As a beauty editor, part of my job is spritzing, sniffing and writing about the best perfumes. Some of my favourite blends come from iconic French fragrance houses or niche perfume brands. But I’m always conscious that perfume is the most expensive beauty category and, as such, suggestions for affordable alternatives are always welcomed. That’s where the high street comes in.
Take fashion giant Zara, now a treasure trove of affordable scents that often comes up in the so-called ‘dupe’ conversation. While a cheaper blend will never be identical to something blended by a master perfumer at a high-end fragrance house, and may not have quite the same staying power, you can certainly find similar-smelling alternatives in some of your favourite high street stores.
Zara, in particular, has been known to put its money where its mouth is when developing its own-brand perfumes. It has famously enlisted the help of fragrance industry legend Jo Malone CBE to create select ranges in collaboration with her Jo Loves brand, including Zara Emotions and Olfactive Vibrant Cities.
So, where should you start? Having spritzed lots of the best Zara perfumes over the years, I’m very familiar with these af...