Every once in a while, an unexpected perfume comes about that goes viral. Sometimes it’s a new fragrance launch that takes TikTok by storm, other times, established perfumes get put back in the spotlight again. Or maybe a certain celebrity has said that they love it (read: Rihanna wearing Kilian’s Love, Don’t Be Shy) and naturally, we all run to try it for ourselves. More often than not, however, they are usually a designer scent that comes with an expensive price tag to match—which is not so kind to our bank account.
So, you can imagine that I was pretty excited when I heard that a £9.50 Marks & Spencer perfume had been going viral on TikTok, and it supposedly smells just like a certain expensive fragrance brand. M&S just so happens to be one of my favourite places to shop for fragrance, so, in the name of beauty journalism, I needed to get my hands on a bottle to investigate if it’s really worth the hype.
The fragrance in question is Marks & Spencer’s Apothecary Warmth Eau de Parfum. Apothecary is M&S’s own chic yet affordable fragrance and candle line. As the name suggests, the candles and perfume bottles look like they could be straight from a perfume apothecary—think minimalist and sleek packaging and amber bottles that would look stylish on any dressing table. I’ve already sung the praises of the Apothecary range when I wrote about the best high street candles, but I’m new to the fragrances of which there are four: Warmth, Breathe, Ease and Relax. As their names suggest, they each incorporate essential oils for a soothing effect.
However, it’s the Warmth eau de parfum which has been doing the rounds on TikTok—with many drawing comparisons to Le Labo Santal 33, which comes in at £157 for a 50ml bottle, making M&S’s version £147.50 cheaper.
So, are they really that similar? And what does M&S Apothecary Warmth smell like? The notes in Warmth are woody and aromatic. With the inclusion of grounding cedarwood and sandalwood, and the green zing of cinnamon leaf and cardamon, it manages to strike the balance between warm and fresh. It reminds me of taking a walk through a wood after it has rained, when the bark and surrounding greenery are amplified into the air by the dew. The aquatic quality makes it both lightweight and uplifting.
I have to say, it was love at first smell when I spritzed this for the first time. It really is addictive and a crowd-pleaser. Written on the back of the bottle is ‘A scent to comfort’ and that’s bang on the money. Its aromatherapy qualities certainly come in to play, and it makes me feel calm whenever I spray it. Usually these meetings of perfume and aromatherapy can be overpowering, but this one is not.
The only downside is that the scent doesn’t last longer than a couple of hours, which is often the case when it comes to cheaper fragrances. It lasts longer when sprayed onto clothes, but on the skin, you’ll definitely need to reapply throughout the day. However, given the affordable price, it’s not a bad compromise to do this, even if you will go through it quicker than some of its more expensive counterparts.
If you manage to catch a bottle in stock (it’s currently sold out on M&S’s website) then I’d highly recommend to pick one up if you’re looking a great everyday sandalwood scent that is also very affordable. I’d also recommend the other three scents in the range, which you can shop below.
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