I've been looking for something for about two years now that lasts all day without costing me a fortune. I tried several ones from the pharmacy but they fade on me within just a few hours. I need something that holds up from morning to night, even if it's a bit stronger.
It's not that pharmacy perfumes are necessarily bad, but you're right that a lot of them don't last long. The thing is, durability and a low price don't always go hand in hand, but there are decent options if you know where to look. What I've noticed is that the concentration of the perfume matters more than the brand. "Eau de toilette" lasts less, so if you find an "eau de parfum" at a reasonable price, you're already winning. Some pharmacy brands have versions in higher concentration that maybe you haven't tried. It also depends on the type of fragrance: oriental and amber ones tend to last longer than light florals, so if you don't have a thing against more intense scents, that's the trick.
On the other hand, you don't necessarily have to spend a fortune on premium brands. There are mid-range brands that offer really good durability without being luxury. I have colleagues who swear by some options that cost between 40 and 60 dollars and last them almost all day. The trick is reading reviews from people who actually need durability, not the ones that just talk about how it smells. There's also the option of applying a bit more or using the technique of putting a drop on your pulse points (neck, wrists, behind the ears) where the heat helps it disperse better. And if you find something you like, buy it on sale or at duty-free shops when you travel, because the same perfume sometimes costs quite a bit less in those places.
I'm gonna tell you something that actually works: store brand perfumes like the ones from Mercadona or Carrefour have specific "eau de parfum" lines that last way longer than your typical pharmacy stuff, and they go for like 8 to 15 euros. People always look at the big names but these honestly last the whole day, especially if you're a bit more generous with how much you spray in the morning. That said, if you want something with more body and guaranteed longevity, you gotta go with brands like Paco Rabanne or similar, but then we're talking 30 to 50 euros, depending on where you shop.
For a few years now I've been really into the cheap perfumes from store brands, and honestly some of them last almost as long as designer ones if you go for eau de parfum instead of eau de toilette, but what nobody tells you is that a lot of them have really strong top notes that fade fast and leave you with basically nothing - pay close attention to reviews that specifically talk about lasting power at 8 or 10 hours, not just how they smell when you first spray them on.
What I'd do is pay attention to the fragrance concentration on the bottle, because a lot of times you pay cheap but end up with eau de cologne instead of eau de parfum, and that's what kills it after two hours! Try specifically looking for "eau de parfum" in store brands or shops like Action, they've got decent options and they last way longer without breaking the bank.
I've been testing this stuff for quite a while because with kayaking I spend hours outdoors and need something that actually lasts, so I get it. Concentration is honestly the key - always make sure it's eau de parfum (15-20% fragrance) because if you go for eau de toilette or cologne it won't last at all. Right now I use one from Zara that costs around 25 euros and it easily lasts me the whole day, even after being in the water and sun; I've also seen brands like Paco Rabanne Phantom or some from Decathlon that aren't expensive and have pretty good durability if you look for them in eau de parfum format.
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