Tag: bargain

Scent-sational buys in the sale

There are some truly scent-sational (sorry, couldn’t resist) steals to be had in our January sale, and with savings of up to 50% off RRP, we think your nose needs to get ready for some new excitement!

We’re listing our fragrant faves here, but don’t lose out, because these sale offers must end at midnight on January 12th 2025 (still not used to writing that date, are you?!)

 

The Perfume Society Discovery Boxes:

 

 

Fragrant Fantasy Discovery Box: Was £22 NOW £11

Do you wish to scale mountains or take a safari? Maybe there’s a practical challenge to conquer? Or perhaps your secret heart craves an intrigue, a tryst, with a hint of hearsay? Whatever your dreams and passions, let these fragrances put you in a mindset to achieve real-life ambitions or imagine your darkest desires…

Box includes:

D’otto 1+7 1.5ml extrait de parfum
Maison Crivelli Neroli Nasimba 1.5ml eau de parfum
Tocca Colette 1.5ml eau de parfum
Jean Paul Gaultier Scandal Pour Homme 1.5ml eau de toilette
Maya Njie Tobak 2ml eau de parfum
Montblanc Explorer Ultra Blue 2ml eau de parfum
Experimental Perfume Club Pistachio Haiku 2ml eau de parfum
BDK 312 Saint-Honoré 2ml eau de parfum
Yardley London English Rose Hand cream 50ml

 

 

 

Luxurious Fragrances Discovery Box: Was £35 NOW £21

What does “luxurious” smell like to you? Is it a perfume that makes YOU feel like a million dollars, or is it a fragrance that SMELLS incredible? It’s a question we’re often asked, and so we thought it would be good to gather together 15 outstanding examples for you to try.

So, whether you’re looking to discover the lights of the Aurora Australis, waiting to experience some equestrian excitement, or perhaps even explore the magic of London by moonlight, it’s time to open up the Luxurious Fragrances Discovery Box.

BDK Parfums Vanille Leather 2ml eau de parfum
Brioni Suave 1.8ml eau de parfum
Creed Aventus 2ml eau de parfum
Edeniste Oud Ghazal 2ml eau de parfum
Goldfield & Banks Mystic Bliss 2ml eau de parfum
Lacoste Original 2ml eau de parfum
Maison Crivelli Oud Stallion 1.5ml extrait de parfum
Ruth Mastenbroek London Dusk 2ml eau de parfum
Memoize London Aurora 2ml extrait de parfum 
Molton Brown Mesmerising Oudh Accord and Gold 1.5ml eau de parfum
Oman Luxury Paramour 2ml eau de parfum
Ormonde Jayne Muscat 2ml eau de parfum
Parfums de Marly Valaya 1.5ml eau de parfum
The Merchant of Venice Gold Regatta 2ml eau de parfum
Officine Universelle Buly Eau Triple Fragrance 9ml eau de parfum ~ Note that you will receive one fragrance from the La Douzaine Parfumée collection
Officine Universelle Buly Pommade Concrete10ml hand and foot cream

 

 

 

Perfume Party Discovery Box: Was £22 NOW £11

Whatever the party, there’s a fragrance in this box to suit the occasion. From a chilled coffee morning to a sultry samba at sunset and lasting well into the night, these fragrances have you covered!

Parfums de Marly Valaya 1.5ml eau de parfum
Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina Libera 2ml eau de parfum
Atkinsons Mint & Tonic 2ml eau de parfum
Molton Brown Neon Amber 1.5ml eau de parfum
Edeniste Vétiver Imaginaire 2ml eau de parfum 
Argentum Lover 2ml eau de parfum
Argentum Luminous Day & Night Silver Serum 3ml 
Shay & Blue Blueberry Musk 2ml eau de parfum
Moncler Sunrise Pour Femme 2ml eau de parfum
Yardley London English Rose Hand cream 50ml

 

 

 

Scented Showcase Discovery Box: Was £22 NOW £11

Shining a spotlight on some of our glorious scents, The Scented Showcase Discovery Box is a real showstopper! Highlighting both niche and pocket friendly fragrances, you’re guaranteed to have something for every occasion.

