A Fragrance Snob’s Guide to Actually Good Drugstore Perfumes
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
The last time I bought afragranceat a drugstore, I was 14. It was 1994, and I spent my babysitting money onRevlon Charlie White, a fresh white floral that felt very grown-up at the time. Since then, my taste in fragrance (and budget) has changed. I still love a white floral, but I gravitate toward more niche, lesser-known brands that don’t have mass appeal, such asKai,Veronique Gabai, and recentlyInitioandLBTY. Of course, niche and rare come at a cost in the fragrance world.
Personally, I just like scents that smell andfeel special. And for years, I’ve dismissed drugstore scents as fragrances that often smell cheap — sharp with alcohol or overly sweet or floral. So I was surprised to seedatathat shows fragrance is the fastest growing category in mass beauty right now. What changed?
As I dug deeper, I learned that fragrance technology has made sophisticated ingredients and notes more accessible, allowing mass brands to create more nuanced, refined scents. Even traditionally sweet notes ofvanilla, caramel, andfruitsare now often balanced with woods or musk, giving them more depth.
To see how much inexpensive scents have changed since my Charlie White days, I tested a bunch of drugstore fragrances. These are the standouts.
My top three picks
An expensive-smelling white floral
New! You can now save this product for later.
As I mentioned, I’m a sucker for lush, white florals, and that’s what I smell first with night-blooming jasmine. The middle note is pink marshmallow, which gives it a hint of sweetness. The base is warm amber. After a while, it smelled creamy and warm, with just a hint of floral sweetness. And like other Fine’ry scents, nothing about the fragrance smells cheap or cloying.
A warm-and-woody scent
New! You can now save this product for later.
Full transparency: My first pick, a citrusy floral called Eternal Bloom, is sold out and no longer available. That’s how popular this fragrance brand has become. This one is quite different but just as addictive. It’s a little spicy with saffron and woodsy with cedarwood, but softened by orange blossom and jasmine.
A coastal spritz
New! You can now save this product for later.
This one is a body mist, which means it’s lighter than an eau de parfum, but it lasted on my skin for a surprisingly long time. It’s basicallysummer vacationin a bottle, with coconut, guava, and water lily. Throughout the day, the coconut and guava mellowed, and I smelled more of the clean floral scent of water lily.
A cheeky dupe
New! You can now save this product for later.
The bottle gives Sol de Janeiro vibes, and the scent has been compared to the brand’sCheirosa 62. Cheeky is a little nutty with pistachio and almond, tropical with jasmine and coconut, and warm and cozy with salted caramel. It can besprayed on hair, too. Despite the nuts and salted-caramel notes, it doesn’t smell too gourmand (I don’t love a food fragrance), but more beachy and subtly sweet.
A summer cocktail
New! You can now save this product for later.
I discovered this brand on a recent trip to Target and smelled all the testers. This was my favorite of the bunch. I’d call it a soft,fruity scent. It contains bergamot, but it’s not very citrusy. The hibiscus, berries, and warm musk come through more. It also comes in a body mist if you want a lighter application. Or layer the two for a more intense wear.
A fresh and clean option
New! You can now save this product for later.
Good Chemistry Coco Blush Eau de Parfum
This clean fragrance line has five different scents. Coco Blush was a standout. It’s another summery scent with tropical fruit, including pineapple, coconut water, and driftwood. The dry-down is really pretty and subtle.
A little spice
New! You can now save this product for later.
The notes listed on the bottle drew me in immediately: iris, pink pepper, and creamy woods — a sophisticated blend that’s warm and a little spicy and often compared toGlossier’sYou. Of all the scents I tried, this was the lightest of the bunch. However, it is a hair and body mist, so I wouldn’t expect it to be highly concentrated. As it settles, the scent is more powdery than peppery, but in a good, fresh, clean-skin way. It’s a nice option for those who like just a hint of traditionally more intense notes.
More fragrances we love
More From The Strategist
- The Back-to-School Hall of Fame
- The Best Things Strategist Editors Have Bought This Year (So Far)
- Everything You Need to Outfit Your College Dorm
- The Strategist Summer 100
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
