Latest news with #luxuryscents
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
ALICE DU PARCQ's best affordable perfumes under £35 - including £20 celeb fragrance and one smells as good as £234 designer bottle
My school-run friend's jaw dropped so low you'd have thought I'd stripped to my knickers outside the Year 2 classroom. 'I'm sorry, what?' she stuttered. 'It's JLo Glow; you know, with the dangly necklace on the bottle,' I replied. I admit that this was possibly not the answer she expected from an award-winning perfume journalist whose Instagram is full of glamorous fragrance content. I have my pick of several hundred luxury perfumes in my scent library and, admittedly, my reels are awash with bottles costing more than £150. However, I am adamant about including credible and affordable high-street heroes, too. 'But it's gorgeous!' she said, dumbstruck that my 'beautiful scent' was a 20-quid celeb spritz. I understand this reaction. As customers we're steered into thinking that affordable perfume is inferior because the super-luxe world of designer fragrance is so absurdly loud and competitive that it overshadows everything else. Scroll on social media and you'll be served a mix of global luxury brands or, at the other end of the scale, clickbaity 'dupes', ie, computer-generated copycats of famous fragrances made with cheap chemicals. We barely ever see anything in between, so naturally we assume they're not worthy of our attention. I'm here to shine a light on those hidden-gem scents; the quiet beauties that I promise are decently made, consciously created and don't cost a fortune. Think of it like shopping for a nice handbag. With a £60 budget you're not coming home with a butter-soft Italian leather tote hand-stitched in an atelier by a heritage fashion house, right? Lower your expectations and you'll find a very decent high-street hit from, say, M&S, Cos or & Other Stories, employing a talented design team using sustainable, premium materials in an ethically run factory. Transfer those theories to affordable scent: the bits that cost are high doses of expensive natural ingredients, deluxe packaging and catnip ad campaigns – the 'magic dust'. But what you can find more reasonably are skilled perfumers balancing natural oils with lower cost (but stunning) synthetics, all more modestly bottled. Still magical, just a bit less sparkly. It makes me giggle that Le Labo Santal 33, which is £234 for 100ml, costs ten times more than the £23 for 100ml Adidas Vibes Spark Up. Both are made by the very same perfumer, Frank Voelkl, with the same passion, expertise and ethical standards. Here are five more of my affordable favourites. Alice's best budget scents I am a huge fan of the Discover range: there are lots to choose from, but this beachy spritz has the best staying power. It's all suntan lotion and swim-up bars with a moreish, cool and creamy linger. M&S Discover White Coconut EDT £10 for 100ml Shop I am on my fourth bottle of this rich, deep, green and nutty woodland-floor unigender perfume, which is the scent equivalent of forest bathing. There's a gorgeous damp-trunk aura to this, so it has a very reassuring and grounding effect. Beauty Pie Une Balade En Forêt EDP £28 for 50ml for Beauty Pie+ members Shop This fresh, soapy-skin scent was conceived by powerhouse Jennifer Lopez, who asked two perfumers to make a fragrance that smelt like expensive fluffy white towels in a luxury hotel bathroom. It's the OG clean- girl scent everyone has tried to copy since. Glow by JLo EDT £19.99 for 100ml Shop Beloved British hairdresser Adam Reed has been a perfume superfan since his teens and is so eloquent and knowledgeable about scent, it was just a matter of time before he created his own collection. This light, gentle and comforting floral fragrance smells like a cashmere blanket woven with white petals. Arkive A Kind Of Floral EDP £30 for 50ml Shop Anyone who is craving a pocket-friendly hit of 'gourmand' pudding-trolley perfume needs to know about this brand. Everything it makes is a variation on the sweet, creamy fragrance trend; this one has a curious but delicious citrus-honey-praline combo that lasts ages and isn't at all headachey.