Memoize Concordia 2ml extrait de parfum
Thameen London Fanfare 2ml eau de cologne
Micheal Kors Gorgeous 1.5ml eau de parfum
Lalique Soleil 1.8ml eau de parfum
Argentum Become 2ml eau de parfum 
Floral Street Sunflower Pop 1.5ml eau de parfum
Shloksha Aqua Fern 2ml eau de parfum
Yardley London Flowerful Collection 5 x 1.5ml
Decadent Mimosa 1.5ml eau de toilette, Elegant Iris 1.5ml eau de toilette, Luxe Gardenia 1.5ml eau de toilette, Opulent Rose 1.5ml eau de toilette and Exquisite Peony1.5ml eau de toilette

 

 

 

Garden of Delights Discovery Box: £Was £23 NOW £12.50

Gardens help us to feel renewed. With The Garden Of Delights Discovery Box we’ve curated this collection of vibrant, bright fragrances, so everyone can feel the renewing and rejuvenating benefits of gardens in a spritz.

Highgrove Bouquet by Penhaligon’s, created with HRH the Prince Of Wales, now King Charles, draws on his own garden at Highgrove. We’d also love to introduce you to new brands Adscenture, EAU.MG and COSMOSSbyKateMoss and Granado is new to the UK. More newness is provided by Floral Street Sweet Almond Blossom. There are also fragrances from Versace, Molton Brown, Mizensir, Juliette has a gun and Shay&Blue all highlighting various flowers and herbs. We’ve also added SBC Arnica Moisturising Gel for other restorative powers from the garden.

Adscenture Secret Garden 2ml eau de parfum
Cosmoss Sacred Mist 1.5ml eau de parfum 
EauMG Rockin Rose 2ml extrait de parfum
Floral Street Sweet Almond Blossom 2ml eau de parfum
Granado Jardim Real 1.8ml eau de parfum
Juliette has a gun Magnolia Bliss 1.7ml eau de parfum       
Mizensir Vert Empire 2ml eau de parfum
Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily 1.5ml eau  de parfum
Penhaligon’s Highgrove Bouquet 1.5ml eau de parfum 
Shay&Blue Amber Rose 2ml eau de parfum 
Versace Dylan Purple 1ml eau de parfum
Yardley London English Rose Body Mist 200ml
SBC Arnica Moisturising Gel 100ml

 

Our top perfume picks from the January sale also include these incredible Brand Discovery Sets – giving you the opportunity to sample an entire collection from a niche fragrance house and truly gain a sense of their style (and your taste). They include…

 

 

Maya Njie Discovery Set: Was £34 NOW £17

Born in Västerås Sweden, with a West African heritage, and moving to London in her teens where she went in to study at the University of the Arts, Maya Njie experiments with smell along with colour and photography. The box also holds a booklet containing the 6 photos that inspired these scents.

A collection of 6 x 2ml samples

Nordic Cedar – inspired by a Swedish forest of cedars with earthy patchouli

Vanilj – comforting vanilla, spiced with cardamom and swirled in musk

Tobak – honeyed tobacco leaf, musks and leather, so addictive

Les Fleurs – bergamot, magnolia and fig, a celebration of life, love and creation

Tropica – tropical fruits layered with sandalwood and coconut for an idyllic escape

Voyeur Verde – verdant cypress trees entwined through leather seats of an abandoned car

 

 

Memoize London Light Range Discovery Set: Was £57 NOW £28.50

An opportunity to discover the full collection from the Memoize London perfume Light Range EDP, which takes you on a journey through your memories and emotions, evoked by these memorable scents.

A collection of 8 x 2ml samples

Castitas – The essence of purity, honesty and innocence, to remind you of your purest moments.

Industria – The essence of strength and perseverance, the tenacity to fulfil your hopes and dreams.

