Perfume Essential

I love perfume. If I had the funds available, I'd probably buy a new fragrance every month (as it is, I usually end up wandering past Boots's perfume department, mostly around payday, whimpering pathetically at Coco Mademoiselle). I just don't feel fully dressed without a spray of whatever scent I'm in the mood for that day.

Of course, marketing needs have pushed for the aesthetics of perfumes to be increasingly out there: bigger bottles, bolder designs, stand-out shapes. It's all about branding and trying to catch the eye of your consumer. But therein lies one problem: who wants to lug around a heavy glass bottle of perfume shaped like, I don't know, a giraffe? Perhaps it's just me, but I like taking perfume out with me for a quick touch-up, and I can't always do that.

That's where atomisers come in. They fit in the palm of your hand and are so lightweight - perfect for travelling. They're not particularly a new concept, but they were retailing for £9.99 in Boots and I just couldn't justify spending that much after I'd spent £50+ on a fragrance.

And then I happened across these in Home Bargains for 69p. I will admit the manufacturing isn't as good as the ones in Boots probably were - there's some leftover glue in one of the apertures, for example. But they work just as well and it means that I no longer have to worry about getting caught short without my perfume on!

Do you use atomisers? Is £9.99 worth it to you, or will you try to run across a bargain first?