'I worked at Boots and this little known perfume may be the scent of summer'

Daily Record

17-06-2025

For the perfume fans among us, summer always presents an opportunity to find a new scent. With so many bottles on the market, many of us go for ones that are well known.
However, amongst the Marc Jacobs and Hugo Boss offerings that tend to be bestsellers at this time of year, there are a few alternative options amongst them that are worth giving a go.
One of them is the newly launched Zadig, by Parisian fragrance house, Zadig & Voltaire, a 'floriental woody fragrance for women' that, despite being a new addition to the market, has already earned glowing praise from one perfume fanatic.
Bethan Shufflebotham of the Manchester Evening News, who used to work on the health and beauty chain's perfume counter, spotted this light, creamy coloured perfume on a recent store visit and said she "didn't know whether to shout about it from the rooftops, or keep it a closely guarded secret."
After she couldn't resist spritzing the perfume, which boasts a unique wing-inspired bottle, the former Boots employee shared her full thoughts which can be found just below.
"The result is a warm, smoky and incredibly moreish scent you can't help but keep going back to. It's feminine but powerful and a little edgy, like those cool girls that pull off a leather jacket thrown over a silk slip dress.
"When I look at my perfume collection, it is pretty vanilla heavy, which is perhaps why I was so drawn to Zadig. According to perfume experts on TikTok, fragrances with similar profiles will tend to be housed in a bottle of a similar colour, which is a hack that comes in super handy when shopping fragrances online, or if you don't want to smell every bottle in store to find something you like.
"With that theory in mind, some alternatives may include the likes of YSL Libre, which also contains orange blossom and vanilla. Zadig also says their wing-inspired bottle is symbolic of freedom, with Libre translating to 'free' in French.
" Burberry Goddess would be another great choice, boasting key notes of vanilla and lavender. And coincidentally, Amandine Clerc-Marie was involved in crafting this popular 2023 scent, too.
Despite being new to the market, Zadig is already holding its own, and has gained popularity with fans of Alien, Flowerbomb and Fame. One said: 'I'm usually quite pernickety about sweet fragrances but this was not overpowering at all. In fact I was regularly complimented when wearing it. It's a bit more tart than YSL Black Opium but I quite like that.'
'This is one of the best perfumes I've smelt in a while,' said another. 'It has a gorgeous fragrance and lasts all day. Quite a few people have commented when I wear it, I absolutely love it.'
A third penned: 'Absolutely loved this. Gorgeous bold smell and really did last all day from one squirt. Usually wear Flowerbomb and this is a good rival for similar scent, but this is the longest lasting I've ever found.'
The fragrance is also vegan and made from 89% natural-origin ingredients, plus the bottle is refillable, making it more sustainable than some other bottles available.
However, some shoppers weren't so keen on the wing design. 'I absolutely love the scent of this fragrance. At first it smells quite strong but becomes subtle quite quickly, however I could still smell it on me 5+ hours later. I'm not a big fan of the statement bottle, which is why it's lost a star from me.'
While the scent profile has earned much praise, some wearers (as above) report it lasting five plus hours, others note that it fades more quickly.
Beauty deal of the week
Looking for last minute gift inspiration for dad ahead of Sunday, June 15.
Then don't fret, as we have you covered, as no-one can go wrong with a new bottle of cologne, and we have spotted Versace's The Dreamer for him Eau de Toilette for 67 percent less at Superdrug.
Hailed for being "underrated" and "truly unique", a large 100ml bottle of this fragrance has been dropped from £74 to £24, allowing you to make a huge saving of £50 and get in a thoughtful gift.
Described as "warm" and "fresh", Versace's Dreamer is an aromatic fragrance that, while belonging to the cologne family, is said to boast a variety of notes that make it suitable for both men and women.
The scent opens on vibrant notes of juniper, tarragon, and artemisia, before blending into heart notes of iris, lily and flax flowers to add a touch of softness. It then ends on a comforting base of tobacco blossom and amber, offering a smoky, luxurious finish.
The transparent, clear fragrance itself is housed in an opulent glass bottle that has been embossed with the iconic medusa logo, representing the luxury aesthetic of the iconic fashion house.
Versace's Dreamer EDT has managed to earn glowing reviews and a 4.6 rating from shoppers, with one saying: "Truly unique and dreamy fragrance. It's a great fragrance but it's underrated. Guys you have to try this one, it's great for all year round."
And someone else wrote: "Not to be overlooked. This is a lesser known Versace men's fragrance but oh my it is gorgeous ! Hubby loved it and amazing value for money."
Versace's The Dreamer For Him Eau de Toilette (100ml) can be bought for 67 percent less at Superdrug now.
One shopper who usually wears Fame or Alien said: 'Upon spraying a bit onto a sample stick I was not expecting to be wowed at all. How wrong I was. It smelled amazing.
"Very reminiscent of my beloved long time signature scent of Alien. So I doused myself in the stuff before leaving the store. Went home and straight onto Boots online.
"Decided to order myself the biggest bottle as best value for money. It's also refillable which also scores big brownie points with me. I've worn it once since it arrived and received many compliments on my scent and I've told everyone about 'Zadig''.
Finishing her own review, Bethan added: "I will be honest I'd never heard of the brand or the perfume itself until I happened by it accidentally. I am saving mine for special occasions so as not to overwear it.
"My only niggle is that I don't think the scent lasts all day as I couldn't smell it after a few hours unlike Alien and Fame. So even though it was a perfume as opposed to an EDT I feel they need to work on the longevity of the wear somehow."
Perfume fans looking to try out the little known Zadig & Voltaire - ZADIG Eau de Parfum (90ml) can buy it for £110 from Boots now.