5 Affordable Perfumes that Smell Like CHANEL N°5 in 2025
- An instant sales success when it was born, Chanel Nº5 remains the grande dame of perfume sales to this day, with a bottle sold worldwide every 30 seconds. Amazingly, for such a strongly branded fragrance, Nº5 is a scent that can smell radically different from one person to another. A highly complex blend of aldehydes and florals—including rose, ylang-ylang, jasmine, lily of the valley, and iris—layered over a warm, woody base of vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, and patchouli—this perfume satisfies Chanel's request that No. 5 smell like a "composition" rather than any single flower. As one of Chanel's best-selling fragrances, chances are you already own Nº5. But at a handsome price tag, which is why many of us can hardly afford to get a regular sized bottle. Luckily, there are quite a few excellent alternatives on the market that can give you similar results, so keep on reading for some product recommendations.
About CHANEL N°5 Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: Floral Aldehyde
Top Notes: Aldehydes, Ylang-Ylang, Neroli, Bergamot, Peach
Middle Notes: Iris, Jasmine, Rose, Lily-of-the-Valley
Base Note: Sandalwood, Vanilla, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Vetiver
In 1921, Parisian fashion designer Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel asked Russian perfumer to the czars Ernest Beaux to create something that "that smells like a woman, not a flower bed." The resulting elixir would become the world's most iconic fragrance.
Since its creation, N°5 has exuded the very essence of femininity: An abstract, mysterious scent, alive with countless subtle facets, radiating an extravagant floral richness. With its unprecedented use of aldehydes, which add layers of complexity, N°5 was the world's first abstract fragrance.
The legendary Chanel N°5 was originally launched in three concentrations: Parfum, Eau de Toilette and Eau de Cologne. The Chanel Eau de Parfum created by Jacques Polges in 1986 is the modern twist on the iconic classic. If the parfum juxtaposes elegance with sensuality, and the Eau de Toilette underscores the luminosity and vivacious spirit, the Eau de Parfum exudes confidence and bold beauty.
This floral bouquet composed around May Rose and Jasmine features bri
ght citrus top notes. Aldehydes create a unique presence while the smooth touch of Bourbon Vanilla leaves an incredibly sensual trail.
In case you have tried Chanel N°5 but cannot spend the bucks to repurchase, today's article is for you! If you keep reading, you will find some exciting perfumes similar to Chanel N°5!
The Best Affordable Alternatives to CHANEL N°5
| L'air Du Temps By Nina Ricci Eau de Parfum
(from$70.00 to $98.00, up to 5% cashback at Macy's)
Scent Type: Floral
Top Notes: Carnation, Aldehydes, Rose, Neroli, Brazilian Rosewood, Peach, Bergamot
Middle Notes: Carnation, Cloves, Gardenia, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Violet, Orris Root, Rosemary, Orchid
Base Notes: Spices, Iris, Oakmoss, Musk, Sandalwood, Benzoin, Amber, Vetiver, Cedar
How Long Does L'air Du Temps EDP Last?
4-6 Hours.
What Does L'air Du Temps EDP Smell Like?
One of perfumery's great classics, L'Air du Temps was created by perfumer Francis Fabron in 1948, as a celebration of new optimism and hope in the years following World War II. The beautiful and delicate bottle, designed by renowed glassmaker company Lalique, features a pair of doves as a symbol of peace.
"Old-school" notes such as carnation, cloves, sparkly aldehydes, powdery iris and moss give this fragrance a very vintage vibe. Yet, different than one might expect, L'Air du Temps is an extremely soft and airy scent. It also doesn't feel grandiose or particularly formal, such as sophisticated Chanel N°5. Instead, this fragrance brings to mind a calm walk in a park, or 4 o'clock tea in a garden, more than an opera night.
As common in antique compositions, L'Air du Temps has a lot of notes; but it balances them beautifully to create a fresh, green-ish floral bouquet, sprinkled in spices and with a softly powdery-soapy finish. This mix of soapyness and freshness, floral, spicy and green facets make it a complex and interesting fragrance, and the lightness with which these elements are combined is simply enchanting.
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| Marks & Spencer Velvet Amber Eau de Toilette
(£10/100ml, up to 4% cashback at Marks and Spencer)
Scent Type: Floral
How Long Does M&S Velvet Amber EDT Last?
5-6 Hours.
What Does M&S Velvet Amber EDT Smell Like?
Savvy shoppers know M&S is a treasure trove of bargain perfume dupes, including Velvet Amber Eau de Toilette, which combines amber, neroli and jasmine.
