I love my Pura just as much as the next person—in fact, it’s what I use in my home about 60 percent of the time. That other 40? Candles. Every and anywhere that I can fit them. There’s something so sensual about illuminating my apartment using just candle light. Not only does it set the most romantic ambiance, but the majority of the ones that I own are scented, so I am engulfed in the most delicious fragrance when I burn them.
As you’ve likely guessed, this means that my candle collection, while not as large as my perfume collection, is… let’s say extensive, so I know a thing or several about the best ones on the market. I’ll never apologize for being a girl with rather expensive taste, but I’ll forewarn that the majority, if not all, of my favorite candles fall on the more luxurious end of the spectrum. Now, ready to make sure that your home is a well-scented as you are? Keep reading to shop my favorite luxury candles.
Best Musky Candles
Musk is one of my favorite perfume notes of all time, so when I thought about what the signature scent of my home should be, of course, I had to find the best musk candles on the market.
I feel like it’s not a very well-known fact that Drake (yes, that one) has a candle line, and every single one of them that I’ve tried is immaculate. Still, I have a clear favorite, and it’s Carby Musk. Lily of the valley, skin musk, and amber woods are some of the notes in this candle, but I must point out that it also has ambergris, which is one of the most expensive fragrance ingredients in the world. The combination of all of them blends into this sweet, floral, and clean scent that I am petitioning him to release in a full-sized eau de parfum formula immediately.
Hot take: Le Labo’s Ambroxide 17 is one of the best fragrance offerings from the brand, period. Yes, this is taking into consideration its traditional eau de parfum line as well. It’s like Another 13 in candle form, and if you’ve never tried that scent, that is to say it’s clean, musky, and a little sweet—i.e., my perfect fragrance profile.
Best Gourmand Candles
Just like with my perfumes, I love a gourmand candle. These have incredible projection, but don’t smell too much like a dessert that’s been left out for too long. (True gourmand lovers know what I mean by this).
Vanilla lovers, your presence is requested. Voluspa’s Baltic Amber is equal parts vanillic and woody, thanks to notes like vanilla orchid, amber resin, and sandalwood. The combination is a mouthwateringly sweet scent that isn’t too cloying and a candle that can be lit year-round, regardless of the season.
Have you ever experienced the light airiness of the sugar that comes directly from sugar cane? That’s here, translated into candle form. Of course, sugar cane is combined with saffron, neroli, oak moss, and a few other notes to give my nose the pleasure of experiencing one of the most beautiful candle scents of all time. It smells like a certain well-known fragrance that may or may not have the number 540 in it, but I leave that up to your personal interpretation.
Best Fruity Candles
Fruity candles are a great way to add some bright and uplifting energy to your space, but I’ve searched a long time to find ones that don’t feel too overwhelmingly zesty or too citrus-forward. If you’re in the same boat, the ones below are the absolute best fruity candles.
Kyoto In Bloom has notes of fresh lime, bergamot, and citrus, and normally that wouldn’t make me look twice at this candle. However, those notes are flanked by others like amber, sandalwood, musk, and vanilla. The combination? An elegant citrus scent that I would douse my entire body in if I could.
Fig is the fruity note that stands out most to me in the candle, and it’s beautifully done. Glossier’s Sandstone also features sandalwood and clary sage, so it feels equal parts fruity, fresh, and woody. It’s one of the cleanest-smelling fruity candles I’ve ever gotten to sniff.
Best Woody Candles
Woods are one of my favorite fragrance categories to explore, but sometimes they can lean a little too smoky. These ones are the perfect balance of fresh, earthy, and clean notes.
I came across this small, independently-owned business on Instagram, and its Mahogany + Teakwood candle was an immediate favorite. The lavender and geranium top notes pair beautifully with the woody base note, and the resulting scent is fresh, clean, and super unisex. It would be a fantastic addition to a housewarming gift or your at-home candle collection (because one sniff of this one and you’ll want to keep it all to yourself).
One of the best woody perfumes of all time, Jo Malone’s Wood Sage and Sea Salt, comes in candle form, and it smells just as good as the perfume. The name is an exact listing of the notes, so it feels like a pretty safe blind buy, but still, if you can’t get to a store to smell the candle in person, just head to your local Sephora to smell the perfume. It’s the same delicious, grounding scent.
Best Floral Candles
The best floral candles, to me, don’t smell too much like a photo-realistic garden. Instead, they’re formulas that offer supporting notes to a central floral ingredient that allows it to truly shine without being overpowering.
I never thought I’d love a tuberose candle, but Versailles from Trudon proved me so wrong. Peonies and mint add a fresh and uplifting element to the candle’s scent profile, while honeysuckle, oak wood, and blue iris add a grounding, almost slightly gourmand element to the combination.
A true rose lover? Look no further for your new favorite candle than Diptyque’s Rose Candle. It has one fragrance note, Rose, and I love burning it in conjunction with my more woody perfumes for a more balanced fragrance overall. It’s almost like layering your perfumes, but the candle version. Invest in the 1500 gram multi-wick style and you'll be set for at least a year or two.
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]]>I've been using this hack for a long time. When I was single and dating, I found that applying a man-eater perfume was a small but super powerful way to set the tone for the evening and get into the right headspace—nerves be damed! And the experts agree: Dating professional Tiffany Baria previously explained to Marie Claire, “Having a signature scent makes it so your potential date or partner remembers you everywhere they go—and it’s a Flirting FastPass to getting them hooked.” Here's how I choose my date night fragrance depending on the vibe I'm going for, because it matters a lot more than you may think.
The Romantic
If the night feels extra flirty—like a dimly lit restaurant or if he's cooking for me—I instinctively reach for something floral. You know, rose, peony, gardenia, anything soft and classic. It just makes me feel pretty and romantic in the most effortless way.
A few years ago, I watched Paloma Elsesser's get ready with me video, and she mentioned that Red Roses was her all-time favorite scent. Because whatever she says must be true, I immediately went to the store to try it. It's the most romantic rose scent I've ever smelled that feels natural and doesn't smell like your grandma.
With a name like that, how can you not wear this floral blend of tuberose, jasmine, and narcissus?
The Bold
Not to say that you can't wear these when you're in a relationship (I certainly do), but when I was in my single dating era, these perfumes were the ones that I'd grab when I wanted to make an impression—a little spice, a little smoke, maybe even a hint of pepper. When I put one of these on, my anxiety disappeared. Even blind dates couldn't affect my nervous system.
Though it's advertised as a men's cologne, I find that it brings an unexpected vibe to date night. It's warm and spicy—tobacco leaf, pink pepper, and rum absolute—and transports me to a speakeasy circa the Harlem Renaissance. It's unforgettable.
You probably know this one, but if not, meet the perfume that became the signature of a confident, powerful woman: YSL Libre.
The Playful
These are my daytime scents, like a picnic in the park, a boozy little brunch, or just a quick coffee when I want to feel awake. To me, playful means citrus. It's light and fresh—think grapefruit, orange, lime—and makes me feel fun.
This pick is sunshine in a bottle. Aptly named, this citrus perfume takes me back to summer drives with the windows rolled down. I wear this scent every time I go on a day date when the weather is gorgeous.
Now that the warm weather is fading into fall, I lean on citrus scents that don't feel like summer. This one features sparkling citrus notes, balanced by a resinous base to keep it grounded.
The Cozy
If my boyfriend and I are staying in or doing something low-key, I go for warm, sweet scents. Vanillas, caramels, and any scent that smells like a dessert fit this category—the gourmands, if you will.
Unlike its bold predecessor, Baccarat Rouge 540, this one is warm, flirty, and smooth—a combination that demands a hug. Musks, fruits, and candies blend together for a delicious profile.
Looking for a vanilla that's sophisticated instead of cloying? The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods adds depth and complexity to the classic note.
The Effortless
And there are my favorite nights when I don't want him to notice the perfume, at least not right away. That's when I reach for a skin scent. It's subtle, almost like you can't tell if I'm wearing perfume or not, but filled with warmer and muskier notes that mimic the skin's natural smell. It's my secret weapon for when I want him to lean in just a little closer.
This fragrance was formulated around Byredo perfumer Ben Gorham's idea of the color white. It's pure and simple, but it has a side to it that's unexpectedly warm and intimate.
This is my fail-safe skin scent that I reach for almost every day. It's soft, warm, and effortless. Every single time I apply it, my boyfriend asks me what I'm wearing.
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]]>Alto Astral is the newest fragrance to launch from the brand, and it's a sweet, gourmand scent that's a tribute to the culture of Brazil. "Alto Astral is that moment when your energy shifts and everything feels light and full of possibility," Byredo's longtime perfumer, Jérôme Epinette, tells Marie Claire. It features top notes of coconut (hence the imagery), which Epinette hopes will convey a sense of optimism and joy.
In need of a new go-to scent, I spent a few days testing out Byredo's new launch. Read ahead to get my unfiltered thoughts it.
The Fragrance
Alto Astral is a gourmand scent that features notes of coconut water, aldehydes, jasmine, sandalwood, cashmere, and salted amber. "Everything about this fragrance was very intentional," Epinette says. "I had a clear vision from the start. I knew that notes like coconut water, milky musks, and cashmere woods would work in harmony to tell this solar story."
Per Epinette, the fragrance is meant to capture the energy of Brazilian culture, and he was inspired to create it after spending time in the country. "Having traveled there and spent time immersed in its vibrant culture, I was truly inspired by the optimism and energy that pulse through everyday life," he says. "I wanted the scent to capture that unique blend of warmth and vitality that’s so deeply rooted in Brazilian culture."
Of all the notes featured in the perfume, the coconut water is probably the one that's most prominent in my opinion, but the scent itself isn't overpowering. It's also really warm and musky without leaning too far on the masculine side, which I can really appreciate.
The Application
On my first day wearing this, I'll admit that I wasn't super generous with the application—trying out new fragrances makes me a little nervous sometimes, so I try to be a little conservative with how much I apply in case I end up not liking it. As you can imagine, that caused the scent to not linger for as long as I would've preferred it to.
The next day, I got a bit more liberal with it, first adding a few spritzes to my neck right after getting dressed, and then working my way down, spraying the insides of my wrists and my legs. Then, I waited for it to dry down on its own, as opposed to rubbing it in and potentially breaking down the fragrance.
The Wear
After spraying the fragrance on at around 8:30 this morning, I noticed that I could smell myself during my entire walk to the train station. That said, by midday, I could still faintly smell it on myself, though I definitely felt like the scent had worn off a bit—a potential sign that I wasn't quite as generous with the application as I could've been.
The scent is great, but it's one that you may have to reapply during the day if you have evening plans.
The Takeaway
I was nervous about this scent being a bit to masculine for me at first, but after trying it, I was impressed by how versatile it is. It's a gourmand scent, but it doesn't lean too far on the sweet side, and while you can immediately get a whiff of the coconut water in as little as one spritz, the notes aren't overpowering.
So would I wear this again? Definitely! I can appreciate that it doesn't fit strictly into the box of being a summer or fall scent and is something you can wear year round. It's one that I'll 100 percent be adding to my collection.
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]]>Needless to say, I was under a tremendous amount of stress and just not feeling well. After ignoring signs from my body for weeks, I had the worst panic attack of my life—during my partner’s graduation party, no less. One moment, my sister and I were sneaking off to go pick up catering, the next I was lying on a stretcher, attached to all sorts of machines. The experience left me with what my psychiatrist labeled as panic disorder, alongside a healthy dose of agoraphobic behaviors.
My primary symptoms included trouble breathing, dizzy spells, and a racing heartbeat every day (and night) for weeks after the initial incident. While this obviously affected my day-to-day life, it also deeply affected my sleep. I would find myself waking up mid-panic attack, terrified to go back to sleep in case it happened again. I couldn’t take it anymore.
I started looking into calming, holistic remedies. There was magnesium oil, which I sprayed on the bottom of my feet before going to sleep, and peppermint oil, to help promote deep breathing. There was even an oral herb spray to promote calm from the inside out. All of them did their intended jobs but left me smelling like a witch’s brew, and it felt like a constant reminder that I was doing this because I feared my mind would revolt otherwise. These conflicting herbal scents just reinforced this feeling of fear that there was something wrong with me.
Enter: my fragrance-before-bed ritual. I was craving the little practices that I, as a beauty editor, would do to boost my mood and morale, all of which were completely sidelined as I navigated my new diagnosis. As the weeks went on, I found the act of topping all these products with a fragrance, scented lotion, or body oil that I actually wanted to use was a way to exercise a bit of control in a time where it felt like life was dragging me by my ponytail.
Yes, I’d take my antidepressants and use all the oils and sprays because I had to, but putting on a bit of perfume became the one thing that felt like me. Plus, as a beauty lover to my core, I loved the whimsy that a fragrance could bring into an otherwise mundane routine. It was that little bit of extra self-love that made me feel kind of normal again, before the idea of stepping out of my front door made me hyperventilate and fall into a puddle of tears.
It’s been over a year since I experienced the Great Panic Attack of 2024, but applying perfume before bed is a ritual that has stuck with me, even as I’ve continued to learn different coping methods for living with panic disorder. The act of sitting on my bed, taking a few deep breaths, and spraying my favorite scents is a practice that takes a minute or less, but leaves me feeling grounded and in my body in a way that I hardly experience otherwise.
It continuously proves to me that my love of beauty and its auxiliaries isn’t just a frivolous hobby—it’s a way for me to continuously learn about myself and my body, which is even more important to me as I grow in my womanhood. It’s a way for me to feel sensual, clear-headed, and calm in a city and society that tries to force me to be the opposite every day. Fragrance has helped me to navigate panic disorder, but it’s ultimately helping me prove to myself that I am my biggest advocate, caretaker, and confidant, and that I have a say in my approach to wellness and mental health care. That sense of autonomy and control? There’s no better way to calm an anxious, panicky mind. And the fragrances that I'm wearing? It's my newfound scent of peace.
]]>Speaking of: my fall mist collection is—humble brag—incredible. I’ve assembled a mix that takes into consideration all the big, buzzy autumnal trends: boozy options that are perfect for a sexy date night; my go-to gourmands; and fruity mists for that tricky end-of-summer-early-fall transition period. Plus, some woodsy and clean choices for good measure.
GO FOR GOURMANDS
If you think gourmands and vanillas smell like a children’s candy store, think again. This fall’s fragrances are mature and sophisticated with subtle hints of sweetness. I don’t want to smell edible, but I do want to smell delicious. These get the job done.
The L’Occitane Almond Shimmer Body Oil is my holy grail for summer. Seriously, my legs have never looked so sexy. I was over the moon when I got word that the brand was bottling the almond-vanilla concoction and turning it into a hair and body mist. It’s soft and flirty, but has a warm and cozy edge that’s perfect for early September.
A woodsy-vanilla combo is my personal go-to—it adds a little edge to the sweetness. But what I love most about this guy: It’s formulated with good-for-my-skin ingredients like niacinamide and glycerin.
WOODSY AND WHIMSICAL
Nothing gets me in the mood for a cashmere sweater and the lake cabin I don’t have (yet) than a woodsy fragrance. I’m a big sandalwood girl, but I’m an equal opportunist when it comes to smoky, earthy, grounding notes. A woodsy mist is never too heavy, so I find spritzing them therapeutic, like a warm hug.
Coconut can lean a little sunscreen-y, but not this one. Its flavor profile comes from the meaty interior, so it’s less saccharine, more sophisticated. It’s balanced with a creamy sandalwood for a finish that reminds me of a luxe rainforest retreat.
While body mists are supposed to have a shorter wear time, this baby lasts all day long—especially when I pair it with the matching body wash, lotion, and deo. It’s heavier on the santal than vetiver, and I get compliments every time I wear it.
KEEP IT CLEAN
Fresh fragrances are the perfect entry point for a perfume newbie—and when they come in the form of a mist, they’re very budget-friendly. These are safe bets for the office because they’re unoffensive and overwhelmingly pleasant, but still provide that fine fragrance finish.
I’m a longtime user of this St. Barts leave-in conditioner (it has a sweeter, fresher profile), so you bet I got my hands on this ASAP. It’s pretty strong, though; one to two sprays is plenty to get me through the morning and early afternoon. It gives golden hour at a five-star tropical resort courtesy of notes like orange blossom and dragon fruit.
As the name suggests, this guy is basic (but in a good way!). Imagine you just did laundry in the French countryside with rose-scented detergent and left your cotton basics out to dry on a clothesline. That’s this mist in a nutshell.
A BOOZY BOOST
The boozy fragrance trend started late last year, but it’s going full steam ahead this fall. I’m seeing notes of cognac, rum, and bourbon make their way into luxury fragrances and body mists. Sometimes the notes aren’t so explicit, but the scent itself gives a brooding cocktail bar energy.
I save basically $100 when I buy this body spray as opposed to the actual fragrance. And not for nothing: they smell identical and last almost the same amount of time on my skin.
Newness is exciting and all, but nothing hits quite the same as this classic. Its mix of cognac liquor and caramel results in a smooth, creamy, and slightly cinnamon scent that’s ideal for a night out.
FRUITY TUTTI
Fruity fragrance had a major moment this summer, with cherries, mangos, berries, and bananas all getting attention. As the weather gets colder, we’re seeing the next-gen fruits, with a crisp finish, step into the spotlight.
I have been obsessed with this mist since it landed on my desk a few months ago. Its sillage is strong, so a little really goes a long way. For fall, I plan on layering this with a nice gourmand to warm it up a bit.
Phlur can do no wrong. Never did I ever think I’d want to smell like a Granny Smith apple, but this mist is a tart, sour, and sweet treat for my senses. It’s my current favorite hair perfume.
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]]>“One of the reasons we’ve had major success is because we questioned how things were traditionally done and did the opposite of what everyone else was doing. Instead of painting a picture-perfect life—running through a field and meeting Prince Charming—our visuals started more as I’m broken, I’m lost, I’m empty,” she exclusively tells Marie Claire. “People can relate more to vulnerability and realness and authenticity.” The brand’s DNA—and Lim’s secret sauce—is precisely why the brand was such a sought-after sale.
In case you missed it: Phlur was acquired last week by TSG Consumer Partners, a private equity firm specializing in consumer brands, for an undisclosed sum, but is projected to generate over $150 million in sales this year, according to chief executive Elizabeth Ashmund. The response has been overwhelming (and highly emotional), according to Lim, who plans to remain on as Creative Director. Even though Phlur finds itself under new ownership, the goal remains the same: create fragrance that the everyday person can wear on their own terms.
Here, Lim gets candid about building Phlur’s reputation, plans for expansion, and making noise in the fragrance industry.
Samantha Holender: Congratulations on the acquisition! Was this part of the plan when you bought Phlur five years ago?
