Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect
- Authentic original perfume
- Try before the full bottle
- Travel-ready 3ml, 10ml, 30ml
- Long-lasting scent
Side Effect by Initio Parfums Prives is boozy, sweet and smoky, a warm scent built for cold nights. Rum opens it, rich and a touch syrupy. Tobacco and cinnamon follow, giving it a dry, spiced warmth that feels close and cosy. Sandalwood settles underneath, soft and creamy, so the sweetness has something to rest on. It launched in 2016 and is worn by men and women alike, suiting anyone who likes their fragrance dark and a little decadent. Voters save it for autumn and winter, in the evening and at night, and it feels at home on a night out. The longevity vote leans long-lasting, and the sillage vote leans strong, so start with a light hand. The only side effect of a 3ml decant is knowing for sure before you buy the bottle.
Ships within 1 working dayFree EU shippingFree shipping to
Start a discovery set with Side Effect
Side Effect fills the first vial. Pick 3 more in 3 ml: the cheapest is free, and on your first order we add a 5th as our gift.
Selling out fast
Due to high demand, quantities are limited.
89% sold
Ends in
30-day money-back guarantee
Try it worry-free. If the scent isn’t for you, tell us within 30 days and we’ll refund your order.*
50,000+ scent lovers and counting
The community verdict
Warm and boozy, Side Effect moves from rum into tobacco and cinnamon, with sandalwood beneath. The largest group reports long-lasting wear and strong projection, while others find it exceptionally long-lasting or moderate in reach. It draws compliments on winter evenings and nights out; autumn works too, but its strength calls for restraint.
Summarised with AI from perfume-community reviews
- Topfirst impression
- Basewhat lingers
- Scent profile
- Unisex
- Launched
- Decant sizes
- 3ml, 10ml, 30ml
We ship across the EU. Orders over €75.00 ship free. Returns are accepted within 30 days of delivery.
Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect, hour by hour
How it opens, settles and lingers on skin.
Rum, cinnamon and tobacco smoke in a low lit bar at night.
What wearers say
Votes from fragrance communities, most-voted answers first.
Longevity
Most voted: 47%Long lasting
Sillage
Most voted: 46%Strong
Season
Most voted: 48%Winter
Time of day
Most voted: 45%Evening
See all votesHide votes
Longevity, 4,279 votes
- Very weak2%66 votes
- Weak2%98 votes
- Moderate19%798 votes
- Long lasting (Most voted)47%2,012 votes
- Eternal30%1,305 votes
Sillage, 4,464 votes
- Intimate5%223 votes
- Moderate29%1,282 votes
- Strong (Most voted)46%2,032 votes
- Enormous21%927 votes
Season, 4,279 votes
- Spring9%385 votes
- Summer3%128 votes
- Autumn40%1,711 votes
- Winter (Most voted)48%2,055 votes
Time of day, 4,279 votes
- Daytime8%342 votes
- Office5%214 votes
- Evening (Most voted)45%1,925 votes
- Night out42%1,798 votes
Which size is right for you?
Every size is decanted from the same original bottle.
Loved by 50,000+
Why scent lovers try it with us before they buy the bottle.
10ML vs a blind buy
What a decant gives you that a bottle bought unsmelled can’t.
Why 10ML?
Blind buy
Authentic original perfume
Yes
Yes
Smell it on your skin before you buy
Yes
No
Try several scents for one bottle’s price
Yes
No
Travel-ready atomiser
Yes
No
No full bottle wasted if it’s not for you
Yes
No
If you like Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect
Perfumes that share its most characteristic notes.
- Selling out fast
Shares rum · tobacco
Shares tobacco · cinnamon
Shares tobacco · cinnamon
- Save 35%
Shares rum · tobacco
Shares cinnamon · sandalwood
Shares cinnamon · sandalwood
- Save 35%
Shares rum · sandalwood
Shares tobacco · sandalwood
Layer it with
Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect + one of these
Adds vanilla · nutmeg
Adds vanilla · saffron
- Selling out fast
Adds musk · tonka bean
Adds vanilla · jasmine
More from Initio Parfums Privés
Initio Parfums Prives is a French niche house, launched in 2015 around one idea: that a scent can change how you feel, and its perfume names say so openly.