Forbes
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Summer Fragrances Every Traveller Should Know About
Spritz on one of these luxury scents for a hint of blue skies, sun-drenched days and fragrant blooms. Glossier You Fleur adapts to an individual's skin. Famous for its iconic You fragrance, Glossier's latest launch gives the fêted original a floral twist. Glossier's eau de parfums are described as 'skin enhancers', meaning that they smell a little different on everyone. The airy You Fleur opens with a fresh mineral salt accord, which develops to a velvety sweetness enhanced with tones of apricot. Its floral heart of osmanthus and creamy ylang ylang adds a depth to the delicate aroma. Meanwhile, cashmeran wood brings warmth, while musky ambrox provides a long-lasting, subtly sensual finish. It sits differently on everyone and adapts to your skin, giving it a unique allure. £70 for 50ml, Purple Mémoire is a delicate floral scent inspired by an English country garden. Who doesn't love a scent with an enticing back-story? The new eau de parfum from heritage fagrance house, Floris London, is inspired by the English charm of Ivy Lodge, the home of the brand's founders. Mary Anne Floris and James R.D. Bodenham lived at Ivy Lodge for over 50 years, from the late 1800s, and the property was renowned for its idyllic, sprawling gardens, filled with lavender and lined with fragrant herb gardens. Purple Mémoire is an ode to this idyllic space and aims to encapsulate a summer-time spent amid the flowers. Floris has been a British family perfumery since 1730, and its store has stood in the heart of Jermyn Street for nearly 300 years. The new, sophisticated scent opens with fresh top notes of aromatic lavender, bergamot, mandarin and just a hint of coriander (a nod to the herb gardens). The soft floral heart unfolds with lavender and warm jasmine, with rich white flower notes, green cyclamen and smooth orris. A sensual base of amber, creamy sandalwood, rich labdanum and powdery musk, layered with the comforting notes of vanilla and tonka bean to bring the fragrance to a smooth close. £180 for 100ml, Aldebaran is a celebration of white tuberose. The new alluring floral scent from cult perfumer, Marc-Antoine Barrois, is a celebration of white tuberose. Created by Marc-Antoine Barrois and long-term accomplice, perfumer Quentin Bisch, Aldebaran is delicate yet complex, with notes of paprika, mate and tonka bean. Designed to be a 'white light in the darkness', one spritz feels modern and optimistic. Aldebaran is named after the brightest star first observed and recorded by an Arab astronomer in the 18th century. Its name is derived from the Arabic word Al-Debaran and is reminiscent of an outstretched hand that supports and shows the way. The olfactory experience brings to mind the search for a way from the shadows to the light. €115 for 30ml, Tropiques encapsulates sunshine in an endless summer. Perfect for travel-lovers, the new scent from Fragrance du Bois is inspired by the exuberance and energy of exotic lands. Tropiques offers the wearer an opulent scent journey that begins with the zesty tang of bergamot and the sweet caress of tropical fruits. The fragrance then unfolds into a radiant heart of Lavandin, Mahonial®, and Rosyfolia®, to encapsulate sunshine in an endless summer. Finally, it settles into a warm and inviting base of caramel, amber, and musk, evoking the sensation of arriving in a tropical island. Beautifully packaged, the chunky bottle also comes presented in an opulent, velvet-lined box. £285 for 100ml, The opulent Astrum Nova is a rich, woody-fruity fragrance. Launching next month, Astrum Nova, by luxury perfumery Electimuss, is a sophisticated woody scent with a heart that bursts with juicy, modern fruit notes. Crafted by perfumer David Chieze, the fragrance opens with a constellation of citrus—bergamot, lemon, and mandarin—and is lifted by lush mango and dark berries, softened with the apricot-like freshness of osmanthus and the powdery luxury of orris root. Grounded by precious oud, oakmoss, and musk, and enveloped in the warmth of tonka, vanilla, and ambertonic, Astrum Nova leaves a sensual, lingering trail that Is both vibrant and refined. Electimuss London is inspired by Ancient Rome and the Romans' obsession for perfume. Scent was woven into the rich tapestry of everyday life in Ancient Rome. Fountains were scented with rose water and perfume was part of cleansing rituals, celebrations, feasts, seduction and worship. The Romans helped create a fragrance legacy, which has shaped the way that we use and think about scent today. Their colourful tales and rituals provide the inspiration for Electimuss's fragrances. £295 for 100ml, Vetiveria is a citrus-woody fragrance inspired by the island of Indonesi. New from British brand, Ormonde Jayne, Vetiveria is a citrus-woody fragrance inspired by the island of Indonesia. At its heart is vetiver, a vibrant, elegant grass. Rooted in the essence of the earth, the fragrance opens with bursts of Sicilian lime, and aromatic Timur pepper, with notes of safe and juniper berry. It develops with snowbell and lavender to soften the bold scent. Meanwhile, moss and tonka bean give it a richness and earthy soul. £195 for 88ml, Diem's Love Tangle comes with a refillable case. The ultimate summer fragrance, Love Tangle by Diem, has notes of cassis, peony, ylang, musk and sandlewood. Inspired by roses and honeysuckles found in thorny