Chriselle Lim: When I first bought the brand with my business partner Ben Bennet, who is the founder of The Center, we were really just excited to give Phlur new life. At the time, it was a very transitional period in my life—I had just gone through my divorce—and I really wanted to throw myself into something where I could grow and learn. It was initially a passion project; we never had the idea that someday we would think of an acquisition, and we certainly never imagined in our wildest dreams that it would happen this fast.
Getting acquired is really like entering a relationship or a marriage. First and foremost, we had to find a partner that really aligned with us in our vision and how we want to grow the brand. And TSG really understood that the Phlur narrative is successful through storytelling, through emotionally-led scent, and building out the fragrance wardrobe. I knew immediately after meeting them that they were the right fit for us.
SH: What’s the most emotional part of this sale for you?
CL: It’s all been an emotional rollercoaster. Phlur started from a very painful place for me. The early days were such a blur because it was an emotional war in my heart and in my mind. Now that I’m from the outside looking in, I think that maybe all that pain was the reason I could pour so much into Phlur. It was my therapy and creative outlet. It always gets me super emotional because I realize that Phlur saved me and helped me more than I could ever imagine. I was able to lean on the business, and Phlur was able to lean on me with my stories. It’s been the greatest partnership I never knew I needed.
SH: What are you hoping to accomplish now that you have more resources at your disposal?
CL: It’s really important to me that we keep the indie energy. I come from startups, and I just love how we all feed off of each other. That being said, my team’s day-to-day is going to stay the same. From a global standpoint, they’re going to help us accelerate in ways that we wouldn't have been able to do ourselves as a small indie fragrance brand. Globalization is top of mind. Currently, we’re only in three countries—the US, Canada, and the UK. We haven’t even scratched the surface.
I’m also excited to go deeper into specific categories and build out this Phlur lifestyle. We’ve been honing in on body mists and fine fragrance, but there's so much innovation that I've been sitting on. We just haven't had the bandwidth or the resources to do that.
SH: Can you give me any hints on what these new categories will be?
CL: We’ve dabbled a little in bodycare with our deodorants, and they were a huge, huge win for us. We were not expecting that. But it gave the brand and myself the confidence that we could really own not just body, but also lifestyle and home. That’s all I’m going to say for now.
SH: Expansion is so exciting! But one of the biggest concerns consumers have during an acquisition is that the formulas they love will change. Is this something you’ve thought about?
CL: I’m so aware of this because it’s something that I’ve experienced with brands that I love. My job as a creative director is to keep the vision and the quality that our customers are used to. Nothing's going to change. The formula is not gonna go down—if anything, they will get better. It’s something that I feel very strongly about because the product always comes first. It’s why we create—so we can put the best product on the market. The quality has to be the best of the best.
SH: What about the fragrance industry continues to excite you?
CL: I love the fact that indie fragrance brands are taking the reins and redefining what it means to be a fragrance brand. I think fragrance typically has this notion of exclusivity, of luxury. But we’re pushing a narrative that fragrance is for everyone. It’s not about the brand telling you how it should make you feel, but about how you want it to make you feel. We've learned that this new fragrance consumer loves layering not just for the purpose of layering, but because it makes them feel like they’re creating something special that’s unique to them.
We’re shifting into this place where there aren’t rules anymore. People are mixing gourmands with fruits and florals with woody notes. You can’t judge someone for liking something they created on their own. I’ve had Phlur fans come up to me and say they mixed Father Figure with Heavy Cream and Somebody Wood. I don’t how that smells—I’ve never tried to know—but you do you. Fragrance isn’t just for elitists, it’s for everyone.
SH: What advice would you give to someone who is starting a business a little outside their comfort zone?
CL: What do you have to lose that? That's my question. I'm a risk taker at heart. That’s where I live and that’s where I thrive. A lot of people don’t even know how many times I’ve failed; the ventures and businesses that I just slid behind the curtains, but you have to try it. That's not really advice, but it is the question I always ask myself when I'm at a fork in the road. I have more to lose if I don't try it out, because it will haunt me for the rest of my life.
When it comes to advice—like proper business advice—I would say have an awareness of self and understanding of what your strengths and weaknesses are. And I know that sounds obvious, but I think that has been my superpower. I know I need to find a partner or a team member who can compensate for my weaknesses. I am a creative. I was only focused on bringing this creative vision to life. But I had a very strong business partner, who supported me with logistics.
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]]>Rare Beauty has already dabbled with scent products with the Find Comfort Hair & Body Mist, but this new launch will be the brand's first foray into fine fragrance. According to a caption on the star's most recent Instagram post, Rare Eau de Parfum is a warm scent with top notes of caramel, pistachio, and vanilla that then dries down to a ginger and sandalwood blend. The fragrance can obviously be worn on its own, but it was really designed to be layered, which is why the new launch also includes a lineup of Fragrance Layering Balms in four scents: Amber Vanilla, Floral Peony Blossom, Fresh Bergamot, and Woody Oak.
"I wanted to create a scent that could evolve with the moment," Gomez captioned a selfie on Instagram. "Rare Eau de Parfum goes from quiet mornings at home to a night out with my friends and always feels just right."
If you're currently planning out your fall fragrance lineup, this seems like it'd be a perfect addition, since the colder months are the primary time to wear warm scents that are musky, spicy, and woody. All of the products will officially be available to shop just ahead of the season change; they'll be online and in-store at Sephora, as well as the Rare Beauty website, on Aug. 7.
But if you can't wait, snag the brand's hair and body mist to tide you over until then.
A ton of fresh and fun makeup products crossed my desk this month that have found permanent spots in my summer beauty routine. There's the innovative Victoria Beckham Beauty Colour Wash, a watery liquid blush that delivers a buildable flush of color with all-day wear. Then there's Sarah Creal's No Further Questions Lip Gloss, which makes me feel like a bona fide It girl with its pretty shiny finish. Meanwhile, my go-to eye makeup got a major upgrade with new easy-to-use eyeshadows and mascaras.
It's safe to say that July was a big month in the makeup department, but I'd be remiss not to mention the other products that impressed me and the rest of the Marie Claire team. For the full lowdown on every new beauty product MC editors tested and love this month, keep scrolling.
"Not only are my eyes sensitive, but I have pin-straight, short lashes, which means I need to be picky with my mascara. This one, however, checks all my boxes and then some. In just a few swipes, it adds a great amount of length and definition, and the curl lasts all day long. It gets major bonus points for its peptide-packed formula, which works to visibly lengthen natural lashes. While I haven't used it long enough to notice a difference just yet, this formula has made its way into my daily routine, so I'm excited to see my results in a couple more weeks." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"I'll always be a diehard Dyson fan, and it's thanks to the brand's constant innovations like this. They continue to one-up themselves with every new release, and the Dyson Airwrap Co-Anda2x is no different. This new-and-improved Airwrap is incredibly powerful—as in, dries-your-hair-in-five-minutes powerful. The intense airflow has also made a world of difference in the longevity of my Airwrap curls. Dyson, you've done it again!" — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"These new Colorfix Stix are yet another reason why Danessa Myricks Beauty continues to remain one of my favorite brands. They take the brand's hero Colorfix liquid formula and turn them into creams, with each stick containing a complementary foil and metallic formula. Like the original formula, these deliver incredible color payoff on the eye and once they're set, they don't budge. Another hit from the land of Danessa Myricks!" — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
"I always thought it would take a lot of work to achieve glass skin, but Drunk Elephant made it possible in one step with this serum. It delivers long-lasting hydration with four types of hyaluronic acid, amino acids, and peptides, but its real magic lies in its opalescent formula. It contains the barest hint of shimmer for skin that's reflective like glass." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"No matter how carefully I shave (and despite using the best shaving creams!) I always end up with bumps and irritated skin. Thankfully, this gel solved my shaving woes. It's powered by hypochlorous acid to soothe redness and heal ingrown hairs and bumps. I applied it one night on a particularly bad case of bikini rash, and I woke up to it nearly gone." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"I'm a huge sucker for blush, especially creamy formulas. Summer Fridays' official entry into the category is a hit in my book for its buttery, hydrating formula. It's so creamy that I can simply use my finger to blend the pigment out on my cheeks—the final result is a pretty flush of color that's natural-looking and so glowy." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"I know there's been plenty of lip balms and oils launched over the last few months, but Charlotte Tilbury's formula has made me excited for them again. This tube contains an ultra-juicy oil that leaves my lips looking noticeably plumper and shiny. The Pink Watermelon shade provides a pretty pink wash of color and tastes absolutely delicious, too." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"I'm a bit hopeless when it comes to eyeshadow, so I rely on easy-to-use liquid formulas. This new launch takes the cake for the smoothest, most long-lasting liquid eyeshadow I've tried. It feels like butter on the skin with a creamy texture and intense color payoff. You only need a tiny dab to blend out and cover the eyelid, and once it's set, it's not budging." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"When news broke that my holy grail Korean sunscreen was no longer able to ship to the U.S. (darn you, FDA regulations!) I was devastated. I thought my life would be a never-ending search for a decent replacement, but alas, Beauty of Joseon came through with a formula that's nearly as good. This one, which uses US-approved sunscreen filters, has a non-greasy, moisturizing feel and dewy finish. While it has a sunscreen-y smell where the original didn't, it still ranks far above plenty of sunscreens I've tried in the past." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"As I mentioned before, I have strict standards for mascara, and Colorescience's formula passes them with flying colors. I used the black formula until the wand completely dried out—it's that good. It's a great tubing mascara that adds definition and length to my lashes, plus it doubles as an eyelash growth serum that provides major results. Now I'm using the brown shade for a more subtle, everyday look—I'm just as obsessed." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"Lip glosses can be a hit or a miss for me—some are sticky and goopy while others are grainy. I'm happy to report Sarah Creal's new lip gloss is none of those things. Instead, it has a silky smooth feel that leaves my lips feeling hydrated for hours after application. I'm a big fan of the shade Calm Down, too—dare I say, it's the perfect pink lip gloss for fair skin?" — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"Victoria Beckham can do no wrong in my eyes. Just like all of her products, Colour Wash is as innovative and luxe as can be. Instead of a liquid blush, consider it more of a cheek stain that sinks into your skin for a long-lasting flush of color. Its unique watery texture is unlike anything else on the market, as is its impressive longevity for a blush—color me impressed. Senior Beauty Editor Samantha Holender agrees, stating in her blush review that, 'I’ve never experienced a product that stains the skin so seamlessly, remains workable for just enough time, and melts into the face with such an invisible texture that it looks like an extension of my own, natural color'." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"Powder blushes don't tend to last long on my skin, which is why I tend to use them as a topper rather than on their own. For the sake of a fair review, however, this was the only blush I used one day, and boy, did it blow me away. This compact packs a ton of pigment, so you only need one swipe along your cheekbones for a pretty pop of color. It also delivers a pretty blurring effect and the color lasts all day long." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"To know me is to know my love of winged eyeliner—I wear it every time I wear makeup. I prefer liquid eyeliner to achieve the look, too, and dare I say this pick has changed the game for me? For starters, I love the warm-toned brown shade for a more natural look. It's its innovative tip, however, that's the real star of the show. Its ultra-thin tip is flexible, allowing you to achieve your desired angle for ultra-sharp lines. Now I have even, straight wings every single time I do my makeup." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"I'm sure you know and love Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair serum (it's a favorite of Marie Claire Beauty Director, Hannah Baxter), well, the brand turned its attention to the eye area to give the same firming results. This eye cream uses a patented peptide technology to transform four major areas of the eye: the lid, inner corner, crow’s-feet, and undereye. The result is smoother, more lifted eyes in as little as four weeks." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"I'm obsessed with this new Prada balm, made viral by Sabrina Carpenter and heralded by editors at the Marie Claire International conference this summer. It has a fun banana-y scent, feels light and effortless on the lips, and leaves behind a golden, summery shimmer." — Jenny Hollander, Digital Director
"You don't need me to tell you that body mists are having a major moment this summer. Out of the launches this month, By Rosie Jane's Birthday Suit left me the most impressed. It's a light scent that's full of juicy apple and tangerine water. With its fruity freshness, it makes for the perfect summer body mist to spray on extra hot days." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
Our team of editors receive hundreds of new beauty launches every month, which we personally test and evaluate based on wear, effectiveness, and formula. We only chose products to include on this list that we would personally recommend.
]]>Over the years testing new beauty products, I've nailed down what makes a luxury body wash stand out from the rest. For starters, it has to smell amazing. Whether it's a warm and cozy musk scent or a fresh floral blend, I want my body wash to hold up to my favorite perfumes. Then, most importantly, it needs to go beyond just cleansing my skin. Formulas full of hydrating ingredients like glycerin and vitamin E (among others!) are key for getting more bang out of my buck, plus many tackle skin conditions like keratosis pilaris and bacne.
Ahead, I found 15 body washes that pass my strict standards with flying colors. The opulent formulas below will have your skin as smooth and soft as can be, while leaving you with a scent you'll be tempted to sniff all day long.
Cyklar, the body care brand every editor I know is obsessed with, is worth all the hype. Its oil-infused body gel leaves my skin softer than ever, but it also takes the cake for the best-smelling body wash I tried. The lingering warmth of sandalwood, vanilla, and amber has me sniffing my skin all day long.
There's a reason this cult-favorite pick is constantly selling out—it's that good. It's packed with skin-loving vitamins and oils to cleanse, nourish, and soothe skin. Its light eucalyptus scent is calming, too, just like a trip to your favorite spa. Nécessaire essentially put leveled-up body washes on the map with this hit.
Glossier can do no wrong in my eyes. The brand just revamped its fan-favorite Body Hero wash with a new scent called Sandstone—the very same blend in Glossier's just-launched body mists. It's a fresh and green scent with notes of clary sage, fig leaf, and sandalwood that has a grounding effect. You'll love its hydrating oil-to-soap formula, too.
French beauty brands know a thing or two about body washes, if this cult-favorite find is any indicator. It has the slippery, moisturizing feel of a body oil, but once it hits water, it turns into a decadent milky lather. I'm obsessed with its warm almond scent, plus it doubles as a shaving cream that allows you to get an ultra-smooth shave.
I can't get enough of Phlur's Missing Person perfume, and it seems the internet can't either. Not only is the eau de parfum version a hit, but so is the body wash. Musk, jasmine, and blonde wood make for a subtle skin scent that has you leaving the shower feeling calm and comforted—just like being wrapped in a hug.
I'm sure you've seen this bottle all over your Instagram page, but the formula inside is well worth the praise. This gel cleanser uses antioxidants and ocean botanicals to soften and soothe skin. It's especially made for those who spend lots of time outdoors and may have dryer skin as a result.
If you prefer body oils over lotions, this pick is sure to be a hit in your routine. This oil turns into a silky lather that hydrates your skin and nourishes the skin barrier. It also smells absolutely delicious, with a scent of sweet florals and sandalwood. You may never go back to your drugstore body wash after you've experienced this one.
If you're unfamiliar with Soft Services, allow me to put the brand's editor-loved body wash on your radar. It's gentle, non-irritating formula works for every skin type under the sun, whether you're acne-prone or ultra-dry. It's all thanks to its glycerin-fueled formula, which hydrates and soothes skin, even well after rinsing it off.
As someone who typically showers in the mornings, this body wash has made a world of difference in my routine. Its invigorating blend of citrus and eucalyptus wakes me up like a cup of coffee, which I can never get enough of in the morning. If that's not enough to impress, it's also chock-full of vitamin C for clearer, brighter skin with every wash.
Fragrance girls have been knowing about Bvlgari's luxurious scents, but the brand's body washes are just as good. With Eau Perfumée Thé Blanc, you'll be transported away to a breezy summer day where you're surrounded by fresh notes of white musk, subtle florals, and tea. It lathers exceptionally well, so one pump is all you need to cleanse your body from head to toe.
Jo Malone perfumes are some of my favorites in my collection, so I was ecstatic to see that one of my holy grail summer fragrances also comes in a body wash formula. For the uninitiated, this scent instantly takes me to a cliffside overlooking the ocean, where I'm surrounded by fresh, salty air and the woody, earthiness of the beach. It's particularly a great buy if you prefer lighter scents, as it's not too strong.
Considering Carnal Flower is one of the best luxury perfumes of all time, I had no doubts that the body wash version would be equally as opulent. "The blend of tuberose, musk, sandalwood and orange blossom provide a lush base with just a hint of spice—the type of scent you'd want to wear around a lover, if you catch my drift," says Beauty Director Hannah Baxter. Its gel formula holds up, too, as it develops into a deep lather once it contacts water.
Senior Beauty Editor, Samantha Holender, is obsessed with Oak Essentials, and I take all of her recommendations very seriously. With its invigorating, herbal scent, one pump is all it takes for a spa-like experience. According to reviews, a little goes a long way in leaving your skin clean and refreshed.
Sothys is an under-the-radar French brand that deserves far more hype. A great intro would be its shower gel, which melts into the skin and turns into a frothy lather quickly. When you step out of the shower, you're greeted with skin smelling of fresh citrus for hours after you dry off.
I never knew I needed peppermint in my shower routine until this body wash came into my life. The scent instantly jolts me awake and almost tingles on the skin, which feels incredible when I'm running on five hours of sleep. Aside from its fresh, minty scent, it also earns major points for its plant-based formula.
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
]]>Welcome to Leo season, darlings! The Sun enters this bold fire sign on July 22, igniting the skies with passion, pride, and performance. It’s no surprise that this season occurs during the peak of summer: when the Sun (Leo’s own planetary ruler) is at its hottest. Leo energy, similarly, is all about owning the spotlight — bravely, courageously, and unapologetically. After the watery introspection of Cancer season, this next chapter demands you turn up the volume and step into your starring role. Are you ready for your close up?
We’re immediately greeted by a vibrant New Moon in Leo on July 24—a fertile moment to manifest confidence, creativity, and courage. New moons are all about new beginnings, so consider planting seeds of intention under this vibrant sky. What do you want to bring into your life? What affirming words or phrases can guide you through the next four weeks?
On July 30, Venus (the planet of love and beauty) enters Cancer, softening the edges and reconnecting us with tenderness and nostalgia. This sweetness carries us into early August, when Mars enters Libra on August 6 and asks us to balance passion with partnership. Then, on August 9, the Full Moon in Aquarius shines a light on your community, your vision, and your place in the collective. Aquarius wants you to let your freak flag fly — so remember, what makes you different is exactly what makes you powerful.
Oh, and that annoying Mercury Retrograde that’s been making everything a little more annoying? That ends on August 11 and — all at once — you’ll feel the fog lift, your eloquence return, and your exciting opportunities pick up right where they left off. With the bloopers, delays, and snafus in the rear-view mirror, you’ll be ready to embrace the magic (and all the reality television worthy drama) of this larger-than-life season.
