What do you consider a cheap perfume?

[SisterAgatha]

I wear Dior Addict because I’ve loved it for years. A friend remarked recently that she thought it was a “cheap perfume”, I don’t think she knew that it was my favourite when she said this.

I don’t consider it cheap, and was a bit because I think it’s just around the normal range, maybe on the expensive side for everyday. When I was on maternity leave I wore Britneys Fantasy which I do consider cheap but I do like the sweet smelling ones. It’s more an everyday smell.

What do you consider to be a kind of average expense on perfume?

@wingsnthat

Where can you buy Le Labo fragrances in person? Just tried Selfridges - they don’t stock the brand in store! I’m so curious as to what the scents mentioned here smell like!

They smell like rich people!

I got mine at Liberty in London, I know selfridges and the other big dept stores in London stock them.

You can get the taster set from le labo directly, but you do miss out on the complete wankery of having it hand mixed in front of you

www.lelabofragrances.com/discovery-set-471.html?source=shoppingads&locale=en-GB&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuNzj38eS8AIVhrTtCh1ORQPxEAQYASABEgJXP_D_BwE

Same, I want to try every single one mentioned because I love hearing recommendations from actual people!

We should make a definite list

@ShirleyPhallus thank you so much! One could almost mistake you for their marketing team as you’ve definitely brought in some sales!

I bought Le Labo for the first time at Liberty
And then I bought some from a Le Labo concession at an airport
I love the labels - they print them there & then & add your name & the date etc

Some of my faves. All price ranges!

Everyday perfume is Clinique Aromatic Elixir or Clarins Eau Dynamisante.
Floris Cefiro, Chanel Allure, Lancome Miracle, Sisley Soir de Lune, Guerlain Champs Elysees are also worn by me for going out (whenever that may happen in the future)!

I also like some of Penhaligons including some of the men's perfumes.

I love Black orchid by by Tom Ford which is about 80.00.But its strictly my going out perfume. Normally i use mid range like Blossom by Jimmy Choo and for every every day i find M&S have some cheapies that dont smell cheap" Rosie " ones are good and their eau de toilettes,using Seasalt and Freesia at moment both about £14 to £16 yet smell far more expensive.

Some of online cosmetic firms do great deals on perfume too,my more expensive ones come from there,way cheaper than shops especially now Debenhams gone.

@ShirleyPhallus, thank you for the link. My sample set arrived today, and now I finally know what Santal 33 smells like.

@QueenPaw, I won’t pretend to know much about perfumes, but How to Eat is one of my all time favourite cookery books . The clementine cake and the children’s biscuits in particular have been made many, many times.

[quote AprilLady]@ShirleyPhallus, thank you for the link. My sample set arrived today, and now I finally know what Santal 33 smells like.

@QueenPaw, I won’t pretend to know much about perfumes, but How to Eat is one of my all time favourite cookery books . The clementine cake and the children’s biscuits in particular have been made many, many times.[/quote]
And...... what’s the verdict? Do you like it?

@AprilLady I love it as a book to read too!

@ShirleyPhallus, I’ve been trying to decide and having worn it now for a few hours, I think I do. It’s quite different to anything I usually wear, and I normally don’t like leathery scents, but somehow this one really works.

[quote AprilLady]@ShirleyPhallus, I’ve been trying to decide and having worn it now for a few hours, I think I do. It’s quite different to anything I usually wear, and I normally don’t like leathery scents, but somehow this one really works.[/quote]
I would say that it smells significantly better after it’s been on your skin for a few hours, it smells even better when the top notes have worn off and you’re left with a deep, musky smell. Ie my watch smells amazing where the strap has had several months of daily rubbing against it!

See how it smells later but I think it continues to smell better with time

I consider my Miss Dior and Givenchy perfumes to be the expensive ones! My cheap ones are Rosie For Autograph (discontinued- sob) and L’Occitane Cerise.

