Fragrance

Secret to Smelling Expensive on a Budget

Published

1 year ago

16 July 2025

Have you ever walked past someone and immediately turned your head because of how sweet they smell? While it’s hard to believe, it’s possible to smell rich without spending a fortune. There is more to good scent than using brand names, it’s about understanding the tricks to use. Here are some simple and budget-friendly secrets that leave a lasting impression everywhere you go.

Layer Your Scents

Layering is one of the well-kept secrets in the fragrance world. This method involves using different quality beauty products that complement one another. You will have to perfectly combine your soap, creams, and your fragrance to bring out the best in you. You can start with a body wash, add a good lotion or body oil, and finish with a good perfume. This trick helps you smell better and gives the impression you are using a high-end fragrance.

Use Body Oil or Jelly Before Spraying Your Perfume

Another trick that can make you smell better is using a good body oil or Vaseline before using a perfume. Just apply the jelly to your wrist, ears, or neck before using your cologne. Aside from locking scents, it makes you stay fresh all day long. This technique works for all skin types and can make your fragrance last longer.

Buy Perfume Dupes and Body Mists

While brands and designers are good, there are better alternatives. You can find affordable perfume dupes that can match expensive brands. Check your local beauty store for excellent options at good rates. Aside from dupes, body mist also works well when used correctly. When you combine them with a scented lotion and oil, you will be surprised how expensive they will smell. Just make sure you select floral and musky scents, as their scents are better than fruity or sweet ones.

Prioritise Neatness and Wear Good Clothes

Your body needs to be clean to smell nice. That’s why it’s good to take your bath using a gentle soap and wear neat clothes. Keep your hair in good condition and use a deodorant. Put on well-tailored clothes, because they show you in a good light.

Keep Your Fragrance Safe

Storing your fragrance wrongly can affect its strength. Too much heat and poor humidity hurt it. The best way to store your fragrance in good shape and retain its scent quality is to keep it in a cool and dark place.

Bottom Line

You can get the attention you want with a small budget. With good hygiene, proper layering, and using cheaper beauty products, you can get the respect you deserve. Smelling expensive doesn’t mean owning a 3,000 rand fragrance bottle; it’s about making smart choices. When you use these tricks correctly, everyone you meet will ask, `What is your scent secret?

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Fragrance

The Best Fragrances to Add to Your Collection This Septembe

Published

1 week ago

10 September 2026

Fadire Olusola

Photo: Dscentsation

September brings warmer days in South Africa, making it a good time to switch up your fragrance collection. This selection includes fragrances with fresh, woody, musky and fruity. The five picks also cover different prices, giving you options whether you want a well-known designer perfume or something less conventional.

YSL Libre Eau de Parfum

Photo: Dscentsation

Yves Saint Laurent Libre is strong for anyone who enjoys floral fragrances with sweetness. This fragrance has lavender, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla and white musk elements.

At Edgars, Libre Eau de Parfum can be bought at R1,950. Ascot Cosmetics sells between R2,210 and R2,975.

Dior Sauvage Eau de Parfum

Photo: Dscentsatiom

Dior Sauvage is good for those who want spicy and woody fragrances. Its bergamot scent and warmer base make it a suitable option. Edgars sells the Dior Sauvage Eau de Parfum at R2,805.

Valentino Donna Born in Roma Eau de Parfum

Photo: Dscentsation

Valentino Donna Born in Roma brings together jasmine, vanilla bourbon and woody notes. The result is a sweet floral fragrance with a warm finish. Truworths currently lists the fragrance at R1,900.

Xerjoff Erba Pura

Photo:Dscentsation

Xerjoff Erba Pura is worth considering if you want to explore a niche fragrance. This fragrance combines citrus, fruity, amber, vanilla and white musk notes, giving it a clean and warm finish. ARC currently lists Xerjoff Erba Pura Eau de Parfum from R3,285, depending on the bottle size.

Chanel Chance Eau de Parfum

Chanel Chance is another fragrance worth choosing. Its floral profile makes it versatile enough for daytime and dinners.

For an affordable way to explore the Chance family, Perfumology has the Chanel Chance Eau de Parfum from R569, while the retail price for the original is around R3,100.

These fragrances cover different styles, so the best choice depends on your collection. Libre suits floral lovers, Sauvage works well for fresh scents, Born in Roma offers warmth.

Fragrance

The Best Fragrances to Add to Your Collection This September

Published

1 week ago

9 September 2026

Tega Ekeri

Photo - Stock

A fragrance collection does not have to revolve around one signature scent. Different perfumes can serve different purposes, from lighter compositions for daytime to richer options for evenings. This September, new releases are also bringing more variety to familiar fragrance categories, with iris, tea, berries, woods and musk appearing alongside the vanilla and gourmand scents that have remained popular.

Here are some of the fragrances worth considering if you are looking to add something different to your collection.

Guerlain L’Heure Bleue Eau de Parfum

Photo – Stock

Guerlain has released a new interpretation of L’Heure Bleue, the fragrance Jacques Guerlain created in 1912. Iris and vanilla remain central to the composition, alongside pear, neroli, jasmine, ambroxan and musk.

