Whether it was J Lo’s Glow, The Body Shop’s White Musk or a faithful Impulse body spray, for many of us, fragrance shopping on the high street is associated with Friday nights at the park and bottles of Smirnoff Ice. However, high street fragrances have come a long way from the bubblegum and cupcake scents we remember from our awkward teenage years; in fact, affordable scents are having something of a renaissance.
From the noses of Byredo creating scents for & Other Stories to stores such as The White Company, Oliver Bonas and H&M rolling out sophisticated but well-priced scents, high street brands are expanding their beauty offering and attempting to take a chunk out of the fragrance market. While celebrity scents once ruled the affordable fragrance category, it is now high street and beauty brand fragrances that are proving the most popular, Mintel recently reported. The debut fragrance from fast-fashion giant Missguided, Babe Power, priced £28, has beaten the likes of Dior and Paco Rabanne to become The Fragrance Shop’s bestselling female scent of 2017 so far.
While low-priced fragrances often get a bad rep, paying big bucks doesn't guarantee a top-notch product. "It is possible for fragrance houses to be charging huge price tags for scents that aren’t necessarily as sophisticated as they afford – a result of good marketing and PR," fragrance expert Roja Dove points out.
When I speak to Dove, he explains that when you’re spending a great deal on perfume you should be paying for both exclusivity and quality of raw materials. Natural raw materials are always more expensive than their synthetic equivalent; however, natural ingredients aren’t necessarily better. Indeed, the majority of modern fragrances will use some synthetic materials in order to create effects that are impossible to produce naturally. It’s a complex business, sifting the bad from the good, but Dove’s advice is simple: smell and compare. After all, your choice of fragrance is deeply personal and your sense of smell unique. "The only sane way to smell fragrance is in contrast to others, as that will really enable you to understand what you are smelling. As easy as it is to do, try not to be swayed by the branding. Allow what’s inside the bottle to do the talking," Dove suggests.
Alongside a browse of their excellent knitwear and quality leather accessories, a trip to & Other Stories is not complete without a visit to the fragrance department. With scents created by Ben Gorham and Jérôme Epinette, the nose duo behind cult Scandi fragrance brand Byredo, you’re getting the best in the business at a bargain price. Our favourite is Fig Fiction – a heady concoction that will transport you instantly to a Mediterranean fig grove.
& Other Stories Fig Fiction Roll On Perfume, £12 for 6ml, available at & Other Stories
Housed in a pretty marbled tube, this on-the-go rollerball is ideal for stashing in your everyday bag or putting in your hand luggage when travelling. Combining the classic scents of rose and peony, use this elegant floral fragrance in the morning as your main scent or as a top-up throughout the day by applying to pulse points.
Oliver Bonas Peony Rose Rollerball, £10 for 20ml, available at Oliver Bonas
For eco-approved affordability, head to high street favourite H&M and try their Conscious perfume oils. Made with 100% natural ingredients, 90% of which are organic, these rollerball oils function both as customisable and layerable scents as well as a calming treat for the mind. Our favourite, the relaxing blend, uses essential oils such as jojoba, grapeseed and rosemary to quieten a racing head. Stash one in your desk and counteract that frazzled 4pm feeling.
H&M Conscious Relaxing Perfume Oil, £7.99 for 8ml, available at H&M
Don’t be fooled by its name, this Rose Gold fragrance is in fact a sophisticated blend of orange blossom, peony and tonka bean – you wouldn't think it's from the high street. With a shelfie-worthy bottle and long-lasting power, it’s a bargain all-rounder.
Zara Rose Gold Eau de Toilette, £15.99 for 100ml, available at Zara
This French brand’s cult heavenly scented oil is also available as a perfume. To many this blend of orange blossom, magnolia and vanilla is summer in a bottle; one spritz will take you to the sun-drenched beaches of the Côte d’Azur, even if it’s pouring down with rain outside.
Nuxe Prodigieux Le Parfum, £44.50 for 50ml, available at Marks & Spencer
While The White Company has long been a destination for candle fans, their offering of perfumes is not to be sniffed at. If you’re looking for a light everyday perfume that isn’t overly floral, their Day scent may be just the ticket. Combining apple, cedarwood and jasmine with a hint of bergamot, it’s both refreshing and uplifting in equal measure.
The White Company Day Eau de Toilette, £28 for 30ml, available at The White Company
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