hedgerows, the scent aims to capture wild moments and unexpected romance. Made in the UK, Diem scents have been designed to be layered are long-lasting and are made in small batches. £25 for 10ml and refillable case, Melody by Miller Harris is inspired by Caleb Azumah Nelson's novel Open Water. The latest addition to the Stories Collection by Miller Harris, Melody is inspired by Caleb Azumah Nelson's novel Open Water. It captures the tender moment when the artist, lost in thought, pulls on his hoodie—only to be enveloped in the lingering scent of his absent love. Miller Harris's Stories Collection is an immersive journey through scent and story. A collection of six scents, developed using single pages of text chosen from famous literature as the only inspiration to help convey a certain emotion for the wearer of the fragrance. Melody is a modern floral musk, blended with white musk, rose absolute, and blackcurrant, with warm cocooning notes of vanilla, cashmere wood, and cedarwood. Created by renowned perfumer Sidonie Lancesseur, Melody redefines intimate, skin-scent fragrances with a contemporary, poetic touch. £180 for 100ml, Twilly d'Hermès is inspired by a free-spirited girl. Twilly d'Hermès is a bold and spirited fragrance created by Hermès's perfumer Christine Nagel. Inspired by a free-spirited, irreverent girl, it embodies a playful and daring personality. The fragrance blends spicy candied ginger, delicate tuberose, and warm sandalwood, to give a floral and spicy scent. The lantern-shaped bottle was designed by Florence Manlik. It has a hand-tied silk ribbon—each one unique—that embellishes the cap of each bottle. £98 for 50ml, Sol de Janeiro has bottled the spirit of summer with its three limited edition Mistica Perfume Mists. Sol de Janeiro has bottled the spirit of summer with the launch of three limited edition Mistica Perfume Mists. You can wear them solo or layered with each other to create your own signature scent story. Inspired by Brazil's hidden gardens, Flor Mistica opens with a citrusy symphony of orange blossom and sunlit gardenia, drifting into cool coconut water and white rose. Magical visions of sultry rainforests, emerald parrots and a confetti of petals sailing downstream, the mist is entwined with the verdancy of palm leaf and tropical flamingo flower. Agua Mistica, meanwhile, encapsulates coastal freshness and is inspired by days at the beach with neroli water, tangerine and sea salt notes. Danca Mistica, on the other hand, is inspired by a twilight samba in Brazil with purple fig, warm vanilla and sandalwood. It's dewy and decadent, and comes with the promise of lava-hot sand and sun-dipped skin. £24 for 90ml,
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Matalan is selling a £9 dupe of Diptyque's £168 super-size candle – it burns for 105 hours & there's matching diffusers
IF you love high-end scents but hate forking out for them, then you're in luck. Matalan has launched a range of candles to give Diptyque a run for its money. These supermarket scents come in super-sized candles as well as diffusers to make your whole house smell luxurious on a budget. The candles come with three wicks to ensure they burn evenly and come with 850g of product to give you 105 hours of burn time for just £9 each. It's a massive difference from the designer version which costs an eye-watering £79 for 300g. The diffusers on the other hand, come with one litre of fragrance and cost £18 a pop. Matalan has launched the new range in four stunning scents so that there is something for everyone. First is Ebony Flame, which has a sophisticated scent with notes of Frankincense, Pink pepper, Cypress, Violet, Raspberry, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Guaiac wood, Amber and Vanilla. Also available is Red Desire, with notes of Saffron, Jasmine blossom, Spun sugar, Cedarwood, Sheer white flowers, Amber, Golden musk and Oakmos. There's also the candle called 'Fun & Fabulous' featuring Jasmine, Herbal accord, Vetiver, Amber, Cedarwood, Leather, Musk and Frankincense notes. Last but not least is Velvet Petal & Oud with Rose, Sweet quince paste, Peony, Saffron, Agarwood Sandalwood, Patchouli, Arab wood, Dry amber, Musks and a touch of vanilla. Impressively, the glass jars look very similar to Diptyque's with a similar oval logo on the front. Shoppers are 'sprinting' to Tesco to nab £3.75 buy that makes your house smell 'incredible' but so much cheaper than £35 The White company scent The new collection is limited edition so if you want to get your hands on them you best head to their website or your local Matalan store now. But it's not the only deal shoppers are going wild for in Matalan. The White Butterfly Duvet Cover, normally priced at £21, is available for less than £1 when new customers sign up to Top Cashback. The deal is available online across the UK and applies to the double size set, which includes the duvet cover and matching pillowcases, both featuring a delicate embossed butterfly pattern. New Top Cashback members can get the set for just 50p after claiming a £2 cashback bonus, while existing members can still enjoy a hefty saving, picking it up for £15.50 with the same bonus. Offers are also available on the single and king sizes. One happy customer wrote: "Outstanding in quality and style. Even more stunning than I was expecting. So reasonably priced in fact I will be purchasing a second set. I would 100 per cent recommend this product."
