I must admit I sometimes overlook certain fragrances if they are not priced at a certain amount. That amount is usually over 100 dollars, maybe even 150 dollars. I don’t think I’ve quite obtained “niche snob” status just yet though. There is still hope, and there is still room in everyone’s collection for budget friendly fragrances. We can’t always splash the cash when it comes to scented water. Below are 10 recommendations, in no particular order, based on my own testing, that I consider great value for money. Some of them won’t even cost you much more than a burger and fries and they’re a lot better for you.
1. Calvin Klein: CK All – A great cousin to the fantastic CK One and CK Be, CK All is a refreshing, citrus, floral mix very befitting of the clean white bottle. A fresh, bergamot and mandarin open gives wave to a sweet floral heart that mixes notes of jasmine and lily. The musk and amber dry down brings back memories of the original. A well worked reinterpretation of a classic that caters to the budget conscious.
2. Elizabeth Arden: Green Tea – A great straight out of the shower fragrance for tea lovers. Lemon, mint and bergamot kick up the freshness even further. Great for humid, hot summer days. Simple and straightforward.
3. Lush: Dirty – Lush make some great fragrances, if truth be told I could have included many more in this list. I’ve gone with Dirty, an herbal minty, almost aquatic / beach like fragrance. The lavender and tarragon outshine the spearmint on my skin, but it still makes for a refreshing energy boost in the summer months.
4. Sarah Jessica Parker: Stash – I must admit I tend to stay away from celebrity fragrances, but Stash by Sarah Jessica Parker is a hidden gem. A spicy woody fragrance that I get a slight coconut vibe from. The main notes are massoia wood, cedar and olibanum. Pistachio provides a slight nuttiness. There is little to no freshness here, lending it ideally to the winter months. Beautifully blended and listed as unisex, it leans slightly masculine in my opinion. Get your nose on it.
5. Burberry: Touch – A powdery, peppery gem from Burberry. Violet leaf and pepper leads the charge on Burberry Touch, before an airy musk begins to take over. A great clean scent that could easily be shared, making it even more budget friendly.
6. Ferrari: Silver Essence – Don’t expect to pay the price of an actual Ferrari for this one, it can be picked up at discounters for less than the price of an oil change. It’s an intoxicating mix of incense, cedar, coconut and cinnamon that lends itself to the winter months. You’ll surely want to leave the showroom with the keys to this one if you get your nose on it.
7. Knize: Ten – One of the all-time great leather scents and a great niche offering that won’t burn a hole in your wallet. A smooth leather with an unexpected strawberry note to soften and sweeten. There’s a reason it’s so highly regarded. Simply a must buy for fans of leather fragrances.
8. Le Couvent des Minimes: Cologne of the Missions – Long name, simple fragrance. It really is one for the vanilla lovers. Benzoin provides sweetness, and dare I say, it reminds me a little of Guerlain’s Spiritueuse Double Vanille in the dry down, and at a fraction of the cost.
9. Nicolai Parfumeur Createur: New York Intense – If you’re a fan of fougere fragrance’s you simply must sample New York Intense. An old school barbershop style fragrance with dominant notes of oakmoss and lavender. Bergamot and citron provide freshness. It is class in a bottle. Go for a 1oz or 30ml size, it won’t set you back much at all.
10. Histoires de Parfums: Ambre 114 – Probably the most expensive fragrance on the list, but this house does 15ml travel sprays that soften the blow somewhat. Ambre 114 is amber, patchouli, vanilla and tonka. Very well balanced, refined and understated, a perfect scent for a night out.
So, 10 fragrance’s that won’t burn a hole in your wallet, something for everybody and for most seasons. I think this list proves a great scent wardrobe can be built for a lot less than we think.
What are your favourite budget scents?
Note: Bottle images courtesy of fragrantica. Knize Ten bottle image courtesy of Mens Biz.
Great list! I have been tempted by SJP Stash but I haven’t purchased yet, I hear a lot of people saying that Lovely is also very good but I have only ever had a splash sample and it didn’t do much for me. I do have Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea (the tropical flanker) which I often wear for outdoor exercise in summer rather than using up my more pricey perfumes that I am only going to sweat off (I think I paid $14 for it at the local chemist).
If we are using $100 as the yardstick, I particularly like Joop! Femme, Burberry Body, Shiseido Zen, Agent Provocateur, Cartier La Panthere and Ralph Lauren Tender Romance, and Lancome Poeme as well.
My ultimate all time favourite perfumes regardless of category (budget or high end) are Shalimar and Samsara, both of which come in at well under $100 for 50ml in my country. If I had to, I would happily wear just these for the rest of my days – even with the reformulations!
You really don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to smell good. 🙂
Thanks for the comment Cherie. Stash is fantastic. Do check it out. I like Burberry Body and the Cartier, and yes you can never go wrong with Guerlain.