The safest ways to pay less for a designer-style scent are to buy a smaller bottle or the eau de toilette version, look for gift sets and sales at authorised retailers, test samples before committing, or explore independent brands that work with similar notes. Perfumes that smell similar to famous ones can be sold legally, but naming the designer brand to sell them has been found unlawful by the UK courts. Fakes are a different matter altogether: they are illegal and may not be safe to put on your skin.
A big-name bottle can cost more than a weekly food shop. You do not have to give up on smelling good, but it pays to know which savings are genuine and which are a risk. If you are comparing strengths as well as prices, our guide to eau de parfum vs eau de toilette will help.
Genuine Ways to Pay Less
| Option | How it saves | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| A smaller bottle | Much lower upfront cost | Often more expensive per millilitre |
| The eau de toilette version | Usually cheaper than the EDP | Lighter, and may smell noticeably different |
| Gift sets | Can bundle a bottle with extras at a lower combined price | Check the bottle size and what is really included |
| Sales and duty free | Genuine stock at a discount | Buy only from recognised retailers |
| Samples and discovery sets | Stops you wasting money on the wrong full bottle | Wear each one for a full day |
| Perfume oils | A small, concentrated bottle goes a long way | They sit closer to the skin than sprays |
Buy the Scent, Not the Name
Much of the price of a designer perfume pays for advertising and the label. Work out what you actually love about your favourite: the notes and the fragrance family. Then look for independent and niche perfume houses working in the same style. You may find something you prefer, and you will not smell like everyone else on the train. Our guide to top, middle and base notes shows how to read a notes list so you can compare scents properly.
What About Dupes and “Inspired By” Perfumes?
A smell is very difficult to protect in law, which is why similar-smelling perfumes exist. How they are marketed is another matter. In L’Oréal v Bellure, the Court of Appeal applied a ruling from the European Court of Justice and held that comparison lists naming the famous perfumes that cheaper products smelt like were an unlawful use of the brands’ trade marks. Quality also varies widely among smell-alikes, so judge any cheaper scent on your own skin, over a full day, as you would any other perfume.
Fakes Are Not a Bargain
Counterfeit perfume is illegal and has not been through the safety testing that genuine products undergo. Plymouth City Council Trading Standards warns that fake perfumes could contain high levels of chemicals that cause nasty reactions on the skin. Its advice: buy from a reputable stockist or duty-free outlet, remember that a deal that looks too good to be true probably is, and look out for poor-quality labelling, spelling mistakes and poor grammar.
An Independent Alternative
Sanctuary Eau de Parfum by Atenai London, 50ml
An independent eau de parfum built on rose and frankincense, described by the brand as calming and uplifting. A good example of a characterful scent from a smaller house rather than a big-name label.
View ProductShop Fragrance
Independent eaux de parfum, perfume oils and sample sets at a range of prices.
Shop FragranceFrequently Asked Questions
Are dupe perfumes legal in the UK?
Selling a perfume that smells similar to another is generally possible, but using the famous brand’s name to market it, for example in comparison lists, has been found unlawful. Counterfeits that copy the brand and packaging are illegal.
Do cheaper perfumes last as long as designer ones?
Price does not decide longevity. Concentration and ingredients do, so a well-made independent eau de parfum can outlast a designer eau de toilette.
Is it safe to buy cheap perfume testers online?
Be cautious. Trading Standards teams have warned that fakes are sometimes sold as testers. Buy from recognised retailers and avoid prices that look too good to be true.
Sources: L’Oréal SA v Bellure NV [2010] EWCA Civ 535, The National Archives; Plymouth City Council, Make sure your Christmas fragrances aren’t fake.