Ultimately, Leo season asks us to stop dimming, start radiating, and remember that being “too much” is, well, just right. And, of course, I’ve paired each zodiac sign with a fragrance to help you embody this sun-soaked energy. Let’s get into it.
Ready to get your spark back, Aries? I bet you are! With the Sun’s movement into a fellow fire sign and Mars (your planetary ruler) entering Libra on August 6, your relationship dynamics are heating up in a major way. You're being pushed to balance independence with connection — how do you stay true to yourself while making space for someone else? Phlur’s Rose Whip embodies the fire you’re channeling: bold, seductive, unapologetically alive. It’s lusty, rose-forward, spiked cherry cola, channeling confidence, flirtation, and just a hint of danger. This season, pleasure is power, so don’t be afraid to get a little wild.
For you, Taurus, Leo season raises the stakes. The Full Moon on August 9 casts a bright light on your career and public image, asking: is your external life aligned with your internal needs? Have you established a solid foundation to support your biggest, most ambitious goals? Eauso Vert’s Salvia Salvia is the bridge between effort and ease: herbaceous, breezy, green—a bowl of fresh flowers in a seaside garden. It evokes warm sunlight on fresh skin, mint between your fingers, and the scent of pine carried in from the ocean. Let it remind you that peace and relaxation don’t negate your hustle; in fact, rooting yourself will only enhance your intentions.
With Mercury retrograde still throwing you off balance at the start of Leo season, don’t be surprised if the final weeks of July are off to a rocky start. But don’t fret: Mercury retrograde officially ends on August 11, and the back-to-back headaches and miscommunications will finally come to an end. Glossier’s Orange Blossom Neroli is your comeback scent: bright, bubbly, and floral-citrus clean, it smells like a truly lovely day. It’s the olfactory equivalent of a perfectly timed text, some sexy happy hour banter, and lingering looks on a hot summer night. This is your reminder that communication is an art—and this is truly where you shine. Speak up, flirt back, stay curious…and don’t let the retrograde get you down too much.
Your birthday season may be over, but when Venus (the planet of love and beauty) enters your sign on July 30, you’ll definitely have something to celebrate. This is your magnetic moment, Cancer: a chance to secure that sultry summer romance you’ve been craving. Ellis Brooklyn’s Salt captures this exact energy: sensual, oceanic, soft with ylang-ylang and skin-warmed ambergris. It smells like a siren’s song, seafoam, secrets, and sun-kissed shoulders after a dip in the tide. There’s something intoxicating and otherworldly about it (which is, obviously, so Cancer-coded). Let this scent be your invitation to reclaim your passion and purpose.
Happy solar return, Leo! (That’s how astrologers say “happy birthday;” cute, right?) The Sun is in your sign—and your sign is ruled by the Sun—so this is a gorgeous natural alignment. No wonder your birthday season is your annual glow-up! For you, these dog days of summer are all about embracing your unapologetically bold and bodacious nature; it’s your opportunity to set major goals, take big risks, and bless this next year around the Sun with some inspired birthday wishes. Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino is your power scent: citrusy, floral, and impossibly luxe. It evokes coastal elegance, turquoise waters, and sun-drenched skin wrapped in silk. Let’s be honest, Leo: everyone already turns their heads when you walk into a room, but with a few spritzes of Neroli Portofino, that unmistakable impression will linger just a little longer. Love this for you!
Every year, right before your birthday season, the Sun glides into an area of your chart associated with the psychic realm, unspoken truths, and deep psychological mysteries. So, while everyone else is at the pool party, you’re feeling a bit more…introspective. It’s not that you don’t appreciate the invite; you’re just feeling a bit more spiritual than social. This is your chrysalis moment, Virgo, and Belnu’s Incense Antique is the scent of sacred transformation. Smoky, resinous, spiced with pepper and cypress, it smells like ritual, like memory, like portals that transcend time. Sit in the ceremony; you’re preparing for your rebirth.
Ready to party, Libra? Of course you are! We’re in peak summer energy now, and with Mars (the planet of action and energy) entering your sign on August 6, your drive and magnetism are reignited in a major way. You’re stepping back into your power—and this time, everyone is taking note. Oscar de la Renta’s Bella Soleil is your Leo season muse: fruity, tropical, and effervescent like a golden hour cocktail. With mango and prickly pear, it evokes the ease and play of a vacation with your besties. When you shine, everything blooms around you. So don’t be afraid to take up space, Libra!
Is your elevator pitch ready, Scorpio? This is a season of public emergence for you. The Sun’s movement into Leo activates your career zone, and the New Moon on July 24 will ensure that people in high-powered positions are paying close attention. Make sure you’re ready for whatever exciting (potentially life-changing!) opportunities come your way with Deborah Pagani’s The Vital Mist. Sure, it's a heat-activated hair protectant infused with blend of botanical extracts, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid for a silky smooth and shiny finish—but that’s not all. It’s infused with a dreamy, classic fragrance: creamy, milky vanilla beans peppered with pistachio and saffron notes. Sophisticated, old school Beverly Hills glamour that screams corner office. Enjoy the promotion, Scorpio!
Leo season expands your world—mentally, spiritually, and literally. With the Sun illuminating a like-minded fire sign’s sky, this is your chance to roam: through new philosophies, distant places, and unfamiliar experiences. Byredo’s Bal D’Afrique is a perfect portal for the journey. Rooted in warm vetiver and sandalwood, yet lifted by soft florals and citrus, it evokes the sensation of arriving somewhere both new and deeply known. It smells like a stunning sunset in a far-off land — sweet, golden, and full of possibility. Think al fresco dinners with dreamy tablescapes, trees twinkling with fireflies, a cacophony of crickets, and the comfort of laughter and flavorful food shared with friends. It’s a reminder that, sometimes, the most exciting adventure is one in your own backyard.
What’s happening behind the scenes is just as important as what’s being built in public, Capricorn. With the Sun now moving through Leo, the spotlight turns to your inner world: power, purpose, and transformation. This is a potent time for reflection. Are you aligned with your soul’s deeper path? Have you honored your instincts, or pushed them aside in the name of productivity? Palatine by Parfums de Marly invites you into your private magic. It’s complex and contemplative—violet, amber, and patchouli—like pressed petals in a silk-bound journal, searching for fairies at twilight, and reading secret love letters by candlelight. Earthy yet otherworldly, this scent perfectly supports your summer metamorphosis.
It’s not your birthday season, but under the Full Moon in your sign on August 9, it might as well be. This lunar moment spotlights your desires, your needs, your singular spirit. You’re being asked to reconcile your individuality with your relationships—not to choose one over the other, but to find harmony between the two. Genesis by Pigmentarium is your olfactory match: unconventional, luminous, and unafraid to take up space. With bursts of lime, grass, and sour green apple, it’s bright and strange in the best way—a kaleidoscope that refuses to conform. Like you, it breaks rules with elegance. You don’t need to shrink to belong; you be you, Aquarius.
This Leo season highlights your relationship with rhythm, health, and daily rituals. It’s a chance to align your habits with your higher self; not through rigidity, but reverence. Are your routines nourishing your spirit? Are you giving your body the attention it deserves? Lake & Skye’s 11 11 is your aromatic anchor of the season. Clean, minimalist, and transcendent, it smells like waking from a sacred dream into freshly laundered sheets, like dew on the grass before sunrise. Its aura is light but powerful—an invisible veil of intention. For a sign as sensitive as you, it’s the perfect support system: gently clarifying, subtly enchanting, and fueled by the angel numbers that guide you right into a flow state.
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For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
]]>“A perfume oil is a highly concentrated fragrance blend suspended in an oil base rather than alcohol,” says fragrance developer and founder of Arquiste, Carlos Huber. These formulas are typically dabbed onto the skin and tend to wear closer and more intimately than a spray perfume.
While the fragrance industry as a whole has seen significant gains over the last two to three years, perfume oils remain the one subcategory that still leaves considerable whitespace for brands to explore. As such, there aren’t as many fragrance oils on the market as traditional eau de parfums, especially if you want to experience them in person rather than going in blind. Still, there is a good number of these oil-based scents to choose from, and as such, I’ve researched, slathered, and sniffed my way through the best ones on the market to bring to you only the perfume oils worth your money.
From ease of use to the longevity of the fragrance, the perfume oils below are the only ones that have passed my rigorous testing standards. Looking for a fragrance collection refresh? Continue reading for the perfume oils that are worth making space for on a vanity.
The Best Perfume Oils
- The Best Perfume Oil Overall: Nest New York Perfume Oil Collection
- The Best Vanilla Perfume Oil: Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Santo Fragrance Oil
- The Best Musky Perfume Oil: Cyklar Sex Musk Perfume Oil
- The Best Luxury Perfume Oil: Creed Aventus For Her Oil
- The Best Woody Perfume Oil: Gucci The Alchemist's Garden Ode on Melancholy Perfumed Oil
It’s rare for a brand to offer such a varied line of perfume oils, but Nest has not one, but six different options to choose from. From the classic Madagascar Vanilla (my favorite from the line) to the new Santa Barbara Strawberry, there is something in this line that will satisfy everyone, from the seasoned nose to the person just getting into perfume. Plus, if you’re a fan of layering scents, this oil will allow you to experiment with combinations you may not have previously considered.
Fragrance Family: Gourmand
Key Notes: Madagascar vanilla bean; Vanilla orchid; Coconut; Cashmere woods
Size: 1 fl. oz
What I Love: Dropper applicator; The brand donates $1 to NEXT for AUTISM with every fine fragrance purchase made on its website
What I Don’t: Not a pure, linear vanilla fragrance, so the additional notes may conflict with other fragrances when layering
Review for MC: "Nest’s Madagascar Vanilla is one of the first perfume oils I’ve ever had in my collection, and it’s still a staple to this day. I’m a big fan of layering and sometimes want to highlight a very specific note in my combinations, and I can’t even count how many times this oil has added just the right touch that I was looking for to amplify some of my favorite eau de parfums.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
For a bottle of perfume oil that’s so small you can chuck into a purse and go, this formula from Ellis Brooklyn is extremely complex. Notes like pink pepper and myrrh give way to iris petals, a vanilla infusion, and ambroxan, creating a formula that truly stands on its own. It’s rare that I don’t feel the need to pair a perfume with another, especially when it comes to oil-based formulas. However, I have been wearing this one by itself nonstop since testing it, and I fall more in love with it each time I apply.
Fragrance Family: Woods
Key Notes: Bergamot; Pink Pepper; Ambrette; Palo Santo; Cedarwood
Size: 0.5 fl. oz
What I Love: Strong projection; Dry-oil formula that sinks into the skin quickly
What I Don’t: Not a big fan of a rollerball applicator. This would be fantastic in a bigger size with atomizer packaging
Review for MC: “Ellis Brooklyn has been coming out with some heavy hitters recently, and the brand has done it again with the launch of Vanilla Santo fragrance oil. It’s surprisingly complex and can be worn fully on its own as a one-and-done perfume, with a projection that feels like that of a traditional eau de parfum formula. Sturdy, yet elegant glass packaging makes it a chic addition to any vanity or on-the-go makeup bag. I have a few summer trips coming up, and I’m confident that I’ll only need this oil and maybe one more to get me through them, which, as a fragrance lover, is saying a lot. But trust me, it’s that good." — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Did I ever think I would fall in love with a perfume called Sex Musk? No. Did I anyway? Yes. Cyklar has become one of my all-time favorite body care brands, so when it introduced perfume oils earlier this year, I was excited. I knew I’d love the usual vanilla, gourmand scents, but Sex Musk is the one that caught me the most off guard. One of the top notes is Timur Nepal, a spicy, peppery scent akin to nutmeg. Imagine my surprise, then, when on first sniff, I was greeted with a soft, almost animalistic musk scent that made me think immediately of, well, sex. It’s a sensual skin scent bottled in a formula that is inherently intimate and sits close to the skin. If you’ve been looking for a perfume to help you channel your sensuality, pick this up immediately.
Fragrance Family: Musk
Key Notes: Timur Nepal; Orris; Tonka bean; Vanilla Infusion; Musk; Patchouli; Amber
Size: 0.5 fl. oz
What I Love: Well-balanced musk and floral notes; Perfect last step to a Cyklar body-care routine since the scents are all the same in different formulations
What I Don’t: This particular scent isn’t very long-lasting on my skin
Review for MC: “Sex Musk isn’t the scent I thought I’d fall in love with from Cyklar’s fragrance oil line, but I am so glad I gave it a chance. It isn’t the most long-lasting perfume oil option I’ve ever tried, but the bottle is so sleek and chic that I've no problem taking it out of my bag to reapply throughout the day. The dry down smells a little powdery, which I love, and it’s been a perfect addition to the clean, laundry-smelling perfume concoctions that I’ve been drawn to in these hotter summer months.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
I am most complimented on my scent when I wear Creed’s Aventus For Her, so it was only right that I included the matching fragrance oil in this roundup. Everything about this product exudes luxury, from the intricate glass bottle to the spray atomizer that resembles the same used for the eau de parfum. There are slight variances in the notes used for the oil versus the original perfume (like the addition of an ambergris note to the oil). Still, these slight changes help the oil round out to a sweeter, more musky dry down, which I love.
Fragrance Family: Fruity Floral
Key Notes: Black currant; Pineapple; Rose; Ambergris; Musk
Size: 2.5 oz
What I Love: Unusual combinations of fruit notes like pineapple and French apples; Works perfectly with Aventus or Aventus for Her
What I Don’t: May not layer well with other perfumes because the DNA of Creed’s fragrances is so complex—they almost have to be worn alone
Review for MC: “Creed’s Aventus For Her is my special-occasion perfume, so I only wear it when I have a special occasion to attend. Thankfully, the oil version smells practically the same, save for a few more musky facets, so I’ve been wearing it practically nonstop since I started testing for this story. It’s not as crisp a scent as the original, but it still smells divine. Plus, the oil dries quickly on my skin, no disgusting residue left behind post-application.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Gucci’s Alchemist Garden collection is one of the most underrated perfume lines on the market. Even more notable is the Ode on Melancholy perfume oil, which is the perfect woody perfume oil to apply and go. Despite its small size, this is one of the strongest-smelling options on this list, thanks to pure notes of woods, cypriol, and sandalwood. If you want to take a break from the ouds in your collection but want something that packs just as much of a punch (or want to deepen your favorite lighter fragrances), this one should be on your radar.
Fragrance Family: Woods
Key Notes: Woods; Cypriol; Sandalwood
Size: .67 fl oz
What I Love: Projects like an eau de parfum; A woody scent that isn’t too masculine; A Chic dabber applicator
What I Don’t: Most expensive option on this list
Customer Review: “Don't let the small size fool you, this perfume oil from Gucci has a serious sillage. The Alchemist Collection is my favorite line of fragrances from Gucci because it marks the brand's foray into Haute Perfumery, which means that each perfume is composed of precious and rare raw materials. Nowhere does this dedication to excellence shine like in this perfume oil, which has three simple notes, but that can be worn all on its own and projects like a beast—an unusual trait for an oil formulation. It's pricy, yes, but a drop or two on each hand was all I needed to smell the perfume on my skin for hours." — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
One day, when I look back on the beauty products that defined the 2020s, Maison Francis Kurkdijian’s Baccarat Rouge 540 will, without a doubt, lead that list. After going viral a few years ago (and continuing that reign), this perfume has been championed by editors, experts, and everyday fragrance connoisseurs alike—it’s that good. Even better? The matching fragrance oil has that same airy, sweet, ambery scent profile that we all know and love, allowing anyone to experience the perfume at a fraction of the price.
Fragrance Family: Amber
Key Notes: Saffron; Jasmine; Amberwood; Ambergris accord
Size: 2.4 fl oz
What I Love: Same packaging as the normal bottle, so buyers can expect a similar luxury unboxing experience; sweet-smelling without leaning into the gourmand category
What I Don’t: Like the original perfume, some people can be nose blind to this scent, so I don't recommend buying blindly
Review for MC: “This scent is viral for a reason, and by extension, so are all its auxiliaries, like this oil. It smells a little like cotton candy, but not in the sickly-sweet, childish way that people have come to associate with gourmand scents, but in a more sophisticated manner. I primarily use the oil to bolster the scent of the eau de parfum because, annoyingly, I am one of those people who go nose blind to it very quickly, but a few sprays of the oil before going in with the perfume has me enjoying my scent bubble just as much as everyone else around me. At this point, I never use one without the other.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Looking at the fragrance notes, I didn’t expect to like this oil. However, all gourmand lovers need to listen up: Cayla Gray’s Summer Skin smells just like cotton candy. The addition of notes like pear blossom, strawberry, and vanilla orchid adds an almost airy, beachy quality to the fragrance, but through and through, I smell cotton candy, and I love it. The best part? This is a clean fragrance brand, and there are two additional formulations in this line, alongside the perfume oil: an “everything spray” for the body, hair, and linens, and a body oil. The combination of all three? Stunning.
Fragrance Family: Fruity Gourmand
Key Notes: Pear blossom; Raspberry flower; Strawberry guava; Pink sugar; Cotton candy
Size: 10 ml
What I Love: One of the only cotton-candy forward fragrances in my collection; Skin scent; Clean beauty brand
What I Don’t: I don’t love a roller ball applicator and would have preferred an atomizer spray
Review for MC: “This is one of the very few perfumes in my collection that has such a strong cotton candy note that isn’t immediately swallowed up by the others in the formula. Instead, it’s like all of the additional notes amplify it, making this a gourmand lover’s dream. Cotton candy is such a hard note to get right, but Cayla Gray has done it marvelously.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
One of my favorite things about using perfume oils is that you can mix them with highlighters or shimmery loose pigments to create a custom body glow product that has your favorite scent. No longer will I have to be a kitchen scientist, because Philosophy’s Amazing Grace body oil is shimmery, not greasy, and fragranced with the brand’s cult-favorite scent Amazing Grace. A beautiful floral musk fragrance, this oil imparts a natural-looking sheen onto the skin, despite the heavy-looking shimmer in the bottle. The result? Healthy, dewy-looking skin that smells like a hug from a loved one.
Fragrance Family: Musk
Key Notes: Bergamot; Lily of the Valley; Musk
Size: 4 fl. oz
What I Love: Wears well with any perfume in my collection; Study glass packaging that doesn’t break easily; Spray applicator makes dispensing the product into my hand more precise; Can be used on the hair
What I Don’t: I typically have to shake this up before using because the oil and shimmer separate
Customer Review: “I love that I am able to spray the oil all over my body. The smell is amazing, and I am loving the shimmer. It left my body looking and feeling moisturized.” — Philosophy
Are Perfume Oils Better Than Perfume?