The new version also introduces a specially developed iris tincture. Its refillable blue-gradient bottle gives the classic fragrance a new presentation without abandoning its heritage.

Le Labo Violette 30

Photo – Stock

Violette 30 takes violet beyond a straightforward floral fragrance. White violet is combined with green floral notes, white tea, cedarwood and guaiacwood, giving the composition a mix of floral, tea and woody elements.

It is a useful addition for anyone whose collection is dominated by sweet or heavily floral perfumes and needs a different profile.

YSL Libre Berry Crush

Photo – Stock

YSL adds a berry-focused interpretation to the Libre family with Libre Berry Crush. Raspberry is combined with lavender and orange blossom, while coconut and vanilla contribute to the dry-down.

The fragrance offers a different direction for Libre without abandoning the floral character associated with the line. It is also among the 2026 launches highlighted by Vogue.

Louis Vuitton Tea Storm

Photo – Stock

Tea Storm is part of Louis Vuitton’s Journey to China collection, alongside Moon Tale and Ink Mark. Its composition combines lemongrass, magnolia and rose.

Tea-based fragrances have attracted growing attention as perfume buyers explore alternatives to sweeter gourmand compositions. Tea Storm is a particularly interesting option for those who prefer floral fragrances with a fresher profile.

Louis Vuitton Ink Mark

Photo – Stock

Ink Mark takes a warmer, woody direction. Sandalwood, white incense, amber and rose form the core of the composition, drawing inspiration from Chinese calligraphy.

For a collection already filled with florals and fruity perfumes, its combination of woods, incense and amber provides useful contrast.

Parfums de Marly Athénaïs

Photo – Stock

Athénaïs centres on neroli and orange blossom, with bergamot, yuzu, jasmine, tonka bean and vanilla also included in the composition.

The citrus opening develops into a floral and sweeter base, making it a suitable choice for those who enjoy orange blossom but want more complexity than a straightforward citrus fragrance.

Hermès Musc Padilla

Photo – Stock

Hermès Musc Padilla offers a quieter alternative to fragrances with strong projection. Iris padilla and musk form the centre of the scent, giving it a soft, powdery character.

It is worth considering if you prefer fragrances that remain closer to the skin and do not dominate the space around you.

Noyz Only Human Mylk de Parfum

Photo – Stock

Noyz’s Only Human Mylk de Parfum takes fragrance into body-care territory. The fragrance milk combines vanilla bean, cedarwood and Ambroxan and is designed to be applied directly to the skin.

Its format makes it particularly relevant to the growing range of ways perfume can be incorporated into a daily body-care routine.

For September, the strongest addition to a fragrance collection may simply be one that offers a profile you do not already own. If your shelf is heavy on vanilla, try iris or tea. If florals dominate, woods or musk can provide a change of direction.

Fragrance

Message in a Bottle: A New Wave of Fragrances for Winter

Published

3 months ago

2 July 2026

Fadire Olusola

Photo: Fragrances.com

Winter fragrances are structured around ingredients that perform better in cold air. Notes like tobacco, vanilla, amber, woods, spices, and resins are common because they last longer on skin. Below is a breakdown of six winter fragrances, and why you should add them to your wardrobe.

Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille

Photo: Fragrances.com

Tobacco Vanille is produced around a dense tobacco and vanilla notes. Its sweet gourmand undertones from cocoa and dried fruits makes it a good pick. The spice opening adds a sharp feeling. A spritz of this fragrance can last for 8 hours. With prices around R4,500 to R9,000, this is an affordable fragrance. You can check out the ARC Store and several Edgars luxury shops.

Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace

Photo: Fragrances.com

This fragrance is built around a smoky wood with chestnut sweetness. The vanilla softens the smoke while the pink pepper provides the spice. In South Africa, it retails around R2,800 to R3,800, and available at Skins Cosmetics. Maison Margiela’s official Replica is designed to recreate the scent of burning wood and roasted chestnuts.

Parfums de Marly Layton

Photo : Fragrances.com

Layton boasts of fresh fruity notes with floral aromatics. It also has a warm spicy base and lavender feeling. The vanilla and sandalwood notes create a creamy dry down. In many fragrance stores , its price ranges from R5,300 to R6,000. It’s ideal during this winter because of its balanced structure and fresh transitions.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir

Photo: Fragrances.com

Grand Soir is built around a simplified amber accord. It contains notes like Benzoin, labdanum, vanilla and tonka bean. In many retail stores, it costs between R4,800- R6,500 depending on the size. The richness of Maison Francis Kurkdjian positions it as a top winter fragrance.

By Kilian Angels’ Share

Photo : Fragrances.com

Angels’ Share opens with a cognac accord which makes it unique. Cinnamon, oak, praline and vanilla are some of the notes it is made from. At most South African stores, this fragrance sells for around R300 and one of the cheapest winter fragrances around. It is inspired by traditional cognac barrels, which explains its warmth.

Givenchy Gentleman Réserve Privée

Photo: Fragrances.com

Reserve Privée blends whisky-like warmth with powdery iris and roasted chestnut. The cedarwood base stabilizes the sweetness. It isn’t expensive, and can be bought for around R3,600 to R4,000 at authorised online retailers.