Affordable perfume brands

Perfume is often thought of as a luxury—but it doesn’t have to break the bank. Here, our top picks for affordable perfume shopping.

The Body Shop musk fragrances

The Body Shop is a great pick for budget-minded perfume lovers who still want the best ingredients. With new offerings every season, the brand has something for pretty much everyone—and the price rarely goes over $30. Its collection of musk-centric perfumes (White, Red, and Black) are cult favourites. Our pick? Try the flower-free Red Musk Eau de Toilette: a spicy, musk spritz that is warm and masculine, but not too masculine for a spice-loving woman to wear.
Red Musk Eau de Toilette, $30 (100 ml), www.thebodyshop.ca

Avon’s array of scents

On the Avon website you’ll find scents with varying perfume points of view, including scents in the Fergie Collection, Haiku and Far Away. None carry a ticket price above $45. You can also choose from the Avon fragrance lineup: Avon Instinct For Her Eau de Parfum, for example, is great combo of green and flowers with a touch of sandalwood.
Avon Instinct For Her Eau de Parfum, $25 (50 ml), www.avon.com

Bath and Body Works

Bath and Body Works might be known for its soaps, but you shouldn’t gloss over the fragrance offerings—and there are a lot. Nothing breaks the $45 mark, and there’s everything from warm colognes to fresh citrus spritzes or feminine florals. Try Alpine Suede For Men, a cologne that melds classic notes of vetiver, bergamot, mandarin, teakwood and cardamom, to a fresh modern effect.
Bath and Body Works Alpine Suede For Men, $29.50 (100 ml), www.bathandbodyworks.com

Yves Rocher’s budget-minded scents

Although many of Yves Rocher’s fragrances can hit $80, it offers worthy others at half that price. The brand’s affordable travel-size picks (at $5)—botanical-inspired scents to suit every taste—are great perfume value. Try the warm and sensual Vanille Noire for a night out.
Yves Rocher Vanille Noire Eau de Parfum, $43.50 (50 ml), www.yvesrocher.com

Demeter Fragrance

Demeter specializes in single-note scents so if you’re looking for something simple and specific, check them out. Find inspired creations such as “Clean Skin,” “Nutmeg Ice Cream” and “Dirt”.

Ranging in size (from travel to full), a 120 ml bottle will set you back less than $50. Try one of the brand’s bestsellers: Gin & Tonic is a fresh, citrus fragrance that is perfect for welcoming the upcoming spring season.
Demeter Fragrances Gin & Tonic Cologne, $49.50 (120 ml), www.demeterfragrance.com

Philosophy Fragrance

Clean, crisp scents, Philosophy champions the “your scent but better” approach to perfume. Try its best seller—Amazing Grace—for a soft, sensual aura of bergamot, muguet blossoms and musk.
Philosophy Amazing Grace, $58 (60 ml), www.sephora.com

Lush Cosmetics

Who says all-natural can’t be affordable? Lush, one of our favourite all-natural perfume brands, carries perfumes around the $40 mark—a major plus when shopping for a natural perfume, a category which can be much more expensive. Pick from solid perfume, eau de toilettes and body sprays for a range of fragrant experiences. Straightforward scents like Sun and Dirty are a hit, but it also has more abstract perfume compositions like Breath of God. (Yes, sounds good, right?)
Lush Sun, $26 (30 ml), www.lush.ca