“You are never fully dressed without perfume.”

Perfume or a body fragrance should be a staple piece that every woman owns. The fragrance you wear can be the first impression as you enter a place, and the lasting impression when you leave. While there are many benefits to wearing perfume that include neutralizing your body odor and boosting your confidence, my favorite reason for wearing perfume is because the idea of smelling good makes me feel sensual.

In a time and age where social media determines what’s salable, perfume has hit the charts as an essential product for every woman that wants to feel relevant. And while I have been a enthusiast of perfume for many years, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen the exigency for perfume as I’ve seen in recent months. As a result, I’m finding the prices of perfumes ascend catapult. For example, my son purchased a bottle of perfume for me in 2020 and the cost was $54.00. That same size bottle in 2023 is $118.00. While I desire to smell delightful, I still want to shop for perfumes that are delectable as well as budget friendly. I have found a few reasonable and satisfactory options that are definitely gratifying.

1. Clean Rain and Pear – This bottle of perfume cost approximately $25.00 and is a powerful version of Victoria’s Secret Pear Glace. It’s heart notes include chocolate, melon, coconut and pear and each of these make for a very heavenly scent. Although very light, the scent lingers long after you’re gone.
2. Moschino Toy 2 Bubble Gum – If you were ever a fan of Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum, you will absolutely love this scent. It’s middle notes include bubble gum, cinnamon, blueberries, giner, bulgarian rose, juicy peach and peach blossom. This scent gives you the feeling of fun and is more of a fragrance I enjoy when I know I’m going to be outside. The cost of a 3.4 oz bottle is $90. The downside of this scent is the fact that it’s not sold as a perfume, but an eau de toilette.
3. Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia – This has been one of my favorites for year. The middle note is freesia and, but you can definitely smell the sensuous freshness of pears in this fragrance. This is a lighter scent and definitely one I always envision wearing in the spring while raining through the rain. The price point for this particular fragrance has remained consistent for years, costing approximately $80.
4. Kilian I Don’t Need A Prince By My Side To Be A Princess – Described a smelling like a “sassy spice”, this one has quickly become one of my favorites. The middle notes include apple, peach, jasmine and green tea which are a few things I love. This scent is also appealing for both winter and spring. The price point is slightly steeper than I pay for everyday fragrances coming in at approximately $125/bottle.

These have been my go to fragrances to start the year, but I am looking to continue building my collection with a few more perfumes with modest prices. What are some of your go to scents and what are some of your recommendations for perfumes that are economical?