How to Buy Chanel Perfume on a Budget

Chanel rarely discounts its fragrances, and new bottles of its best-known perfumes sit near the top of designer pricing. You can still own Chanel without paying full retail every time. These are the methods that work best.

Start with pre-loved bottles

Chanel is one of the most widely bought perfume houses, so partly used bottles reach the resale market all the time. People receive No. 5 or Coco Mademoiselle as gifts, wear Bleu de Chanel for a season, or simply move on to another scent. A bottle at 70% or 80% full can cost much less than a new one and smell the same, as long as it has been stored well.

Choose a smaller size

Chanel sells most of its core fragrances in several sizes, and smaller bottles cost less up front. For a line you have not worn before, the smallest bottle in the range is a sensible first step. Some Chanel fragrances also come in purse sprays and refillable travel sprays, which let you live with a scent for a few weeks before committing to a large bottle.

Know the concentrations

Many Chanel lines come in more than one concentration. No. 5 exists as eau de toilette, eau de parfum, parfum and L'Eau. Bleu de Chanel comes as eau de toilette, eau de parfum and parfum. Chance has several variations, including Eau Tendre and Eau Fraîche. These are different formulas with different prices, so they smell different too. The eau de toilette is usually the least expensive way into a line. If you like it, try the stronger versions before assuming they are simply more of the same.

Testers

Testers are bottles made for store display. They usually contain the same fragrance as retail bottles and often come in a plain box or without a cap. Chanel testers appear on the resale market from time to time and can be good value. Ask for photos of the bottle bottom and any labels, since counterfeiters copy tester packaging as well.

Do the price per milliliter math

Price per ml makes comparisons simple. Divide the listing price by the milliliters left in the bottle. As an example, a 100 ml Bleu de Chanel eau de parfum at 75% full holds about 75 ml. If it is listed at $90, that works out to $1.20 per ml. Compare that with the current price per ml of a new bottle on Chanel's own site and with other listings for the same concentration. A full 50 ml bottle at a higher per-ml price can still be the better buy if you want one that has never been opened.

Check batch codes and condition

Chanel bottles carry a batch code on the bottom, and boxed bottles have a matching code on the box. Ask for clear photos of both. CheckFresh and similar tools may estimate the production date, which helps if you care how old a bottle is or which version of a formula you are getting. A matching code is no proof of authenticity on its own, so also look at the cap fit, label printing and sprayer, and choose FoS Verified on higher-priced listings for an inspection before shipping.

Use offers and price alerts

On Feelings of Scent you can make an offer on a listing and set price alerts for the fragrances you want. Chanel bottles are listed often, so patience pays. Decide on a price per ml you are happy with, set an alert for the exact line and concentration, and make a fair offer when a bottle comes close. There is no buyer fee, so the price you agree on is not inflated at checkout.

Chanel bottles worth watching

• No. 5: try the eau de toilette or L'Eau if the parfum is out of budget.
• Coco Mademoiselle: orange, rose and patchouli, with the eau de toilette usually costing less than the eau de parfum.
• Chance Eau Tendre: light, fruity and easy to wear every day.
• Bleu de Chanel: the eau de toilette is the lowest-cost entry to the line.
• Allure Homme Sport: fresh, ambery and easy to wear year-round.
• Les Exclusifs: the higher-priced Chanel line, where a partial bottle makes the biggest difference.

Browse every Chanel listing on the Chanel brand page, compare with Designer Fragrances, and read our guide to buying pre-owned perfume safely before you check out.