After Effect

Smells sexy and seductive, if you like tobacco this is for you. Smells dirty and sophisticated, a little bit of sweetness from I assume to be the rum and white flowers + saffron. Evolves nicely over time and lasts forever on my skin. 9/10

I’m gonna say it, this fragrance is a masterpiece. The hate only comes from ppl that either just don’t like this DNA or they’re judging this fragrance straight out of the box. I’ve had mine for over a year now and the way the notes have settled, smoothed out, and blended together is incredible. This fragrance is incredibly sensual, seductive, and rich. I have a sample of side effect and this fragrance sprayed on both of my hands right now and smelling them side by side they are 100% identical in terms of smell. The one and ONLY difference is that side effect is a little more dense to my nose almost kinda syrupy but it’s literally like 1% denser it’s hardly noticeable unless you have them side by side and are deeply inhaling both like i am right now lol

Sampled Side Effect in the store - thought it was great but was focusing on the opening notes. Decided to buy After Effect because it was supposed to be the best dupe, with some roughness around the edges. Put it away for about 6 months and spritzed a bit a few days ago. I was surprised by a strong cherry opening, but not as much spice as I remembered it having. In fact, the dominant smell I picked up was a powedery one - strange. So today I decided to give it an actual spin on skin. Still that nice cherry (is this supposed to be the rum?) opening but... the spices are warm, but muted and that powdery accord is pretty prominent, almost giving a little patchouli? And after the first 30 minutes I'm definitely getting a floral with that powdery accord. Again, not the same degree of spices that I was percieving in the OG. I gotta be honest with you - I'm not in love with it. It is very much NOT the same as side effect, at least right now. Needs more maturation or oxidation or something, so I'm putting it back into the drawer for a few months after spraying a bit more out of the bottle to see what happens. A bit disappointing.

I fully agree with the review of Fxxx. This smells like sin in the best possible way.

This Is a sinner, casino excitement with a strip club seduction. Smokey, sweet and a BO pissy smell that is there but not prominente enough to out weigh the dark booze A spicy mix that is not for every one. absolutely love

My bottle has been macerating for 3 years now I believe. It is so good! Compliment getter. Sweet, spicy and a bit smoky. Addictive. No burnt rubber notes or bo at all. Lasts all day too. Ridiculous bargain. I couldn’t be happier with it.

bizarrely, when i first sprayed this i was getting a sort of synthetic rubber as a top note?? on the dry down it became a weak slightly boozy cinnamon however, after about a week of wearing this it has really grown on me. the ''rubber'' reads more as a sweet brandy-like note, not a gourmand sweet but that of a spilled cocktail in a pub i feel this fragrance is good for layering, or perhaps needs a few weeks to mature. i will return if my opinion changes.

The opening is quite harsh with the synthetic cherry and a bit too much saffron, but after 20 minutes the patchouli and tobacco become more prominent and it smooths out a little. I know this fragrance isn't considered to be powdery, but I do pick up on some kind of harsh-powdery chemical feeling that I bet people would associate with that flavored vape juice. It also instantly reminded me of Exclusif Tabac by Maison Alhambra, which, if my memory is correct, seemed to be a better- made frag than this, much smoother, iirc. These kinds of frags aren't my thing anymore, but I still understand the appeal.

No, this isn't Side Effect. I have Side Effect, and even though I think it's overpriced, it's still a good perfume. I bought After Effect because they say it's “100% Side Effect,” and I wanted to see if that was true so I wouldn't have to buy another bottle at full price. When I opened the box and smelled it for the first time, it smelled exactly like burnt plastic with a hint of cinnamon, so I decided to let it age for several months. Although it has improved somewhat, it’s still not even 20% of what Side Effect is; it still has that plastic-like note at the top, and even though the dry-down might remind you a little of the original, it still feels synthetic and lacks any kind of depth. Maybe it’s just my batch… Maybe it needs more aging (I think it’s ridiculous to have to wait months to use a perfume), but that’s just how it is. It’s not a good blind buy.

WOW, that's Initio Side Effect 100%. Super quality, longevity and sillage. Absolutely stunning!!!

