I have a confession to make. Since starting my career as a beauty journalist, I’ve acquired quite a collection of fragrances over the years. Due to the nature of the job, I’ve been lucky enough to receive lots of expensive fragrances, from Byredo to Jo Malone, and I’ve developed quite a high-end taste—and nose. It was only when standing in the queues of some of my favourite high-street stores recently that I really took notice of the affordable fragrances available. And in recent years, they have seriously upped their game.
While we love treating ourselves to premium fragrances, we also love finding an affordable gem to add to our perfume collections.
With brands such as Jo Loves (which was founded by fragrance royalty Jo Malone) pairing with stores like Zara, high-street fragrances have shed their sickly sweet reputation and become seriously sophisticated. In fact, you can probably find a perfume dupe on the high street—or at least something very similar—for the most popular fragrances nowadays. So you don’t always have to break the budget to smell expensive. Whether you like clean-smelling fragrances or fruity scents or want to find your signature perfume on a budget, high-street brands H&M, Marks and Spencer, & Other Stories, The Body Shop and Zara are really leading the way for more affordable high-street perfumes.
To help you find your new high-street fragrance, I’ve found the best sellers from each store and put them to the test, matching them and their notes to their more expensive counterparts. And I have to say, these are now permanent fixtures on my fragrance shelf alongside my premium favourites.
The Best Affordable High-Street Perfumes, Listed:
- Marks & Spencer Apothecary Warmth
- Marks & Spencer Sea Salt & Neroli
- & Other Stories Act 1 Scene 3 Eau de Toilette
- The Body Shop British Rose Eau de Toilette
- Bon Parfumeur 301 Sandalwood Amber Cardamom
- Zara Sublime Epoque
- The Body Shop White Musk Eau de Toilette
- Zara Red Temptation
- Marks and Spencer Gardenia & Vanilla
- & Other Stories Perle de Coco Eau de Toilette
- Zara Cherry Bomb
Shop the Best Affordable High-Street Perfumes:
1. Marks & Spencer Apothecary Warmth
Apothecary
Warmth Eau De Parfum
If you’ve been sleeping on M&S’s perfumes, it’s time to get yourself acquainted. I have been spritzing this sandalwood scent since it went TikTok-viral and sold out everywhere. If you’re looking for a similar perfume to Le Labo’s Santal 33, then I’d urge you to try this. I’ll admit, the staying power is not it’s strong suit, but at £10 for 50ml I can justify the cost-per-spritz to top-up my fragrance throughout the day.
Smells similar to:
Le Labo
Santal 33 Eau de Parfum
Loved by fashion insiders and beauty editors alike, this fragrance has notes of sandalwood and cardamom, which give it its clean-smelling, woody scent.
2. Marks & Spencer Sea Salt & Neroli
Marks and Spencer
Sea Salt & Neroli
I’ll hold my hands up and say that I’ve previously overlooked Marks and Spencer’s fragrances, and it was only when I started writing this article that I came across the diverse collection that it has. Sea Salt & Neroli is an M&S best seller, and I can totally see why. It smells so much more expensive than its price tag suggests, and it’s one of the best salty fragrances I’ve found. Out of all of the expensive perfumes I own as a beauty editor, it’s the one perfume my boyfriend always comments on when I wear it. It’s salty yet refreshing—like slicing open an orange or sipping a zesty, salt-rimmed margarita. If Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino and Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt cologne had a baby, this would be it.
Smells similar to:
Tom Ford
Neroli Portofino Eau de Parfum
This citrus scent is reminiscent of sitting on the breezy Amalfi Coast with an Aperol spritz aperitif in hand. The top note of bergamot mingles with mandarin orange, lemon and bitter orange for a zesty spritz before drying down with herbaceous lavender, rosemary and myrtle, which paves the way for African orange flower, neroli and jasmine. The warm base notes of amber, ambrette and Angelica are subtle yet beautiful. It’s no wonder it’s such a popular fragrance.
Jo Malone London
Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne
This is one of my favourite Jo Malone London scents. It’s aquatic smelling, like a brisk walk along the British coastline on a windy day. The sea salt notes are tempered with earthy sage, which is ideal if citrus scents aren’t usually your thing.
3. & Other Stories Act 1 Scene 3 Eau de Toilette
& Other Stories
Act 1 Scene 3
Fruity fragrances aren’t usually my thing, but when my nose caught this, it reminded me of Jo Malone’s Pomegranate Noir. This has top notes of sweet pomegranate and blackcurrant, which dry down to a sensual mix of florals such as rose and davana alongside leather and orris. The base notes include patchouli, amber, and sandalwood, which make this fragrance very long-lasting for its reasonable price tag. Many of these notes also feature in Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir, but it comes in at a fraction of the price.
Smells similar to:
Jo Malone
Pomegranate Noir Cologne
Rich and dark but at the same time crisp and zesty, this fragrance perfectly balances notes of pomegranate with guaiacwood and patchouli.
4. The Body Shop British Rose Eau de Toilette
The Body Shop
British Rose Eau de Toilette
If you’re a fan of rose fragrances, then I implore you to try this fragrance from The Body Shop. Far from your nanna’s powdery rose scent, this is beautifully moody and modern. It reminds me very much of Jo Malone London’s Red Roses. British Rose has notes of rose absolute, saffron and amber, making it a warm floral with long-lasting wear throughout the day. It’s also certified vegan, and 91% of the ingredients are of a natural origin.