People often ask whether a perfume oil is better than a traditional atomized eau de parfum, and the answer is entirely a matter of personal preference. I don’t subscribe to that narrative because both formulas serve completely different purposes for me, and the experts agree.
“There is no such thing as better,” principal perfumer at DSM-Firmenich, Nicole Mancini, says. “The main difference between a parfum, an eau de toilette, an eau de cologne, an eau fraîche, and a perfume oil is the concentration of the fragrance.” In short, all of these formulas contain some form of fragrance oil, but varying levels of dilution allow for differences in the types of perfumes available on the market.
Since we know that beauty, and by proxy, fragrance, is never a once-size-fits-all ordeal, people gravitate toward different perfumes based on numerous factors. None are better than the other per se, but one might be better for you.
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
To compile this list of the best perfume oils, I scoured the internet and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market, narrowing this list down to the best eight after initial testing. I also asked the Marie Claire team to share their holy grail picks.
For each perfume oil I tested, I assessed the fragrance's notes, how long it lasted, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Meet The Experts
]]>Unlike traditional formulas—which are often filled with drying alcohols—hair perfumes are formulated to be gentle on strands and can even include added hair benefits, Gil Clavien, DSM-Firmenich perfumer, explains. This means you can find ingredients like "conditioning agents, UV protection, or even antioxidants, for a more holistic haircare meets fragrance experience,” he says.
From first-hand experience, I can vouch that hair perfumes add an edge to your fragrance routine, making your signature scent narrative fully unique. They're a perfect (and unexpected) way to play with layering or curating a scent profile, and the best part is that they oftentimes don't cost as much as their traditional perfume counterparts.
If you’ve been on the hunt for a hair perfume that will elevate your fragrance routine, I’ve tested pretty much every scent on the market. Keep reading for the 12 hair perfumes that are worth your attention.
The Best Hair Perfumes
- The Best Hair Perfume Overall: Matiere Premiere Crystal Saffron Hair Perfume
- The Best Timeless Hair Perfume: Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady Hair Mist
- The Best Musky Hair Perfume: Initio Musk Therapy Hair Perfume
- The Best Floral Hair Perfume: Parfums de Marly Delina Hair Mist
- The Best Beach Hair Perfume: Diptyque Do Son Hair Mist
Crystal Saffron has become my holy grail scent from Matiere Premiere, so of course, the hair perfume had to make this list. Centered around saffron oil from Greece, this fragrance is warm, slightly leathery, and has a soft molecular hint thanks to ambroxan and habanolide musk. I would technically consider this a skin scent—a fragrance designed to smell like a natural extension of your own scent—this version adapts to that intimacy for your hair. It's the perfect unisex fragrance to share with a partner (or not).
Key Notes: Saffron
Size: 2.5 fl. oz
What I Love: Reduced in alcohol content from the original, so it's safer for hair; Simple yet refined scent; Wonderful atomizer for even scent distribution without making hair wet; Smells identical to the eau de parfum
What I Don’t: Can be hard to find in person, so may have to blind buy
Review for MC: “This is another one of those hair perfume options that I love to spray on my body from time to time. Crystal Safrron is my favorite scent from Matiere Premiere, so adding the hair mist to my collection is my equivalent of basically showering in the scent. Yes, I’ve sprayed the eau de parfum and extrait formulas on my body and used the hair perfume all at once. Don’t judge me. I smelled really good.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
I considered renaming this category to 'the most-complimented hair perfume,' because, without a doubt, they pour in whenever I apply this scent to my hair. The cult favorite fragrance, Portrait of a Lady, is reimagined in a hair perfume with its notes that read equal parts floral and woody without veering too much into either category. The notes lean heavily on Turkish rose, balanced by rich, earthy scents of sandalwood, patchouli, and frankincense. The intensity of this perfume is not to be taken lightly, though—just one spritz lingers in my hair from day to night.
Key Notes: Rose; Patchouli; Sandalwood; Frankincense
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Sweet, yet not cloying scent profile; Beast-mode projection
What I Don’t: Some may find the projection to be a bit too much for a hair perfume
Review for MC: “This hair perfume could almost be worn as a stand-alone fragrance with how strong it is. In fact, that’s a hack I recommend to people who may want to try the eau de parfum formula but don’t want to commit to the price tag. The hair perfume offers a similar set of notes and is specifically made for our strands, but that’s never stopped me from spraying this all over my body. It’s that good.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
One of my favorite musk perfumes of all time is the aptly named Musk Therapy from Initio. So you can imagine my excitement when the brand launched it as a hair perfume. It carries the same clean, uplifting scent—thanks to notes like mandarin and bergamot—but it eventually melts into a milky, creamy blend that creates a delightful scent bubble, especially when layered with the matching perfume.
Key Notes: Bergamot; Mandarin; White magnolia; White musk, Rose musk
Size: 1.6 fl. oz
What I Love: Fresh without feeling masculine; Soft milky dry down
What I Don’t: This option doesn’t last as long as others on the list
Review for MC: “The new Musk Therapy hair perfume has become a fast favorite in my collection. It has that same slightly citrusy opening as the original eau de parfum but to me, it gets that iconic musky and slightly lactonic base much quicker, which I love. I’ve been pairing it with the perfume and matching body lotion, and this is what I imagine a cloud smells like—clean, ethereal, and super comforting.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Delina is one of the few floral perfumes I've found that consistently gets compliments across the board, which is why I feel confident calling it the best floral hair perfume on the market. Turkish rose, lychee, vanilla, and musk are just a few of the notes that come together to create this truly spectacular scent. It's light yet impactful, with a soft, velvety base of cashmere wood that leaves just the right hint of warmth on your hair as the day goes on. And if you're someone who loves a fragrance that earns compliments, trust me: you will be stopped multiple times a day and told how amazing you smell. You've been warned.
Key Notes: Turkish rose; Lychee; Rhubarb; Vanilla; Musk; Cashmeran
Size: 2.5 fl. oz
What I Love: Floral without being too photorealistic; Extremely feminine scent
What I Don’t: Atomizer can be a bit wonky and spray extremely large droplets, so make sure to spray an arm's length away from your freshly styled hair
Review for MC: “This hair perfume is the epitome of feminine, so if you’re someone who naturally gravitates toward floral or adjacent scents, this option is for you. The rose note is flanked by others that are fruity and warm, so it doesn’t smell like a fresh-picked flower, but more like a loved one who knows how to layer a rose perfume really well. Soft, sweet, and super comforting.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
One of Diptyque's most popular scents, Do Son, is also available as a hair perfume—and it’s basically what a romantic walk on the beach, bottled. Fresh tuberose mingles with jasmine and a subtle marine accord to create a fragrance that says, “I like you, but I’m not trying too hard.” It’s coy, sexy, and super intriguing—the kind of scent that lingers just enough to keep people curious. One sniff and you’ll keep coming back for more.
Key Notes: Tuberose; Jasmine; Marine accord
Size: 1 fl. oz
What I Love: Airy floral that smells elegant; Great for year-round wear
What I Don’t: Some say it smells a little like chemicals
Review for MC: “Floral lovers, rejoice. This perfume is airy and sweet, with a surprising amount of lasting power. The unexpected marine note adds an intriguing twist to the scent profile. Whether you’re a die-hard Do Son lover or a newbie to the collection, with this hair perfume coming in at less than $100, it’s a wonderful way to try out the popular Diptyque scent without breaking the bank.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
This Gisou hair perfume has gone viral multiple times for a reason. It's infused with the brand's signature honey-floral scent, made with sustainably sourced Mirsalehi honey from Gisou's own bee garden in the Netherlands, and also contains argan oil to give hair a glossy, luxurious shine that lasts all day. The original version (featured here) leans fresh and floral, but it also comes in two other scent iterations: Lavender Berry (a fruity floral) and Wild Rose (a warm floral), so there's an option no matter your vibe.
Key Notes: Apricot; Mandarin; Spring Flowers; Mirsalehi Honey
Size: 1.7 fl. oz
What I Love: Gorgeous packaging; Leaves hair looking healthy and shiny
What I Don’t: Some find that the scent doesn’t last very long
Customer Review: “I love this! It smells so good, kinda like a citrusy scent, which is perfect for summer. I saw it as I was walking out of Sephora and immediately bought it online right away.” — Sephora
I’ve long said this is a hidden gem in the Francis Kurkdijan line, and the hair perfume might be even more underrated. On first spritz, you get a burst of airy, fresh aldehydes (fragrance ingredients that add a soapy, clean-smelling scent) and bright Italian bergamot, followed by soft florals like jasmine, all grounded by a warm base of sandalwood and white musks. The light addition of castor oil adds a touch of moisture to the hair, and the fact that it's housed in the iconic Maison Francis Kurkdjian glass bottle makes it just as luxe on your shelf as it is in your hair.
Key Notes: Aldehydes; Bergamot; Jasmine; White musk
Size: 2.4 fl oz
What I Love: Fresh, almost soapy scent; Chic glass bottle packaging
What I Don’t: One of the more expensive options on this list
Customer Review: “Simple clean skin fragrance notes with a hint of white florals. Perfect to wear anywhere anytime.” — Bloomingdales
A slightly green, powdery rose unfolds alongside soft musk notes in this gorgeous take on Dior's popular Rose Kabuki eau de parfum. The hair perfume comes in a miniature version of the original bottle, distinguished by its frosted glass, unlike the clear glass used for the regular perfumes. A luxurious addition to any fragrance collection, this mist is especially perfect for those who prefer aromatic florals that smell more skin-like and offer longer wear.
Key Notes: Sheer Rose; Musk
Size: 1.35 fl oz
What I Love: Small enough to throw into a purse for easy re-application; Rose note has a transparency to it that almost gives it a dewy feeling, like the flower after it rains
What I Don’t: A part of the private collection, so you can only buy from select retailers
Customer Review: “Second time buying Rose Kabuki hair perfume because I love the scent so much. I always get compliments when I use it in my hair.” — Dior
When I want a slightly lighter hair perfume (and want to indulge in one of my favorite fragrance notes of all time), I reach for Josie Maran’s Vanilla Vibezzz body mist. It’s not an overwhelmingly gourmand scent profile, but the combination of juniper berries and vanilla bean somehow comes across as creamy, yet a little citrus-like in my hair. I usually reach for it when I'm wearing a vanilla-based perfume, so the combination becomes nothing short of delicious.
Key Notes: Vanilla; Juniper Berries; Cedarwood
Size: 3.3 fl. oz
What I Love: Warm, spicy scent but not headache-inducing; Fragrance comes from natural ingredients
What I Don’t: Some people find the woody notes to overpower the others
Customer Review: “This product smells like heaven! It smells just like warm vanilla. This perfume is like a milky consistency, but it does not stain clothes. I also love that the packaging is cute too!” — Sephora
I’ve found that I don’t typically gravitate toward classic citrus scents, but this hair perfume from Byredo is what I like to call the best citrus-adjacent hair perfume on the market. Bright notes like lemon, bergamot, and neroli open things up, but they're softened by florals like violet and jasmine at the heart. The real magic happens in the dry down, where black amber, musk, vetiver, and Moroccan cedarwood come together to create a scent that smells like a well-traveled woman who somehow knows everyone, everywhere. Can I manifest my future using a hair perfume? I'm certainly trying.
Key Notes: Bergamot; Lemon; African marigold; Black amber; Musk
Size: 2.5 fl oz
What I Love: Feels like an easy introduction into the popular niche fragrance house; Elegant atomizer experience that provides uniform fragrance droplets
What I Don’t: One of the more popular Byredo scents, so it doesn’t feel like a curated signature find
Customer Review: “Well, had a little splurge on this, as the body lotion was out of stock and I do like to layer up whichever scent I’m wearing. Bal d’Afrique is one of my favorites. This hair spritz delivers the scent well and adds another layer that lingers in the air or should that be hair around you. Always asked what perfume I’m wearing when I use this and complimented on it.” — Bloomingdales
If you’ve been on fragrance TikTok, you’ve likely come across Super Milk, Lush’s viral leave-in conditioner. Well, the product was so popular that the brand brought it back in a glitter spray that can be used for the hair and body. The shimmer is subtle, so it’s safe for regular wear, but more importantly, the scent is divine. Think lemon cookies dipped in a vanilla drizzle that just gets sweeter as the day goes on.
Key Notes: Benzoin; Vanilla; Citrus Notes
Size: 8.4 fl oz
What I Love: Huge amount of product per bottle; Scent wears gorgeously throughout the day
What I Don’t: Have to wash your hair regularly, otherwise the glitter will build up
Customer Review: “I came across this spray at random. It was one of the last few left, and after smelling it, I just knew immediately that I needed it. I bought it with no hesitation, and I do not regret it at all. It smells delicious and nostalgic, like a bowl of Fruit Loops, honestly. I hope this product is here to stay!” — Lush
You know that chic body care brand that all the pilates girls are obsessed with? That’s Salt & Stone. Known mostly for its elevated deodorants, the brand also makes fragrance mists for the hair and body, and this one in Saffron and Cedar is easily my favorite. Warm, woody, and subtly spicy, the saffron and cedarwood combo smells like quiet luxury in a bottle. It's also infused with glycerin and red algae to keep your hair and skin feeling soft, hydrated, and never sticky. I want my entire life—not just my hair—to smell just like this.
Key Notes: Saffron; Jasmine; Cedarwood
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Wonderful everyday option; Includes skincare- and hair-friendly ingredients
What I Don’t: Narrow spray nozzle makes me have to spray a ton to feel like the scent is evenly distributed
Customer Review: “I love this fragrance mist. The scent is very subtle and comforting, and not overbearing. I like that it feels good on my skin and the scent lasts a good while.” — Sephora
Are Hair Perfumes Good for Hair?
They might smell like a luxury, but hair perfumes can actually be an extension of your fragrance routine or even double as haircare—if you choose the right one. “Hair perfumes go beyond scent,” Clavien says. “They can hydrate, smooth, add shine, and even protect hair from UV rays or pollution.” Some formulas even double as lightweight leave-in treatments while enhancing the overall fragrance experience (much like the Lush spray).
That said, not all hair perfumes are created equal. “Look for low or alcohol-free formulas to help prevent dryness,” Clavien adds. That's why you can't just put a regular perfume meant for your skin in your hair—traditional fragrances are alcohol-heavy, and these can strip moisture from your strands over time, especially if used regularly. A gentler formula will still give you a lasting scent without compromising the health of your hair. Clavien recommends looking for nourishing ingredients like aloe vera or silk proteins to give your hair an added boost.
Do Hair Perfumes Last?
Hair perfumes are lighter than traditional eau de parfums—you know, the classic fragrances you apply to your skin—but that doesn't mean they disappear instantly, especially if you apply them correctly. “Spray from a slight distance on the mid-lengths and ends,” says Amélie Huynh, chief executive officer of D'Orsay. “Avoid your roots and don’t rub it in. Let the scent sit and blend with your hair’s natural movement as the day goes on.”
To get the most out of your hair perfume, apply it as the final step in your routine onto clean, dry, and freshly styled hair. The natural movement of your hair will help diffuse the scent throughout the day.
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
To compile this list of the best hair perfumes, I scoured the internet and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market, then tested over 25 to narrow this list down to the best 12. I also asked the Marie Claire team to share their holy grail picks.
For each hair perfume I tested, I assessed the fragrance's notes, how long it lasted, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Meet the Experts
]]>The Anniversary Sale began on July 12 and runs through August 3, so that’s about three weeks to shop online (and in person!) as many times as my heart desires. Brands included in the massive sale range from Le Labo to Christian Louboutin and Carolina Herrera—in short, every line I recommend to my friends.
Still, I wouldn’t wait to buy the items at the top of my wishlist, because, just like they did last year, many will likely sell out before the sale concludes. But don't fret just yet. Ahead, I’ve curated the best fragrances on sale during the Nordstrom event. From classic editor-recommended favorites (hello, Diptyque) to a few summer scents you may not yet know about, keep reading for the fragrances worth picking up while the discounts last.
The Best Fragrances at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale
Le Labo’s Another 13 is one of the best perfumes in the brand’s entire lineup. Aldehydic and extremely musky, this perfume is the perfect unisex scent for anyone who wants to smell like the epitome of the word "clean."
This perfume will always have a special place in my heart because it’s one my husband wore often on our mini honeymoon. It's sweet, boozy, and a little bit spicy, thanks to a delicious combination of tobacco, vanilla, rum, and cinnamon. This set includes a full-sized and travel-sized version of the scent, as well as a mini bottle of Narcotic Delight.
This is one of the most underrated perfumes of all time. An updated version of Kiehl’s original Musk, this version is slightly more citrus-forward, thanks to notes like bergamot nectar and orange blossom. Still, it carries that same skin-like dry down due to tonka bean, white patchouli, and you guessed it, musk.
Orphéon is hands-down one of Diptyque's most popular scents, so, of course, the brand came out with a fragrance set for this sale. It includes a one-ounce bottle of the eau de parfum as well as a 6.8-ounce bottle of the hand and body wash.
This luxe-looking set from Christian Louboutin includes three mini versions of the brand's heady perfumes.
Another sleeper hit has to be Dark Rum from Malin+Goetz. Bergamot, anise, rum, vanilla, and milk are only a few of the notes you find in this intoxicating combination that is perfect for year-round wear.
While Jo Malone is one of the more popular brands on sale during this event, I rarely hear anyone discuss the brand’s cologne formulas. They are the options from the brand that have the highest concentration of fragrance oils in the formula. This set includes five miniature versions in popular scents, such as Myrrh and Tonka, as well as Scarlet Poppy, among others.
As a house, Kilian rarely, if ever, makes a bad perfume, which is why I think this discovery set is a no-brainer pick up. It features some of my favorite scents from the brand, including Love, Don’t Be Shy, Good Girl Gone Bad, and Angel’s Share—scents that I rave about to friends and family regularly.
Carolina Herrera's iconic Good Girl fragrance is now available in this savvy little gift set. It includes one full-size and one travel-size version of the floral scent, perfectly housed in this heel-shaped bottle.
I don’t believe that fragrance has a gender, and as such, I can readily admit that I love the One Million Elixir line from Paco Rabanne. The woody, aromatic scent features notes like apple, cedarwood, and vanilla absolute, allowing it to perfectly straddle the line between feminine and masculine.
If you've wanted to try Le Labo's cult-favorite Santal 33 perfume but don't want to invest in a big bottle, consider this Nordstrom exclusive size.
Fashion E-Commerce Editor Julia Marzovilla can attest to Mojave Ghost's unisex appeal: both she and her husband wear it. It's complete with notes of ambrette, violet, sandalwood, and cedarwood.
