This one’s a tricky one. While in every other beauty category, you can get great buys at a budget price, in fragrance it’s really about getting what you pay for. And good olfactory ingredients don’t come cheap. Fragrances tend to average around $80 a pop - although one of my favourites, Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely, comes in a 30ml bottle for $50.
Below that, The Body Shop’s Perfume Oils ($17.95) are quite pretty. Which reminds me, when I interviewed Sarah Jessica Parker for the launch of Lovely, she told me that when she was young and unable to splurge on scents, she used to buy perfume oils from markets and hippie shops, and DIY her own customised mixes. So that could be worth trying.
Some scented body products are also strong enough to wear on their own – I find, for instance, when I wear one of The Body Shop’s Body Butters ($27.95), I don’t need any other fragrance on me.
I have a soft spot for the Britney Spears fragrances. They’re very girly and light. You can pick up a bottle of Curious for as little as $25 at some places now!
Comment by Mel — September 5, 2008 @ 1:17 pm
Me too Mel. I was a bit embarrassed to admit it at first but I think there are a few of us unlikely Britney fragrance fans out there!
Comment by Bea — September 5, 2008 @ 3:31 pm
Keep an eye out in chemists and online; you can get really amazing deals on fragrance sometimes. You do need to keep an eye out for fakes, but not everyone is out to rip you off - sometimes, they just have an oversupply.
Comment by Katherine — September 5, 2008 @ 4:42 pm
i have a soft spot for scented oils. i’ve also taken to wearing lynx as a perfume - a little weird, but gotta love the origniality, right?
Comment by emily — September 5, 2008 @ 6:08 pm
I was totally amazed to find one of my favourite fragrances (Shalimar) for 35.00 in a Chemist in Sydney. There are so many cheapish perfume places around now and then there’s always Strawberry and Perfume Connection online to buy from.
Comment by Jo — September 5, 2008 @ 9:00 pm