Affordable perfume alternatives have come a long way from the overly sweet, one-dimensional imitations of years gone by. In fact, in 2026 some of the best budget bottles capture the essence of cult luxury scents for a fraction of the price. This makes it easier than ever to experiment with fragrance without committing to a £200 splurge.
Whether you're looking to broaden your collection of women's perfumes or simply discover a new signature scent on a budget, there's no shortage of convincing options on the high street.
As Perfume Direct fragrance expert Jonny Webber explains, "Consumers [in 2026] are moving away from obvious, sugar-heavy gourmands and back towards scents that signal polish and intent – the kind that feel considered rather than crowd-pleasing."
With a personal collection of more than 50 women’s and men’s fragrances spanning Chanel, Le Labo, Glossier and Creed, I compared a flock of affordable alternatives with their luxury inspirations in a bid to separate the spitting image substitutes from the marketing ruses. Here’s how I got on.
Read more: These M&S perfumes rival Chanel, Jo Malone and more – and start at only £8
The best designer-inspired perfumes of 2026 are:
- Best overall – Next eau nude: £10, Next.co.uk
- Best Marc Jacobs alternative – Marks and Spencer soft gardenia eau de toilette: £8, Marksandspencer.com
- Best Mugler alternative – Milton-Lloyd stars parfum de toilette : £6.95, Amazon.co.uk
- Best Lancôme alternative – Superdrug Artiscent patchouli passion: £12, Superdrug.com
Read more: This M&S scent rivals Le Labo santal 33 – and it’s almost £160 cheaper
Next eau nude
Rating: 5/5
Best: designer perfume alternative overall
Why we love it
- Affordable for an eau de parfum
- Lasts well
- Very similar notes as Chanel’s Coco mademoiselle, apart from use of vetiver
Chanel’s Coco mademoiselle perfume (£80, Boots.com) is one I’d be able to pick out of a crowd, with its signature nose of orange, jasmine and rose. I’ve always thought of the mademoiselle scent as a luxurious one, and its £80+ price point definitely reflects that. Offering a saving of £70, I’d heard Next’s eau nude perfume being pegged as a viable alternative, but I was sceptical given the complexity of the iconic mademoiselle blend.
As it happens, my scepticism was misplaced and the eau nude aroma had the same nose-tingling brightness and warm rose accord. Admittedly, the top notes, which skew more honeyed than amber-like, are the first to fade, but the sillage (aka the scented trail left by the wearer) would definitely fool passers-by – myself included. It also lasts well and, honestly, I’m surprised I’ve not heard more about it. I’ll be shouting about it to anyone who’ll listen.
Key specifications
Buy now £10, Next.co.uk
Marks and Spencer soft gardenia eau de toilette
Rating: 5/5
Best: Marc Jacobs perfume alternative
Why we love it
- Great staying power
- Rivals Marc Jacobs both initially and as the hours wear on
- Not as sweet as Marc Jacobs daisy
Marc Jacobs daisy (£102, Boots.com) is often purchased as a first foray into fragrance. In fact, the fashion house’s daisy dot scent was one of my first perfumes as a teen, so I was intrigued to hear about a potential budget alternative.
Costing just £8 and housed in an understated glass bottle, M&S’s soft gardenia is immediately recognisable as a daisy ‘smell-alike’. When I initially sprayed it among IndyBest colleagues, the wider team agreed it was an admirable imitation, and I was pleased to find that the similarities continued as the aroma dried down.
The key note missing here is jasmine, which features at the core of Marc Jacobs’s flagship fragrance. That said, I wasn’t able to mark its absence and, if anything, would say that the M&S variation has a slightly earthier (versus sweet) undercurrent. It has great longevity and boasts a stellar saving – colour me impressed.
Key specifications
Buy now £8, Marksandspencer.com
Milton-Lloyd stars parfum de toilette
Rating: 4/5
Best: Mugler perfume alternative
Why we love it
- Each of the top, heart and base notes shine through
- Mimics Mugler’s signature woody surround
Take note
- Packaging and plastic atomiser look cheap
- Alcohol base is overpowering initially
If you’re familiar with Thierry Mugler’s alien (£99, Lookfantastic.com), you’ll know it’s not exactly a wallflower. It’s divisive, distinctive and, depending on your taste, either captivating or a little overwhelming. Milton-Lloyd’s stars parfum de toilette has some similar Marmite qualities, making it a strong budget-friendly alternative.