Nothing screams summer like notes of honeysuckle. This perfume from Aerin combines its namesake scent with bright grapefruit and gardenia for a balanced, easy scent you can wear all season long.
This under-$50 body mist from Ellis Brooklyn proves why the formula is so trendy right now. Rich with notes of sandalwood, jasmine, and sweet coconut milk, it's basically summer in a bottle.
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
]]>It’s the hair brand’s first foray in the fragrance world (although I swear their Sunsetter Hairspray has one of the most delicious smells in the world), so a body mist that can be used to add a sensory escape to hair versus a true eau de parfum makes sense (pun intended). But from a fragrance perspective, I actually prefer my citrus notes to come in shorter spurts. The notes stay fresher and more concentrated, and thanks to an affordable price point, I never feel guilty for the extra spritzes throughout the day.
My very candid thoughts on the latest body mist to hit shelves, ahead.
The Formula
Buying a hair mist developed by a hair brand as opposed to a fragrance brand means one thing: it’s not going to dry out your hair—it’s going to hydrate it. That’s exactly what this hair mist promises to do. As for the scent? It’s heavy on the peach and reminds of the first whiff of a blended citrus icy (but make it chic).
Cactus Water: A fun fact I learned last year is that hair perfume is intentionally diluted because the alcohol content in a regular fragrance can not only dry out your hair, but also irritate your scalp. That’s not the case here. In fact, Dae went so far as to include cactus water in order to give hair a dose of hydration. Bonus: it’s safe for color-treated hair, so you don’t have to worry about any weird oxidation to your color.
Wild Desert Peach: This is easily the most prominent note in the bunch. While a peach note can quickly lean juvenile, this version smells more like a fresh peach plucked from a tree in a garden somewhere in Capri.
Desert Lime: You may catch a hint of lime if you have a strong sense of smell, but the inclusion is more practical. Desert lime helps soften and nourish the skin, which means spritzing on repeat is actually a good thing.
Warm Vanilla: As a gourmand girl through and through, I love seeing vanilla included in any fragrance. And given that the peach is so strong in this fragrance, it’s particularly appreciated as a grounding and balancing addition.
The Application
There’s no right way to apply a body mist—you do you. However, my personal preference is to apply one spray to my hair and then spray the air with three additional sprays, followed by a walk-through. That way, the juice lands lightly on my clothes (fragrance on fabric lasts longer than skin).
The Wear
I’ll be honest: this is a potent body mist. I don’t recommend overdoing it unless you want people to smell you coming a mile away. One to two sprays is plenty. I actually found that it lasts longer than most body mist competitors; I still smell it on myself five hours in. I like an added spritz before dinner, but that’s genuinely all I need.
The Takeaway
Let me abundantly clear: this is a body mist for citrus lovers—and not really anyone else. It’s a powerful scent that smells like a tropical smoothie, lasts on the skin, and has a very predominant peach-forward scent. That being said! I’m very into it and have never received more compliments on how my hair smells. Seriously: I had one person stop me while waiting in line at the pharmacy, another in the grocery store, two at work, and someone on the subway.
It also layers beautifully. I prefer it on its own during the day, but when night falls, I enjoy a gourmand eau de parfum on top for an added touch of sophistication. It probably won’t be my everyday scent (I’m a vanilla loyalist), but it’s 100 percent my go-to summer spray.
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
]]>The once-a-year, long-anticipated event kicks off on July 12 and runs through August 3. Because hot items sell out quickly, it’s essential to shop with a strategy. I personally set my sights squarely on fragrance sets. With bundles, duos, and starter kits from brands like Tom Ford, Gucci, Byredo, Parfums de Marley, so many more, I’m able to add dozens of scents to my collection while saving hundreds (honestly, maybe even thousands) of dollars.
Whether you’re on the hunt for a floral fragrance, a woody one, unisex options, or unexpectedly powerful body mists, there’s an eau de parfum for you. Shop my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale picks, below.
Shop Fragrance Sets
I like to bring a little Mojave Ghost action with me wherever my travels take me. While the big eau de parfum stays parked in my apartment, the roller oil is ideal for tossing in my carry on and the hand cream stays safely tucked in my bag. It's a woody-meets-fresh scent that reminds me of the end of summer.
Opposite attract—especially when it comes to perfume. Take this duo, for example: Oud Wood is a moody, masculine, brooding scent that's incredibly grounding, while Neroli Portofino is a fresh, bright, and flirty fragrance that transports me to the Mediterranean countryside.
Hear me out: this is the best deal on the list. Some of these fragrances—including my personal favorite Baccarat Rouge 540—retail for $400+ on their own. To scoop up eight different scents from the renowned Francis Kurkdjian? It's a huge win.
Jo Malone is a favorite of both Meghan Markle and Sophia Richie (in fact, her go-to English Pear scent is included in this set), so you know your nose is in for a treat. I love to keep this particular kit on-hand for any gift-giving needs—it's always a hit.
Parfums de Marley is an if-you-know-you-know luxury fragrance house. Valaya is the brand's newest launch (and my personal favorite). It's light and fresh, but with a sweet twist—almost if fresh laundry and a bakery had a baby.
An Emma Watson-approved fragrance, Prada's Paradoxe is a luxury fragrance staple. Already a fan? Now is your time to scoop up a travel spray and the matching hand cream. I know this is a gift set, but treat yourself, right?
Viktor & Rolf makes so many nice fragrances, but Flowerbomb will always be number one. It's warm, luxe, and classically floral. Plus, with two travel-friendly bottles, you can keep one in your carry-on and one at the office.
Vanilla bourbon and Italian bergamot add an unexpected, edgy twist to this jasmine-heavy scent. I personally like to layer this with a citrus fragrance (or anything from the Jo Malone kit) to add a bit more spice. Layering with this guy is a recipe for compliments.
Beyoncé herself wears Angel's Share—so getting your hands on this quad (for almost $100 off) isn't just a want, but a need. Bonus: the intricately designed white case is impeccably chic.
Aventus is my favorite of the trio, with a mix of sweet peach, green apple, and berries. It's like a fruit smoothie bottled up.
Sexy little scents, at your service. Good Girl is the ultimate date night scent, with a feminine, floral profile flanked by hints of vanilla. Just be prepared for a powdery finish.
My favorite trick for longer-lasting fragrance? Lather up in scented body lotion before spritzing. When my lotion and perfume both come with the L'eau de Parfum scent, it's even more powerful.
If you love Mojave Ghost but want to try other, similar scents from Byredo, try this duo that contains the former and Gypsy Water from the range.
This duo contains one of our top new scents of the year from Parfums de Marly, Valaya. The TikTok-viral fragrance contains a mix of notes like mandarin and bergamot for a sexy summer perfume option.
This Meghan Markle-approved sale find is a woodsy, unisex option that's great for everyday.
I know this isn't technically a fragrance set, but I added this Diptyque candle trio to my cart as soon as I saw it—there's nothing nicer than lighting a luxe candle after a long day.
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]]>It’s also helpful that several of my all-time favorite brands are included in the sale, whether I’m looking for fresh (and delightfully supersized) bottles of my go-to shampoo and conditioner for wavy hair, the summer fragrance that helps me survive the sweltering train platform to and from work, or the cream blush stick I, and pretty much every celebrity attending Couture Fashion Week in Paris right now, wear on repeat.
Curious what skincare, hair care, makeup, and more is catching my (extremely picky) beauty director eye at the moment? Here’s everything I’m scooping up at the 2025 Nordstrom sale from now until it ends on August 3.
Skincare Staples
The summer heat is doing a number on my complexion, so a few extra hydrating and exfoliating products are an essential addition to my daily routine.
Nothing erases dark spots from my fair skin as fast as this cult-favorite peel pad system. Don’t forget to load up on the SPF if you use this, as the acids will make your skin more sensitive to the sun’s rays.
The cleansing balm to end all cleansing balms, leftover sunscreen, dirt, and sweat stand no chance against this nourishing formula during the summer.
Healthy Hair Must-Haves
My hair is rib-grazing, textured, and highlighted, so it’s extremely high-maintenance. I love using sale season as a time to pick up the nourishing and protective formulas and tools that help my mane look its best.
I love to add a few well-defined S-waves around my face with a flat iron and this styler is my current go-to. It’s so easy to maneuver and the high-gloss coating on the ceramic plates leaves my hair with such a gorgeous sheen.
My love for this brand is endless, and you only need to use it once to understand why. This shampoo, and corresponding conditioner, not only have the most delicious scent imaginable, but it helps to soft define my waves, smooth frizz, and nourish my parched strands with every wash.
Lightweight Makeup For The Win
I can’t bear the idea of wearing heavy, pore-clogging makeup in the summer, so my product staples are all about breathability and sheer textures.
There is nothing sexier than a glossy, high-shine lip this time of year. This two-pack deal has the silkiest texture with a ton of added hydration for your lips.
My go-to trick to look put together when I’m sweating my face off is to add a little shimmer to my eyes. Swipe these cult-favorite eyeshadow sticks over the lid and blend with your fingers for an easy, otherworldly glow.
Sensual Summer Scents
I want to feel fresh and sultry during this time of year, so I’m taking advantage of the sale to update my fragrance collection with a few new perfumes.
Behold, one of the best summer fragrances of all time. Salty, sun-soaked, aquatic—you’ve got all of the dreamiest seasonal notes to capture the essence of a day at the beach.
I fly through this fragrance every summer. The woody, mineral notes are so gorgeous on the skin, especially as it heats up throughout the day. Prepare for compliments with this one.
All About The Body
Obviously, you’re going to show a little more skin this time of year, so it’s the ideal time to pick up some goodies to extend your skincare from head to toe.
Keratosis pilaris (aka bumpy chicken skin) is the bane of my existence. When my arms are out day after day in my favorite summer dresses, I turn to this glycolic acid-rich scrub to kick my treatment into overdrive. Smooth skin is just a few showers away.
Even though I’m sweaty and gross during the summer, my skin still tends to dry out with the extra sun exposure. This hydrating body serum is the perfect product to apply when I’m fresh out of the shower, and it amplifies moisture for the entire day.
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]]>To be clear: there’s no conclusive science proving that pheromone perfumes actually attract people. But that hasn’t stopped the category from thriving, especially on TikTok, where the term “pheromone perfume” is often used to describe scents that wear close to the skin, enhance your natural aroma, and lean more intimate than overpowering. Instead of getting hung up on the label, consider what makes you feel confident, because that’s what truly resonates. Or as Flower Shop Perfumes Co. founder Lillian Shalom put it, your signature scent is “its own kind of pheromone.”
Below, you’ll find 11 of the most talked-about "pheromone" perfumes of 2025. Each scent breakdown includes its fragrance family to help guide your search, along with fragrance notes and a quick-yet-thorough review to help you find the one. Because at the end of the day, the best pheromone perfume is the one that makes you feel like your most magnetic self.
The Best Pheromone Perfumes
- Best Pheromone Perfume Overall: CLEAN RESERVE Skin Eau De Parfum
- Best Pheromone Perfume on Amazon: Pure Instinct Roll-On Pheromone Perfume
- Best Peppery Pheromone Perfume: Glossier You Eau De Parfum
This fragrance isn’t exactly new to praise (it even landed a “best of” title in my recent salty perfume roundup). It’s a textbook example of what people mean when they say "pheromone" perfume, not because it contains pheromone-mimicking ingredients (it doesn’t), but because it perfects that skin-like scent profile. With soft musk and subtle sweetness, it wears like your natural skin smell but better.
Fragrance Family: Warm & Spicy
Key Notes: Fresh Musk; Copaiba Oil; Salted Praline
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Perfect for everyday-wear; Ideal for layering; Light and versatile enough for year-round use
What I Don't: Too subtle for those who prefer a bold scent
Review for MC: "When I wear this perfume, it doesn’t announce itself the moment I walk into a room, and that’s exactly the point. It sits close, barely there, but just enough to make me catch myself sniffing my wrist, like, 10 times a day. (no shame). I’m obsessed for a dozen reasons, but the dry-down is my favorite. On my skin, it turns sweet, salty, warm, and just a little powdery in the softest, most addicting way." — Marisa Petrarca, Contributing Beauty Writer
This roll-on perfume isn’t new (it’s been making the rounds for more than two decades), but it recently had a full-blown renaissance on TikTok, where users rave about the compliments it earns from strangers and significant others alike. Yes, it contains synthetic “pheromone-like” compounds, but don’t overthink the science — it’s mostly a marketing play (and clearly a successful one). The real draw is its cozy, slightly sweet fruity-floral scent that’s soft, approachable, and easy to love.
Fragrance Family: Warm & Spicy
Key Notes: Mango, Mandarin; Honey; Cinnamon; White Musk
Size: 1 fl oz
What I Love: Travel-friendly; Most affordable option on my list; Long-lasting
What I Don't: Only available in roll-on format
Review for MC: "My TikTok algorithm has been begging me to try this roll-on oil for what feels like forever, so I finally caved and ordered it on Amazon. I swiped it on my neck right before my husband got home from work—and I swear I’m not making this up—he immediately asked what I was wearing and told me I smelled amazing. I’m a fan, too. IMO, the scent is like a more sophisticated take on a candy fragrance: warm, inviting, and just sensual enough." — Marisa Petrarca, Contributing Beauty Writer
Since launching in 2014, Glossier has built its identity around a “you, but better” philosophy, and its debut fragrance is no exception. Glossier You, which launched in 2017, skips the traditional punchy top notes for a lean yet intention lineup of base notes that evolve based on factors such as your pH and natural oils. (Science!) While it smells slightly different on everyone, what stands out—according to me and many reviewers—is its peppery warmth and bright, clean finish.
Fragrance Family: Warm & Spicy
Key Notes: Ambrette; Musk; Amber; Iris Root; Pink Pepper
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Also available in a full-size (3.4 fl oz) and a travel-friendly mini; Smells slightly different on everyone; Vegan
What I Don't: Some find the scent a bit overpowering, so it’s worth testing a sample before committing to the full bottle
Review for MC: "Last year at a bachelorette party, a friend of a friend—who casually mentioned she doesn’t usually care about beauty products—told me she was absolutely, positively obsessed with Glossier You. As a beauty editor, I was mildly embarrassed to admit I’d never tried it. Naturally, I Amazon-Primed it the next morning. The moment I sprayed it, I realized I’d been smelling it on other people for years without knowing what it was. On me, it’s sharp, peppery, and clean—something I reach for when I want to feel extra put-together. It gives me confident energy." — Marisa Petrarca, Contributing Beauty Writer
This pheromone perfume is anything but traditional. Unlike most perfumes that build a scent story with layers of notes, this one relies on just a single synthetic molecule: Iso E Super, a favorite in so-called “pheromone” perfumes thanks to its personalized subtlety. It smells a little different on everyone, but usually leans soft, woody, velvety, and slightly ambery. It’s earned its pheromone reputation because, more often than not, other people notice it more than you do. The result is a quietly sexy, second-skin effect.
Fragrance Family: Woody
Key Notes: Iso E Super
Size: 3.5 fl oz
What I Love: Unisex; Great layering scent; Celeb-loved
What I Don't: Some people can barely smell it on themselves
Customer Review: "This has been my signature scent for so long, and I will continue to repurchase it. My mum and I both wear it. I always get lots of compliments when I wear it. It’s so clean, fresh, and addictive. I have tried the body range to layer and increase projection longevity, which works really well." — Nordstrom
I know—the name I Don’t Know What sounds like a bit of a head-scratcher, but it’s really just the less-romantic English take on "je ne sais quoi." And honestly, that tracks. The scent has that ca’t-quite-pin-it allure. It’s airy and in the same minimalist fragrance family as Escentric Molecules’ Molecule 01, but more complex. Like Molecule 01, it relies on Iso E Super but adds a bright note of bergamot at the top and dries down to a warm, musky base.
Fragrance Family: Woody
Key Notes: Bergamot Essence; Iso E Super; Vetiver Acetate; Sandalwood; Ambrox Super
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Projects well; D.S. & Durga offers body lotions, soaps, hair products, and more in the same scent family
What I Don't: Calling it a fragrance enhancer feels a little misleading—it stands perfectly well on its own as an everyday perfume
Customer Review: "I got a small size of this in the 2024 advent calendar, and at first, I didn't think much of it. It is a very light fragrance, super dry and woody; definitely not unpleasant, but not anything special either. However, its staying power is phenomenal, and I feel it really develops and warms up over time, giving a subtle but rich and complex scent that is very personal. It also mixes well with other perfumes, giving them greater depth and staying power. Well worth adding to your fragrance wardrobe, in my opinion!" — Nordstrom
Moodeaux Worthy is rooted in florals, with jasmine and orange blossom leading the charge. Creamy vanilla and soft musk mellow it out, creating a warm, skin-hugging scent that lingers close. It taps into the pheromone perfume trend by blending with your body chemistry while still delivering enough bloom to please floral fragrance fans.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: White Tea, Orange Blossom; Red Rose; Lavender; Dry Musk; Amber; Vanilla Woods
Size: 1.69 fl oz
What I Love: Credo-clean; Brand offers a recycling program for fragrance empties
What I Don't: Lid can be difficult to open
Customer Review: "I really like this scent. It makes me feel confident. It’s a fresh, clean, and creamy floral that blends beautifully with my body chemistry. I’ll definitely order it again." — Credo
Calling all creatives—this might be the scent that speaks your language. Diptyque’s L’Eau Papier wears like a soft sketch on textured paper: delicate white musks mingle with the nutty warmth of sesame, the soft comfort of steamed rice, and grounding notes of mimosa and creamy woods. It’s minimal yet layered and subtle but quietly addictive.
Fragrance Family: Woody
Key Notes: Rice Steam Accord; Sesame; Mimosa; Blonde Woods Accord; White Musks
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Unique notes; Made in France; Chic bottle
What I Don't: The paper note doesn't land for everyone
Customer Review: "I've been looking for a beautiful skin scent for ages and finally found one I love. There's something so warm and comforting about it. Don't be put off by the prominent rice opening; it dries down to a beautiful, musky scent for your skin, but better." — Nordstrom
Juliette Has a Gun isn’t messing around with the name Not a Perfume. It’s called that because, technically, it isn’t one in the traditional sense. The formula includes just one note: Cetalox, a synthetic version of ambergris that’s usually used as a base. The result is a minimalist, skin-hugging scent that’s soft, cozy, and completely safe for work. It’s subtle enough to layer with other fragrances, especially if you want to smooth out something a little too bold.
