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Friends, you know we have been all about fighting inflation around here lately.

That means looking for extra ways to make money.

It means negotiating and reducing your recurring bills in any way possible.

And, of course, it means shaving back the costs of the consumer goods you purchase.

Today, I want to show you a way I recently found to get the quality of luxury perfume without getting hit with a massive sticker price.

Luxury-adjacent perfume for less

Those who know me know that perfume is not something I’m likely to shell out full price for. It’s just not important enough for me to have luxury in this portion of my life on a regular basis.

So you know when I do buy luxe, there’s gotta be some kind of sale or deal involved.

I think I might have found the biggest deal of all when it comes to perfume. Dossier is a perfume company that offers scents that mimic the original luxury lines. The name on the bottle is different, but the scents are nearly identical and high-quality to boot.

Think brands like Versace, Dior, and YSL, except in a simpler bottle and at a fraction of the price.

For example, you could pick up a bottle of 50 mL bottle of Floral Honeysuckle, engineered to mimic Gucci’s Bloom, for just $29.

Bloom comes in 100 mL bottles for $155. If you really needed the whole 100 mL, you could purchase two bottles of Dossier’s Floral Honeysuckle for just $58 – or 63% less.

Eco-conscious perfume

One of the biggest benefits of Dossier perfumes is that the company tries to conduct business ethically. Their products are 100% Vegan and Cruelty-free. This means that the fragrances are made without using animal-derived ingredients, and that the brand does not conduct any animal testing.

The company goes further with its environmental consciousness by making their bottles out of 100% recycled glass, and their boxes out of 100% recycled cardboard.

Perfume etiquette for time and place

Okay, so I’m not gonna lie. I didn’t know there was such a thing as perfume etiquette or best practices – other than don’t ever wear AXE and try not to lay anything on too thick.

But someone wiser than me cued me in to the things you should consider before wearing perfume on a trip, so I guess it’s important to think about before you buy!

Here are the tips. Lemme know what you think:

• Climate and weather: The climate and weather conditions of your destination can greatly impact your perfume choice. For example, a heavy, musky scent may not be suitable for a hot and humid climate, whereas a light and fresh fragrance would be more appropriate. Similarly, a floral scent may be more suitable for a spring or summer destination, whereas a warm and spicy scent may be more appropriate for a fall or winter destination.

• Cultural and social norms: The cultural and social norms of your destination should also be taken into consideration when choosing the right perfume. Some cultures may have different attitudes towards fragrance, with some preferring more subtle scents, while others may embrace stronger, more pungent fragrances. It’s important to be mindful of the social etiquette and customs in different destinations, such as avoiding strong fragrances in religious spaces or in public transportation.

• Personal preferences and comfort level: Your personal preferences and comfort level should play a significant role in your perfume choice. The fragrance you wear should make you feel confident and comfortable, and should reflect your personal style and preferences. Take the time to experiment with different scents to find what works best for you, and don’t be afraid to try new fragrances and explore new scents while traveling.

And if you’re a newb to this whole perfume etiquette thing like me, you might be surprised to learn there are rules depending on the time of day you’re wearing perfume:

• Daytime activities: For daytime activities, it’s best to choose light and fresh scents. Citrus, floral, and green scents are all great options for daytime wear, as they are bright, energizing, and not too overpowering. Look for fragrances with notes of lemon, bergamot, jasmine, or rose, which are all light and fresh scents that are well-suited for daytime wear.

• Nighttime events: For nighttime events, you might want to consider choosing a warmer and more intense fragrance. Spicy scents are great options for nighttime wear, as they are rich and warm. Look for fragrances with notes of cinnamon, vanilla, patchouli, or musk, which are all warm and intense scents that are well-suited for nighttime wear.

• Special occasions: For special occasions, you might want to choose a fragrance that is elegant and sophisticated. Floral and woody scents are both great options for special occasions, as they are refined and sophisticated. Look for fragrances with notes of rose, jasmine, sandalwood, or cedarwood, which are all elegant and sophisticated scents that are well-suited for special occasions.

Getting Higher Quality Perfume on a Budget

When I shop for perfume, $25 — $50 is my maximum range. So the fact that I can now score a much higher quality product that’s so close to luxury brands, all while still staying on budget? That’s pretty thrilling.

Have you ever tried Dossier? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

This happens to me a lot.  I have old candles that I love that end up burning weird so that there’s a lot of actual wax left, but not enough wick to burn it.   In the past I’ve just sadly thrown them away.  NEVER AGAIN!

Here’s how I upcycle all that old wax into new candles. These can be for personal use, or serve as really easy, home-made gifts.

You will need

Materials:

• Double broiler, two pots of similar size, or a tin can.
• Wax from old candles.
• Wicks (I get my wicks from Michaels).
• Container for new candle.
• Pencil or popsicle stick.

STEP ONE: Gather old wax.

This round’s victim was my Chocolate Aunt Sadie’s candle.  Burned in the past mostly around Valentine’s day, it would have me salivating within seconds.

The first step is to get a spoon and chip the wax out of your container.  The metal circle that holds the wick in the bottom will probably be stuck.  Just use a spoon to pull it out from the bottom once you get there.  Then break up the wax into meltable, even chunks.  I was going to reuse the container, but mine ended up looking like this:

So it was off to the recycle store with that mess.

STEP TWO: Set wick.

I had a couple of votive containers I have been using over the years.  I originally got them at the dollar store.  So I just used a couple of them as my new candle containers.  Before I melted the wax, I prepped the containers by lining up the wick to the bottom center, and wrapping the wick around a pencil that would hold it in place while I poured:

STEP THREE: Melt wax.

Then I actually melted the wax.  You could use a double broiler, but I have nothing that fancy.  I just filled a pot with a couple of inches of water, brought it to a boil, and then stuck a tin can with the wax chunks in it so it would melt without ruining my pot.  I bent the can so that when I poured the wax out it would act as a spout.

NOTE: Be mindful and careful when burning the wax! Do not leave it unattended.

STEP FOUR: Pour candle.

After the wax was melted, I poured it into two of my containers, almost as full as I wanted them.  I then let them cool completely (which took overnight in my case, but will vary with the original candle you used.)  Then I melted down a little bit of the wax I had saved to top them off so they would burn right.  I let that cool, trimmed the wick, and I was done!

I got two new candles out of something I would have previously thrown away.  I’m keeping one, and I haven’t decided yet whether to keep the other or gift it.  I was surprised at how easy the entire process was:  the longest part was waiting for the first cooling.

I’m never throwing another candle away again.