Just started getting into cologne. Big fan of dupes. Went into After Effect without knowing which notes it will give off or what Side Effect was. Opening the delivery box, i was happy with the customer experience. The box was nice, the bottle is nice. I am not a fan of the smell. Its definitely more for guys who enjoy smoking tobacco, drive a truck with suede interior, drink rum, or anything involving a pool bar. Maybe good for a nightclub, anywhere with smoking and rum. Not for me, but has a good aroma.

The scent has nothing to do with the original it is who claims to be. It opens with brutal tobacco, which fades away after 30 mins. Then what is left is only a bitter sweetness, which is really synthetic. It is not a safe blind buy.

This is most likely the best homage to Side Effect on the market in terms of vibe and actual notes, however its no where near the quality and dont let anyone tell you otherwise. While not harsh, its not close to the roundness and soft edges of SE, which is intoxicating and rich. This stuff does have the "bank aid" smell ever so slightly, especially if you notice it once. SE is expensive and has had performance drop offs with newer batches, and while its my fav scent ever, spending $300+ for it is just plain stupid. For $25, this is worth it but do NOT expect the same experience as the OG. I see votes for "nuclear" in terms or performance and longevity...i have not had that experience whatsoever. Skin is different for everyone, but for me with heavy sprays its topping off at 7 hours.

smells a bit rubbery. Dry down somewhat makes up for the opening. side affect is leagues better tho.

Wow.......this one's pretty cool. Initial spray can be a little harsh but dries out smooth, a little sweet, dark, a little smoky and lightly spicy. (It actually reminds me a little of a sweet, smooth incense). This is beautiful! I'm not normally a fan of sweet scents (mainly because they aren't very masculine to me) but this is actually a very nice dark masculine sweet scent. So this will be a definite keeper for me. I did get a little of the BO and bitterness in the opening some people were talking about but as soon as it dried on my skin, it went away immediately (might be the alcohol and spices that makes that smell initially). It also seems to depend on how much or heavily you spray, I noticed. The lighter the spray the less I noticed it. I would downvote this scent if that smell stayed but it went away very quickly the very second the liquid dried. So, I'm not gonna get mad or discouraged with it. I haven't macerated it yet. Some reviewers have said that maceration takes care of this issue, so hopefully (fingers crossed) it will go away and smooth out. But I'm not too concerned since it doesn't stay long anyway. I still absolutely love this. The smell definitely matches the color of the bottle, if smells had colors. This is a really unique and beautifully dark scent. (Once it dries 😉) It's definitely worth trying. 👍 (yes I also blind bought, but it was love at first sniff for me)

Although the initial spray is very alcohol heavy, the rest of the fragrance is great. Not too sweet, spicy (in a more cinnamon and cardamom way rather than peppery), and has a good tobacco note. Definitely reminds me of a fireplace in autumn, or a vintage library, but not in a dusty way. Performance is good, lasts around 8 hours on my skin while projecting for the first 2 or 3. I would say it's more of a mature and intimate fragrance rather than something you would go to a party with.

This is a pretty good dupe of Side Effect after smelling it in stores. This scent opens very boozy, sweet, and spiced. In my opinion, this can be cloying even with 2-3 sprays. The cinnamon spice can also come off as BO if you sniff it too closely on skin (luckily most people won't be smelling you that close). I don't really get the tobacco note as much as in the OG but maybe my nose was just overwhelmed. I think this DNA is just a little bit too sweet for my taste, but if you are a fan of Side Effect and looking for a pretty accurate dupe, this is a no-brainer purchase.

Bang for the buck. It smells great. Its boozy and leathery with a touch of sweetness and hints of tobacco and cinnamon. I like it. I disagree with the other reviews saying that it has a "B.O." and "rubbery" smell. This has none of that. 10/10 would buy again. This shi is addicting.

When I smell from the bottle I genuinely feel nausea but on skin it smells alright I haven’t tested a lot but it’s seems alright strong rum opening and I don’t know how to describe it but it smells like floral deffinetly not a safe blind buy not for everyone but I think it’ll grow on me

Has a plasticky / diesel opening which settles within an hour to leave a more friendly warm mix of tobacco and maybe florals. It is not a projection beast. But it lasts for at least 10 hours on clothes and skin

ooooooh, this ones very interesting. a very well blended fragrance, its very hard to pick a certain note out , at least for my nose. i like it, very warm, sweet, dark and mysterious. not much else to say really! update: this is in instant favorite. such a mysterious yet intriguing and inviting scent. also has decent longevity which i love. i am starting to become a real big fan of fragrance world they havent let me down yet all HEAT this kind of reminds me of SOUTHERN COMFORT the alcoholic beverage.

