I'm not kidding when I say I have an addiction. My husband likes to joke that I have more than enough and there's always a new one purchased while my previous bottle is still at 99%, and I stubbornly insist that it has been 1% used which is a lot. So you may be wondering, "what exactly is a budget fragrance?" I personally call any fragrance that you can get at discount department stores such as TJMaxx, Marshalls, Nordstrom Rack or even Target a budget fragrance. They are generally very affordable and can frequently be purchased at under $50 for a full sized bottle. While I'm more of a designer fragrance girl myself, I decided to make this list for those who would rather not spend $100 on a full-sized bottle of perfume, so without further ado, here are my top 5 budget fragrances that you can find at a discount store.
1. Elizabeth Arden Red Door Revealed
I remember when Elizabeth Arden introduced her scent Red Door. It is and has always been a classic, however, when Red Door Revealed was released, I thought that it was made for me. It's a magnificent floral fragrance, which I consider fun and flirty and I always get complimented on the scent whenever I wear it. Most are genuinely surprised to hear that it didn't cost me an arm and a leg. It has a long-lasting scent that you'll appreciate.
2. Pink Sugar
While this one belongs to my youngest daughter Madison, I sometimes steal and wear it occasionally. It is the perfect summertime fragrance and reminds me of going to the state fairs and eating all the cotton candy that I can. It does smell similar to cotton candy and can be described as your playful, girly scent that may bring back childhood memories. You can find Pink Sugar at Sephora and most department stores.
3. Alfred Sung Shi
Another favorite of mine and one that has been around for quite some time. I remember first using this when my eldest son was born, and whenever I see it in stores, I always grab a bottle. It's a fruity floral scent that smells heavenly, at least on me, and I have to say that you can't go wrong with this one. You can generally find this in discount stores at around $20.
4. Guess by Marciano
I have always had a love for Guess by Marciano clothing designs, while the perfumes were still on the back burner for me; that was until the Guess by Marciano fragrance was introduced. This is a very old fragrance as it was first released in 2003, but still a favorite as the scent is very long lasting. This has undertones of vanilla and musk, which I enjoy in perfumes. You honestly get your money's worth with this one.
5. Tommy Girl Tropics
This is one of Tommy Hilfiger's newest perfume as it was only launched in 2017. As a tropical girl myself, I couldn't resist the urge to purchase this scent. From what I've found out, this is a limited release of his original Tommy Girl fragrance and is meant for the summer. Think of sun-filled days on the beach and cool nights. This is another scent filled with peaches and vanilla. While the fragrance doesn't last as long as some of the others on the list, it's perfect for daily wear.
Bonus scent.
6. Marc Jacobs Honey
While most Marc Jacobs fragrances aren't budget fragrances such as his Decadence line, you can generally find Honey heavily discounted at most department stores. This has a light, floral scent and isn't overwhelming. Like most Marc Jacobs perfumes, the aroma lingers throughout the day. I'm also a fan of the whimsical bottle that's reminiscent of the honeybee.
While these are within budget for most, Victoria's Secret, and even Bath and Body Works have some fantastic fragrances that you can wear as well without putting a hole in your pocket. I tend to wear my budget fragrances on a daily basis, whenever I'm going to the supermarket, mall or even just dropping or picking up the kids to/from school, while my designer fragrances are worn on special occasions. Budget fragrances are a superb way of finding your preferred scent: Floral (my go-to scents) vs. Clean vs. Musky etc... Stay tuned because I'll soon be sharing my top
What's your favorite budget fragrance?
LOl I love how you own up to your "slight" addiction! I don't have any of the fragrances you mentioned above! I do have some Bath & Body Works body sprays and a bottle or two of celebrity brand perfumes lol
ReplyDeleteOh I love me some Bath and Body Works. I usually keep their body mists in my bathroom but I use them as air fresheners. They can sometimes be a bit too strong/harsh. I'm a big fan of their hand soaps though. They currently have a sale going on and I made sure to stock up!
DeleteEverything sounds so lovely! I actually love Elizabeth Arden's perfumes because the scents are just perfect. I think it's nice to have scents that last long, smell really amazing and doesn't cost a ton! Thanks for sharing your collection.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Arden does have some really good stuff, and I really love her Red Door. It's such a classic. Scents that last long is always a plus because you're not stuck reapplying all the time.
DeleteI haven't found very many perfumes out there with a strong long-lasting but all of this was the best that I found so far.
