hersh 2, split its group by season and by incense. This group is different: all four are listed for spring and summer, so the useful question is how far each one moves away from Inception's pyramid. We have ordered them from closest to furthest on paper. For a one-to-one comparison with a cold-weather option, see Mykonos Inception vs Rasasi Hawas Kobra. We sell Mykonos and none of the other three, so we are not neutral, and notes on paper never tell you everything about how a perfume wears.
What they have in common: Louis Vuitton Imagination as the inspiration
Mykonos Inception is inspired by Louis Vuitton Imagination; that is the line on its product page. The other three are linked to the same fragrance:
- Dua Imagine Extrait: Dua Fragrances presents it as inspired by Louis Vuitton Imagination on its own product page.
- Zimaya Mazaaj Infused: widely described as inspired by Imagination. It appears on lists of Imagination-inspired perfumes, and reviewers make the same link. It was launched in 2024.
- Al Haramain Amber Oud Aqua Dubai: widely described as inspired by Imagination, in reviews and on lists of Imagination-inspired perfumes. One reviewer who links it points out that it gets there with a different set of notes, which the table below bears out. It was launched in 2024 as part of Al Haramain's Amber Oud line.
All four open with bergamot, and all four are listed for spring and summer, for daily wear and for work. Beyond that the overlap varies a great deal, which is what the rest of this article is about. For how we read an inspiration line, see what "inspired by" means on a perfume.
Mykonos Inception vs Dua Imagine, Amber Oud Aqua Dubai and Mazaaj Infused: notes compared
Inception's pyramid is from the Mykonos handbook; the other three come from their product descriptions. The first row counts how many of Inception's named notes each one shares.
| Mykonos Inception | Dua Imagine Extrait | Zimaya Mazaaj Infused | Amber Oud Aqua Dubai | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notes shared with Inception | Reference | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| Top notes | Bergamot, ginger, orange, lemon | Bergamot, lemon, orange | Citron, bergamot, orange | Bergamot, green notes, mandarin |
| Heart notes | Neroli, cinnamon, black tea, biga flower | Cinnamon, neroli, ginger, black tea | Ginger, neroli | Amber, melon, blackcurrant, pineapple |
| Base notes | Guaiac wood, musk, cedarwood, Lorenox | Ambroxan, guaiac wood, incense | Ambroxan, olibanum, woody notes | Musk, petitgrain, galbanum, vanilla |
| Concentration | Extrait de parfum | Extrait de parfum | Eau de parfum | Eau de parfum |
| Character | Citrus, aromatic, woody | Aromatic citrus | Citrus aromatic, oriental woody | Aromatic fruity, aquatic |
| Stated intensity | Moderate | Strong | Moderate | Moderate |
| Best season | Spring, summer | Spring, summer | Spring, summer | Spring, summer |
| Best for | Daily wear, evenings, work; for him | Daily wear, work; unisex | Daily wear, sport, work; for men | Daily wear, sport, work; unisex |
From closest to furthest, tier by tier
Here is what each one keeps from Inception's structure, and what it changes.
1. Dua Imagine Extrait: the closest on paper
- Top: bergamot, lemon and orange, three of Inception's four opening notes. The fourth, ginger, Dua moves into the heart.
- Heart: cinnamon, neroli and black tea, all three shared with Inception, plus that ginger. Inception has biga flower here instead.
- Base: this is where they separate. Dua keeps guaiac wood but adds ambroxan and incense, while Inception finishes on musk, cedarwood and Lorenox, with no incense at all.
Dua's description gives origins for several notes, from Calabrian bergamot to Ceylon cinnamon and Nigerian ginger, and calls the scent bright and fresh with an elegant character, made for daytime. Like Inception it is an extrait, but it is rated strong where Inception is moderate, and it is unisex.
2. Zimaya Mazaaj Infused: the leaner middle ground
- Top: citron, bergamot and orange: Inception's bergamot and orange, with citron in place of lemon.
- Heart: ginger and neroli, both from Inception's pyramid, but no cinnamon and no tea. That removes the warm, spiced tea accord at the centre of Inception.
