Fragrance is often equated with luxury. It’s easy to see why – perfume can be the perfect way to purchase something from your favourite designer without annihilating your bank account, and the cool new crop of bespoke scents dictating trends these days certainly have premium price tags. But here at bh we know that cheap and chic don’t have to be mutually exclusive – in fact, one of my all-time favourite fragrances comes in at just $39 a pop – it’s taken me all the way from my teenage years to now, and you’ll find it proudly sitting first on this list. Here are our budget-friendly fragrance faves – you’ll smell like a million bucks, but they’ll cost you less than fifty. Win win.
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Elizabeth Arden
Elizabeth Arden 5th Avenue Eau de Parfum ($49 for 125ml)
Sophistication is synonymous with NYC, and Elizabeth Arden’s city-inspired splash is every bit as chic as its namesake street. With an elegant aroma of bergamot, violet and nutmeg, it’s a sweet floral scent with a hint of spice.
The Body Shop
The Body Shop White Musk® Flora ($39 for 60ml)
Floral lovers rejoice: we’ve found the fragrance for you. The Body Shop has basically bottled freshly bloomed peonies with a creamy (and cruelty-free) musky twist. It’s also enriched with sugarcane essence sustainably sourced in Brazil, so it’s easier on your wallet and the environment.
Chi Chi
Chi Chi Berry Passionfruit Eau de Parfum ($19.95 for 50ml)
Feminine, fun and flirty, Chi Chi’s Berry Passionfruit drop is an amazing way to add a little energy into your winter fragrance wardrobe. It opens with a peach-passionfruit-berry base before rounding out with a musk-vanilla mix.
Zoella
Zoella Sweet Inspirations ($19.99 for 45ml)
Macarons are the ultimate chic treat, and Zoella is making sure you can also enjoy them in fragrance form too. With a decadent blend of chocolate, hazelnut and honey, this deliciously sweet scent is bound to combat your cravings.
Lush
Lush Dear John ($49 for 30ml)
The scent equivalent of a storybook Sunday, Lush’s spicy splash conjures imagery of pouring over a good novel, fireplace lit and coffee in hand. Cedarwood and clove bud oil make for a smoky, warm and sentimental scent journey you won’t soon forget.
Me neither, not that big on 5th avenue, their fragrances are very average to me
Dear John from Lush? Gosh why haven't I heard of this earlier
Would love to try the The Body Shop White Musk Flora, I love the smell of musk.