ReplyDeleteOh there are some with true staying power, but they usually cost a lot more than what I've shared today. I'll be sharing another list next week but they aren't "budget". 😉
DeleteI don't wear perfume, but my mom always did. When she passed last year she had no less than 100 bottles of perfume. My sister and I ended up donating them to a local nursing home :)
ReplyDeleteThat was a really nice gesture and I'm sure that they appreciated the donation. I'm however curious as to what you wear. My mother wasn't big on perfumes but she always had a bottle that she would use for special occasion and church.
DeleteLove, love, LOVE this! There is no need to spend $100 on a fragrance. Unless you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, you can smell fantastic for far less!
ReplyDeleteYou sure can, but here's a confession. I have quite a few bottles that I've spent over $100 on because I just had to have them. The scent do last a lot longer than the cheaper stuff and you don't need to reapply all the time. Sometimes the scent can last for days on your clothing.
DeleteI LOVE Marc Jacobs! growing up my mom always said you're never dress until you have a fragrance on, I guess it carried on to us!
ReplyDeleteMarc Jacobs is also one of my favorites. I have all 3 of his Decadence collection because I couldn't decide on which I loved the best, although I'm pretty sure at this point it's Eau So Decadent, but I also got his Daisy Dreams. I just recently saw that he introduced Daisy Dreams Twinkle and I have to say that it smells amazing, but I'm holding off on purchasing any more for the moment.
DeleteI rarely put on perfume since I work from home in sweats most of the time but I love candles and always have a few burning to freshen up the house. Would love to try the Guess scent since I love their fashion.
ReplyDeleteEven though I work from home, usually in a robe, after my shower or a relaxing bath, I put on some perfume because I just love the smell. Candles are awesome too and I've found that Nest candles are the best. I do however have a few Yankee and Bath and Body Works candles around.
DeleteThis post came right on time. I am trying to start up a fragrance collection, but literally cannot see myself spending a lot of money on perfumes. My husband has quite the collection and I do love a great scent. I am definitely checking out some of these. Thank you for passing along the recommendations.
ReplyDeleteI'm the opposite to my husband. While I have a HUGE collection, he has about 3-4. He thinks it's a waste of money, but I love smelling great. I'm glad I could be of assistance. ☺️
DeleteI've found that Pink Sugar is a really popular smell, my sister has always loved the sweet smell and it fits her personality well!
ReplyDeletePink Sugar sure is popular and it's fairly inexpensive too. It has saying power for sure. My youngest Madison fell in love with it after I had a bottle just laying around so now it's her's. I just bought her a new bottle since her old bottle is almost done.
DeleteI remember growing up in highschool and top fragrances started showing up in discount stores. I was so happy! I could buy Tommy Hilfiger at the fraction of the cost!
ReplyDeleteOh those were the good old days. I still love a few of Tommy's fragrances but I've noticed that they don't last too long so you're always spritzing throughout the day. However, now you can find some great scents at discount stores that are worth paying for.
DeleteMy mom is more into perfumes than I am and bought her two different ones from Epcot in the past year. One from Norway and one from France. I spent quite a bit on those two. But may have to share this with her as would be nice to get her a few more but a bit more budget friendly still. So thanks :)
ReplyDeleteI've never purchased any from Epcot because I personally thought they were a bit overpriced, but maybe the next time I'm there I'll do that. Who knows? You can get some good stuff at a budget you love, especially at stores like TJMaxx and Marshalls.
DeleteI think we women all have a "slight" addiction! I like Bath and Body Works perfumes, and haven't looked much into celebrity promotions.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I know that I sure do. I have never really purchased any of the bath and body works perfumes, but I have used their body mists in the past, but now use them as air fresheners. I've personally never purchased any of the celebrity fragrances so couldn't give you much insight on those.
DeleteI think my wife has a secret addiction to perfumes! I'd be interested in getting her a celebrity brand, as I know she doesn't have any. I know, because I've bought most of them!
ReplyDeleteI've heard good things about a few of the celebrity fragrances but I've never purchased any. I'm not big on celebrity endorsements so tend to stay away from their items.
DeleteI hardly wear perfumes as I am allergic to most of them, but I do have a few sample ones that I'm not allergic too. One of them is the Alredi Sung Shi. Such a great scent. I really want to get the latest Tom Ford for my husband but that is definitely not a budget scent!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your allergies. I have a friend who suffers as well so I don't wear them as much when I'm around her. Alfred Sung Shi is really a good one. Tom Ford is certainly not budget at all. My daughter got me Black Orchid for Christmas and all I can say is "yuck", was not a fan at all.
DeleteI love fragrances, and I especially love getting them at a discount! That Marc Jacobs Honey is one of my absolute favorites too!
