Finding the perfect aftershave can be a daunting challenge, especially when shopping online without the ability to test scents in person. However, one affordable fragrance is making waves by drawing favourable comparisons to luxury designer brands that command prices nearly ten times higher.
A Premium Scent at a Fraction of the Cost
Cremo's Palo Santo Eau De Toilette, available in a 100ml bottle, is currently priced at £26.21, reduced from £34.95. This forms part of Cremo's broader Palo Santo Reserve Collection, which includes fragrances, body washes, beard oils, and bundled sets. The brand is offering a 25% discount sitewide until 15 February, allowing shoppers to secure these products in time for Valentine's Day.
Designed by what the brand describes as a 'team of world-class scent experts', this fragrance combines bright cardamom, dry papyrus, and aromatic Palo Santo wood. The result is a complex, layered formula intended to soothe, balance, and refresh the skin, making it suitable for combination skin types.
Overwhelmingly Positive Customer Feedback
The Palo Santo Eau De Toilette boasts an impressive average rating of 4.9 out of five stars from more than 200 reviews on Cremo's website. Customers have been effusive in their praise, with many highlighting its sophisticated and long-lasting aroma.
One reviewer described it as 'sensual, aromatic, refreshing, and natural', calling the results 'spectacular and exquisite'. Another noted, 'I have received more compliments everywhere I go since I began using it', emphasising that the scent is 'light and pleasant' without being overpowering.
Direct Comparisons to Luxury Brands
Perhaps the most compelling endorsement comes from comparisons to far more expensive designer fragrances. On platforms like Reddit, users have directly likened the Palo Santo scent to Le Labo's Santal 33, which typically retails for £238 at high-end department stores like Fenwick.
Remarkably, some shoppers even prefer the Cremo version, describing it as 'much easier to wear' than its luxury counterpart. One Reddit user enthused, 'I'm kinda geeking over how much I like it. It lasts a decent chunk too... It's gentle enough you can overspray all over and just have a soft pleasant ozone around you for a good few hours.'
Another customer summarised the prevailing sentiment perfectly, stating, 'People think it is from a big name department store with a hefty price tag.'
Complementary Products in the Collection
For those seeking a complete grooming routine, Cremo also offers the Palo Santo Reserve Collection Body Wash, currently discounted to £10.87 from £14.50. This product features the same signature scent notes in a moisturising, lathering formula designed to smooth skin tone and provide immediate refreshment.
Additionally, the brand's Uncommon Scents Collection, priced at £40 down from £53.45, includes the Palo Santo body wash alongside three other variants: citrus and mint leaf, sage and citrus, and bourbon and oak. According to Cremo, these 'layered and complex scents evolve as you wash'.
Alternative Options for Shoppers
While the Palo Santo fragrance stands out for its value, other retailers offer alternative options. Boots currently sells Boss The Scent Eau de Toilette for Him (50ml) at £54.40, reduced from £68. This fragrance is described as an 'ambery-woody-fruity perfume' with notes of natural ginger oil, Maninka fruit, and warm leather.
Superdrug also provides a Giorgio Armani Code Eau De Toilette (75ml) gift set for £88, which includes a 15ml fragrance and a deodorant. This set features citrus accord and torrified tonka bean notes intertwined with a lavandin heart.
Nevertheless, Cremo's Palo Santo Eau De Toilette continues to captivate budget-conscious shoppers seeking premium quality without the exorbitant price tag, proving that luxury fragrances need not come with a luxury cost.
