Can you smell nice on a budget? No, really?

People treat perfumes and scents like some secret society and on a members-only basis. People who smell nice don’t like to reveal the price or name of their fragrances. This is because they want the monopoly of best smelling or they don’t want to share the budget. With this limitation in mind, we discussed with a perfume expert and we present to you some of the most affordable ways to smell nice without hurting your purse. It’s time to give your employer/immediate surrounding a run for their money.

Ladies and Gentlemen, shall we?

NB: Affordable is relative but we picked the price point of between N7,500 – N23,500. This is because many times, the fragrances that pack a punch start from this range.

1) Opulent Musk and Oud – N7,500 each.

Expert: The musk smells like middle eastern royalty, it is rich and warm while the oud is a more masculine version. It is also stronger. They both last 6-8 hours on skin and their projection is 7.5/10. You can choose to either wear it alone or layer them with each other depending on you.

What I heard: This is the perfume you get when you start your first job. To show your parents that you have arrived and they can’t be expecting you to wash their car again. Levels don change pls.

2) Abraaj Oud and Abraaj Valour – N10,500 each.

Expert: The valour is a clone of the Amouage Interlude and it is a budget version for people who can’t afford to buy the highly-priced Amouage Interlude. These perfumes are spicy, woody, fresh with the longevity of 7-9 hours on the skin. The projection is 8.5/10 and it is also long-lasting on clothes so you can never be caught unfresh.

What I heard: Once you start wearing this cologne, your people at home start to serve you extra pieces of beef with food. Your parents seek your opinion in family discussions and they start to respect boundaries.

3) Monte Cameron collection – N14,500 each.

Expert: They smell rich because they are clones of Maison Francis Kurkdjian. The Dark rose, for instance, smells like really dark and woody oud, you get middle eastern vibes when you perceive it. The Gold oud is also an Interlude clone so you understand that you are getting the top smelling scents at an affordable price. it lasts 7-8 hours on skin and projection is 7.5-8/10.

What I heard: You can’t be smelling like this and living with your parents. Once you start using this, you should start to budget for house rent and If you don’t willingly move out, your parents will chase you out. This is because the perfumes smell rich-rich.

4) Cassius Oud – N14,500.

Expert: It’s a clone of the Gucci Oud intense and has that smokey yet mysterious oud smell. If you want to make a mark then you should consider this. It lasts as long as 7-8 hours on the skin so the performance is not an issue. Also, if you want to layer and show yourself, combine it with the Abraaj valour and that is the end. Game over.

What I heard: If you are going for a job interview and you want to ask for a lot of money, you should wear this. After all, smell the way you want your bank account to be addressed.

5) Club de Nuit Intense – N16,500.

Expert: One of the best clones of Creed Aventus. It is woody, floral, and it gives a solid 8 hours on the skin. The projection is more than decent and it’s a compliment getter all round. If you mix it with the Abraaj oud, party scatter ohh.

What I heard: Don’t jump bus smelling like this because the conductor might just ask you to pay for everyone.

6) Bvlgari Man In Black – N23,500.

Expert: Leather, rum, honey = aphrodisiac. It has 8 hours of skin performance, beast projection of 8.5/10 and is a head-turner. According to undisclosed sources, this perfume will “have people wanting to chow you rapidly.”

What I heard: H.R!!

Did we miss any? What are some of your favourites? let us know. Shout out to ‘Daddy Code for walking us through the process and providing photos.

For more info on how to select, mix, play around you should reach out to him. Oh, and the best part is that you just have to state your budget and ye shall be given. There is something for everyone and you can still smell nice.