ReplyDeleteI say if you can get them at a discount, get them! That's really the best way to get them although there are a few that you'll never find discounted such as the Viktor & Rolf fragrances etc. BTW Marc Jacobs Honey is amazing!
DeleteI've been waiting on this list ever since I saw you posted it on IG. The ones in your pic surely weren't budget fragrances so I really wanted to see which ones you'd choose. I love Elizabeth Arden Red Door Revealed but that Pink Sugar is the bomb. I've been wearing that one for years and I can usually find it cheaper at Marshalls than at Sephora. Great list! Can't wait to see what's on your designer top 5.
ReplyDeleteOh no, those weren't budget fragrances at all and I don't have a lot of budget fragrance although there were a few Juicy Couture that I also wanted to list that I like. Red Door Revealed and Pink Sugar will always be my go to, and Pink Sugar is now Madison's, and you're right, you can get it cheaper at other places unlike Sephora, but just in case you can't find it there, Sephora's got you. And you'll see my top 5 designer fragrances next week.
DeleteRed Door was one of my first fragrances. Such memories! The kids' school is fragrance free, due to allergies, so I never wear it. But I remember loving it!
ReplyDeleteRed Door sure brings back memories and I still love it to this day. Luckily for me, my kids school isn't fragrance free so I get to wear as many as I can. You should still keep a bottle for special occasions. After all the kids aren't in school all year round.
DeleteI've got to admit: I'm a closet addict to perfumes! I've been looking for a new scent. I'll check these out the next time I'm out.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of scent are you looking for might I ask? I love Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, and their BonBon is nice too. Maison Margiela's REPLICA line is also pretty good. I recently purchased REPLICA Lipstick On and I'm in heaven. There are quite a few that I just have to have and even more on my Sephora's wishlist. I plan on doing a fragrance of the month post once a month and may highlight that one. I say go to Sephora and give them all a whiff until you find one you can't live without.
DeleteI rarely wear perfume because it makes me rash but I remember using Tommy Hilfiger perfume when I was younger and I never had an issue with it. Thanks for the heads up about the new scent.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your reaction. I've never had an issue with perfumes so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Maybe you can try the Tommy Girl Tropics and see if it agrees with you.
DeleteUnfortunately I am allergic to perfumes and scents which leaves me out of a whole range of relaxing products. My daughter though favors a couple from Victoria Secrets and at $20. a bottle these are great gift choices.
ReplyDeleteI had one from VS that I just loved. I think it was called Fearless. I picked it up at the VS Outlet a few years ago and when it was finished I tried finding it again but with no luck. VS does have some good ones and they aren't too expensive either which makes them good budget fragrances.
DeleteI love Pink Sugar. I have a hair perfume that I wear in the summertime and get a lot of compliments on the scents. That Marc Jacobs bottle is simply adorable!
ReplyDeletePink Sugar was my favorite for quite some time until Madison decided to take it over. I've never really used hair perfume but have heard good things about them.
DeleteI think I would like Elizabeth Arden's Red Door and Pink Sugar. Those two were the ones that appealed to me first. I would also love to try Guess by Marciano. That sounds nice too. Thanks for sharing your list of budget perfumes.
ReplyDeleteThose two are good ones if you're starting out and you really can't go wrong with either. Guess by Maricano is also a good one too, and you're very welcome.
DeleteI love Marc Jacobs fragrances but they don't last long on me at all. I do better with Guess.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's different with everyone. They tend to last quite long on me and I've never had a problem with them. Guess lasts just as long, but I've personally found that Marc Jacobs last a bit longer than Guess does.
DeleteI love the packaging on the Marc Jacobs Honey. It's so whimsical and fun.
ReplyDeleteIt really is and the scent is as lovely as the bottle. If you can find it in a store near you I would say pick it up.
DeleteI love perfumes,but haven't heard the ones you've listed! Can't wait to check them out soon!
ReplyDeleteMost of the ones I've listed are pretty common, especially Red Door Revealed. It's one that's been around for quite some time.
DeleteI haven't heard of them all, but I do love that marc jacobs honey. I bought some for my niece.
ReplyDeleteMarc Jacobs Honey is a really good one. While it's not really considered "budget" you can sometimes find it discounted at some stores.
DeleteI'm still searching for my favorite. Keep trying different ones and always seem to go back to the lighter fruity scents but never the same one. Will have to check into these, maybe one will be my favorite.
ReplyDeleteYou're very much like me. I like light fruity scents as well, or even those that smell like baby powder. It's how I always end up with so many because I'm always looking.