Discover Initio Parfums Privés (21)
- Selling out fast
- Save 37%
- Save 37%
Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect in plain words
What it smells like, how it wears and who it suits.
What it smells like
It opens boozy and warm, with rum. Tobacco leaves and cinnamon follow, spicy and a little sweet, like a cosy bar late in the evening. It dries to soft sandalwood that rounds it all off.
How it wears
The perfume community reports long, steady wear and strong projection. Some find it lasts exceptionally long, while others find its reach moderate.
When to wear it
Wearers pick it for winter and autumn, in the evening and at night. It suits nights out and cold-weather outings.
Who it suits
It suits a wearer who loves warm, sweet, boozy scents and wants something cosy yet confident. It is strong, so go lightly.
Similar perfumes at 10ML
- Maison Margiela Jazz Club: shares the rum and tobacco
- Goldfield & Banks Silky Woods: shares the tobacco and cinnamon
- Sospiro Il Padrino: shares the rum and sandalwood
Sizes and price per ml
At 10ML, Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect comes as 3ml for €11.61 (€3.87/ml), 10ml for €32.49 (€3.25/ml) and 30ml for €85.50 (€2.85/ml).
Frequently asked questions
What does Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect smell like?
Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect opens with Rum. The heart brings Cinnamon and Tobacco. It dries down to Sandalwood.
Is Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect long lasting?
Shoppers on fragrance communities most often rate its longevity as long lasting (47% of votes), and 78% rate it long lasting or eternal. They most often rate its sillage as strong (46% of votes). How long it lasts on you also depends on your skin and how much you apply.
Is Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect good for summer?
Shoppers on fragrance communities rate it mainly for autumn and winter; summer takes only 3% of season votes.
Is Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect good for winter?
Yes. Shoppers on fragrance communities vote winter its best season, with 48% of season votes.
Is Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect for day or night?
Shoppers on fragrance communities mostly wear it after dark: 87% of time-of-day votes are for evenings and nights out, 13% for daytime or the office.
Can I wear Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect to the office?
Shoppers on fragrance communities rarely pick it for the office: only 5% of time-of-day votes go to the office.
Who makes Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect?
Side Effect is made by Initio Parfums Privés. It was launched in 2016.
How many wears is a 10ml decant of Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect?
A 10ml decant of Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect holds about 200 sprays, roughly 67 days of wear. The 3ml decant holds about 60 sprays, around 20 days. The 30ml decant holds about 600 sprays, around 200 days.
Which other Initio Parfums Privés perfumes can I try?
Besides Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect, 10ML has Oud for Greatness, Musk Therapy and Rehab from Initio Parfums Privés, each decanted from the original bottle.
Is this Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect decant the original perfume?
Yes. Every Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect decant is filled by hand from an original Initio Parfums Privés bottle, with nothing added or diluted, so it opens, dries down and lasts on your skin the way the bottle does. We sell only authentic originals.
Is Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect sweet?
Moderately. Rum and cinnamon give it a warm, boozy sweetness, while sandalwood adds a woody depth.
What do people like most about Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect?
The perfume community praises its cosy, warm and intoxicating character and its long wear. Many say it earns compliments and a lift in confidence.
Where can I buy Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect as a decant?
At 10ML: Initio Parfums Privés Side Effect comes as a 3ml, 10ml and 30ml decant, filled by hand from an original bottle. The 10ml decant costs €32.49 (€3.25/ml), and 10ML ships across the EU.
What is a decant?
A small amount of a perfume, taken from its original bottle and put into a travel atomiser. You get the real fragrance in a size that lets you live with it for days before you decide on the full bottle.
How does the money-back guarantee work?
If a scent isn’t right for you, get in touch within 30 days of it arriving and we’ll arrange a refund. Terms apply. See our refund policy.