Velvet Rose fragrance is featured notes of rose, violet leaf and bergamot. One reviewer said, "Very similar to Chanel No 5 though not identical and doesn't last as long, but very good value for money."
Actually, The subtle, fruity notes in Velvet Amber EDT make this slightly more earthy than Chanel No 5, but with less of the depth of the iconic fragrance. There's less of a musky sense, too, which makes for a more subtle, everyday scent, that also feels more natural.
A little lighter than the original, it's also a hell of a lot cheaper too, at just £10 for 100ml. So, if you're looking for a budget version of one of the world's most popular perfume, this M&S buy has you covered.
| The Body Shop Wild Jasmine Eau de Toilette
(£22/50ml, up to 20% cashback at The Body Shop)
Scent Type: Floral
Top Notes: Indian Jasmine
Middle Notes: Violet Leaf
Base Notes: White Iris
How Long Does Wild Jasmine EDT Last?
3-4 Hours.
What Does Wild Jasmine EDT Smell Like?
The Body Shop's Wild Jasmine Eau de Toilette (formerly called Indian Night Jasmine) is a gorgeous blend of woods and florals that come together to create a scent that's similarly heady and floral to Chanel's signature perfume. It is a solid dupe for the coveted designer scent, though it's less intense and long-lasting than the Chanel option. However, with the best Chanel perfume being around triple the price, we can make an exception.
Notes of jasmine (obviously), violet leaf and white iris make for a fresh fragrance that impressively mimics the jasmine and iris found in Chanel No 5. Of course, as an eau de toilette rather than an eau de parfum, the scent is lighter than something like White Musk, but it really sticks to the skin and keeps going throughout the day. Having said that, the fragrance is vegan and cruelty-free, and the slim bottle is made with 42% recycled glass, so it's a great sustainable beauty buy.
| Dossier Floral Aldehydes Eau de Parfum
($29.00/50ml, up to 4% cashback at Walmart)
Scent Type: Floral
Top Notes: Aldehydes, Neroli, Bergamot
Middle Notes: Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, May Rose
Base Notes: Vetiver,Sandalwood, Orris
How Long Does Dossier Floral Aldehydes Last?
3-4 Hours.
What Does Dossier Floral Aldehydes Smell Like?
Chanel No. 5 is one of the most iconic fragrances in luxury fragrance history, with a bottle being sold worldwide every 30 seconds. Its alluring effects conjure up images of elegance, chic, power, and high fashion — perfect for women of exceptional beauty and style.
Dossier draws a page from the French luxury house's century-old recipe to create a Chanel No. 5 dupe with an exquisite scent, reminiscent of the original fragrance. Floral Aldehydes is an iconic composition blending a bouquet of white floral notes with synthetic molecules discovered more than a century ago: the aldehydes. On its own, one might find aldehydes' scent rather aggressive. However, when married with our sweet floral bouquet, they boost the floral notes, adding a dazzling touch, unlike any other scent.
Floral Aldehydes is a floral scent you can wear with confidence, panache, and poise — qualities that befit a woman who knows exactly what she wants in life and will do whatever it takes to get there.
With a distinctly feminine appeal, Floral Aldehydes will quickly become an eternal classic that turns heads.
| Joy by Jean Patou Eau de Parfum
(from$5.03 to $81.26, up to 0.1% cashback at FragranceNet)
Scent Type: Floral
Top Notes: Bulgarian Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Tuberose
Middle Notes: Jasmine, May Rose
Base Note: Musk, Sandalwood
How Long Does Joy by Jean Patou EDP Last?
5-7 Hours.
What Does Joy by Jean Patou EDP Smell Like?
Created in 1930 at the height of the economic crisis. Joy, a sumptuous blend of roses and jasmine, is the antidote to gloom. Conceived as a perfume to reveal the essence of femininity of every woman, "Joy" is a timeless fragrance, the signature of the house Jean Patou.
Joy is truly a joy when it first goes on the skin as it's full of lush ylang-ylang and soapy white flowers and bright aldehydes. It's a clean smell and one that's slightly metallic. The florals are wrapped up in warmth, but at the same time there is a coolness or a bit of aloofness that makes the perfume proper and rather removed. After some time, a light controlled rose blends with the metallic notes and the soapiness begins to dissipate. As Joy continues its slow and deliberate path, a jasmine blends itself with the rose…but combined, they're still very controlled and incredibly proper. Joy doesn't transform or morph very much, but in the end, the florals fade and soften a bit, and what you're left is a lightly warm breeze of light floral sandalwood musk.
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