DeleteWow! You sure know a lot about your fragrances. I have a few my husband bought me for Christmas a few years back that are still at about fifty percent. I love to put on some perfume whenever we go out to dinner.
ReplyDeleteI don't really know a lot, I just know about the ones I like to use. You need to start wearing your fragrances more. After a few years they should be on empty and not at 50%. 😉
DeleteI need some new smells. I should check some of these out!
ReplyDeleteHaving some new fragrances isn't a bad idea and hopefully my list may give you a start on your own collection.
DeleteThis is a really cool list! I hate spending too much to smell good.
ReplyDeleteYou really don't need to spend a ton of money to smell good, you can smell good with some really inexpensive fragrances.
DeleteI'm addicted to perfume as well. I'm trying to use up my stash now. I've already finished Chole (which is my favorite), Daisy, and I'm working my way through Alien. You have tempted me and I think I'll go a purchase some of your suggestions. I really want to try the Tommy Girl Tropic.
ReplyDeleteChloe is awesome but I personally prefer Chloe Love Story and Alien is one that I also love. Those are really good ones, but certainly not budget.
DeleteIt's such a score when I find my perfume at a discount store! I will have to try out some of these scents!
ReplyDeleteOh you have no idea. When I find a fragrance that I've been dying to try at discount stores I feel like I'm in heaven. Scent heaven! You certainly can't go wrong with these.
DeleteI love lists like these. Can save so much money over buying name brands in the department stores!
ReplyDeleteOh you most certainly can! While I love shopping at Sephora and Macys', I always excited whenever I find a fragrance at a price I love.
DeleteThese all sounds so lovely! I'd love to try out the Marc Jacobs one, I love their scents!
ReplyDeleteYou really can't go wrong with Marc Jacobs although sometimes it can be difficult finding his products at discount stores, however when you do, grab them.
DeleteI am also a perfume person. I have enough that I could wear perfume everyday for a few years and still have some left over. That doesn't mean I won't buy more! I have found that some that I get at Marshalls have an altered smell.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like me. I'm always buying a new perfume because I just love the scent and have to have it. I plan on doing a Fragrance of the Month post to highlight the new ones I get throughout the year.
DeleteWhat a great lists! I've actually never tried any of these. My favorite fragrance is Ralph Lauren Romance. I've worn it since high school!
ReplyDeleteI remember Ralph Lauren Romance. I think I had my son when that was introduced and it's still a favorite of mine to this day.
Deletethis is a great post! everyone wants to smell good but as a mom, I don't always have the budget for something expensive.
ReplyDeleteThat is very true. As parents, there are other priorities and while we love to smell great, that $100 can be spent towards other things that may be needed in our household or even on our kids. However, don't forget yourself, treat yourself every once in a while. I sure do!
DeleteFor light fragrances, I like the ones that have a fruity or sweet scent. I would love to try Pink Sugar. That would be great for every day casual wear.
ReplyDeleteYou'd love Pink Sugar. It can be very strong when first applied, but it dries down really nicely and lasts a long time. It's great for everyday wear.
DeleteI really love finding amazing fragrances and if I can find them at a discount that's even better. Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome. I'm so with you on that one. If you can find amazing scents at your discount store at a budget price you love, why not?
DeleteI love finding little gems at discount stores it is the best! Why pay full price when you just have to do a little bit of research? All these are amazing especially the Marc Jacobs one is too die for. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThat's why you can always find me at my local TJMaxx and Marshalls. They always have the designer stuff on sale for way cheaper and sometimes some are still this years finds.
DeleteI'll definitely have to look into the Marc Jacobs Honey! I love Daisy, so I have a feeling I'd like Honey, too. Plus, how cute is that packaging!!
ReplyDeleteIf you like Daisy, I'm sure you would like Honey. I haven't found a Marc Jacobs fragrance that I didn't like. Although his Decadence can be a bit strong, but he is Eau So Decadent and Divine Decadence is just right.
DeleteAwesome finds. I never buy perfume for myself but it's because of the price, not because I don't love it! I definitely need to find some better prices and treat myself more often.
ReplyDeleteYou can find some great steals at discount stores. If you have a Marshalls or TJMaxx near by, I say go in and pick up a bottle. You can generally find fragrances there for under $25.
DeleteGreat suggestions. I may wear perfume like once or twice a year- I like the tips on shopping for nice selections at discount stores. I mean, I'm in Marshall's and TJMaxx all the time! lol
ReplyDeleteOnce or twice a year? I wear it every single day! I'm in Marshall's and TJMaxx all the time myself, and you can get some great steals in there.
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