- Kate Spade Perfume Guide: Which Scent Is Right For You? - December 2, 2023
- 13 Best Gardenia Perfumes for You [Guide] - November 18, 2023
- Noteworthy Scents Review: Is Noteworthy Legit? - November 17, 2023
- My Top Picks Up Front
- Tips for Selecting a Walgreens Perfume
- How I Chose These Perfumes
- My Favorite Perfumes That You Can Buy at Walgreens
- Versace Bright Crystal
- Clinique Happy
- Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
- Lancome La Vie Est Belle
- Calvin Klein Eternity for Women
- Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum
- Nina by Nina Ricci
- FAQs
- Bottom Line
There are many reasons why you should buy your perfume at Walgreens. The scents they carry are authentic, the fragrances are priced more affordably than other retailers, and they carry all of the major brands. In fact, I may start buying my perfumes at Walgreens instead of Sephora from now on!
But with so many options, it can be hard to find your signature fragrance at Walgreens. Here, I will recommend the best perfumes available at Walgreens and some of my personal buying tips!
Bottom line up front:
Walgreens has more perfume than you would expect! If you’re not sure which perfume to get at Walgreens, I suggest checking out Versace Bright Crystal first. This is a floral fragrance, but it smells more fresh than sweet or spicy. The notes in this fragrance are very versatile, making this a good perfume for nearly everyone.
My Top Picks Up Front
- Versace Bright Crystal
- Clinique Happy
- Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
- Lancome La Vie Est Belle
- Calvin Klein Eternity for Women
- Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum
- Nina by Nina Ricci
Inspired by a mixture of Donatella Versace's favorite floral fragrances, Bright Crystal is a fresh, sensual blend of refreshing chilled yuzu and pomegranate mingled with soothing blossoms of peony, magnolia, and lotus flower, warmed with notes of musk and amber. Notes: iced accord, yuzu, pomegranate, peony, magnolia, lotus flower, acajou, vegetal amber, musk.
Tips for Selecting a Walgreens Perfume
Before you run to your nearest Walgreens and buy a perfume, you should know some basic perfume buying tips.
Know the Right Concentration
Perfume comes in different concentrations, which include:
- Eau de Parfum
- Parfum
- Eau de Cologne
- Eau de Toilette
- Eau Fraiche
Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette are the most common types of perfume. “Eau” is French for “water.” In other words, the fragrance is diluted with water.
These perfumes last a long time (though not as long as a Parfum) and are still relatively affordable. If you’re not sure about your fragrance concentration preference, I suggest choosing either of these to start. If you want something stronger, choose a Parfum next time.
Have a Fragrance Preference
There are various different fragrance categories. Some of the most common ones include:
- Floral
- Oriental
- Woody
- Citrus
- Water/aquatic
- Green/earthy
- Fruity
- Gourmand/dessert
Some of these scents are self-explanatory. For example, floral fragrances smell like various flowers. But it can be difficult to find a perfume if you prefer a scent category such as fresh perfumes. In this case, I recommend choosing citrus and water/aquatic perfumes.
The fragrance notes you choose should boil down beyond preference. We all have different pheromones, and different scents react with our pheromones in various ways. That’s why some perfumes smell great on others while they may smell bad on others.
Let’s take my pheromones as an example. Floral scents smell the best on me, especially rose. I love the smell of citrus, but citrus-scented fragrances smell so gross on me. I also love fruity scents, but they fade quickly for me, whereas floral scents last all day. The only reason I know this is I experimented with a wide variety of fragrances over the years.
Fragrance gets even more complex than this. Perfumers often mix various scents strategically, organizing them as top, heart, and base notes.
Top notes are the ones you smell immediately but last the shortest amount of time. Do you notice your perfume changes after some time? That’s because the heart notes are starting to form. The heart notes can last as long as an hour, but then the base notes come in. The base notes are what linger for hours and are the most important scents when selecting a perfume.
Ask for Help
Are you still confused? I just gave you a lot of information, so I understand why! Unfortunately, Walgreens has their perfumes locked away, and you can’t spritz and spray these fragrances the same way you can at Sephora.
One thing I love about Walgreens is how they have a beauty representative there at all times. If you need to select a fragrance, ask one of the representatives for help. They can recommend a great fragrance based on your preferences. I have no idea if Walgreens offers fragrance samples, so be sure to ask — especially if you want to try a fragrance first.
How I Chose These Perfumes
Walgreens has more perfumes available than you would expect! But I didn’t recommend all of them. That’s because I set specific criteria to judge fragrances based on quality.