Caritas – The essence of generosity, charity and kindness, to remind you of the goodness held within.

Temperantia – The essence of calmness, modesty and great wisdom, reminiscent of that moment of pure calm and tolerance.

Patientia – The essence of patience and tranquillity, the endurance and resilience to stand firm and strong.

Humanitas – The essence of kindness and compassion, wraps itself around you like an old friend.

Humilitas – The essence of modesty, humility and grace, aware of your greatness, without the need to prove it to the world.

White Castitas – The essence of great honour and integrity, your body and soul are cleansed, your mind is clear.

 

 

 

Sarah Baker extrait de parfum Discovery Set: Was £45 NOW £22.50

American-born Sarah Baker has resided in London for a long time. As well as being an artist and film-maker, she has also developed perfumes at the Institute for Art and Olfaction in Los Angeles. Collaborating with other creatives at the top of their game really seems to light Sarah Baker’s fire, so the first collection in 2016 found her working with perfumer Ashley Eden Kessler, and 4160 Tuesday’s perfumer Sarah McCartney. In 2018, Sarah collaborated with fragrance writer Miguel Matos for a limited edition scent called Jungle Jezebel – a limited edition design concept that saw the bottle adorned with drag queen-esque eyelashes. These fragrances are bold, distinctive, and not for the faint of heart.

The Sarah Baker Extrait de Parfum Discovery Set includes 8 x 2ml, spray-top bottles; all of the unisex fragrances in the collection.

Atlante: A mermaid emerging from the sea. Real beach vibes.

Charade: Big white flower with a cutting edge of rustic leather. Sophisticated and contemporary.

Jungle Jezebel: Bombastic banana bootylicious beast. Love it or hate it? We love. Join us.

Gold Spot: A spotlight on filmstars who love their luxuries, indulging themselves in bed all day with broadsheets and butterscotch bonbons.

Greek Keys: A yacht ride in the Greek Islands. Fresh, Oceanic, Luxurious.

Tartan: After a long walk in the Highlands, enjoy your first sip of whiskey next to the fire in the library.

Leopard: Power fragrance that must be worn with shoulder pads. Not for children.

Loudo: Playful and sweet, yet nostalgic and serious. Deliciously woody.

Presented in tactile, elegant packaging, it includes a specially designed booklet on our extraits de parfum. A great way to explore the collection or perfect for a memorable gift.

 

 

 

Shay & Blue Fragrance Wardrobe: Was £150 NOW £75

This Fragrance Wardrobe provides a luxury explosion of 10 of the bestselling perfume blends from their London Boutique. Each pocket-sized 10ml natural fragrance creates its own mood.

The Shay & Blue Fragrance Wardrobe includes TEN x 10ml samples. 

Amber Rose – May rose blended with white amber and sweet creamy notes

Atropa Belladonna –  Cassis berries and jasmine dance with patchouli and vanilla

Black Tulip – Exotic plum flirts with white chocolate and woods

Blackberry Woods– Glossy berry juice with punk-sharp citrus

Blood Oranges – Lip-smacking burst of zest underpinned with musks, woods and smoky leather

Dandelion Fig – Fig and dandelion leaf blended with lemongrass, tomato vine and juniper

English Cherry Blossom –  Airy blossom with black cherries, fig and bergamot

Oud Alif – Oud spiked with chocolat noir, saffron and dark patchouli

Salt Caramel  – Tonka bean and sandalwood meld into sea salt

Tallulahs Camellia – Bluebells and white flowers nestle in blond woods

 

 

AND all these Ostens products in our shop are on sale at 50% for FULL SIZES! It’s the perfect opportunity to stock up on gifts for loved ones in the year ahead or, how about this: a treat for yourself that you’ve had your eye (or nose) on fo a while? What better time to take the perfume plunge?

