With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, Marks and Spencer has launched a limited edition fragrance that fans are likening to a Jo Malone scent. Whether you’re in search of a present for a fragrance lover, or simply looking for a new signature scent for the day of love, we’ve found a way to grab the fragrance for less than a pound by using a clever deal.
The newly-launched Pear Blush Eau de Parfum is already a bargain at £16, but shoppers can get it for much cheaper by joining TopCashback, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The money-saving website is offering new members and new M&S customers a free £15 sign-up bonus as well as cashback on any purchase of £15 or more. This reduces the price of the perfume to just 60p after cashback. Existing M&S shoppers also benefit from the discount, with the fragrance working out at 87p after cashback.
All shoppers need to do to unlock the reduced price is to make their purchase through this unique link.
According to M&S, Pear Blush is a floral, fruity fragrance. It has top notes of pear, ambrette and bergamot, a floral middle of violet and jasmine, and a comforting base of vanilla and musk. It’s a romantic, feminine scent that would be perfect for a date night, and could be a lovely Valentine’s Day treat. It’s great for fans of lighter scents, and with spring coming soon, it can be a great option for warmer weather.
As it’s a limited edition scent, the fragrance comes in a minimalistic, sculptural bottle that gives it a premium look, resembling the packaging from brands like Byredo. It’s also packed in a fun, striped pink and red box that’s perfect for Valentine’s.
The high street retailer’s fragrances are known for their quality and value for money. Some of the scents in the range have even been likened to smelling like much more expensive brands by customers, and Pear Blush is no exception.
The scent just launched, so it doesn’t have any reviews on the M&S website, but it’s already generating buzz across social media platforms, including TikTok, where it’s being compared to fragrances from more premium brands.
Creator @lueurwithhannah compared it to a classic Jo Malone scent, saying: “She smells like English Pear and Freesia by Jo Malone”. In the comments, she added: “It’s a clean girl scent I’m obsessed”.
Another commenter wrote: “Oooh love M&S fragrances so I need to try this!”
English Pear and Freesia shares the sweet, fruity pear top note and creamy musky base with the M&S scent, but it’s worth noting it’s a cologne, which can be a lot lighter than an eau de parfum.
Meanwhile, user @gem.ellison tried the fragrance in store, comparing it to a different scent, this time from US-brand brand Merit.
“This is absolutely gorgeous, look at that little box, how cute.” she said. She added: “It smells like Merit’s Retrospect… if you know what I’m talking about you’ll know how gorgeous this perfume is.”
Retrospect has very similar notes to Pear Blush, with a nearly identical combination of pear and ambrette in the top notes, with the addition of soapy aldehydes. The two scents also share rosemary and violet in the heart notes, and vanilla and musk in the base. The main difference is that Retrospect is a little more green, whereas Pear Blush is a little sweeter.
The TikTok creator compared the cost of each fragrance, saying: “60ml from Merit is £118, you can get 50ml of eau de parfum at M&S for £16.”
Several commenters were worried Pear Blush wouldn’t be very long lasting, with one saying it “doesn’t last more than an hour on me” and another writing: “I hope it lasts longer than some of their others.”
But another M&S shopper said: “I bought this today! Sprayed it at 9am and can still smell it on my wrists 6 and half hours later.”
While most of the retailer’s cheaper offerings are eau de toilettes, which don’t last as long as they contain more water, this one has an eau de parfum formula, so it goes without saying the final price is more than a bargain.