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7 of the most-complimented high street perfumes that live up to the hype, starting at just £6
Gatekeep? Never.
There's no excuse for being a perfume snob in this day and age. Why, I hear you ask? Because the high street is now offering scents that could outshine their luxury counterparts, and if asked to blind smell, you’d struggle to differentiate between budget and blowout. Now, I’m not saying I don’t love a fancy pants perfume – there’s a time and a place for those that average around a tenner a spritz. But for someone who likes to take a fragrance everywhere I go, I need to have ones I can throw in my bag and not worry too much if I were to accidentally, say, leave it on the tube. Yes, that really is something I would do.
On that note – like what I did there? – I enlisted help from my fellow beauty journalists to bring you seven high street fragrances that smell so expensive it kind of feels like daylight robbery.
"Maybe it’s because it allows me to live the aforementioned fantasy of NYC but the scent just makes me smell and feel cooler. When I have worn it, I’ve had friends and colleagues think I’m wearing cult classic Le Labo Santal 33. It has the same warm, woodiness to it but the difference is that Energetically New York has the twist of the floral freshness of Jasmine that sits at the heart of the scent but then as it dries down the rich, warm, woodiness lives on."
Keeks Reid, beauty director
“If you like By Killian’s Love Don’t Be Shy (Rihanna’s rumoured favourite perfume), you’ll love this. I expected it to be cloying and too sweet, but it’s really well-rounded, with some creamy, skin-soft musk and jasmine that keep things soft. Pretty and feminine, the vanilla note is comforting, and makes for a perfume that’s fresh, floral and super easy to wear. Consider this the brand’s crowd-pleaser.”
Phoebe Lee, beauty writer
Pros
"If you're looking for a new spring scent, this fragrance has you covered. With a delicious combination of green tea, lemon, eucalyptus and jasmine, it's airy, light, uplifting and easy to wear. I just wrote a piece about office-friendly fragrances–those that are uplifting and energising without feeling overbearing–and rediscovering my love for this fragrance reminds me I need to immediately add it to that list."
Mollie Burdell, contributor
“The scent is warm, floral and fruity in equal measure – name a better trio, I'll wait. It opens with a bright hit of raspberry and mandarin, juicy but controlled, before moving into a classic floral heart of jasmine and rose. Nothing here is trying to reinvent the wheel, and that's exactly the point. It's smooth, familiar and immediately likeable.”
Lia Mappoura, beauty writer
"Now, many people online say that this smells like Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 62, but I really disagree. Yes, it has the coconut and the vanilla that give it that vibe, but it’s way more similar to this classic holiday scent by Maison Martin Margiela. Both fragrances have a heavy dose of coconut and vanilla, but the layer of citrus in them adds a zingy freshness."
Keeks Reid, beauty director
“Soul Reflections opens with a juicy blackcurrant note sharpened by violet leaf. The first impression? Ribena – and I mean that in the best possible way. It's playful and a little nostalgic! And yes, while that may sound juvenile, patience is a virtue (and so is layering). Once it settles, the sweetness softens into something cleaner and more grown-up: fresh linen with a wink to a nightshaded fruit bowl. Açai, but make it scented.”
Lia Mappoura, beauty writer
"If you can't get enough of Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess – it's my go-to for holidays and warm weather – you'll want to add this to your perfume wardrobe in time for summer. With notes of lemon, coconut and tonka bean, a quick spritz is transporting you straight to sundowners and sun-kissed skin in, say, Sardinia. Brb, just googling flights."
Mollie Burdell, contributor
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