REVIEW: bound - sapil
resembles code profumo by armani
Sometimes a popular fragrance gets discontinued, and unfortunately, that happened with the iconic Code Profumo. Production stopped around 2021, leaving many fans disappointed. But don’t worry: Sapil has released Bound, an alternative that closely resembles it.
The scent of Bound
Bound For Men opens with a sharp note of green apple and mandarin, giving it a surprisingly fresh start. The addition of cardamom and nutmeg adds a spicy touch, while the base notes of tonka bean, leather, and amber bring warmth and a rich, chocolate-like scent.
Top notes: cardamom, green apple, mandarin
Heart notes: orange blossom, nutmeg, lavender
Base notes: leather, tonka bean, amber
The price
Bound by Sapil is still available at a great price, especially compared to what you used to pay for Code Parfumo. Even though this cheaper dupe is getting more popular, it's not yet available everywhere. Below are the current prices from the sellers offering it. Shipping costs and delivery times may vary between shops.
The opinions on the internet
There are also plenty of positive reviews on YouTube. For a detailed review from the big YouTube channel Gents Scents, you can click here. Spoiler alert: he's super positive about this dupe of Code Profumo. Below, you’ll find two shorter but also positive reviews of Bound from YouTubers Cubaknow and Fragrance Fan>
Even on Reddit, people seem to be unusually unanimous about this dupe from Sapil:
On both Fragrantica and Parfumo, people are pretty satisfied. However, it's worth noting that not many people have shared their opinions on these sites yet. As mentioned, Bound also gets good reviews on Parfumo, though the bottle design isn’t to everyone’s taste.
On Fragrantica, the fragrance scores 4.26 out of 5. On Amazon, where more people have left reviews, it scores 4.4. So, the ratings are consistent with the reviews on other sites.
Our Own Experience
We’ve tried Boud several times, and honestly, we're not big fans of the opening. It starts with a citrusy, synthetic vibe mixed with a chocolate-like scent, which isn’t really our thing. Luckily, we managed to get a sample of the original Code Profumo, and its opening is much more pleasant. It’s a bit powdery, which smooths out the sharp edges.
Bound seems to come in two phases. The first part, as mentioned, is synthetic and doesn’t quite work for us. BUT, if you can get through the first 10 minutes, you’re rewarded with a lovely, warm, intense chocolate-like scent that we absolutely fall for. We especially love the combination of nutmeg, leather, tonka bean, and amber. At this stage, the dupe really shines and smells a lot more like Code Profumo.
Performance-wise, Bound is solid. We received compliments even after 4 hours of wearing it. After about 5 hours, the projection diminishes, and it becomes more of a skin scent. We mainly wear this fragrance in the colder months, and we find it great for both everyday use and special evening occasions.
Is Bound worth your money?
Bound by Sapil is a great deal in terms of price and quality. It has good longevity and projects well. We did need to get past the opening of the fragrance, but soon after, it settles into a warm, sexy, chocolate-like scent.
Since we've received multiple compliments while wearing this perfume, we can confidently say that Sapil has successfully created an excellent alternative!