No.026 Pleasures

Estée Lauder's Pleasures has been a top seller since 1995 thanks to a rich, layered white-floral bouquet that manages to feel both complex and effortlessly clean, and Eden Perfumes' No.026 sets out to recreate that signature freshness. It opens with the same green, just-rained-on floral character the original is known for, then moves into a heart built around peony, violet leaf and lilac that reads as soft and sophisticated rather than sweet or fruity. Where the dupe falls short of the original is staying power - reviewers consistently describe the Estée Lauder version as wearing 'like iron' with genuinely strong sillage, while No.026 is a gentler, closer-to-skin interpretation that needs a reapplication through the day. The dry down still lands a light sandalwood-patchouli base that keeps things grounded without turning heavy. Eden themselves note this is a more wintery, sophisticated take rather than chasing the sweeter, fruitier florals now in fashion, and that reads true here - it's a clean, classic white floral best suited to office wear or understated daytime occasions rather than a loud statement scent, and a fair way to try the Pleasures character without the designer price.