In the interest of honesty, my first impressions of it were a bit of a mixed bag. The opaque glass bottle feels high-quality, but the purple plastic atomiser cheapens things slightly (even if the gold lid does a decent job of disguising it). The initial hit of alcohol also skewed a touch intense for me. Though, in the brand’s defence, it did settle relatively quickly.
Once it dries down, it’s musky and warm, with a subtle, almost smoky undertone that’s reminiscent of logs on a fire and, of course, alien’s signature woody depth. Importantly, it lasts. Its longevity is one of alien’s previously mentioned ‘love it or hate it’ qualities (not everyone wants a scent that lingers quite so persistently), but if you’re a fan, you’ll be pleased to find that this alternative doesn’t skimp on staying power.
As for whether it smells expensive, I’m not entirely convinced – but if you’re on the fence about committing to the full-size original, consider this a low-risk entry point before parting with almost £100.
Key specifications
Buy now £6.95, Amazon.co.uk
Superdrug Artiscent patchouli passion
Rating: 4/5
Best: Lancôme perfume alternative
Why we love it
- Chic, designer-adjacent bottle
- Distinctive aroma
Take note
- A little synthetic
Launched as a modern gourmand-floral in 2012, Lancôme’s la vie est belle (£130, Lookfantastic.com) centres around notes of iris, layered with vanilla and praline to make a sweet-meets-powdery finish. The scent definitely lingers and, if you’ve smelt it once, you’ll recognise it on strangers for years to come.
Superdrug’s Artiscent patchouli passion takes the sweet designer scent and gives it a slightly fresher, more playful twist. As its ‘passion’ name suggests, the Superdrug imitation leans fruitier and I scented notes of mango. Paired with the sweetness of vanilla and praline, just like the original perfume, Artiscent’s patchouli passion feels equally suited to daytime and evening wear.
The orange flower comes through clearly, while the orris adds a subtle headiness that nods to the more premium feel of Lancôme. That said, it’s missing La vie est belle’s key iris note, which is what gives the fragrance its renowned floral elegance. Without it, this alternative leans more sweet and gourmand than floral. If you look for it, this sweetness leads way to a slightly synthetic edge, but for the price, I was impressed by the budget retailer’s interpretation. In fact, if you find La vie est belle a touch too mature, I found this a more youthful, easy-going alternative.
Key specifications
Buy now £12, Superdrug.com
MCoBeauty fragrance mist no.2
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: Sol de Janeiro perfume alternative
Why we love it
- Lasts all day
- A lighter, less overwhelming take on the original
Take note
- A touch alcohol heavy before it dries down
If you know Sol de Janeiro’s cheirosa 62 scent (£39, Lookfantastic.com), you’ll know it’s not exactly subtle. Rather, it boasts a warm, sticky-sweet aroma that’s somewhere between toasted pistachio dessert and SPF on sun-kissed holiday skin. It’s undeniably delicious, but at times it can feel a bit like being at the heart of a very intense gourmand cloud.
MCoBeauty’s fragrance mist no.2 is a dialled back take on SdJ’s best-seller, with an ounce less sweetness, which makes for a more wearable day-to-day fragrance. The pistachio and caramel are still very much the stars, but I definitely noticed the depth of the sandalwood taking the spotlight as the scent dried down on my skin.
With every spritz there’s an unwanted hit of alcohol but, after practising my patience, I realised it settles a couple of seconds after leaving the atomiser. While the alcohol thankfully fades, the general fragrance doesn’t – it’s surprisingly long-lasting for a mist, and lingered especially well on my clothes after several hours of wear.
During testing, I had a few friends asking what I was wearing (in a good way) and, I’m pleased to report, these compliments continued even when using the spray as a cover-up post-gym. When you want something that leaves you feeling clean in lieu of a shower – after a sweaty day in the office, for instance – I enjoyed reaching for this. Plus, as someone who doesn’t always appreciate a burst of sticky toffee sweetness, I didn’t mind the MCo’s less potent take on the SdJ original. In fact, I welcomed the lighter aroma.
Key specifications
Buy now £5.6, Superdrug.com
& Other Stories blank pages eau de toilette
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: Glossier perfume alternative
Why we love it
- You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference if you compared the two scents blind
- Clean, skin-like aroma
Take note
- Quite subtle (but so is the original)
I rate this affordable perfume so highly, I dedicated an entire review to it last year. For those that don’t know, Glossier you has long been a cult favourite among fragrance fanatics thanks to its ‘your skin, but better’ scent. What does this mean, exactly? It’s clean, slightly musky and softly floral, with a warm, almost cashmere-like finish.
