You can pay anywhere between £30-£40 for a new fragrance right up to a few hundred for something more luxurious with most of the well known brands sitting somewhere in the middle between £80 and £120 depending on the size of bottle you go for 30ml, 50ml or 100ml.
When I first saw the Korres fragrance range it appealed to me for a number of reasons. The first was it’s vegan. I’ve never even thought to ask if a fragrance was vegan or cruelty free but this one is. I like to try something different, something not main stream. The simple aesthetic of the packaging and bottles I loved too. It reminded me of replica by Maison Margiela, I absolutely loved Sailing Day, a salty sea spray that smells exactly as the name suggests except and although I have seen a few places where you can get it on sale like Look Fantastic, the regular price is £62.00 for only 30ml. At the moment when money is tight I am more price sensitive than probably ever before.
The Korres fragrances, a brand that originates in Greece and conjures scents of the Aegean, they also make skincare in the same lovely style and packaging is a much lower price point. You can buy 50ml of Eau de toilette for around £40, probably the cheapest fragrance I have ever purchased.
The best on a budget fragrances I have ever purchased, came from the Adolpho Dominguez concession in Malaga Airport, it was a similar shopping experience for Agua Fresca Vetiver and his newer Vetiver Terre. Lovely aesthetic, a less well known brand I’d never heard of and a much less expensive price point. These come in distinctive, square/block-shaped green glass bottles with natural wood caps, retailing again at around £40. Although I am not sure where you could buy these except online.
I didn’t purchase my Korres immediately I read a few reviews on Reddit. I’d been wanting a bottle of Jayne Ormonde Levant after being given a tester to try in Selfridges, a mile away from my usual green/aqua fresh citrus perfumes I always go for. The Levant at £40 for just 10ml or £175 for 88ml was definitely outside my budget so I had to choose something else.
My main concern with a cheaper fragrance was the scent holding lasting, the reviews said it did so I picked one, Kyma, a scent of the sea without even trying it.
And I do love it. It’s fresh and light and does smell of the ocean, similar to sailing day by replica. And I love the simplicity and aesthetic of the bottle. It’s difficult to describe but it does have that almost sour, bitter, undertone you get at the beach I love. It could definitely be worn by a man or woman.
My only issue is it doesn’t hold. I’d say it’s more like a body spray than a fragrance especially for a woman who likes to smell her perfume throughout the day. This one has to reapplied so if you don’t like carrying your perfume with you, this one may not be for you.
I may have to return to Adolpho Dominguez for a budget fragrance that lasts better, or save up for a bottle of Levant by Jayne Ormonde, a Mediterranean much headier scent that was like nothing I’d ever smelt before. There’s a reason it won the Tatler best fragrance award in 2024 where it was described as “A bottle of happiness that has no intention of being anything other than ravishing and gorgeous. An innocent note of peony, adored by all flower lovers, a singing note of lily, a garland of orange-blossom and jasmine. Brilliant, appealing, flirtatious and full-on jubilation.”
I am very happy with my Korres Kyma Purchase. I am very glad I tried it and I do love the fragrance. For a young customer who loves to spray liberally, and cares about the environment, animal welfare and choosing something all natural it is the perfect choice on a budget. I will definitely be trying other fragrances in the range. This is a brand you can afford to buy more than one. And to be fair, even with Chanel, Hermes, Dior, Givenchy, these days finding a fragrance that hold is not easy unless you pay a lot more than £100. So to conclude; would I buy Korres again, definitely. Do I think I got something lovely for an affordable price, definitely.