- Base: ambroxan, olibanum and woody notes. Olibanum is frankincense, so Mazaaj Infused has a resinous edge that Inception does not.
Its description stresses the cold, sharp bite of the ginger against the soft, floral side of the neroli. It is an eau de parfum rated moderate, aimed at men and tagged for sport as well as daily wear and work.
3. Al Haramain Amber Oud Aqua Dubai: the fruity outlier
- Top: bergamot, green notes and mandarin. Bergamot is the only note it shares with Inception's opening.
- Heart: amber, melon, blackcurrant and pineapple, a juicy, tropical middle with nothing from Inception's heart.
- Base: musk, petitgrain, galbanum and vanilla. Musk is shared. Petitgrain comes from the same bitter orange tree as neroli, so there is a family link to Inception's heart, and galbanum adds a sharp, green edge.
Its tags add a marine touch, and its description presents it as aromatic and fruity, fresh but rich. Despite the Amber Oud name, oud is not among the notes in its published pyramid. It is a unisex eau de parfum rated moderate and tagged for sport.
What only Inception has
Biga flower, cedarwood and Lorenox appear in none of the other three pyramids. Inception is also the only one of the four that puts ginger in its opening, and the only one tagged for evenings as well as daily wear and work.
Where they differ
- Tea and cinnamon. Only Dua Imagine keeps Inception's black tea and cinnamon; Mazaaj Infused and Aqua Dubai have neither. Our tea perfume guide explains what black tea brings to a scent.
- Resin. Dua Imagine has incense and Mazaaj Infused has olibanum. Inception and Aqua Dubai list no resin.
- Fruit. Aqua Dubai is the only one with fruit beyond citrus: melon, blackcurrant and pineapple, with vanilla in the base.
- Strength. Inception and Dua Imagine are extraits; Mazaaj Infused and Aqua Dubai are eaux de parfum. Dua Imagine is the only one rated strong.
- Occasions and audience. Inception is the only one tagged for evenings, while Mazaaj Infused and Aqua Dubai carry a sport tag. Inception and Mazaaj Infused are aimed at men; Dua Imagine and Aqua Dubai are unisex.
Which one should you choose?
- The closest pyramid to Inception, but stronger and unisex: Dua Imagine Extrait.
- Inception's citrus, ginger and neroli without the tea and cinnamon, with frankincense in the base: Mazaaj Infused.
- Something fruity, green and aquatic: Amber Oud Aqua Dubai.
- One warm-weather scent for the office and for evenings: Inception, the only one of the four tagged for both.
- The gym: Mazaaj Infused or Aqua Dubai, both tagged for sport. Inception is not.
- This style for autumn and winter: read our comparison of Inception and Rasasi Hawas Kobra.
Wearing Mykonos Inception
Inception is an extrait rated moderate, with sillage rated strong, projection moderate to strong and longevity of 12+ hours in the Mykonos handbook. In practice, two sprays in the morning will see most people through a warm day; apply to the neck and chest and do not rub. It is listed for spring and summer, for daily wear, evenings and work, and comes in 50 ml and 100 ml.
Read our Mykonos Inception review for the full picture, and browse our bergamot perfumes for more scents that open the way these four do.
Frequently asked questions
Which of these is closest to Mykonos Inception?
On paper, Dua Imagine Extrait. It shares eight of Inception's notes, including cinnamon, black tea, neroli and guaiac wood. It is still a separate formula, with ambroxan and incense in the base and a strong rating.
Does Al Haramain Amber Oud Aqua Dubai contain oud?
Oud is not among the notes in its published pyramid, which runs from bergamot and mandarin through melon and pineapple to musk, galbanum and vanilla. The name comes from Al Haramain's Amber Oud line.
Which ones are extraits de parfum?
Inception and Dua Imagine Extrait. Mazaaj Infused and Amber Oud Aqua Dubai are eaux de parfum.
Are any of them good for winter?
All four are listed for spring and summer. For a cold-weather take on the Imagination style, see our comparisons with Rasasi Hawas Kobra and with Marwa Extrait and Hersh 2.