 

 

Ostens Cedarwood Heart Eau de Parfum 50ml: Was £95 NOW £47.50

Reminiscent of a by-gone era full of sophistication and decadence, Impression Cedarwood Heart instantly evokes a sense of nostalgia and grown-up glamour. This comforting blend of cedarwood, galbanum and orris feels like pulling on a vintage velvet jacket that lingers with treasured scent memories – from the trace of cologne and a smudge of face powder to the faint hint of whiskey and trail of tobacco leaves.

 

 

Ostens Rose Oil Isparta Eau de Parfum 50ml: Was £135 NOW £67.50

Unexpectedly, Ostens Rose Oil Isparta is bold and genderless; a voluptuous, addictive floral, full of ripe, jammy blackcurrant and crushed Turkish rose petals lifted by pink peppercorn. This intriguing, intense, almost middle eastern interpretation of rose is instantly warm and enveloping. Already loved by fragrance aficionados, Rose Oil Isparta is fast developing a cult following.

 

 

Ostens Patchouli Heart No.1 Eau de Parfum 50ml: Was £95 NOW £47.50

Swirls of aromatic incense and molasses-like labdanum effortlessly melt into warm, liquid treacle to create a truly unique and mouth-watering scent. Not forgetting the patchouli of the past, the liquorice notes of the Immortelle flower have been added to soften its sweetness and give Patchouli Heart No.I a slightly smoky, earthy feeling.

 

 

Ostens Patchouli Heart No.II Eau de Parfum 50ml: Was £95 NOW £47.50

This is patchouli like you’ve never smelt before – fresh, aromatic and elegant. Delicate notes of iris resin and violet leaf add a soft, powdery, vintage-like quality that’s brightened with ambroxan and patchouli heart to create a clean, aromatic fragrance with a distinctly timeless quality.  This is patchouli made modern.

 

 

Ostens illumination jasmine candle

Ostens Illumination Jasmine Candle: Was £65 NOW £32.50

Before sunrise, the white, star-like blossoms of Egyptian Jasmine Grandiflorum are hand-picked from fields near the Nile Delta. The delicate flowers are laid in palm-branch boxes, allowing them to breathe on their journey to becoming our Jasmine Absolute. This abstraction of thousands of petals has an unmistakable scent that builds from stem-like and alive, to dense, sensuous and warm – almost carnal. Lighting Illumination Jasmine will transport the radiant scent of night jasmine drifting through open windows on a warm Mediterranean summer evening, into your home. Presented in an elegant mouth-blown scalloped glass, our hand-poured wax blend enables a perfect burn and the finest fragrance diffusion.

 

 

 

ostens illumination rose candle

Ostens Illumination Rose Candle: Was £65 NOW £32.50

In the valleys of Anatolia, Turkey, the harvesting of Rosa Damascena the ‘Queen of Flowers’ begins at dawn. The roses are kept in the shade until reaching the copper distillation stills. Once transformed, the rose oil contains a concentrate of all the fragrance components of thousands of fresh flowers. Its voluptuous scent, both green and vibrant yet also jammy with notes of exotic and red fruits, had us under its spell from the beginning. Light Illumination Rose to instantly fill your home with the luxurious and elegant scent of hundreds of Turkish roses.

Remember, you have until midnight on January 12th to grab yourself some scented sale bargains, and whichever you choose, you are in for a fabulously fragrant treat to start this new year!

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

How to buy scent in the sales – what to look for & how to choose

How to buy a new scent can tricky at the best of times, but when sales season hits it can be even more bewildering. Should you only go for brands you know, or plump for a new perfume at a bargain price? We’ve all the tips and tricks toward finding a fragrance that will really work for you and your pocket.

 

 

Want to try something new that’s on sale, but don’t know what to look for?

We’ve done all the leg-work for you! Simply type the name of that scent into our genius Find-A-Fragrance, and the clever algorithm – based on information we source directly from the fragrance houses and perfumers themselves – will suggest six new fragrances that, while different from the original you typed, share a similar mood, character or key ingredients. It really works! Note down the names it suggests and see if any are available in the sales…

 

 

Go ‘matchy-matchy’

Consider the vast array of  matching products available for favourite fragrances you already have, such as a gorgeously decadent bath oil, rich body cream or even a fragranced hair mist. It’s often possible to find travel-size versions of perfumes and discounted gift-boxes containing smaller size scents and matching scented body products for bargain prices in the sales!

