The Trick to Making Your Budget Perfume Smell Way More Expensive

Of beauty products I hoard, fragrances are by far the most expensive. Like beauty journalists, I am lucky enough to receive samples of scents here and there for editorial consideration, but these freebies do not stop me from paying through the nose whenever I set my sights on a buzzy new eau de parfum. I’m looking at you, Baccarat Rouge 540.

Let’s be realistic, though: the vast majority of us cannot afford to regularly drop hundreds of dollars on fragrances (or anything else recreational, for that matter). Still, it would be nice to smell like the sophisticated and expensive scents of our dreams without dropping the equivalent of a car payment. Is such a thing even achievable? According to experts, it is.

1. Choose strong base notes.

First things first: The key to smelling expensive on a budget starts with finding the right base notes, according to Knotek. “Most fine fragrances always have a strong base note to them that anchors the fragrance,” he explains. Two of his favorite foundational notes, sandalwood and vanilla, offer versatility and pair beautifully with just about any mid and top note accords. Knotek adds, “The main characteristic of sandalwood is not only its woodiness, but it is what we refer to as ‘lactonic’—think lactose—and it adds a natural creaminess, as well.”

Other woody notes, such as vetiver, patchouli, and oud, also act as strong bases that leave a lasting impression, giving your fragrance more body and a rich quality that exudes luxury. For these particular notes, I’m a fan of Dossier, which offers great, affordable options.

Another of my favorite lessons learned over the years: Celebrity-attached fragrances tend to be on the more affordable side, which leads some to assume they’re not as good as the fancy stuff, but this simply isn’t true. Two of my current favorites at the moment are Lionel Richie’s Hello and Jennifer Aniston’s eponymous fragrance.

Lionel Richie Hello Eau de Parfum, walmart.com, ($23)

Jennifer Aniston by Jennifer Aniston Eau de Parfum, walmart.com ($33)

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2. Layer your fragrances to create a deeper, bolder scent.

This is a trick I picked up over the years as a beauty editor. I got into the habit of layering my inexpensive fragrances to create a bolder scent that’s more complex. It can be tricky at first to guess which fragrances pair well together until you spritz them, but the key is to follow your nose and have fun with experimentation. (What’s the worst that could happen? If you hate a certain combo, it’ll rinse off in the shower.) If you’re feeling extra cautious, spray two scents on a piece of paper first, wait a couple of minutes, and see how you feel about the pairing.

If you’re in search of budget-friendly, layerable fragrances, I can’t recommend Fine’ry enough. Honestly, the first time I gave each of its fragrances a sniff, I thought they already each smelled luxurious on their own. You can pick up each at your local Target, with prices ranging from $30–$37, making this a pair of excellent, affordable options.

Fine’ry Rosa Lina Eau de Parfum, target.com ($34)

Fine’ry She’s a Goodie Eau de Parfum, target.com ($34)

3. Lean into the sweeter notes.

There’s a “love letters” pun somewhere here. Like Knotek mentioned above, vanilla is a rich, flexible note to lean into when seeking to elevate your fragrance game, as it adds a floral creaminess when it comes from the actual vanilla orchid as opposed to, say, the kind of vanilla you might associate with ice cream. “Look for a straightforward vanilla,” he suggests. “One that is not ‘baked or edible’ in profile.” Because it pairs great with a variety of other notes, from woody to floral, there are endless excellent combinations to discover.

If you like gourmand scents more than woody ones, Knotek recommends scents that feature light, playful notes like lavender and orange, as well as white florals like monoi, tiare, and frangipani for fragrances that smell warm, elegant, and vacation-ready. This summer, I’ve been wearing Josie Maran’s juicy new gourmand body sprays, which invoke a sense of luxury but sit well below the $30 mark. Plus, layering is easy, and I’ve recently discovered the magical combination of Josie Maran’s Topless Tangerine and Golden Hour.

Josie Maran Topless Tangerine Fragrance Mist, josiemaran.com ($26)

Josie Maran Golden Hour Fragrance Mist, josiemaran.com ($26)

4. Add complexity and depth with a fragrance enhancer.

Fragrance-enhancers are becoming a bit of a trend in the fragrance space and I have to say there’s some merit to it. Fragrance-enhancers are designed to complement and enhance other perfumes by adding more body and longevity to it. They usually contain notes like ambroxan, cetalox, Iso E or sandalwood because they work harmoniously with most other fragrances.

While these tend to be a bit pricier, they’re a good investment to pair with your budget scents to give them more projection and longevity. If you’re feeling a bit cautious, you can pick up a 15 mL travel-size version of DedCool’s layering fragrance for just $30 or a 1.5 mL sample tube for just $6.

DedCool Milk Layering + Enhancer, dedcool.com ($90)

Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 Eau de Toilette, bloomingdales.com ($150)

5. Top it off with a moisturizer or body oil in the same scent.

Knotek also recommends applying a moisturizer in the same scent as your fragrance to give it more longevity and projection. “I like to spray my fragrance on my neck and wrists, then apply a scented moisturizer atop the body mist, as I find it ‘locks’ in the fragrance,” he says. “As your body warms throughout the day, the body mist accentuates the lotion and gives you an unexpected surprise whiff of scent.” In search of the perfect summer fragrance? Sol de Janeiro has some of the market’s very best budget picks, and every product it makes feels like a vacation in a tube, bottle, or tub.

Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 62 Body Mist, sephora.com ($38)

Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 62 Body Lotion, sephora.com ($32)