Fragrance Family: Warm & Spicy
Key Notes: Cetalox (Synthetic Ambergris)
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Hypoallergenic; Features upcycled ingredients; Long-lasting
What I Don't: It’s one-dimensional—what you smell at first spritz is what you get
Review for MC: "This fragrance is light, fresh, and clean. I loved it so much that I bought the large size and will need to restock soon. It is layerable with other scents, but you really don't have to." — Sephora
If you’re on PerfumeTok, chances are you’ve seen at least one video of someone tearing up while describing how this scent reminds them of someone they love—or once did. That’s the entire point. Phlur Missing Person was designed to bottle the feeling of longing, using skin musks, sheer florals, and creamy woods to evoke the comforting presence of a person you miss.
Fragrance Family: Warm & Spicy
Key Notes: Skin Musk, Bergamot Nectar, Blonde Wood
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Clean at Sephora-approved; Went viral on TikTok a few years back; Widely available
What I Don't: Can smell a little too wintery, depending on how your skin oxidizes fragrance
Review for MC: "This fragrance is light, fresh, and clean. I loved it so much that I bought the large size and will need to restock soon. It is layerable with other scents, but you really don't have to." — Sephora
If you're cool with splurging, Le Labo Another 13 is a pheromone perfume so popular, it’s garnered no shortage of poetic reviews on Reddit, TikTok, and Fragrantica alike. My favorite, that I think nails its complexity rather dramatically yet iconically: "It's somehow simultaneously cold and warm, sharp and soft, like a disguised human hiding in a world meant for robots. It smells like metal and also like a baby's head. It smells like cigarettes, mundane life. It's kind of heartbreaking." How’s that for a compelling review? Need I mention you can purchase a sample for $7 if you’re unsure?
Fragrance Family: Woody
Key Notes: Pear, Apple and Citrus; Ambrette; Moss, Iso E Super
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: You can purchase a sample for $7; Also comes in a shower gel and body lotion; It’s from one of the most beloved and iconic fragrance houses around
What I Don't: Most expensive option on my list
Review for MC: "Literally my favorite! Every time I wear it I get so many compliments! It’s like dipping your nose into some fresh clouds & morning dew. You can also use this as a base and layer another fragrance on top. Beautiful & a must have!" — Nordstrom
Riddle’s origin story starts with Chelsea Voge, who created the brand’s signature scent back in 2013 after pivoting from a career in music to pursue her longtime love of scent blending. What began as a personal experiment quickly turned into a word-of-mouth obsession, so much so that she launched an entire fragrance line inspired by it. The now-iconic Original is still the brand’s best-selling scent and the ultimate intro to Riddle. It’s a pheromone-inspired oil made exclusively of warm, skin-hugging base notes of amber and musk.
Fragrance Family: Warm & Spicy
Key Notes: Amber; Musk
Size: 0.67 fl oz
What I Love: Subscribe and save option available on the brand’s website; Optional gift box available at checkout—perfect for gifting
What I Don't: Smallest bottle on my list
Review for MC: "I normally do not wear perfume but my coworker had Original and I LOVED it. I immediately ordered it and am so in love! There is something about the scent that just is calming and comforting and it’s so fresh smelling! I will be ordering more to have a roll on in multiple places!" — Riddle
Does Pheromone Perfume Actually Work?
Yes and no. “Technically, humans don’t have the ability to detect pheromones,” says Lillian Shalom, co-founder of Flower Shop Perfumes Co. "But if a scent makes the wearer feel more confident or attractive, there’s a strong chance others will perceive them that way, too." That said, this effect isn’t exclusive to pheromone-labeled perfumes. It really comes down to how a fragrance interacts with your body chemistry, especially with skin scents, which wear close and feel more personal, often smelling a little different on everyone. Translation: some trial and error is part of the process, but honestly, that’s true of all perfume.
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
Beauty writer Marisa Petrarca brings nearly a decade of expertise to this story and has researched and tested countless perfumes over the years. For this piece, she consulted two fragrance experts for insight and tested specific products alongside other Marie Claire staffers. She evaluated each formula based on longevity, sillage, scent profile, popularity, and overall wearability.
Meet the Experts
]]>Smelling good is central to Jasmine Tookes’s personal aesthetic. From her go-to perfume combinations (a few of which she graciously shared with her million-plus TikTok followers) to the launch of her new scented body oils from her brand, Brunel, no part of her life is untouched by fragrance. And with her recently announced second pregnancy, it appears Tookes is leaning even more into rituals that make her feel grounded and like herself.
So it's only fitting that the model and entrepreneur has teamed up with Downy Unstopables, the scent-boosting laundry brand, to celebrate the launch of its latest line: the Unlimited Collection. It's an unexpected, but smart extension of the supermodel's scent philosophy, one that proves your signature fragrance doesn't have to start (or stop) at the vanity.
The new line is inspired by the craftsmanship of prestige eau de parfums, a detail that immediately resonated with Tookes. “I've been using Downy Unstopables for such a long time, but these new scents have fully become a part of my scent layering routine,” she tells me. “Sensorially, I feel like fragrance can change your mood, so that's what I always try to think about when curating my perfume combinations.” Tookes is such a fragrance lover that she'll build her daily scent wardrobe around the notes in her laundry routine. Her current favorite? Number 09, which blends eucalyptus, pine, and cedarwood—notes she's already drawn to in her personal fragrance collection.
Now available at Walmart, the new Unstopables line includes three luxe-inspired scents: Number 09 (eucalyptus, pine, and cedarwood), Number 26 (rose, honey, and oakmoss), and Number 37 (bergamot, orris, and vetiver). In addition to a highly curated fragrance routine, Tookes has a few other products and practices that make her feel like an It girl. Keep reading to see how the supermodel gets In The Mood.
Grace is strength. It really helps me stay grounded, calm, and confident, no matter how crazy the day might get.
I love lighting a candle and playing my favorite songs to set the vibe, then using some of my favorite products when I actually get into the shower—especially ones that have some sort of aromatherapeutic benefits. I love lavender and eucalyptus-type scents, so when I use them while getting ready, I'm left feeling very invigorated and refreshed. Plus it’s just such a great start to a very positive and uplifted day.
I switch between 24 Faubourg from Hermés and Le Labo’s Bergamote 22.
My LED mask. My husband will walk into the room when I'm using it and be completely bewildered. He literally told me that I looked like I was going to space once. I feel like it makes my skin so luminous and glowy, and it's so easy to do. I put it on for around eight to 15 minutes a day, and I have found so many great benefits from that practice.
Always something super bronzy and soft, paired with glowy, beautiful skin. I try to keep it pretty natural with a light flush on the cheeks and a subtle lip liner too. Brown shades are always my go-to.
My favorite hairstyle is a slicked-back bun. I feel like it's the cleanest and also a powerful hairstyle. It allows you to really show off your beauty and your skin.
I’m such a nude girl. My nails are always nude. My manicurist actually customizes the shade right in front of me at every appointment. Around two years ago, I used this shade from Madame Glam called XOXO, which is another great neutral option.
I always do the full routine no matter how tired I am. I feel like in the moment you might not want to do it, but waking up the next morning, I'm always very happy that I did.
Learning and gaining more knowledge. Also, I feel like as I age, I develop so much more confidence. So, growing more in that arena and being able to teach all the things that I've learned to my daughter.
Hydration. I feel like I can always tell the difference in my skin overall if I haven't been drinking enough water.
Shop Jasmine's Beauty Routine
Personally, June was a major month of discovering new perfumes. There was a release for every one of my favorite fragrance families. Phlur's new scent, a candied, fruity version of vanilla amply named Vanilla Nectar, became my most-sprayed summer body mist. Then Nette's new release, Lemon Puff, changed my stance on gourmands in the summer with its delightfully sweet citrus blend. Plus, I added another beast mode perfume to my collection with Fugazzi's Orange Cush Extrait.
This month's new beauty products had plenty to get excited about outside the fragrance world, too—just ask the rest of the Marie Claire team. Curious about the other June launches that made their way into our summer beauty routines? Keep scrolling.
"I'm sure you've seen the hype for these new lip liner stains all over TikTok—well, I'm happy to report that the hype is justified. These pen-like liners do not budge in the slightest. I wore the shade Rosewood to work and it didn't come off until I washed my face at night. I love how versatile they are, too. You can use the pen tip to color in your lips (my personal preference) or draw a dramatic or subtle outline—just blend quickly as they dry fast! — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"Phlur perfumes never fail to impress, and the same could be said for its new addition to its body mist lineup, Vanilla Nectar. It reminds me of fruity candy I was obsessed with as a kid. It's fun, sweet, and simply delicious—the perfect summer scent for those with a sweet tooth." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"I refuse to be pale this summer, so I'm on a journey to discovering the best self-tanners. This new launch takes the cake for the most unique formula I've tried. Not a lotion, but not quite a gel, this self-tanner has a jelly-like consistency that applies smoothly and absorbs quickly. I was a bit confused at the purple hue, but it dries down clear and develops into a gorgeous natural-looking medium tan. It also doesn't have a nasty fake tan smell—a major win in my book." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"Glossier detoured from its skin-enhancing perfumes and released body mists, and they are divine. It's a toss-up on which one is my favorite, but if I had to choose, it would be Orange Blossom Neroli. It's a light and refreshing blend of florals that instantly takes me somewhere sunny and fun." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"We're obsessed with Victoria Beckham Beauty here at MC, so I jumped at the chance to try anything new from the brand. Its new shade of Satin Kajal Liner, a waterline-friendly eyeliner, is as stunning as can be. It's a warm brown with subtle orange undertones that would especially pop on those with blue or green eyes." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"Blush is one of my favorite makeup categories, so it takes a lot to wow me nowadays. This launch from Charlotte Tilbury is one of two launches this month that have absolutely floored me. Not only is this formula extremely pigmented (plus there's no white base so every single color works on my skin tone), but the twist-up packaging makes this next-level beginner friendly. Bravo Charlotte!" — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
"This texture is literal whipped butter—heaven! I also cannot believe it's a mineral SPF formula. Rubbing it into the skin takes barely any effort; it just melts seamlessly into a sheer, glowy finish. It makes me wonder why all physical sunscreens can't be this good. Take notes, beauty industry, because a new standard has been set. Get on that waitlist ASAP because this is going to be the SPF of the summer." — Hannah Baxter, Beauty Director
"Now that's temperatures are especially high, my combo skin can't handle any heavy moisturizers. Tatcha came through, though, with exactly what my skin was asking for. This is a lighter, milkier version of the brand's cult-favorite Dewy Skin cream and it's the only moisturizer I'll be using the rest of the summer. It instantly gives me a glow and feels just as moisturizing as my winter creams." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"With my thin, oily hair, I have to use a spritz of dry shampoo every day. My current favorite is Oaui's new-and-improved formula. I don't need a lot to freshen up my hair and revive my roots. Plus, my hair actually smells clean thanks to its fresh and floral scent." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"Frizz and texture often go hand-in-hand, but Alli Webb's new haircare brand is all about embracing that look with healthy, undone hair. I adore this styling cream for lightweight hold and definition in my 2B waves. It delivers that sexy, just-rolled-out-of-bed-next-to-someone-cute vibe, which is, honestly, all my summer hair dreams." — Hannah Baxter, Beauty Director
"My favorite eyeshadow look is sultry, matte, and has a little bit of glitter tapped on for that scattered-sparkle effect. This quad makes achieving my signature eye look a breeze and I only have to pack one product to get four different shimmer options. I'm in love!" — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
"Henry Rose is a fragrance brand that can do no wrong in my eyes. Its latest release is a summery take on its fan-favorite scent, Windows Down. Inspired by the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, it adds sparkling tangerine, lemon, and a smokey, woody base of cypriol wood. It's bright yet grounded, and I feel confident and cool every time I wear it." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"We all know and love Rhode's Glazing Milk, and now you can get that same supple glow with this easy-to-use mist. A couple of sprays leave a glazed finish—like you just walked out of a facial appointment—and it leaves skin feeling more balanced and clarified with every use." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"Nette whipped up the ideal gourmand for summer in Lemon Puff. As the name suggests, it's an olfactory treat filled with light and sweet notes of lemon, almond, and meringue accord. Jasmine sambac and bergamot keep it from being too fluffy and heavy—instead, it's a wonderfully balanced take on sweet citrus. As a gourmand lover, I'm obsessed." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
"My hair is wavy but very fine, so anything that promises to give me a little extra grip and texture piques my interest. James Pecis is a master of perfectly undone hair, and his eco-conscious line just released a texturizing powder that is so easy to apply without going overboard. I love to apply it to my day two hair to boost volume and add a little grip and body. Ditto for day three when I pull it back into a slick-back bun for a little extra hold. Bonus? It also helps to nourish your hair for a silky soft finish." — Hannah Baxter, Beauty Director
"If you haven't yet tried the niche perfume brand Fugazzi, this new extrait perfume is an excellent introduction. It opens up with a mega-dose of sparkling orange juice and is expertly balanced with soft musks and akigalawood. It genuinely lasts all day long, too, which is so impressive for a citrus fragrance." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
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]]>Compared to eau de parfums, body mists have a lower concentration of fragrance oils, which results in a more casual, lighter scent and (typically) a lower price tag. What's more, the lightweight nature of body mists makes them an excellent choice for layering with your perfumes or wearing alone on a sweltering hot day. Essentially, a body mist is a fragrance lover's best friend in the summer, and brands have started to catch on.
Nearly every fragrance brand I know has come out with a body mist this year, and I'm here for it. From Phlur's new sunshine-filled beach scent to Ellis Brooklyn's fruity milkshake mists, all I've been wearing this summer are body sprays, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Whether it's a yummy gourmand or a fruit-scented treat, my favorites, ahead, are sophisticated, luxe, and delectable.
Beach Please
There's nothing like sitting on the beach with a cold drink in hand and a salty breeze in your hair. When you can't jet-set away to a tropical paradise, these body mists filled with sun-soaked florals and fruits are the next best thing.
This scent has received plenty of hype and for good reason—Phlur managed to bottle up the scent of sun-kissed skin, salty air, and a hint of sunscreen in this floral and coconut-forward fragrance.
Imagine you're soaking up the sun on the beach with a daiquiri in hand—this body mist is that carefree feeling all bottled up. If you want to escape from your daily grind, a couple of spritzes of this tropical blend will do the trick.
If you love the smell of tanning oil, but hate the sticky feel of it, this body mist will be right up your alley. It's as nostalgic as can be with notes of banana flower, tiger lily, and Tahitian vanilla.
TikTok girls are obsessed with NOYZ, so naturally, its newly-released body sprays were a major hit. Notes of pink sea salt, coconut water, and marine accord take you on a tropical vacation without having to leave your apartment.
Fruit Forward
Fruity fragrances are having a major moment for summer 2025, and I'm on board. Back in the heyday of body mists, fruit scents were syrupy, candied blends. Nowadays, the fragrance family has gotten a makeover with mature and unique takes on banana, citrus, guava, and more.
Ellis Brooklyn came to play with its line-up of fruity milkshake-inspired body mists. My personal favorite is Lychee Milkshake, a fun and sugary blast of creamy lychee, violeta orchid, and sandalwood.
It will be a guava-girl summer with this mist in your rotation. Aside from its refreshing fruity scent, the best thing about this pick is that it's alcohol-free, meaning it won't dry out your skin, plus you won't have to worry about an increased risk of sunburn.
Josie Maran's body butters are top-notch, so I obviously had to have a body mist version of my favorite scent. Topless Tangerine is a bright, fresh, and juicy burst of citrus that later grows into a yummy orange dreamsicle fragrance.
A piña colada is my favorite vacation drink, and now I can smell just like one. Creamy banana is the star of the show in this tropical blend, while lei flower and sandalwood add the warmth of golden hour.
Sweet Somethings
I'm a gourmand lover through and through, so hot weather doesn't stop me from craving something sweet. However, I do reach for a different kind of sweet scent in the summer. Instead of heavy, cloying scents, I love a lighter, layerable vanilla, pistachio, or even marshmallow mist to play nicely with my other perfumes.
No matter the season, weather, or occasion, you can always catch me spraying this mist. Consider it as a mature vanilla that instantly adds more warmth and a dash of sweetness to any perfume you layer underneath it.
An oldie but a goodie, Sol de Janeiro's Cheirosa 62 will always be that girl of body mists. Its blend of pistachio, salted caramel, and vanilla sounds like a toothache, but instead it's a not-too-sweet scent that will whisk you away to a tropical island.
I'm a firm believer in layering perfumes, and this trendy marshmallow pick is one of my favorite toppers ever. With marshmallow and vanilla orchid, it adds a fun fluffiness to your scent combo, without feeling too heavy or sweet.
Whoever said gourmands don't belong in the summer clearly has never tried this body mist. This pistachio fragrance is sweet and deliciously nutty, yet it still feels light enough to wear during the hottest summer days.
Fresh and Light
Sometimes when the weather is downright hellish (like New York City's heatwave), I don't even want to wear perfume, which is where a fresh-smelling body mist comes in. These fragrances are light, airy, and just add a little bit of oomph to your natural scent.
If you love the smell of freshly cleaned sheets, this Byredo mist is just that. It's just the kind of scent you want to wear after a shower—fresh, light, and squeaky clean.
I've been seeing these new Lake & Skye mists all over TikTok, and I can confidently say they live up to the hype. My favorite of the bunch is this light blend of sparkling grapefruit blossom, clary sage, and bergamot. The yummy salted fig heart note is what makes this mist a stand out in my collection.
If you don't want to splurge on the full-size Jo Malone London perfume, I promise the body mist is just as good. This cult-favorite scent is as fresh as can be with sea salt, sage, and ambrette seeds. If you bottled up salty air on a coastal cliffside, it would be this mist.
Glossier took a detour from its skin-enhancing perfumes and created light, easy-going body mists and I'm happy to report they are seriously good. On extra hot days, I've been reaching for Sandstone, a green, aromatic mix fig leaf, sage, and geranium. Somehow, I feel cooler (both literally and visually) every time I wear it.
Floral Favorites
Floral fragrances are a classic no matter the season. When I want to feel my most feminine self, I reach for one of the scents below. With interesting blends of rose, jasmine, and orange blossom, these body mists will have you feeling like a garden incarnate (and not like a grandmother).
The Saltair body mists are proof that a scent doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg to smell amazing. In Santal Bloom, sundrenched florals and sandalwood make the perfect pairing as this scent wraps you in a warm, floral hug.
If you thought rose perfumes were grandmotherly, think again. Salt & Stone, one of my favorite body care brands, released Rose & Oud and changed my stance on the popular flower forever. It's a darker, earthier take on rose, and I feel instantly grounded anytime I wear it.
Glossier's body mists are so nice, I had to include them twice. To put it simply, Orange Blossom Neroli is my dream summer fragrance—it's light and refreshing with a touch of citrus, while the neroli has me imagining I'm traipsing through an Sicilian orange grove.