 

Be brave – BUT, be careful of an olfactory ‘oops!’

This is the perfect time of year to blow away the cobwebs and try some new scents – from brands you’ve never heard of, or from fragrance families you’d perhaps never considered might suit you.

The best idea is to get a Discovery Box of fabulous mini sizes and samples from a wide range of luxury, niche and top-end designer fragrance houses. That way you can start exploring and trying them all in the comfort of your own home, then you’re able to pick a new perfume from that house if they’re on sale, knowing you already like their style.

Each box is carefully curated to include something for all tastes, and once you’ve found ‘the one’ (or perhaps several!) you can then buy a full size in the sale, safe in the knowledge you’ve already tried it on your skin. We know SO many people who’ve discovered their all-time scent loves this way!

 

 

 

Save money on scents this-a-way

We’ve a selection of fabulous fragrance boxes in our sale right now – the perfect way to treat yourself to a new perfume without breaking the bank (saving money AND you venturing out in hideous weather!) Don’t forget to use the correct coupon code (above) at checkout.

Now then… which sale scent to spritz first?

Niche fragrances for £50 and under! Indie (not spendy)

Cultivating a love for niche fragrances is a thrilling exploration of what those independent houses are creating – a bit like the catwalk shows in fashion, often showcasing exciting new trends years ahead of the mainstream. But, as many of us know all too well, it can become somewhat injurious to one’s wallet if you want to try several all at once (and we always, always do!)

Last week we suggested some that were Thrifty but Nifty, while this week we focus on the ‘indie’ or more artisanal scents that could be your next guilt-free perfume purchase. Because, yes, there are niche fragrance houses with more afforable perfumes for you try. So whether it’s your first foray into the world of ‘niche’, or you’re simply looking for a treat-to-self; here’s some seriously wonderful creations that wont make a huge dent in your budget, but could become your next fragrant fixation…

 

Skandinavisk Kapitel 12 £43.20 for 50ml eau de toilette
Celebrating the Scandinavian right of ‘freedom to roam’, let’s throw on a warm sweater and stride onwards through banks of purple heather and frosted thyme, foraging for berries and herbs nestled in hedgerows. That glorious just-snapped stalks fresh-airiness evokes leaf sap and spring just about to unfurl, a sense of freedom we so need, now.
skandinavisk.com

 

4160 Tuesdays Amberama £32 for 15ml eau de parfum
Sometimes you might just long for a bit of frivolity in a fragrance, one that smells good but doesn’t take itself too seriously, perhaps? Presenting an 80s girl-band-inspired scent that relishes the glow and longevity of amber with a fun raspberry / iris /sandalwood heart that gets woodier and warmer as it wears, but with no bananas to be found…
4160tuesdays.com

 

ånd fragrance Sånd £35 for 10ml parfum
If it was bananas you were after, find them (surprisingly) within this ode to sandalwood. A strikingly modern take on the ‘old dependable’ wood of perfumery, as they put it, this wraps you in the most comforting blanket of creamy, dry, cardamom-infused deliciousness; cuddling down to a rich, resinous base. One to wear when you so want a hug it hurts.
andfragrance.com

 

Maison Matine Warni Warni £50 for 50ml eau de parfum
Journeying through cosmopolitan cities encompassing diverse cultures, this niche French brand jofully encourage us to be ‘a bit daring every day’. Wearing this takes us somewhere warm, the smell of grass scorched by the sun and crickets chirping in the languid heat, a delicious orange-blossom breeze as you sip tea and contemplate the better things in life.
harveynichols.com

 

