by Claire
When did perfume get so expensive?? What used to be a nice treat you could get at the airport is now a huge expense. You can’t get a bottle of scent from even Boots with much change left from £100, to speak nothing of the new breed of hyper luxurious fragrance houses who are nonchalantly charging £250 for 50ml bottles. I know that part of the appeal of perfume is that it is rarefied, that it is an indulgent luxury, but I feel it’s not cricket to alienate so many customers by hiking up your prices to this level.
It’s also giving rise to more and more dupe fragrance companies, who are doggedly pursuing me on social media, telling me I can smell of Byredo for only £19.99. I will merrily skip towards all other kinds of dupe, but I have a block when it comes to perfume. Part of what I want is to have the real Byredo bottle on my dresser and to know, for myself, that I am wearing real Byredo, not an ersatz knock off. I also feel, perhaps unfairly, that perfumery has more artistry to it than makeup and skincare formulations, so I am less happy to buy the knock off from a creative and ethical stance. So, what to do?
Below is a list of workarounds: sleeper fragrances, i.e. forgotten gems that smell great but can still be found cheaper because they are a perhaps a bit uncool. There are also some unconventional scents that you might not have considered, as well as posh fragrances in affordable strengths. Read on, your sixth form signature scent might make an appearance (but not mine, which was anxiety and Tippex, for which there is no substitute).
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