@wingsnthat

Personally I consider popular scents to be cheap…not cheap as in “affordable”, but cheap as in very commonplace/not unique/basic etc

Likewise, there are some affordable scents which smell expensive because they’re expertly curated

Also when it comes to price, all perfumes are cheap if you buy the smallest size.

With fragrance, if you constantly wear popular scents, you actually blend into the background. No one will be able to pick up your scent as it’s just a generic background scent. The only way they will smell you is if you overdo it, but then you will end up being more of a “scent nuisance”. That’s why I think perfumes like la vie est belle are basic and others will say “cheap”

Well don't you sound like a complete snob!

I love Dior Addict, OP, one of my all time favourites. I've got Joy by Dior as well that's very everyday. I've just counted 18 bottles I've got on the go, and would say most cost between £50 and £120 .... I wouldn't consider any of them cheap or expensive. Just middle of the road.

@Puffalicious it is what it is. My thoughts are echoed my many that are interested in fragrance, including those who drop £150+ on a bottle. It’s just a fact that if you wear a average/common scent, you blend into the background unless you overspray

@XiCi

Were you thinking Creed OP?

I read something recently from a parfumier who said that some of the celebrity perfumes were surprisingly complex and amazing value for money. I think Ariana Grande Cloud was mentioned and one of the Britney ones.

I love Cloud, I think it's absolutely lovely. And I can sometimes still smell it on a scarf days after I've worn it - it lasts ages.

Cheap I would think of the celebrity scents you can pick up in Savers for £10 or £15. Britney etc. Not snobbery - I have Britney Rainbow Fantasy and it smells just like one of the Escada perfumes from a few years back (also fairly cheap and remind me of holidays).

Expensive I would think of Tom Ford or Penhaligon's. I've never owned any more expensive than those.

Personally I love Fragonard which are about £25 from M&S. cheap in price but big in personality.

Agree, I love these as well.

For anyone wishing to try new perfumes I’d def recommend bloom perfume sample boxes, they have lots of different collections depending on what you like as well as bestseller collections. None of them are the high street, designer perfume brands so you will find something no one else you know is wearing which is a great feeling

They also do a subscription where you get a set of samples every month for a year. DH gave it to me for my birthday one year, he then was presented with a list of expensive perfumes I loved for valentines/mothers day/wedding anniversary/Christmas . And every time you buy a full size perfume you get a new sample. Reminds me I've still not bought Nuit de Bakélite (speaking of expensive perfume).

[quote wingsnthat]@Puffalicious it is what it is. My thoughts are echoed my many that are interested in fragrance, including those who drop £150+ on a bottle. It’s just a fact that if you wear a average/common scent, you blend into the background unless you overspray[/quote]
You, of course, are entitled to your opinion, as are the people you say echo your views, however, it smacks of snobbery: I/we are much more special because we can afford very expensive perfume. It's othering and it makes me very uncomfortable.

I went in to town last week and smelled some things.

I decided I loved:

Kilian Good Girl Gone Bad
Acqua di Palma, fico di amalfi (which I bought a bottle of)
Tom Ford Black Orchid
Ellie Saab Girl of Now

I tried so many, it was such a lovely day after lockdown!

Cheap are perfumes sold at Debenhams and Boots counters, and ones that everyone wears. Cheap for me isn’t necessarily about price.

Also, one of the most beautiful scents I was given was by a friend when I was in Oman. It smells luxurious and divine, and is the lasts for hours on my skin. I had so many comments about it. I was gutted when it ran out but luckily found it on Amazon for the princely sum of £15.

I do not buy all the big brands of perfume ( would if I could though).
So for me, really only the Poundland or Primark perfumes are cheap.
I tend to wear perfume oils - love jasmine, amber and musk- as I find them cheap but with pretty good staying power.

Wouldn’t consider Dior cheap. Don’t wear any Dior at the moment so not aware of they have a ‘cheap/inexpensive’ perfume?
I’d instinctively put Dior in a bracket with various Chanel and Hermes (my faves) price wise. So not cheap, nor one of the unbelievably expensive.