Fragrance Quality
While the performance of perfume does depend on your pheromones, fragrance quality does matter. On this list, you won’t see me recommending cheap body sprays. No matter how nice they smell, they don’t last. The fragrance should change on your skin, and the smell should linger for hours.
Different Scents
While I have my personal favorite scents, I understand that not everyone has the same pheromones as I do. Therefore, I’m mentioning a variety of perfumes that all have different scents. This also means I’m recommending some of my least favorite scents, such as gourmand, citrus, and fruity.
My Personal Favorites
Of course, I have my own favorites I’m recommending! As I stated previously, floral fragrances work best for me, but I also love fragrances in the amber vanilla category. Think of the “moonlight” fragrances. This fragrance category is sweet but is also balanced with wood and spice notes. The result is a scent that’s very warm and sensual, which is why it’s the perfect nighttime fragrance (hence the “moonlight” titles). Nina Ricci Luna is an excellent example of this scent.
While these are my favorite scents, I have a wardrobe of fragrances. I will mention the ones I have tried, so I can make the best recommendation.
My Favorite Perfumes That You Can Buy at Walgreens
Without further ado, here are my favorite perfumes that you can buy at Walgreens!
Versace Bright Crystal
Versace’s classic fragrance Bright Crystal is one of my all-time fragrances. I actually used all of it — I know I’m so sad! I’m using Versace Pour Femme now. It’s a nice scent, but I don’t like it as much as Bright Crystal.
What I love about Bright Crystal is how it’s a strong fragrance yet is still subtle enough to wear to the grocery store. The scent is best described as floral yet fresh. On me, I smell peony more than anything. Peony has a soothing scent that’s both sweet and fresh. Magnolia and lotus are also present, so the fragrance is sweet but not overpowering.
Pros
- Long-lasting fragrance
- Floral scents smell wonderful
Cons
- Not the strongest perfume, which some won’t like
- Expensive.
Inspired by a mixture of Donatella Versace's favorite floral fragrances, Bright Crystal is a fresh, sensual blend of refreshing chilled yuzu and pomegranate mingled with soothing blossoms of peony, magnolia, and lotus flower, warmed with notes of musk and amber. Notes: iced accord, yuzu, pomegranate, peony, magnolia, lotus flower, acajou, vegetal amber, musk.
Clinique Happy
A friend of mine actually gave me this perfume as a Christmas gift, and it’s been one of my favorites ever since.
Clinique’s Happy is a mix of fragrances, but the result is the same: the fragrance leaves you feeling uplifted. While it is a citrus-based fragrance, you mainly smell the entourage of flowers on me. Honeysuckle and freesia are the notes that are most prominent on me.
It’s best described as a fresh scent, but these two floral notes smell fruity and slightly spicy on me. I know that’s a weird combination, but trust me, it works.
Pros
- Not as expensive as other perfumes on this list
Cons
- Smells different on everyone.
Launched by the design house of Clinique in 1997, HAPPY is classified as a refreshing, flowery fragrance. This feminine scent possesses a blend of floral jasmine, lilly of the valley, carnation.
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
When I worked at Sephora, this fragrance sold like crazy! I must admit, it’s not my favorite fragrance in the world. But if you love this one, just know it’s available at Walgreens.
This is the fragrance I recommend if you like fresh and crisp scents. The perfume mixes a variety of floral, fruit, and wood scents, but the result is surprisingly invigorating yet delicate. Dolce & Gabbana used Italian summers as inspiration for this perfume, and it definitely has that glorious vibe.
Pros
- A favorite for so many people
- Decent size for the price
Cons
- While the Walgreens one is cheaper, reviewers complained the bottle is smaller than the one you get from other retailers.
The fragrance opens on a fresh and gourmet note of Sicily Cedar, Granny Smith apple and bluebells. The middle note is a bouquet of jasmine, bamboo and white rose. The end note reveals hints of cedarwood, amber and musk.
Lancome La Vie Est Belle
This is one of my favorite scents of all time! La Vie Est Belle is a very sweet and strong fragrance, so that’s the only reason why it doesn’t top the list. I can definitely see some people not liking this scent at all. It’s surprising that I even like it since it’s a vanilla-based fragrance (I hate the smell of vanilla). But Lancome also includes more complex gourmand notes, such as praline, as well as fruit and floral notes.
On me, I definitely smell tonka bean and patchouli. While Lancome says the perfume is light enough for casual wear, it smells way more powerful on me than that. This is why I save this perfume for a night when I’m out and about.