Floral Street Arizona Bloom £24 for 10ml eau de parfum
Perfumer Jérôme Épinette captures a feeling of freedom – something we’ve sorely missed, lately in our now even more tech-heavy lives. Queen of the Night flower is spiced by black pepper, lush with Balinese coconut and tethered by woody oakmoss; the amber-y desert-like dryness conveyed by salted musks. Truly one to make the heart soar!
floralstreet.com

 

Niche V Discovery Box £27 (VIP price £23) for 19 fragrances + 2 beauty extras
Because we understand you’re missing browsing, spraying and smelling, we curated a selection of some of the finest niche fragrances out there to try at home. Showcasing an incredible cross-section of what’s happening niche right now, you’ll find houses such as Trudon, Ostens, Moresque, Mihan Aromatics, Maison Matine, the entire Storie Veneziane by Valmont and Bentley Beyond collections, and always forward-thinking Molton Brown and DSQUARED2. It’s a whole niche perfumery experience from the comfort of your sofa – what’s not to love?!
Buy your Niche V Discovery Box here

And if after all that you’re still up for exploring more pocket-friendly niche perfumes, do have a browse of these Brand Sets – niche fragrance collections from only £8…

By Suzy Nightingale

Thrifty but nifty – pocket friendly perfumes that smell amazing

Looking for pocket friendly perfumes that smell fabulous but won’t break the bank? They’re the holy grail at any time, but most especially in January – the bleakest time of year – when we most need a little something to perk ourselves up.

Perfume has come to mean so much to so many more people these last few months – we can use it revive flagging spirits or grant us some courage when we need it most. A quick spritz can swathe you in comfort and soothe frazzled nerves, transport you instantaneously to somewhere else in the world or reanimate a long-forgotten memory of happier days.

But perhaps you’re like us and have just paid your tax bill (hello reality) and though you’re not feeling flush, still really, truly, desperately need SOMETHING NICE to look forward to?

Never fear! We have selected some of our favourite fragrant treats – perfumed pick-me-ups that wont break the bank but still smell utterly wonderful. There’s nothing over £50 here, but you’ll still smell – and feel – like a million dollars…

 

Berdoues Avoine & Coquelicot £25 for 100ml eau de toilette
The cool intrigue of cardamom is warmed with a tingle of saffron and the soothing softness of oats before the fresh bouquet of poppy, jasmine, lily of the valley and violet peek through – a heralding of spring. Sublimely powdery heliotrope swirls with creamy almond, a glimmer of amber and delicate white musk: comforting as cashmere.
Dsquared2 Green Wood Gift Set RRP £44, currently £35 for 30ml eau de toilette
Invigorating lemon and aromatic santolina are sprinkled with spicy bourbon pepper, while suave cedarwood and vetiver ripple to the verdant breeze of cypriol; the base resonates with deeply warming notes of ambrox and musk. Although marketed as a ‘masculine’, this is for anyone who wants to feel like they’ve been for a head-clearing walk in the forest.
Miller Harris Lumière Dorée RRP £14, currently £9 for 9ml eau de parfum
Neroli has to be one of our all-time favourite notes – it feels like wearing sunshine – here celebrated with the golden fizz of bergamot, a luminescent jasmine and delicously honeyed orange flower. Luminous amber and reasuringly clean musks makes this a sheer delight, in every sense oif the word, and a so-welcome burst of happiness, bottled.
Yardley Daisy Sapphire RRP £20, currently £16.00 for 50ml eau de toilette
Close your eyes and remember what summer felt like – waking up to blue skies, leaving the house without worrying about an umbrella or a coat… Now let the delightful flurry of green leaves and apple flutter to the heart of hyacinth and white rose before drying down to snuggle of sandalwood and musk in the base. Instantly cheering on the dullest days.

yardleylondon.co.uk

Coach Dreams £35 for 40ml eau de parfum

Perfumer Antoine Maisondieu invites you on a sunny road trip through the American West. Along the imaginary open road, with the roof down, you’ll encounter notes of bitter orange, juicy pear, cactus flower and gardenia, concluding your journey with notes of Joshua tree and musky Ambroxan. And we adore the apothecary-inspired new bottle!
4711 Original Eau de Cologne £6 for 25ml