A fruity floral scent just feels right in the summer, and this one has been on my mind ever since it was released. The combination of pink grapefruit, mandarin bloom, and jasmine was practically made for dates on hot summer nights.
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
]]>Because salt is a flavor descriptor and not a tangible ingredient, it can’t be measured in a traditional fragrance sense, explains senior perfumer Darryl Do of Delbia Do Fragrances. Instead, brands rely on aquatic, ozonic, and mineral accords to recreate that feeling, so what you’re smelling isn’t salt itself but the impression of it. That’s why, as you’ll see in my upcoming list of the best salty perfumes of 2025, the notes most often used to mimic ocean air or sun-drenched skin include marine and musk accords (which tend to smell briny or skin-like), along with warm solar notes like ylang-ylang and coconut. Ultimately, it’s less about the individual notes and more about the overall effect they create together.
With that in mind, I’ve rounded up 11 of the best salty perfumes of 2025, including editor-loved favorites, internet-famous icons, top-rated cult classics, and a few underrated gems you might not have heard of yet. Remember: the best salty scent for you comes down to personal preference, so don’t skip the breakdown of each fragrance family to help you find your perfect match. Happy spritzing!
The Best Salty Perfumes
- Best Salty Perfume Overall: Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne
- Best Alcohol-Free Salty Perfume: Orabella Salted Muse Parfum
- Best Salty Beach Perfume: Maison Margiela Replica Beach Walk Eau de Toilette
For a salty fragrance that’s a bit earthier and captures the feeling of an actual sea breeze, look to Jo Malone’s beloved Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne (which, FYI, also comes in a hand lotion, diffuser, candle, and more). The scent is light, clean, and quietly addictive, inspired by the rugged British coast. It blends crisp ambrette, mineral-rich sea salt, and earthy sage for a fresh, windswept aroma that smells like you’ve just stepped off the shoreline.
Fragrance Family: Fresh
Key Notes: Ambrette Seed; Sea Salt; Sage; Driftwood
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Available at multiple retailers; Comes in four different sizes; Unisex
What I Don't: Some reviewers note that it fades faster than they'd like
Review for MC: "For a summery, ocean-inspired fragrance, turn to this Jo Malone cologne. With a heart note of sea salt, just a few spritzes of this instantly transports me somewhere seaside, imagining myself taking a long summer walk along the sand while the ocean breeze flows through my hair. It’s earthy yet fresh at the same time, and it’s a total go-to for me all summer long." — Catharine Malzahn, Contributing Beauty Writer
If you want to smell like Bella Hadid, look no further than Salted Muse Parfum from the model’s very own line, Orabella. It’s fresh and beachy at first, thanks to sea salt and pink pepper, then dries down into something warmer and cozier with notes of sandalwood, amber, and olive tree. The result is clean, elevated, and just the right amount of unexpected, like a breezy day by the ocean with a touch of something sexy.
Fragrance Family: Woody
Key Notes: Sea Salt; Pink Pepper; Lavender; Fig
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Fragranced with essential oils; Doubles as a moisturizing perfume oil; Alcohol-free
What I Don't: Need to shake it before every use to active bi-phase formula
Review for MC: "I will never forget when Orebella first launched and founder/icon Bella Hadid described Salted Muse as reminiscent of the feeling you get when you put a sweater on over your swimsuit. That sounded…bad? But then I did that exact thing while on vacation—while wearing Salted Muse—and it all made sense. (Forgive me for not growing up in Malibu. I get it now.) Sea salt is a top note here, which means you get it right off the bat before the essential oil-based fragrance settles into a nice, gentle woody amber base. It’s so comforting and lasts a nice long time—you can even pick up traces after a salty ocean swim." — Sophia Vilensky, Contributing Beauty Writer
Maison Margiela’s Replica fragrance line is known for bottling up familiar scents and nostalgic moments, and Beach Walk delivers exactly that. Inspired by a summer day in Calvi circa 1972, it’s meant to evoke the scent of sun-kissed, salty skin. The scent opens with bright lemon and pink pepper, mellows into creamy coconut and soft florals, and settles into a warm base of musk and cedar.
Fragrance Family: Fresh
Key Notes: Bergamot; Pink Pepper; Ylang-Ylang; Coconut Milk Accord
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Perfect for warm, summery weather; Refillable; Rope-wrapped design adds to its beachy aesthetic
What I Don't: Older bottles don’t come with the refillable option
Review for MC: "I’m so in love with this perfume, I made it part of my wedding day. I gifted travel-size versions to all my bridesmaids and wore it when I walked down the aisle. It strikes the perfect balance of elegant and beachy, blending sweet florals, coconut sunscreen, and a salty sea breeze. Of all the scents I’ve tried in my years as a beauty writer, nothing captures the feeling of a New England summer quite like this." — Marisa Petrarca, Contributing Beauty Writer
It’s in the name! Salt by Ellis Brooklyn isn’t a beachy scent by way of coconut-y sunscreen or fruity notes, but by way of amber that replicates the smell of sun-soaked skin, combined with crisp sea salt and florals that add a soft, breezy warmth. It’s not overtly feminine either; the musky base gives it a clean, skin-like finish that feels unisex. Beauty Director Hannah Baxter also swears by this perfume for a sexy summer date night scent.
Fragrance Family: Fresh
Key Notes: Ylang-Ylang; Tahitian Tiare; Ambergris
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Clean at Sephora-approved; Chic bottle; Vegan and PETA-certified cruelty-free
What I Don't: Meets Sephora’s clean standards, but it’s not 100% natural or certified organic (something some shoppers may not realize)
Customer Review: "This is my favorite perfume I've ever tried. Most perfume doesn't last very long on me, but I can smell this hours after applying. It is such a unique scent, it's really difficult to describe but that's part of what I love about it. It's not overtly masculine or feminine, it just smells clean and like the ocean." — Sephora
This luxury fragrance is the next best thing to a trip to Antibes, and I’m barely exaggerating. Dior’s Eden-Roc is a tribute to Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, the iconic five-star retreat on the French Riviera. One spritz wraps you in fresh, mineral-rich notes inspired by the resort’s saltwater infinity pool, and sunny jasmine, plus citrus trees and pine that line its sun-drenched grounds. It’s maybe even the nudge you need to finally book that Riviera getaway...
Fragrance Family: Fresh
Key Notes: Sea Salt; Citrus; Jasmine; Pine
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Unique scent combination; Refreshing; Inspired by the elegance of the Côte d’Azur
What I Don't: Most expensive perfume on my list
Customer Review: "This fragrance is beautiful and just what I was looking for to wear in the summer months. It has a fresh, clean, understated but very elegant scent profile." — Dior
I’m obsessed with the design of this bottle, which is meant to mirror the sand, sea, and sky. The same goes for its fragrance contents; it opens with a hit of sea salt that instantly pulls you beachside, then melts into a soft, airy vanilla that’s more sun-warmed skin than dessert. It’s minimalist but memorable; perfect if you want something sweet, but not too sweet.
Fragrance Family: Fresh
Key Notes: Sea Salt; Natural Vanilla; Sandalwood
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Artful packaging; Smells like luxe sunscreen in the best way; Many people start with the trial size and end up going for the full bottle
What I Don't: The name “Vanilla Vibes” can be misleading because it leans more aquatic and salty than sweet or dessert-like
Customer Review: "I’m not usually a super big fan of vanilla as it’s quite overpowering and I don’t really prefer to smell like a cupcake. However, this perfume does not give me those same concerns when it comes to the vanilla and I was pleasantly surprised. It is as advertised and has the vanilla but the sea salt notes are able to balance it out and remove a lot of that cloying sweetness smell." — Sephora
If traditional perfumes tend to irritate your skin (or your sinuses), this hypoallergenic pick from Skylar is a breath of fresh, salty air. It’s fresh and unisex, skipping the heavy florals and sugary notes for a breezy blend of sea salt, driftwood, and soft musk. Clean, fresh, and uncomplicated, it’s about as classic as a salty fragrance gets—and it also happens to be the best value on the list.
Fragrance Family: Fresh
Key Notes: Driftwood; Sea Salt; Seaweed
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Fresh and clean scent; Hypoallergenic; 100% recyclable
What I Don't: Need to reapply for it to last all day
Customer Review: "Salt Air as the name suggests is exactly that. The perfect ozonic scent that leaves you longing for those hot summer days at the beach."
It’s no secret Zendaya has great taste, so it makes sense that she’s the face of Lancôme’s Idôle fragrance line. While there are several versions of Idôle, Aura stands out with its salted vanilla base. It’s a warmer twist on the original, blending the same fresh rose and jasmine you know and love, but instead of being crisp and airy, it’s smoother and cozier.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Rose; Jasmine; Salted Vanilla
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Sleek bottle design; Zendaya-approved; Uplifting daytime scent
What I Don't: Some reviewers say the travel-size version may leak
Customer Review: "The creamy, salty vanilla is so addicting and reminds me so much of the beach. It's also not TOO sweet, which I love. The vanilla mixed with the floral is just perfection. It's very long lasting as well!" — Ulta
Multiple shoppers describe this fragrance as having a “your skin but better” effect, meaning it’s soft, subtle, and exactly what most people want in an everyday scent. While its main notes of copaiba essential oil and gourmand salted praline might sound a little intimidating at first glance, thousands of reviewers say they’re anything but. It’s perfectly balanced, understated, and comforting.
Fragrance Family: Floral Musk
Key Notes: Fresh Musk; Copaiba Oil; Salted Praline
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Perfect for everyday-wear; Ideal for layering; Light and versatile enough for year-round use
What I Don't: Too subtle for those who prefer a bold scent
Customer Review: "There is nothing quite like the smell of this; it’s my favorite lounging, casual, I-just-had-an-everything shower-scent. I wish it projected a bit more but I still love how I can smell my clothes or my skin and smell this. It’s like a delicious salted praline with a touch of vanilla. I keep restocking because I can’t find anything like it." — Sephora
Looking for a salty perfume that has you covered (literally) day and night? You can't go wrong with Rabanne's Olympéa, which has a beast-mode sillage and a long-lasting, powdery finish that actually makes it from the office to the restaurant. It’s a powerful, feminine scent that doesn’t smell salty in a beachy way, but more like skin-kissed with salted vanilla and soft florals.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Salted vanilla; Water Jasmine; Ginger Lily; Ambergris & Woods
Size: 2.7 fl oz
What I Love: Suitable for day and night wear; Strong sillage; Feminine
What I Don't: Causes headaches in some wearers
Customer Review: "I’m completely obsessed with the amazing scent of Paco Robanne “Olympea” It’s delicate package is done with great taste. Its sensual scent will hypnotize anyone!" — Rabanne
I came across a Reddit thread dedicated to this perfume and quickly learned it’s a favorite among niche fragrance lovers. It’s reportedly a true-to-life take on saltwater, just as the brand describes it: “Like high tide dried on skin, memories of the waves, sun and shore.”
Fragrance Family: Aquatic
Key Notes: Sea salt; White Flowers; Cedar; Ambergris, Musk
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Sample available for purchase for $5; Cool packaging; Niche and underrated
What I Don't: Not widely available or easy to sample before buying
Customer Review: "Doesn’t smell like a fruity summer scent, nor a sweet summery suntan lotion reminiscent of smells from beach days, but rather, it smells like the sea!" — Reddit
What Is Salty Perfume?
Salty perfume is fragrances inspired by ocean air, coastal minerals, or salty skin, created using carefully blended notes that suggest salt, rather than smell like it outright.
What to Look for in Salty Perfume
- The Type of Saltiness
Salty perfumes fall into a few distinct categories. As you’ve probably noticed in this list, that includes scents inspired by salty skin, ocean air, or fragrances that combine sweet and salty notes for a more unexpected twist.
- Fragrance Family
Fragrance family is another major factor to consider. Salty scents can land in categories like floral, amber, woody, or aquatic, and that dramatically shapes the overall mood. A floral-salty fragrance might feel light and feminine, while an amber-salty blend leans warm and cozy.
- Performance
I did my best to spell out how each perfume wears so you can get a sense of its strength and staying power. Some are subtle and sit close to the skin making them perfect for everyday wear, while others are bolder, with serious sillage and staying power fit for a night out.
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
Beauty writer Marisa Petrarca brings nearly a decade of expertise to this story and has researched and tested countless fragrances over the years. For this piece, she consulted a fragrance expert for expert insight and tested specific products alongside other Marie Claire staffers. She evaluated each formula based on longevity, sillage, scent profile, popularity, and overall wearability.
Meet the Expert
]]>“A beach perfume transports you to vacation mode instantly,” says Kudzi Chikumbu, also known as Sir Candle Man on social media. “They typically feel fresh, clean, breezy, and remind you of the airiness of being near the ocean and sand." Chikumbu adds that they’re aquatic, salty, and so delicious, especially in the summer months.
I happen to be the person that friends and family turn to when they're packing for a sunny vacation. I always recommend scents with notes that aren't cloying or too heavy, and I've found quite a few non-traditional combinations that don't smell like freshly-applied sunscreen. It's a delicate balance, and one I've truly perfected over the years.
So, if you’re looking for a perfume to elevate your summer beauty routine, or even just want to manifest a vacation, allow me to transport you to somewhere sunny and warm, with just a whiff of the right beach scent.
The Best Beach Perfumes
- Best Overall Beach Perfume: Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette
- Best Luxury Beach Scent: Celine Un Été Français Eau de Parfum
- Best Niche Beach Scent: Santa Marie Novella Angeli Di Firenzi Eau de Cologne
- Best Floral Beach Perfume: Parfums de Marly Valaya Exclusif Eau de Parfum
- Best Subtle Beach Perfume: By Rosie Jane Rosie Eau de Parfum
I know this perfume sometimes gets a bit of flak for being "basic," but honestly? I don't care; I'll be wearing it forever. The combination of Sicilian lemon, apple, and cedarwood is mouthwatering in the best way: fresh, fruity, and super clean. A few spritzes on your pulse points and it smells like rinsing off a beach day.
Fragrance Family: Fresh
Key Notes: Sicilian lemon, apple, cedarwood
Size: 1 fl. oz
What I Love: Unisex scent; Cult-classic; Great projection; Eau de toilette formula is lighter, but it is also great for warmer weather
What I Don’t: It has fewer fragrance oils and won't last as long
Review for MC: “I don’t care what anyone says, this perfume will always go triple platinum in my house. It’s a wonderful combination of fresh, fruity, and floral notes, and everything from the shape of the bottle to the way the perfume sits on the skin makes my senses light up. It’s a perfect beach perfume to throw in your bag because it won’t smell unpleasant when mixed with the scent of your sunscreen.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
I wasn’t the most familiar with Celine perfumes until a few weeks ago, when the absolute banger that is Un Été Français was released. From the chic bottle to the fact that it evokes memories of vacations in the South of France, this scent is the rendition of what it feels like to be completely carefree and unencumbered, in a very luxurious bottle.
Fragrance Family: Fresh Citrus
Key Notes: Bergamot, petitgrain, neroli, vanilla
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Super luxurious packaging; Unisex; Can be worn year-round
What I Don’t: Most expensive option on this list
Review for MC: “It’s rare that fresh-smelling perfumes also read creamy and inviting on the skin, but Celine’s Un Été Français manages to do just that. Bergamot, vanilla, and gorse notes (which is a floral note that smells like a combination of a zesty citrus with a hint of coconut and cardamom), somehow combine to make a fragrance that feels like putting your favorite lightly-scented lotion on after the shower—a little aquatic, a little soapy, and super clean.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Have you ever sniffed a perfume and thought, “That is the epitome of the word pretty?” If not, get your nose on this juice from Santa Marie Novella ASAP. It’s light and airy—think peach, blackcurrant, and musk—but it wears longer than you'd expect from something so delicate. Prefer a more niche beach perfume? Add this one to your list.
Fragrance Family: Fruity
Key Notes: Peach, orange, marine notes, vanilla, musk
Size: 3.3 fl. oz
What I Love: Niche fragrance; Whimsical packaging; Long-lasting but not overpowering
What I Don’t: This brand can be hard to track down in person, so you may have to blind buy
Review for MC: “In the world of fragrance, this perfume is like Regina George, leader of The Plastics, if she were actually a nice person. Pretty, feminine, and just a delight to experience, this is a beach perfume for someone who loves to throw on a bikini that matches with their bag, their car, their hair accessories, and well, anything else they can personalize to their liking. A scent for the It Girls, if you will.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Want a floral beach perfume that doesn’t smell like you rolled around in someone’s garden? Say hello to Valaya Exclusif. To me, it's a little creamy, a little sweet—but never cloying, which was a non-negotiable when I began to hunt for a beach-friendly floral scent. Like all Parfums de Marly perfumes, the bottle is absolutely stunning. This version is a twist on the original Valaya, which leans more toward a classic woody floral.
Fragrance Family: Floral Gourmand
Key Notes: Almond, powdery facets, ambroxan, vanilla
Size: 2.5 fl. oz
What I Love: Elegant formula; Clean-smelling without leaning too soapy
What I Don’t: This one may not last as long as others on the list
Review for MC: “ I wasn’t the biggest fan of the original version of Valaya, but the exclusive version takes the cake. Velvety almond, powdery facets, and vanilla add an almost lactonic spin to the DNA of this fragrance, but it doesn’t feel too overpowering, especially on a hot summer day. If, like me, you’ve been trying to find gourmand formulas that also work in the warmer months, add this perfume to your collection.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Do I have a child? No. Does this perfume smell like the top of a baby’s head? Absolutely. Don’t ask me how I know, but this perfume gives me that same deep-sigh-and-smile reaction parents get when they sniff their freshly-washed little ones. All jokes aside, Rosie by Rosie Jane is what I like to call a "skin+" scent—a subtle blend of notes that leave behind a my-skin-but-better vibe. It’s perfect for the beach-goers who want a lighter, more demure scent.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Rose, nude musk, vanilla
Size: 1.7 fl. oz
What I Love: Can be worn year-round and for any occasion; Less than $100
What I Don’t: Some may not be fans of the fact that this is a very light “barely-there” fragrance
Review for MC: “It took me a while to warm up to this perfume, as skin scents were simply not a thing in my universe three years ago. However, I’ve since seen the light and am now obsessed with the category, especially this one from By Rosie Jane. The nude musk in the formula feels like clean, fresh skin and the rose and vanilla round it out to become this delicious hug-in-a-bottle type scent that I don’t think I’ll truly ever get enough of.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Something about warm weather makes me want to smell like a pile of fresh laundry, and this perfume from Escentric Molecules delivers every time. It’s built around just one key ingredient: Iso E Super. This synthetic molecule is famous for its subtle, woody-amber notes that's often described as a "skin scent" because it blends closely with your natural smell. Hot tip: Iso E Super is also a fantastic layering ingredient that adds depth and warmth to other perfumes.
