Former boots worker says £6 M&S perfume smells so similar to £78 bottle

The dupe was so good, even my dad asked if it was the designer brand

With the cost of living on the rise, a lot of people are looking for ways to save some money and things they love. Items such as fragrances are a nice luxury but can be expensive - especially if you're thinking of investing in a designer brand.

But fortunately, there's a number of great dupes on the market, that give the same result, for a fraction of the cost. Bethan Shufflebotham, affiliates and reviews writer at Nottinghamshire Live's sister site, Birmingham Live, tried out one Boots product, and here's what she had to say:

Marks and Spencer shoppers have clocked a new beauty dupe that could save shoppers £72 a pop. Customers who tried one of the high street retailer's own brand fragrances noticed that it smelled ‘just like’ a designer bottle from Boots - and having tried it for myself, I have to agree.

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When I worked on the beauty counters at Boots, Paco Rabanne's Lady Million was by far one of the most popular sellers in our store. First launched in 2010, year on year I’d be scanning it through the tills for Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and any other occasion you could possibly imagine.

It's a gorgeous scent, racking up a deserved 358 five star reviews on the Boots website, with only eight one star grumbles. But at £78 a bottle, it's not the cheapest and probably one you’d rather save for a special occasion.

So, could a £6 perfume from Marks and Spencer's own brand range be the ultimate alternative? Customers who bought it certainly think so, giving it 4.5 stars out of five, with nothing less than a three star rating.

One wrote: "Smells lovely. Very similar to lady million," while another added: "It's smells so much like Lady Million, perfect for day and evening wear, such good value for money, the only downfall is I wish they do it in a larger bottle."

A third commented: "A beautiful perfume not dissimilar to Lady Million at a fraction of the price. The beautiful perfume lasts very well. I can't recommend this scent enough."

Having had the smell of Lady Million ingrained into my brain since 2015, I bought a bottle of the M&S perfume to find out, and it could definitely give the designer scent a run for its money.

The apparent dupe is the M&S Discover Warm Neroli Eau De Toilette, which costs £6 for 30ml, or £10 for 100ml, though the latter is currently out of stock.

While Lady Million, in its diamond bottle, is described as a ‘dangerously sexy’ fragrance that's ‘floral, woody and fresh’, M&S's budget buy combines ‘zesty freshness with woody accents’ for a ‘sophisticated’ scent.

Both are described as being warm, and have prominent top notes of neroli, which explains why they’ve been likened to one another. While Lady Million also features bitter orange and raspberry, alongside orange flower and jasmine, with patchouli, amber and honey at the base, Warm Neroli consists of a simpler list of bergamot and musk , with hits of mint and patchouli.

The M&S fragrance also has an amber tint to it , but doesn't look as concentrated as Lady Million, however, there are undeniable similarities in how they smell. I’m a huge fan of what's considered ‘masculine’ female fragrances - although I’m a believer that perfume/aftershave are genderless and you can wear whatever you like the smell of - but it definitely has those warm, woody, sultry qualities that I look for, also seen in popular perfumes like Alien.

In the initial spritz, there's a strong whiff of alcohol, but this is why you should let a fragrance settle before confirming if you like it or not - that's why lots of shops offer tester strips. But after a few moments, those citrus bursts definitely come through, with amber and vanilla notes that make it feel luxurious and creamy.

When I asked my dad what he thought of the scent, he said it ‘smelled really familiar’ before asking if it was Lady Million, which attests to its similarities further.

Some of the reviews have suggested that it ‘doesn't last’ long, and while being an Eau De Toilette it won't last as long as a Parfum, I found it to linger on the skin or clothes throughout the day - adding an extra spritz here and there if I felt it needed it.

Now, with a price tag of £78, you wouldn't want to be spraying Lady Million left right and centre, but you can afford to with the M&S dupe, making it ideal for everyday wear, keeping in a handbag, or for taking on holiday. It's definitely got that getaway feel to it, too.

I’m certain Lady Million will continue to be a popular choice for many, but Marks and Spencer's Warm Neroli is a great purse-friendly alternative that can save more than £70 each time you shop. You can find the fragrance on the M&S website here.

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