No round-up of pocket friendly perfumes would be complete without the iconic 4711 – it’s often reached for on hot days, but don’t wait ’til summer to experience the mood-enhancing whoosh! Colognes take on a new aspect in the cooler months; the classic lemon, rosemary, lavender and neroli notes feel like sunlight filtered through unfurling leaves.
escentual.com

If you’re hungry for more, we’ll be doing another round-up next week, with the emphasis on incredible niche fragrances you can try for £50 and under. In the meantime, why not have a browse of our Discovery Boxes – the perfect way to try to try perfume at home, from only £19 – £36!

 

By Suzy Nightingale

Splurge vs Save: fragrance bloggers choose

Could you ever splurge on an all-time lust list fragrance, or save the cash by buying more pocket-friendly (but still utterly fabulous) ‘fumes? We all have fantasties of winning the lottery and suddenly having access to the rarest scents in the world… But when reality hits and more attainable scents are the name of the game, what, I wondered, would some of our favourite social media fragrance commentators choose…?

Persolaise
Splurge: If money were no object, I’d love a full bottle of vintage Diorissimo extrait (price… priceless?) in the famous, gold-topped Baccarat flacon. Actually, I’d be happy with some vintage Diorissimo in ANY bottle, but if we’re dreaming, let’s throw in the Baccarat. I could probably write a whole dissertation on why I love the perfume so much, but if I had to sum up my feelings, I suppose I’d say that, for me, it is THE most perfect example of a perfumer both reflecting nature and putting his own personality on it. Roudnitska’s nose was being guided by the scented gods when he made it. It is an absolute masterpiece.

NB: You can see this very Baccarat bottle at the Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition in the V&A.

Save: I might go for Gorilla Perfume Kerbside Violet £29 for 30ml eau de parfum from Lush: a modern, uniquely urban take on florals, mixing that strange, green, lung-filling ‘openness’ of violet leaf with smoke, concrete and exhaust fumes. Genius.

Viola Levy, Scents & the City
Splurge: If money were no object, I would go for a dazzling bottle as much as the fragrance itself – and for stunning perfume bottles, you can’t go wrong with Lalique (they pretty much invented the concept!) Their limited edition Crystal Collectible Bottle in Naïade €1,200.00 is a miniature work of art, featuring a mermaid-like Art Deco figurine as the stopper, while the fragrance inside: ‘Lalique de Lalique‘ ticks all the boxes when it comes to my favourite perfume notes (jasmine, rose, blackcurrant and sandalwood). I like to think of this scent as the equivalent of an off-the-shoulder cashmere cardi – old-school elegance with subtle sex appeal. Plus you can never go wrong with a mermaid, can you?

Save: Coty‘s L’Aimant,£14.49 at Boots for 50ml eau de toilette, would be a no-brainer. Created by François Coty (dubbed ‘the father of the modern perfume industry’) it was launched in 1927 at the Galleries Lafayette in Paris and is an incredibly romantic concoction. The backdrop was the Roaring Twenties – of girls emboldened by their contribution to the war efforts and the greater freedoms this had allowed them – which lead to the perfume being promoted as ‘the pure essence of Modernism – vivacious, warm and magnetic – the passionate woman’s perfume.’ Certainly it’s similar to No.5 in its composition: sparkly aldehydes, rose and jasmine (always a winning combination for classic scents), but it’s got a lighter spring in its step and a certain sparkle all of its own.

Sarah Gallogly
Splurge: If money were not an issue I would blind-buy Mendittorosa Osang. It has a lot of my favourite notes in it such as honey, frankincense, myrhh, labdanum and sandalwood and Mendittorosa is a perfume house I would really love to explore further. I recently tried a sample of Le Mat and it’s straight up beautiful! I can only imagine how spectacular Osang is…

Save: For a fragrance under £40 I believe you can’t beat Lush and I would reach for I’m Home £25 for 30ml eau de parfum, or Cardamom Coffee £39 for 30ml eau de parfum– both wonderful and with sweet, resinous depth. Lush make excellent and creative perfumes for such an affordable price, and I’m a big fan.


