EVEN at the duty-free, many of my favourite perfumes are still eye-watering expensive.
Fed up of splashing out over £50 for a bottle I’d use up in three months, it seems Poundland might have the dupes that will stop me splurging.
But are these discount store perfumes really as sensational as the high end version?
If you’ve been on TikTok, you’ll probably have seen a few of these dupes.
There are even entire pages dedicated to the best look-a-like beauty buys and with the cost of everyday essentials going up, it’s no wonder that we are all trying to save where we can.
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But even after seeing these Poundland perfume, I have to admit I wasn’t totally convinced – especially when compared to the original.
LADY GLAMOUR (£4 – 100ml) vs Good Girl (£55 – 30ml)
With a perfume bottle as iconic Caroline Herrera’s signature stiletto, Good Girl is already pretty hard to beat.
The midnight night blue bottle and the sleek gold heel makes this scent feel luxe from the moment you open the box.
Despite the considerably cheap price tag, I can’t help but feel a little bit of disappointment when I open Poundland’s Lady Glamour and find a simple glass bottle.
But what did I expect for £4…a glass slipper?
However, when I do spray the discount store scent I’m actually surprised by how much I like it.
With amber notes, warm almond and musk, it’s easy to wear – especially for a night out.
Sadly though, it just does have the staying power of the high end alternative and I found that the Poundland scent will disappear within minutes.
Meanwhile, Good Girl has richer spicy notes which I caught a whiff of my clothes all day long.
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Verdict:
Value for money: 3/5
Smell-a-like: 3/5
Luxury feel: 2/5
Staying power: 1/5
SCARLET GOLD (£4 – 100 ml) vs Baccarat Rouge 540 (£245 70 ml)
Baccarat Rouge 540 is one of those perfumes that get whispered about on the internet.
Countless beauty gurus and influencers have tried to dupes, which is unsurprising given its eye-watering price tag – usually £245 for a 70ml bottle.
Even picking up samples to test feels like a mission impossible, with a pack of three 11 ml bottles costing a shocking £155.
As I carry my bag home with me, I feel less like Carrie Bradshaw and more like a bodyguard - scowling at any tube passenger who knocks into me and could damage this designer cargo.
If Poundland’s Scarlett Gold can deliver a similar scent for just £4, I’m already sold.
When I finally compared the small sample to the discount store bottle, they are nowhere near a like.
The Baccarat Rogue has much simpler design, despite its huge price tag, with it classic gold lettering and gold toned casing.
Scarlet Gold, meanwhile, has a bold red design and a far bigger 100ml – especially when compare to my samples.
The differences don’t just stop there, as Baccarat Rouge 540 has a deeply woody and spicy scent, which the discount dupe just can’t compete with.
Poundland’s Scarlet Gold does smell good, but it feels more biscuity than anything else.
In fact, it is more similar to the Impulse body sprays I bought as a teen.
Verdict
Value for money: 3/5
Smell-a-like: 0/5
Luxury feel: 1/5
Staying power: 3/5
MISS CONDUCT (£4 – 100ml) vs SCANDAL (£62 – 30ml)
As side from the obvious difference in name, it’s pretty easy to tell this to perfumes apart at first glance – especially with Scandal’s signature bottle shape.
The high-end fragrance, by iconic designer Jean Paul Gaultier, come in a small roundish with gold toned embellishment and the classic upside down legs motif.
Even the box feels luxe as the pink packaging has a suede feel that is almost too good to go in the recycling.
Meanwhile, the Poundland dupe comes in a pink cardboard box which that definitely feels more high street.
Inside, there is a simple glass bottle with Miss Conduct and other info printed in dark red against the pale pink perfume.
However, the discount store does win major points with value for money as you get a staggering 100 ml for just £4.
This is a steal compare to the designer’s 30ml bottle, but does it actually smell good?
With its notes of honey, white florals and caramel, Scandal is super sweet and girly scent that seems to last on the skin for ages.
Though the Poundland dupe doesn’t have the same staying power, it is similarly sugary and seems to have more citrusy undernotes.
While it might not have the deep musky notes that make Scandal a personal favourite of mine, it’s definitely a dupe worth throwing in your handbag for whenever you need a quick spritz.
VERDICT:
Value for money: 5/5
Smell-a-like: 4/5
Luxury feel: 3/5
Staying power: 2/5
While I loved trying this scents, the best dupe I could find Poundland’s Miss Conduct and though I still be picking up designer scents in duty free, I’ll also be adding this to my basket.
