I used to be the kind of person who could get ready at the speed of light, but I recently discovered the joys of carefully choosing my outfit, makeup, and scent to take me through the day.
I've found that buying perfume is the hardest part of this equation. I have 30+ different scents to choose from, and while that's a bit excessive, the perfumes I own belong to me for a reason. I know whatever I pick from my ever-growing stash will always be the perfect choice. The same can't always be said when it comes to purchasing perfume in-store or online, but having a price point and notes in mind definitely makes the process easier.
My personal go-to is something affordable and long-lasting that smells expensive while actually costing much less than other higher-priced perfumes.
So If you're currently on the market for a perfume that isn't too expensive, and if you enjoy a variety of notes from florals to musk, then keep scrolling for my pick of 10 perfumes under £50 that everyone is guaranteed to love.
The 10 Best Perfumes Under £50
After a dupe for Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Baccarat Rouge 540? Sprint to Zara, because Red Temptation is a dead-ringer for the £260 designer perfume. It smells mysteriously expensive, with musk, saffron and jasmine.
While I'd love to go to L.A. one day, Ouai has me covered for now. It's encapsulated the smell of Melrose Place in this perfume. This is another fresh and floral scent with hints of bergamot and white musk. Something that Ouai always gets right is just how long-lasting its scents are, be it a fragrance or a hair product. This will easily take you from day to night, so don't worry about topping it up throughout the day.
I'm currently blitzing through two of my favourite products from & Other Stories: the Sicilian Sunrise Body Wash and the Fleur de Mimosa Body Wash, which are both elegantly scented, so I knew I'd feel exactly the same about this perfume. It's lightly scented with a mix of dark amber, wild vanilla and hints of bloom. I've never layered up perfumes before, but I could definitely see myself layering it up with another scent from & Other Stories for a super luxurious and one-of-a-kind smell.
Small but mighty, this cruelty-free perfume is bursting with floral and musky notes. The Body Shop has a whole range dedicated to the white-musk scent and even recommends giving layering a try.
This ultra-creamy and warm scent continues to be a favourite of mine. Glossier has managed to bring bright, sparkling wood notes to this bottle, which gives me so much joy. Whenever I wear this scent, at least one person always asks me what I have on, which assures me that this is the scent for me. If you've ever wondered whether it's worth the hype, I can say that it is hands down a purchase you won't regret.
Buying a hair perfume is the ultimate hack to save on a full bottle of perfume, and Gisou's smells incredible. Wish its soft honey and floral notes, you'll notice this every time you swish your hair—just await the compliments.
Inspired by memories of summer holidays, this citrus-infused scent features notes of grapefruit, pomelo zest and patchouli. It's a scent you won't be able to get enough of. What's even better is that the fragrance paintbrushes are easy to carry around for top-ups when you desire.
I can always count on Jimmy Choo to create a unique floral scent. This powerful blend is bursting with citrus top notes like mandarin juice and classic base notes of vanilla. I can never get enough of this scent and reach for it on a weekly basis.
Ariana Grande has released a number of perfumes over the past few years, but this is hands down my favourite of the bunch. The scent is really refreshing, and it's not hard to spot its top notes of ambrette and juicy pear. It's not overbearing in the slightest and has the perfect combination of luxurious and natural ingredients.
This light floral scent is a newbie in my collection. It mixes classic perfumery with novel blending technology to bring vibrant raspberry and woody notes to life. The scent alone was enough to catch my attention, but the unique backpack-shaped bottle was the cherry on top. It'll remain in my collection long beyond its time because packaging as pretty as this is a keepsake.
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