Perfume on a budget...that actually lasts

[Goforit2000]

hi, I'm now on a budget for fragrance...would love to buy my usual - Chloe Nomade or Samsara Guerlain (although the change in formula has put me off buying for a while now), but they are just too pricey for me now...basically sandalwood, vanilla, florally, but not too sweet and girly, something mysterious, but not too 80s-style - and not expensive, and ideally one that actually lasts...would love some recommendations. I don't get the time to go out to the shops, so it's hard for me to try them on too.
Thanks

I wear Ted Baker W, you can get it for as little as £10 on Amazon. It's really light and summery, people tell me I smell nice so it obviously lasts.

My expensive ones are Jean Paul Gaultier La Belle and Armarni She but I can't afford to keep buying them so I save them for days I'm going places.

DD tried on some from New Look the other days when we were shopping, she could still smell them hours later

I think I will treat myself to some Lou Lou as mentioned above, recall it from my youth - I remember back in the day it seemed very decadent yet now around the £20 mark.

Eden was a nice Cacherel one too and both bottles are lovely.

I bought some Tom Ford Dark Cherry a couple of years back and was so disappointed by the staying power it put me off splashing out, same with Burberry Goddess, so more expensive is definitely not always better.

In the past I've used a sampling service where I can buy premium perfumes in much smaller quantities. Not sure if that appeals?

I think I will treat myself to some Lou Lou as mentioned above, recall it from my youth - I remember back in the day it seemed very decadent yet now around the £20 mark.

Do, by all means but don’t ever rely on your memory about a perfume to buy without trying first.

Recollections change and most perfumes have been reformulated at some point. Some are a very vague version of what they were 15 years ago.

Just a word of warning.

I bought a bottle of Lou Lou recently, having loved it back in the day.

The smell was completely different to me. It was awful and there was no way I would use it. I actually returned it thinking that maybe it was a bad batch.

Also bought a bottle of Eden which did actually smell exactly the same to me.

I don’t know about LouLou and Eden, I’ve never actually tried them, but I’m not surprised.

Always try before you buy, unless there is a rare bottle of something on eBay and you are willing to take a risk.

I like the New Look perfumes for every day... I like dusk. It's cheap but smells lovely.

I’m here to say Zara perfumes too. My favourite is Gardenia which is the Black Opium dupe. However. I prefer the Zara one to the real thing.

I’ve just ordered Ruby Infusion too and will pick up this week. There’s lots of YouTube videos for the Zara perfumes with reviews so it may help to start there.

Yes I like and wear Dusk too. Even the body mist has great longevity.

I always get comments on my perfume when I wear my Aldi dupes. I have their Jo Malone dupes - Lime, Basil and Mandarin/Pomegranate/Poppy and Barley, and Perfect Pink which is their Miss Dior dupe, which I'm wearing right now.

They also have the body/hand lotion for the Jo Malone dupes so you can layer and it all lasts longer.

They used to do a pear and freesia Jo Malone dupe soap etc but stopped. It was so nice.

Have a look on AllBeauty. A good selection, including some classics for under £30. And no dupes!