Perfume is expensive. Like, ridiculously expensive. Even a 50ml bottle of a designer fragrance can easily set you back £80-100. If you’re anything like me, that means you’ll want to save it ‘for best’ rather than enjoying your favourite scent regularly.
So, it’s easy to think of perfume as a luxury you can’t afford. You might choose to use body sprays or ‘own brand’ fragrances, while secretly coveting the beautiful bottles sitting on other people’s dressing tables.
I’ve discovered a few tricks that’ll help you stay on budget when shopping for fragrance. Finding affordable women’s perfume is less about compromising and more about knowing where (and when) to shop.
1. The pricing game nobody tells you about
Here’s something the industry wants to keep secret: perfume pricing is wildly inconsistent. The same bottle of fragrance can vary by £30-40 depending on where you buy it. Department stores and perfume boutiques in shopping centres charge full price because they can.
But online retailers often sell exactly the same products – same bottle, same scent, completely legitimate – for a fraction of the cost. If the price in-store is shocking, a quick Google search can show you the exact same perfume for almost 30% less elsewhere. It’s an authentic product, just without the department store markup.
2. When not to buy
When you find a scent you love, never buy it immediately. Instead, make a note of the exact name and size, then spend ten minutes checking prices across different retailers. You’ll be amazed at the variation. Online retailers regularly offer perfume at a great price – proper designer and niche brands, not knock-offs or dodgy imitations.
The key to getting a bargain is knowing when to buy and when not to shop. Perfume price reductions often align with seasonal changes (from spring/summer to autumn/winter) or when new versions are being released. You can pick up some bargains during these periods, or at the traditional sale times of Black Friday and post-Christmas. Fragrances you might have been coveting for months suddenly become affordable, so don’t shop now – wait it out.
Obviously, if you search online and a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Stick to reputable online retailers with proper reviews and return policies. Check that bottles are sealed, batch codes are visible and the retailer is an authorised stockist. If anything feels inauthentic, walk away.
3. Quality doesn’t mean expensive
One of the best lessons to learn is that price doesn’t always equal quality. Yes, some niche perfumes are expensive because they use rare ingredients or have complex compositions, but plenty of mid-range fragrances smell absolutely stunning and last just as long as their pricier counterparts.
In fact, some scents under £40 perform better than some of the £100+ bottles out there. Brands like Narciso Rodriguez, Burberry and even some offerings from Zara’s perfume line punch well above their price point. It’s about finding what works for your body chemistry and preferences, not what has the fanciest bottle or highest price tag.
4. Building a budget ‘perfume wardrobe’
Rather than spending £100 on one bottle, try building a small collection of fragrances for different occasions. Buying perfume during sales or from discount retailers means you can actually afford to have options, rather than wearing the same scent every single day.
I also pay attention to bottle sizes. Trying a smaller size first makes more sense, especially if you’re experimenting with a new scent, and costs considerably less. When you’re happy with a perfume, a 100ml bottle probably works out cheaper per ml than a 50ml, making it the better investment even if the upfront cost is higher.
The bottom line is this: smelling lovely shouldn’t mean splashing the cash. With a bit of savvy shopping and the patience to wait and buy at the right time, you can absolutely enjoy perfume regularly without breaking the bank and without the guilt that used to come with every spritz.
Please share your own tips for getting a bargain on beauty products in the comments below, I’d love to hear your thrifty shopping hacks!
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