Surprisingly great but cheap perfumes

[TenOutOfTen]

I tested a New Look perfume, which was strategically displayed at the till yesterday and really liked it. I am certainly not their target customer (a couple of decades beyond)😂and I might actually go back to but it.

I find most perfumes way to overpowering and was surprised that this one was rather lovely. Which perfumes have you found in unexpected places?

@CinnamonJellyBeans I haven't worn Cristalle for a long time but once upon a time I wore it for 20 years. Oakmoss is restricted rather than banned so there are regulations around its use and some types were no longer allowed. There are still several oakmosses that can be used so it may be that the type you used to like is now a different oakmoss.

If you like a classic green chypre, I recommend 4160 Tuesdays Oakmossery. If you're unsure, start with a 15ml bottle. I also like A Drop D'Issey by Issey Miyake, so see if you can find a tester somewhere. It's quite green and dewy.

www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Yardley/Jade-23075.html

Jade by Yardley is very like Cristalle. It's lovely

Second the Britney recommendation, they were giving samples away at the end of a Britney concert I took my daughter to, I surprisingly really liked it, and bought a bottle, I might put it on my Christmas list if it’s still made

Sadly Yardley Jade is discontinued. 😪

Yes the fantasy one. Pink bottle

M&S florentyna was a fave of my mum and auntie. I forgot about it til we went on hol and the shower gel they provided smelled lovely, and I couldn't put my finger on the scent... got it about 3 days in, it wasn't exact - slightly more cool and fresh, but it had a strong resemblence to florentyna. I haven't checked whether they still make it yet!

Oh no. There is a version in a different bottle, is that not the same? I stupidly vinted an unopened bottle that I had when I thought I wouldn't use it again. Bloody decluttering

Oh for heavens sake. I've only just discovered it!

I like M&S Warm Neroli. Think the 30ml is about a fiver. It doesnt last long but it's very nice.

Elizabeth Arden Beauty is a great dupe for the old, discontinued many moons ago XS Pour Elle. Got it for a tenner on Amazon and it's a sort of green floral with a touch of spiciness

All Cabotines eau de toilettes are pretty good - they had Fleur Splendide in TKMaxx recently for £12

If you like warm, sweet smelling Vanilla/ musks, Perfume Parlour do their own scent called Golden Musk. I get so many compliments when I wear this, and it's cheap as chips. More vanilla than musk.

Superdrug Miss So...? Midnight magic is a vanilla and praline scent. It's very very sweet, but it's also delicious. The body spray seems to last longer than the EDT. I got a can for £2 the other week.

I also use Perfume Parlour for dupes of a lot of my favourite scents. They do a passable portrait of a Lady, a good Lost Cherry, Gypsy Water, Halfeti, A great Acqua Di Gio ( the original before it was reformulated) and I've found, through very deep dives, some passable Chanel copies.

Oh me too, it’s such a nice smell and not sickly sweet that you would think.

I got it free with one of those M&S beauty bags, so not something I would normally pick or choose to test.

They've already been mentioned but Britney Spears Fantasy and Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy. Good staying power and often on offer at Boots. I discovered Fantasy by asking a colleague what she was wearing as it smelt gorgeous. That's a pretty good sign for a perfume.

@LaLadyOfTheCanyon do you know the names of the Chanel dupes? I'd love a good dupe of Chanel Chance!

Have a look at Fabric 0137 and Survival 0138 which are Chance and chance eau tendre. ( I think). I have Fabric 0137- it's not a bad version at all, considering the price. It's a bit more screechy than the original, but the dry down is nice.
CC are very litigious so there is no reference to them on the site, and the reviews are quite coded.

Their Le Labo copies are very good, as are most of their Tom Fords.

AVON do some nice ones, I like the far away one, and the far away rebel smells just like alien… I get compliments every time I wear it.

I always see this mentioned, but they had it in B&M a year or two back so I tried it. It was rank. Really cheap smelling. It looked like the real stuff and surely they wouldn't have sold a blag version?

Britney Spears pink bottle one. Lovely.

Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, Christina Aguilera and Celine Dion perfumes. Celebs have surprisingly great smelling scents and often they are cheap.

Look for the Zara Emotions range - it's all created by Jo Malone. The discovery set is handy for working out which you like best (Amalfi Sunray and Fleur d'Oranger are my faves).

www.stylist.co.uk/beauty/jo-malone-zara-perfume-collection-emotions-where-to-buy/325153

I bought SJP Lovely on the back of a similar thread about a month ago, without testing it. It was really cheap, and I thought it was worth a go. Smells dreadful in me so I’m using it as a room spray for the loo. Gutted.

Next flowers is nicer than Marc Jacobs Daisy imo, it's a good dupe.

I also love quite a few M&S perfumes. These are my go to's now as I like most of the other cheaper ones there are always testers in store!

Al Rehab fragrance oil. fragrantica has excellent descriptions of each one.

My mate is an an anaesthetist - she said patients regularly comment on how amazing she smells when she puts them under.

She wears Body Shop mango body butter

Does anyone remember Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers?

That was amazing

I am using this at the moment and have had some lovely comments about it.