FM Perfume Review: Designer Inspired Products At Prices That Won’t Break The Bank
Updated: Oct 10, 2020
It’s always heartbreaking when you use up the last few drops of your fave perfume. Just last week I finished off my bottle of Chance by Chanel and the thought of replacing it made me want to cry a little. (I certainly don’t have a spare £78.50 to be splashing on smelling good.) Since it’s a solid 3 months till Christmas and my birthday isn’t until January, I needed to find another (more affordable) solution. That’s when I got talking to Ellie, an 'FM World' perfume distributor, who kindly offered to send me some free samples of the most popular FM fragrances.
I had heard about FM before but had never tried any of their products so I was very excited to give them a go and write a review for you guys. What I love about the company, apart from their affordable perfume, is that 95% of their products are vegan and 100% are cruelty free. Since most high-end perfumes aren’t cruelty free, the FM perfumes inspired by high-end brands (like Chanel) seem like a much better alternative. I have also read from their website that all fragrances are –pH balanced which is a huge bonus for people with sensitive skin, like myself.
The Price-
A 50ml bottle ranges between £14.90- £24.50 depending on the scent and strength that you choose (Pure, Intense, Pure Royal.) There are over 150 different fragrances to choose from on the website or you can ask distributors, like Ellie, for their recommendations if you're after a certain scent/ smell alike.
The Packaging-
FM’s packaging is deliberately minimalistic and I love it. One of the things that makes the perfume so cheap is that no money is wasted on pretty, branded packaging. Instead, they opt for a simple, sleek, black and white box that is made from recycled material. (Bravo FM.) Admittedly, the bottles aren’t as beautiful as your classic high-end products but they’re still elegant and professional looking in their own right.
The Scents-
Ellie decided to send me:
18- Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
827- Marc Jacobs Daisy
Both are beautiful and smell SO GOOD. I particularly love number 18 as it smells very similar to a Chanel perfume I’ve had before. Since they contain 20% oils the fragrances are much stronger than average high street brands that typically use 4%-16%. As a result, the scent lasts much longer on your skin and clothing. I could smell both perfumes hours and hours after dabbing them on my wrists. I was thoroughly impressed!
Why SO CHEAP?
As mentioned previously FM doesn't spend lots of money on branding and packaging their perfumes. Similarly, they spend no money on celebrity endorsement or advertising. Any marketing is done through word of mouth and through their distributors. Essentially, the middle man is cut out and the perfume goes directly from the producer to the distributor and your front door. The £££ on the total cost of high street perfume is largely to do with branding and advertising, not the perfume itself. Having learnt this, I would much rather save my money and shop 'smell alikes' for my everyday perfumes.
Fancy trying FM fragrances? Head over to Ellie's instagram page here @ellhaywood_fm. I've just ordered another bottle of No.18 from her and I cannot wait for it to arrive!
*Disclaimer: This was not a paid for ad*