Sam Scriven, I Scent You a Day
Splurge: My fantasy bottle would be Aedes de Venustas Pelargonium £210 for 100ml eau de parfum, without a doubt. The first time I smelled it, I got emotional. That’s happened about twice in my life, and as a blogger, I’ve smelled thousands of scents. Pelargonium is a woody floral, but so seamlessly blended it’s like a cloak of iridescent fairy wings merging into each other. It’s mainly geranium, but it’s also musk, oakmoss, spices and smooth orris. Just perfection.

Save: There’s a huge choice of great value fragrances at the other end of the spectrum, but if I had to narrow it down, I’d go for Lanvin Arpège £29.99 for 100ml eau de parfum.  It’s a classic aldehydic chypre created in Paris in 1927 and it makes me feel like a grown-up sophisticated lady even when I’m in pyjamas. Trust me, that’s powerful. Because my pyjamas don’t even match.

 

Viola Cserkuti
Splurge: If money wouldn’t matter, I’d possibly get a lot of raw materials and make something, or rather experiment with my favourite notes: say, a kilo of Iris butter? I’d be pretty over the moon if I could go into Fortnum & Mason and buy a super fancy Caron bottle and get it filled with Farnesiana from one of those glass samovars (price on request!)

Save: I’m a big fan of discovering affordable scents in unexpected places. I love &Other Stories’s Sardonyx Fire £28 for 50ml eau de toilette, it’s very on-trend with a lot of iso-e super and ambroxan, metallic and musky with sweet florals in the background.

Blueberry Chicks
Splurge: The first perfume I’d choose is unavailable today, but if somebody had a sealed version I would have spent my (imaginary) thousands on La Rose Jacqueminot by Coty. I love rose and it is a legendary perfume. It was used by one of the last Romanoff princesses! For a modern perfume, it would be Puredistance White £455 for 100ml eau de parfum – because it smells like diamonds! I have never met a fragrance that’s so deliciously ‘posh’ and yet fresh. The first thing that comes to my mind when I smell it is a sumptuous ballroom full of finely dressed ladies.

Save: Jennifer Lopez Deseo £10.95 for 50ml eau de parfum, on the contrary,  is a recollection of a tropical holidays on the beach. A sweet memory doing nothing all day, with a pina colada in one hand and a book in the other.

Having salivated at the thought of the luscious lottery-win type fragrances mentioned above, and added many of the budget-friendly options to my own shopping basket, of course I couldn’t resist throwing my own scented suggestions into the ring…

Splurge: Oh go on, then, I’ll have a bottle of the original Guerlain Mitsouko, from when it was first released in 1919. Can you imagine? The thing is, I’d want to time-travel back and buy it myself, dressed to the nines in a velvet Opera coat by Elsa Schiparelli, with an ebony cigarette holder and scarlet lips, being shockingly daring yet romantic – presaging the turn of the century and those Bright Young Things to come. One spritz of this (well actually, as money is no object, several lavish applications) and I could snuggle in the cinnamon infused, milk-lapped plump peach skin and oakmoss for hours. In reality, the current reformulation by Thierry Wasser is as close as we’ll get, thanks to oakmoss restrictions, and it still smells *expletive* wonderful.

Save: If you’re looking for something with a sassy swagger, which smells about ten times more expensive than it is, consider unleashing your inner Diva with Emanuel Ungaro‘s much-overlooked masterpiece. First released in 1983, it’s a pleasingly buxom affair of softly powdered rose and iris with a purr of ylang ylang and sandalwood. And the perfumer? None other than Jacques Polge, darlings. Yes, he of the many, many Chanel fragrances. But this can be snapped up at £29.95 for 100ml eau de parfum. I know. You’re welcome.

By Suzy Nightingale