Smells similar to:
Jo Malone London
Red Roses Cologne
Imagine burying your nose into the most luxurious of rose bouquets, and you have this scent.
Frédéric Malle
Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum
Turkish rose, cinnamon and amber make this fragrance a modern-day classic.
5. Bon Parfumeur 301 Sandalwood Amber Cardamom
Bon Parfumeur
301 Sandalwood Amber Cardamom Eau De Parfum
Listen up—Bon Parfumeur is an affordable French fragrance brand that beauty editors flock to for seriously chic fragrances on a budget. The brand’s 301 scent features a luxe combination of amber and sandalwood, which are both warming and addictive. Spritz within the vicinity of others and you’re bound to get compliments.
Smells similar to:
Aesop
Eidesis Eau de Parfum
I turn to Aesop for those quiet luxury fragrances that you won’t find everyone wearing. If you like woody and aromatic scents, then you’ll love this.
6. Zara Sublime Epoque
Zara
Sublime Epoque Eau De Parfum
I’m a big fan of Zara perfumes, and this particular one is top of my list. In my opinion, this smells very similar to Armani’s popular scent, My Way. It has notes of jasmine, tuberose and orange blossom, which give it that fresh, floral base, and the addition of vanilla and cedar add that expensive-smelling finish.
Smells similar to:
Armani
My Way Eau De Parfum
Also infused with jasmine, tuberose, cedarwood and vanilla, it’s no surprise that this fragrance is loved by beauty editors.
7. The Body Shop White Musk Eau de Toilette
This is The Body Shop’s best-selling fragrance, and during the ’90s, it cemented its status as a cult scent. It’s still as loved today thanks to its timeless notes of vegan musk, aldehydes (which give fragrances that clean scent) and a soft floral touch of jasmine. When I smell this, it reminds me of those clean, fresh-out-of-the-laundry types of scents that make you smell like you but better.
Smells similar to:
Escentric Molecules
Molecule 01
The Body Shop’s White Musk has a similar effect to Eccentric Molecules Molecule 01. Much like how White Musk uses musk to make your skin smell like you but better, this reacts differently on everyone to enhance your own natural scent.
Juliette Has a Gun
Musc Invisible Eau de Parfum
White Musk smells very much like Juliette Has a Gun’s Musc Invisible. Notes of cotton flower and musk make these two fragrances sisters.
8. Zara Red Temptation
This is another standout from Zara’s growing fragrance collection. This is a beautiful rich gourmand fragrance that still smells sweet yet sophisticated. Jasmine, saffron and amber notes smell similar to the likes of Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540.
Smells similar to:
Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Baccarat Rouge 540
Rich amber is paired with sweet florals in this iconic fragrance.
9. Marks and Spencer Gardenia & Vanilla
Marks & Spencer
Gardenia & Vanilla Eau de Toilette
Upon smelling this, it instantly reminded me of Marc Jacob’s Daisy and even a little bit of Chanel Chance Eau Tendre. This easy-to-wear floral smells like a springtime day spent under blue skies. Expect to smell notes of gardenia, vanilla, grapefruit and sandalwood.
Smells similar to:
Marc Jacobs
Daisy Eau de Toilette
Marc Jacobs Daisy is a fresh floral, which smells very much like Marks and Spencer’s Gardenia and Vanilla fragrance.
Chanel
Chance Eau Tendre Eau de Parfum
A radiant, fruity-floral scent that is so wearable and chic.
10. & Other Stories Perle de Coco Eau de Toilette
& Other Stories
Perle De Coco Eau De Toilette
I’ve previously written about my love of fragrances that smell like expensive suncream, and this totally fits the warm, sun-kissed scent criteria. You only have to read the reviews of this affordable perfume to see its appeal. It’s a solar-floral that instantly takes you to days spent at the beach. When I smell this, I can detect sea salt and white florals, which give it its beachside aroma. It reminds me a lot of Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess and Tom Ford Blanc de Soleil.
Smells similar to:
Estée Lauder
Bronze Goddess Eau de Parfum
A fragrance classic for a reason, this instantly transports you to the beach. Zesty Italian bergamot unfurls into jasmine sambac, coconut and frangipani before drying down to cashmere wood, musk and alluring amber.
Tom Ford
Soleil Blanc Eau De Parfum Spray
Smells like sailing on a luxurious yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean surrounded by sparkling seas. Solar florals combine with creamy coco de mere and warm amber.
11. Zara Cherry Bomb
Cherry isn’t an obvious fragrance note, and while in some cheaper fragrances, it can lean too fruity, this affordable option from Zara smells far more expensive than its price tag indicates. Sweet cherry is paired with fresh tangerine against a soft blend of vanilla and rose (which you’ll also find in Tom Ford’s iconic Lost Cherry).
Tom Ford
Lost Cherry Eau de Parfum
Jammy cherry and syrupy liqueur notes are juxtaposed with Turkish rose and jasmine sambac, making it a sweet fruity scent that also smells sensual.
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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