Chanel's iconic Coco Mademoiselle is no doubt one of the most recognisable fragrances on the market with an aroma which is the epitome of luxury and elegance.
But priced at £136 a bottle - when not on sale - it's a perfume that not everyone can afford to splash out on.
Especially amid the current cost of living crisis which is forcing people to skimp and save wherever and whenever they can. However, savvy M&S shoppers claim they have found an inexpensive alternative which strikes serious similarities when compared to the famous designer counterpart.
The high street retailers Soft Iris perfume from its own-brand Discover range sets punters back just £6 for a 30ml bottle - or £10 for a 100ml - making it a least £126 cheaper than its widely-used, albeit substantially more expensive rival. And the proof is in the pudding when it comes to comparison, with shoppers leaving glowing reviews.
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One said: "This is lovely, gorgeous smell. It really is a dupe for Chanel! Bought in the sale, so even better price than normal," while another added: "Very nice. I use this range as my everyday fragrance and this fragrance is very similar to one if my favourites: Mademoiselle. Very pleased."
A third went on: "Smells just like a much more expensive perfume l wear. Ideal for day to day use- excellent value for money."
Bethan Shufflebotham from The Mirror compared the two fragrances to see if the premium brand is worth the £126 extra.
Here's what she found.
I just so happened to have both the Chanel fragrance and M&S spritz in my beauty collection, the first of which I had saved my Boots Advantage points for, and the latter was included in the Marks and Spencer Summer Beauty Bag for 2023. Before hearing of its ‘dupe’ status, I had sprayed the Soft Iris eau de toilette and found it to be extremely familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it until I stumbled upon the reviews.
Spraying my Chanel Coco Mademoiselle alongside it, they were undeniably alike. The reason for their similarities is a few choice fragrance families, with both of the scents being quite citrusy, with base notes of amber and patchouli.
Each of them also features bergamot and orange blossom, as well as aromatic vetiver. While Chanel’s is described as 'a spirited and voluptuous scent' that 'immediately awakens the senses' with notes of jasmine and rose, the M&S Soft Iris floral notes are slightly different, pairing jasmine with iris - where it gets its retail name.
Even shoppers who weren’t aware of its likeness to the designer scent have loved its freshness for summer - and while some say it lasts ‘hours’, others wish it lasted longer. Another happy shopper said: "I received this as part of an offer with marks and Spencer. It's a lovely fresh summery fragrance.
"It's very fresh and citracy. Not expensive at all. Perfect size for popping into your handbag. I would highly recommend this product."
And some love the Discover range so much, that they’ve been mixing and matching their scents, writing: "I have purchased three different Eau de Toilette so far and like them all good size and price and smells can’t say much more than that just that I am happy with my purchase."
From the very same range, Marks and Spencer’s Warm Neroli also smells ‘near-identical’ to Paco Rabanne’s Lady Million for a fraction of the cost, while reviews suggest Midnight Blossom is akin to YSL’s Black Opium , and Pink Pepper rivals Lancome’s La Vie Est Belle. Either way, they’re a super affordable fragrance perfect for popping in your bag or in the car for everyday wear so you can save your expensive perfumes for special occasions.