I generally agree with the below sentiments.... dry down is warm, resinous, and boozy, with subtle tobacco, and some sweet florals. However, the opening also immediately hit me with a mental flash of sweet grape Fanta, or grape flavoured bubblegum. Like the purple colour of the bottle... Together with this, was a fresh plastic wrapping smell (I see person below called it rubber). This mostly disappeared in the dry down. Overall, it is a like.

Genuinly headache inducing. Opening is harsh and smells like rubber, leather, and incense, but gosh dude the rubber is so strong. This is going in the bottom drawer, I've been trying to give it away for free but no-one wants it. Maybe the batch of death, but not for me. (6 months of maceration btw) 1.5/10

After Effect opens with that familiar dark‑spark energy - a warm, resinous flicker that feels like someone just cracked open a glowing ember in a velvet room. No citrus, no laundry musk, no bright fruit trying to be the main character. Just a soft, smoky lift that settles almost immediately into a warm, amber-y hum. The heart is where this one really lives. A molten vanilla‑amber resin that feels thick, smooth, and slightly shadowed, wrapped in a haze of dark florals that never turn powdery or sharp. It has that “late‑night warmth on skin” vibe - intimate, glowing, and quietly seductive. If you like molten amber and resin‑vanilla blends, this sits right in that pocket. The dry down is a slow fade into warm, smoky sweetness, like the last glow of a candle that’s been burning for hours. It becomes softer, closer, more intimate - a skin‑hugging amber haze with just enough depth to keep you leaning in. No screech, no sourness, no plastic sugar. Just a smooth, resinous afterglow. Performance is solid: moderate projection for the first hour, then a warm, intimate aura that lasts 7–9 hours on skin. It’s not beast mode, but the longevity is very persistent in that "I can still smell myself at midnight" way. If you enjoy La Nuit Trésor À La Folie, Mon Guerlain Intense, or Alien Essence Absolue, this will feel like a cousin - less molten than the Muglers, less syrup‑dense than the darker Lancômes, but absolutely in the same warm, resin‑lit family. Overall: A dark, warm, resin‑vanilla cocoon with a soft smoky glow. Sensual, comforting, and beautifully nocturnal. A quiet stunner for those who prefer their sweetness shadowed rather than sparkling. Clearly inspired by Side Effect DNA. It's slightly less shadowed and less deep than Side Effect - but the structure is shockingly close. Let's not act surprised or discontented when a £25 fragrance does not exactly capture a fragrance that costs in excess of £200.

there's a body odor smell in this that I don't like, it might be the rum.

Very beautiful tobacco boozy and cinnamon fragrance. Projection and longevity beast. 10/10

Tried this as a sample. Sprayed on skin - first 5 seconds thought wow this is a good interpretation of Side Effect. However 5 seconds later, there was this horrible cumin / BO note that overpowers the entire thing. It genuinely smells like BO because of this one note, which obviously Side Effect does not have. Could not bear it and had to wash it straight off.

The Rum note here for me is very well done and blended well with the tobacco for an edge of masculinity with oriental spiciness from saffron making it very niche. The cinnamon makes it smooth on the opening and disappears after. Definitely situational fragrance though, I wear it for social group gatherings in the colder evenings.

I haven't gotten my nose on Initio's Side Effect but I kind of hope that it doesn't smell like this. I don't mind it necessarily: but it is probably the least versatile fragrance I have smelled to date. I would only ever dare to wear this on the coldest night in the winter. This fragrance on my skin is devastatingly cloying and not well balanced. You get the tobacco, the spice and the booze but it's really hard to get past the nuclear sweetness at first smell. The untrained nose will think you doused yourself in Moschino Toy Boy. Actually getting your nose into it and figuring out what it really is will have you realize that the scent is pretty nice, but I would see it being extremely offensive to many.

Reaaaallyyy impressed by this one. Haven’t got a lot of situations to rock this one, but as soon as I get my money up, Side Effect will be coming home. The maceration is essential with this one, I can now really appreciate the blend of rum, tobacco and cinnamon. Beautiful dupe, anxious to cop the original. I’d put money on the line that this performs better than average too.