M&S doesn’t do out-and-out fragrance dupes, but it’s nevertheless mining a rich seam in affordable, ‘alternatives to’ perfumes. It would never come out and say it, but it doesn’t need to when there’s #fragrancetok acting as scent sleuth and asking, ‘Hmm, doesn’t this smell a little like…?’
There’s Midnight Blossom that’s been likened to YSL Black Opium, and Apothecary Warmth that’s mentioned in the same breath as Le Labo Santal 33, to name just two. Now there’s a new own-brand name to throw into the mix: Sweet Water Lily, which is part of the Discovery EDP line-up. At £16, it’s a little more expensive than the viral £10 EDTs in the range, but it’s certainly a lot cheaper than the premium name it’s being compared to: Diptyque’s beautiful £265 Lilyphéa.
marks & spencer Discover Sweet Water Lily Eau de Parfum
It’s not difficult to draw the comparison. Lilyphéa is inspired by Claude Monet’s Water Lilies series and, as well as sharing a delicate aquatic/floral theme, both perfumes incorporate key notes of violet leaf and vanilla. They also happen to be very pretty, feminine perfumes, with floral notes floating on the surface but a gentle undercurrent of warmth – musk for M&S and cardamom for Diptyque.
It would be silly to suggest M&S’s perfume is a clone for Diptyque’s creation or boasts the same perfumery pedigree, but it’s not unreasonable to think that if you’re drawn to the ethereal loveliness of Lilyphéa you wouldn’t sniff at Sweet Water Lily.
Judged on its own merits, M&S’s newbie is a very likeable, soft floral perfume and I’m not surprised to see it being described as a ‘lovely delicate fragrance’, ‘delightful’ and the perfect ‘clean girl’ scent, among other things.
There is one thing I hadn’t expected, though, and that’s the longevity. The scent itself has a soft and subtle sillage, the sort of quiet beauty that drifts, rather than announces itself, but it lingers across the day. It’s never in your face to start with, but lean in hours later and it’s still there, sitting pretty on your pulse points.
It also feels right on the skin, right now. It makes a lovely seasonal switch-up if all those indulgent gourmands are sitting heavy on your wrist and you’re craving something airy and spring-like.
Earlier this week, I was at my favourite Townhouse nail salon, my manicurist literally unscrewing my usual dark red polish, when I was caught by an irresistible craving for a soft shimmery pink instead. It catches the light, looks very whimsical (think ‘if Cathy from Wuthering Heights had a BIAB mani’) and somehow makes everything, from my morning cuppa to my keyboard tapping, feel a little lighter.
Spraying on Sweet Water Lily captures that exact mood: delicate, a bit dreamy and quietly uplifting. It’s a gentle smile in a bottle – and who could quibble at £16 for that?