& Other Stories’s blank pages captures that creaminess uncannily well. It opens with a gentle burst of mandarin and pepper before settling into a soft, musky base that feels warm and familiar (versus overtly ‘perfume-y’ and artificial). Like the original, it acts as an extension of your skin and blends with its natural oils to create something subtle, clean and fresh.
I’ll admit, there are a few small differences, such as a slightly brighter citrus opening and the use of orris (instead of iris), which softens the floral edge. But, on the whole, I found the two to be remarkably similar across both scent and staying power.
If anything, this is proof that you don’t need to spend upwards of £60 to achieve a clean skin scent. I still have a soft spot for the original, but when it comes to an everyday spritz with understated appeal, this is hard to fault. Alternatively, you can do what I do: spritz the original Glossier you sparingly, then use blank pages as a body layer to lift and extend the scent throughout the day.
Key specifications
Buy now £32, Stories.com
Zara red temptation
Rating: 4/5
Best: Maison Francis Kurkdjian perfume alternative
Why we love it
- Available in a 15ml travel atomiser
- Strong scent trail
Take note
- A little generic
- Praline note outshines others
Few fragrances have reached quite the same fever-pitch popularity as Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s baccarat rouge 540 (£265, Cultbeauty.co.uk), so it’s no surprise that high-street alternatives are cropping up left, right and centre. Zara’s red temptation is arguably one of the most talked-about, and after testing it, I can see why.
This is a gourmand-leaning scent, so if you’re a fanatic for all things fresh, red temptation won’t float your boat. The praline note is front and centre, giving it a syrupy sweetness that’s rounded out by something resembling vanilla (though, this isn’t listed on the olfactory profile). On first spritz, the bitter orange cuts through sharply – almost catching at the back of your throat – before settling into a warmer, more comforting aroma as the amber comes to the fore. There’s a musky hum underneath it all, too, which helps give it the baccarat-esque trail you’d hope for.
That said, while it captures the vibe, it doesn’t quite replicate the luxuriousness of the original. Red temptation is a little more flat and, at times, veers into generic territory (it also reminds me of YSL libre and Prada paradoxe), largely because the praline notes dominate. Still, with baccarat now so widely worn, there’s a fair argument to be made: if you’re going to for such a popular scent, you may as well do it for a fraction of the price.
Unfortunately, this product is currently out of stock, but we’ve been assured that it’ll be returning on-site soon, so watch this space.
Key specifications
Buy now £22.99, Zara.com
What is the best designer perfume alternative?
Designer perfume alternatives have come a long way from the days of dodgy eBay fakes, and while none can fully replace the artistry of a luxury fragrance, I found several came surprisingly close to capturing the character, mood and signature notes of their designer inspirations. Specifically, Next’s eau nude Chanel imitation made a great case for budget fragrance. Costing just £10, it left me awed by its distinctive aroma and lasting scent trail.
Likewise, Marks and Spencer’s soft gardenia was a triumph and surprised both myself and colleagues that it wasn’t Marc Jacobs daisy. For a true saving (in excess of £250), Zara’s red temptation take on MFK’s Baccarat rouge captured a good chunk of the ultra-luxe fragrance’s allure – albeit differing slightly through the sillage.
The takeaway? You don’t always need to spend hundreds to smell expensive, you just need to know where to look.
How I tested designer perfume alternatives
In a bid to find designer perfume alternatives that would actually fool people into thinking you’re wearing the real thing, I got hands on with a wide range of luxury scents and the high-street alternatives that had been dubbed realistic imitations. Wearing each one multiple times and comparing them directly against their counterparts, I assessed how closely each budget scent captured the character of its premium muse. In testing, I considered the following:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
As well as being a senior shopping writer for IndyBest, Lucy Smith is a self-proclaimed fragrance addict. For The Independent, she’s covered the best women’s perfumes, the best summer perfumes and a number of new fragrance launches, from Ouai to Marc Jacobs. She speaks with fragrance experts regularly to inform her round-ups and has even visited Harrods’ salon de parfums to learn more about different perfumes and how they react to various temperature and bodily oils.
Read more: Every Marc Jacobs daisy perfume ranked by a beauty expert