Pros
- Lovely fragrance
- Lancome always makes high-quality perfumes
Cons
- Too sweet for some
- More of a young woman fragrance.
La Vie Est Belle has fragrance notes of iris spring flowers and the intoxicating earthiness of patchouli. These are layered alongside perfume notes of delicious spun sugar and sensual warm vanilla. Plus, like a bright blooming bouquet, it also has other flowery hints of exotic Arabian jasmine sambac and sparkling Tunisian orange blossom. 
Calvin Klein Eternity for Women
I tried to find Euphoria, which is my favorite Calvin Klein scent. However, I can’t find that one at Walgreens. Instead, I’m recommending Eternity. It’s a long-lasting scent that smells luxurious. Notes of mandarin, freesia and sage make this more of a timeless scent. I think that’s why this fragrance is more popular among older women than the younger generation. Still, this is a very intimate fragrance, perfect for a date night.
Pros
- Very popular fragrance, can find it in a variety of stores in addition to Walgreens
- Calvin Klein is a trusted and high-quality brand
Cons
- Smells cheap
- Calvin Klein has better perfume.
From Calvin Klein comes Eternity, a romantic, floral scent that breathes with the subtle aroma of a spring garden. Both classic and contemporary, it echoes timeless quality and modern style.
Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum
I always saw this when I worked at Sephora. I always liked the packaging but never actually tried the fragrance. But reading up on this, I think I may sample this fragrance next time I’m at Sephora.
Jimmy Choo’s signature female fragrance is wood-based. It’s a very modern take on classic fragrances. Jimmy Choo’s perfumers added some fruity notes to balance out the wood notes to make this fragrance more fun as opposed to warm and sensual. Even though the scent is rich, Jimmy Choo recommends this perfume for casual wear.
Pros
- According to reviewers, it smells awesome
- Lasts all day
- A warm and modern scent
- Beautiful packaging
Cons
- The wood notes might be too strong on some
- The notes, in general, won’t work for everyone
- While Jimmy Choo designed this fragrance for younger women, some reviewers complained it still smells like an old lady’s perfume.
Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum is an effortlessly glamorous scent that blends warm, rich and sensual notes. Top Notes: Sweet Italian orange & pear nectar. 
Nina by Nina Ricci
I would recommend my favorite Nina Ricci fragrance, Luna, but they’re discontinuing that one. Instead, I’m recommending the Nina Ricci signature fragrance, which is still one of my favorites. I love this fragrance because it’s so feminine. It’s a fruit-dominated fragrance, but it is balanced out by wood scents. I usually don’t do well with fruit fragrances, but the apple notes smell very crisp on me.
I recommend Nina to a variety of people because this scent is so dynamic. This scent is delicate; I love wearing it when I run errands. But it smells magical enough to wear during a night out or even a date. It’s sweet enough for the young generation but smooth enough for mature women. This gentle perfume is also a great one if you’re introducing a teen to fine fragrance.
Pros
- Lovely fragrance
- The apple packaging is adorable
Cons
- Nina Ricci has a habit of discontinuing fragrance.
Nina is a new modern fairytale fragrance aimed at a younger audience. Nina is an elegant floral-fruity gourmand fragrance, the scent of candied fruits. 
FAQs
Question: Are the perfumes sold at Walgreens authentic?
Answer: Yes, the perfume that Walgreens sells is 100% real.
Question: I purchased perfume at Walgreens, and I don’t like it. Can I return it?
Answer: You can return your perfume within 30 days of purchase. But you have to return the perfume within 30 days to receive a refund. Walgreens also requires you to provide your original receipt.
Question: What are the most popular perfumes of all time?
Answer: Here’s what I gathered, based on a Google search and my own experience:
• Gucci Bloom
• Dolce & Gabbana Lily
• Cloud by Ariana Grande
• Lancome Idole
• Calvin Klein One
Bottom Line
The number one fragrance on this list that I recommend is Versace Bright Crystal. This perfume is one that’s easily available — you can find it at Walgreens and other retailers, such as Sephora, Ulta, FragranceNet, and Macy’s.
As an Eau de Toilette, this fragrance is light but still powerful. It’s a very versatile fragrance that I can see smelling great on everyone. It’s also light enough to wear just about everywhere.
Fastest-Growing Beauty Brand. Try multiple scents before shelling out for full-size products. Take 30% OFF All Travel Sprays using code: FLASH.