Fragrance Family: Woods
Key Notes: Iso E. Super
Size: 3.4 fl. oz
What I Love: Gender-neutral fragrance; Layers well with any perfume; Signature-scent worthy
What I Don’t: Some people may not be able to smell synthetic molecular notes
Customer Review: “I've been wanting a new perfume for ages, but was unable to find something that ticked my boxes, until now! The smell is light and fresh, yet has an underlying depth that's rich and ever so slightly musky without being overpowering. I absolutely love it! I've had so many compliments since I started wearing it. I'm delighted to have come across this perfume.” — Bloomingdale's
My memories of long beach days are always attached to the smell of sunscreen, because even as a tiny tot, I’ve never been one to play around when it comes to reapplying. Replica by Maison Margiela's Beach Walk smells like SPF in the best way, thanks to a combination of bergamot, heliotrope, and coconut milk. The latter gives it an almost milky quality, which rounds it out and keeps it from smelling too much like a sunscreen.
Fragrance Family: Fresh
Key Notes: Bergamot, heliotrope, coconut milk
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Blends well with the scent of practically any SPF; Light sillage so safe for wear in an office or on a plane
What I Don’t: This is an eau de toilette formula, so it does not last very long on the skin
Customer Review: “This just reminds me of everything beautiful, beach, so summery. Legit summer on the coast in a bottle, reminds me so much of my childhood! They absolutely nailed this with the name. It is addictive and such a beautiful scent.” — Sephora
Want to smell like a fresh citrus fruit basket while you frolic on a beach in Capri? Voluspa’s Neroli Sunbath needs to be on your radar. It’s a new launch from the brand that is famous for its candles and other home fragrances, but it is perfectly timed to be a top contender for your favorite beach perfume. Bergamot, grapefruit, and neroli are just a few of the notes you’ll find in this gorgeous fragrance, and they pair perfectly with a tiny bikini and a mango margarita.
Fragrance Family: Fresh Solar
Key Notes: Bergamot, neroli, orange flower, patchouli, musk
Size: 1.9 fl. oz
What I Love: Chic packaging that doubles as decor; Magnetic cap closure
What I Don’t: Can only buy online as of right now
Customer Review: “Smells like sunshine —crisp, citrusy, warm with the perfect balance of floral fresh. Boosts my mood every time I wear it!”— Voluspa
There’s no way you thought that the Neroli Portofino wasn’t going to make this list, right? This perfume from Tom Ford has been an editor-favorite for years, and for good reason. Not only is the bottle aesthetically pleasing, but the juice inside immediately transports me to an island with clear blue water and lush fruit trees. Italian bergamot, Sicilian lemon are a few of the notes that you’ll encounter once you give this a sniff, and once you do, you’re perfume collection won’t be complete until a bottle is sitting on your shelf. This is escapism in a bottle.
Fragrance Family: Fresh Solar
Key Notes: Mandarin orange, lemon, African orange flower, neroli
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Editor-approved; Unisex; Cult-favorite beauty product
What I Don’t: Some find that this scent doesn’t last very long
Customer Review: “Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino is a crisp, citrusy fragrance that captures the spirit of the Mediterranean. With bright notes of bergamot, neroli, and orange blossom, it’s fresh, clean, and luxurious. Ideal for summer wear, though the staying power is moderate. A refined choice for those who appreciate classic elegance in a bottle.” — Sephora
What Should I Look For In a Beach Perfume?
As with any part of your beauty routine, your preferred beach perfume doesn’t have to follow any arbitrary rule or formula. Still, for those who are just starting to expand their fragrance collections, it’s helpful to break down your search by season or a specific occasion.
“The perfect beach perfume can transport you to a relaxing vacation in seconds,” Chikumbu says. “When narrowing down the search, look for something that's a soft, sweet scent with musk, a solar accord, a touch of citrus, or even an aquatic sea salt note. Marine accords are also often found in many popular beachy scents.”
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How We Tested
To compile this list of the best beach perfumes, I scoured the internet and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market. I also asked the Marie Claire team to share their holy grail picks. For each fragrance I tested, I assessed the fragrance's notes, how long it lasted, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Meet the Expert
]]>The proof: searches for banana perfume have shot up 100 percent in June alone, according to Google Trends and the hashtag #bananaperfume has well over five million views on TikTok. Do we really need another edible perfume trend? I know you’re thinking it—I am too. Between cherry fragrances, marshmallow-infused scents, and edible eau de parfums that are quite literally designed to be tasted (I can’t get on board with this one, FYI), fostering the banana perfume explosion for summer 2025 is attracting some split opinions.
Take Marie Claire’s Beauty Writer Ariel Baker, for example, who feels so strongly anti-banana (even though she’s candidly never tried one) that she doesn’t “ever want to because some ideas should be left in the vault.” Senior Fashion News Editor Halie LeSavage co-signs the sentiment, insisting she will “never, ever wear or eat one” because they’re too “sickly sweet.” They’re right—to a degree.
On its own, a banana is more of a gourmand than a fruit. It has a sugary, syrupy, almost milky hit that you’d imagine would be housed in a Big Time Pop Star Fragrance with a diamond-shaped bottle and synthetic juice. (I can smell Britney Spears’s Curious Eau de Parfum just thinking about it.) “The earliest iterations of banana perfumes often lumped banana in with other tropical notes like coconut, frangipani, mango, pineapple, etc. to create that classic "summer in a bottle" scent—think Bath & Body Works Butterfly Flower or Escada Pacific Paradise,” says Emelia O’Toole, who is more famously known as Professor Perfume.
A handful of the new launches lean into the kitschy, youthful aesthetic—often in the form of body mists. Solar perfumes or fragrances with notes like sandalwood or coconut are a transportation device to the beach or boardwalk. There’s Vacation’s Vacation, which combines banana with pineapple, coconut milk, and sea salt. Or Ellis Brooklyn’s Banana Milkshake, something I’d describe as a piña colada incarnate courtesy of rum, banana ice cream, and tonka bean notes.
But a bunch of banana fragrances (hehe) currently popping on the fragrance scene are new and unexplored instead of nostalgic. “Rather than leaning overtly edible, banana in fine fragrance tends to be more nuanced, capturing not just the sweet pulp but also green, slightly unripe top notes and a creamy, warm base,” says dsm-firmenich perfumer Nicole Mancini. “It’s being reimagined as something modern, fresh and unexpectedly elegant.” Just look to elevated blends like House of Oud’s L’Explicite Eau de Parfum, which combines a note aptly dubbed banana bread with creamy peanut butter and grounding amber and warm spices to provide a nutty finish. Another new favorite, brought to my attention by fragrance expert Olivia VanDerMillin, is Banane au Chocolat by Teddy the Perfumer. “It’s complex and interesting, marrying chocolate and patchouli to create an earthy, bitter chocolate that balances the sweetness from banana,” says Olivia.
The luxury guard gives the impression of a more refined and subtle banana, like the whiff you’d get from a banana tree that's 50 feet away, not all up in your nose. After the reinvention of vanilla perfumes proved to be such a success—the category is expected to be worth 3,216 billion by 2031—perfumers are on the hunt for the Next Big Note. And because “banana couples nicely with both fruitiness and edible notes, it can fall into a variety of categories,” says Olivia, noting that it’s highly possible banana is about to ditch its juvenile stereotype and become the most sought-after scent.
“I'm all for testing outside-the-box combinations in fragrance, so if bananas are the note du jour, I'm eager to see how the perfume community responds to them long-term,” says Beauty Director Hannah Baxter. While the longevity of the banana perfume-aissance remains to be seen, they’re 100 percent a fruity treat for this summer. Despite my initial skepticism (I’m trended-out, can you blame me?), I’m actually very into this creamy little category.
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For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
Meet the Experts
]]>On an unseasonably cold day, I sit with Cultus Artem founder Holly Tupper and her small team of four at a large dining table in the center of the office for a family-style lunch. The industrial space is perfectly styled with antique finds from Tupper’s world travels—she also designs and creates Cultus Artem skincare and one-of-a-kind fine jewelry here. Sun beams through the original 10-foot windows onto the beautiful spread: salmon, gourmet cheeses, warm rolls, and a fresh green salad. No laptops in sight, no phones out save for mine recording our discussion. I assume the relaxed meal is specially prepared for my visit, but quickly learn that this is, in fact, standard operating procedure: make and share meals together, away from screens and Slack messages, a few times a week. Fittingly, the Cultus Artem chemist, Danya Batallas, also makes the salad dressing.
“It’s just olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and mustard,” Batallas tells me. “We joke that it’s kind of like a large-scale manufacturing project because we go through so much. This is the only large-scale product we have in the house.”
Cultus Artem, which can be found at Bergdorf Goodman, is a 10-year-old luxury brand of only eight fragrances and less than one new launch a year. Each is inspired by unusual scents from Tupper’s travels and years living in Southeast Asia—Champaca, for example, is an otherworldly white floral that was inspired after jogging through an old abandoned cemetery in Singapore; Ilex is a “hot citrus-like sunrise” of smoky green tea with animalic jasmine and powdery iris inspired by playing polo. Having trained at The Grasse Institute of Perfumery in France, Tupper is the nose behind her own fragrances, mixing at a small fragrance organ in her studio on the second floor.
“The point of being an artist is not to distribute your artistic vision to somebody else, to interpret it on your behalf,” says Tupper. “It's my vision and the making process is as interesting to me as the creative process."
Throughout a basement and three stories, the building is carved into a laboratory, production facility, creative offices, and invitation-only showroom all under the same roof. As a journalist who has toured the facilities of many beauty companies—the ones you see sold at Sephora and Nordstrom—I can tell you this is not the norm. While fragrance is an emotionally-driven art of the unseen, the production process is technical, tedious, and usually done en masse. The process inside Cultus Artem, where each bottle is hand-poured, packaged, and shipped, is an approach that fits right into the growing trend of slow fragrance and its budding umbrella category slow beauty.
What Is Slow Fragrance?
Slow fragrance started setting off my beauty reporter spidey senses right as fragrance seemed to hit impossible popularity on PerfumeTok and in industry headlines. The brands that embrace the practice speak up about ethical sourcing and a return to the intentional artisanal practices that defined luxury fragrance before the explosion of celebrity beauty brands and viral must-haves on social media. While the emerging term is not yet tightly defined like its predecessor movements slow food and slow fashion, a growing cluster of brands promote a rejection of mass production in favor of thoughtful craftsmanship, even if it means restricted production volume. The viral UK-based brand Ffern, for example, sticks to “traditional, small batch production processes—reducing waste and ensuring we can source the finest natural ingredients in exact quantities,” according to brand literature. They are constantly sold out.
While big designer fragrance houses like L’Oréal and LVMH also lay claim to improving ethical practices—as all the major fragrance houses have sustainability goals listed on their websites—it is rarely a marketing point for the typical shopper (though Mintel reports that 75% of consumers say sustainability influences their purchases). And in regard to reducing quantity of consumption especially, slow fragrance’s minimalism certainly goes against the tide.
The fragrance market today is glutted with new launches with roughly 200-plus fragrances launching every year from mass brands, celebrities, and fashion houses. Fragrance accounted for 15 percent of overall prestige beauty spending in 2024 according to Daash. Last year alone, perfume sales rose 12 percent to $9.5 billion in the US, with luxury fragrance up 43 percent per Circana. So, as fragrance layering and multi-shelf collections become de rigueur on social media, one naturally wonders just how many scents—supposedly so personal and intimate a purchase—are reasonable for one person to own. And if this pendulum is ready to swing in the other direction.
What Is Behind the Slow Fragrance Movement?
“I think there’s a backlash to consumerism,” says Tupper. “What makes more sense is to go back to what luxury used to be, which was luxury that is rare, and less about this big publicly-held company version of what luxury is.”
As romantic as it is, this philosophy also means doing things the hard way. Batallas creates every bottle by hand, working with Tupper in a process that can take years to bring a new scent to market and painstaking hours of complicated safety compliance paperwork. This makes them outliers even in the indie industry, where most small brands outsource formulation, production, and regulatory processes to large contract manufacturers. And while most commercial fragrances rely heavily on synthetics that can be much cheaper, Tupper uses a high percentage of natural ingredients, many sourced from small family-owned farms, she says.
“I once visited one of the largest contract filling companies in the country,” says Tupper, who worked in finance early in her career. “The process they go through just to prime the pumps of their bottling machinery requires huge amounts of undiluted perfume—it would have cost us $300,000 just to prime the pumps before we even had the first bottle. Then it goes into their watershed and then goes where?"
There’s no question that a slower, more considered approach should be a central concern for the fragrance industry.
Emily Cameron, Ffern creative director
Like slow fashion and slow food, an obvious caveat to slow fragrance is indeed the price tag. While your average popular luxury fragrance is around $150 to $200 (or over $300 for the famed Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540), Cultus Artem ranges from $225 to $580. This is mainly because of the cost of natural ingredients. For example, natural orange blossom is about $9,000 a kilo and narcissus is about $30,000 a kilo, Tupper tells me, but instead of using a much cheaper synthetic replacement, which is common practice, she creates an accord with other natural scents to mimic the pricier materials. The final product is certainly not an impulse buy.
Globally, slow fragrance is gaining attention and traction with independent perfumers speaking up about similar slow philosophies in their own unique ways. In Australia, Craig Andrade of The Raconteur—which lists slow fragrance in its brand manifesto—left a successful law career to pursue perfumery after a transformative experience with natural fragrances. A nose for Troy Sivan’s fragrance label, Andrade is also in the process of opening his own sustainable farms of native plants from which he’ll begin to source his materials. Fueguia 1833, which is based in Italy—the birthplace of slow food—produces fragrances in small batches, each numbered like limited-edition art prints. Every aspect of the fragrance creation is done in-house with a strong emphasis on ingredient traceability, explains founder Julian Bedel. “Because we use natural ingredients, every time we produce something, each edition is slightly different.” On occasion, he says, if an ingredient can’t be harvested sustainably, they forgo producing it.
Back in the US, the New York City-based brand Ourside formulates and produces their highly edited library of three scents in small batches in the Bronx. “For us, slow fragrance means creating scents with care, not urgency, and making every launch meaningful,” says founder Keta Burke Williams, whose brand has also been tapped by Bergdorf Goodman.
A darling of the movement, the aforementioned Ffern takes a seasonal approach, releasing just four seasonal limited-edition fragrances a year available only to members on their waitlist. “There’s no question that a slower, more considered approach should be a central concern for the fragrance industry,” says Emily Cameron, Ffern’s creative director. “The amount of waste that perfume and its packaging generates is something we’ve resisted from the beginning.” Ingredient-wise, Cameron says, transparency and sustainability are key—for example, their sandalwood comes from newly cultivated groves in Australia rather than from threatened wild forests in India, she says. And each Ffern scent is delivered in a plain stock bottle with no cap and recyclable cardboard packaging wrapped in compostable cellophane.
What Does the Future Hold for Slow Fragrance?
Naturally, as these niche brands become more coveted, the pressure to produce more follows, but there are signs that consumers will continue to desire more slow fragrance and slow beauty. Andrew McDougall, director of beauty and personal care at market research group Mintel, calls it Think Slow, Move Fast: Less Clutter, More Impact in his 2025 trend predictions. And indie beauty brands like Kindred Black, Fara Homidi, KraveBeauty, Cult of Reason, Ember Wellness, and SpaRitual are beating the drum of slow beauty in skincare and makeup.
Over the lunch table at Cultus Artem, the plates have been cleared and the conversation moves between sustainability, AI in fragrance, chocolate farming, and Tupper’s newest project, her first home fragrance: a refillable porcelain candle vessel handmade and handpainted in Portugal. It’s ornate, delicate, and timeless—seemingly untethered from social media aesthetic trends. “I’ve been working on this for five years,” says Tupper. “I am making things that I want in my life that I truly can't find.”
In an age wherein “instant gratification” is almost too late, when the white noise of constant consumption can blind us from the original reason we clicked “buy” to begin with, there’s something relieving about a pause, a slow down, and an appreciation of the moment. This is especially so for the transportive, meditative art of fragrance—the sense most directly tied to emotion and memory center of our brains. Good things take time. Please ring bell. And wait.
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For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
Meet the Experts
]]>Scroll for any amount of time on TikTok and you’ll likely come across creators raving about these loud, attention-grabbing scents. Only they refer to them by a different name: “beast mode” perfumes. In a video viewed over 800,000 times, fragrance reviewer Mae West shows off her “long-lasting perfumes with beast mode projection.” Scent Takes, a popular fragrance creator, raked in 2.5 million views on a video about her favorite long-lasting fragrances.
The descriptor, coined by Marshawn Lynch, used to be in the vernacular of jocks and finance bros, but clearly it's struck a chord among fragrance-loving women. Just look at the FemFragLab Reddit board, which has several posts dedicated to the topic. One user posted, "What are your most beast mode fragrances?" calling specifically for "long-lasting, great projection" scents. Another popular post asked for "beast mode vanilla fragrance" recommendations. These long-lasting, powerful perfumes are shaping up to be one of the biggest fragrance trends within the scent-obsessed community.
Not just any fragrance can be considered beast mode (dousing yourself in your regular perfume will only make it run out quicker!). "'Beast mode' refers to the projection and strength of a perfume’s sillage (the scent that radiates from the wearer)," explains Sable Yong, a beauty writer and co-host of the Smell Ya Later podcast. These popular scents typically share higher-than-average concentrations of perfume oils and heavy base notes (as for the specific concentrations and base notes, more on that later). You might’ve guessed it with a moniker like “beast mode,” but these fragrances are not for shy olfactory personalities, instead geared toward those who want all eyes on them without having to say a word.
"Basically, it’s a perfume that has a wide and inescapable reach—it makes a scent into a stench," adds Yong.
While potent fragrances aren’t anything new, the events of the last few years (the pandemic ring a bell?) may have something to do with their rise. According to Guerlain perfumer Delphine Jelk, the fragrance trend may have cropped up thanks to the effects of COVID-19. “Some people who got sick and lost the sense of smell, they got depressed, and so they noticed how important this is for your mental health to smell,” she explains. The pandemic subsequently sent consumers on a fragrance-buying frenzy: perfume sales were up 45 percent in the first quarter of 2021 versus the year prior, according to Business Insider. Essentially, consumers wanted to smell, and smell a lot, post-pandemic.
It’s a perfume that has a wide and inescapable reach—it makes a scent into a stench.
Needless to say, the current economic environment is in play, too. Demi Rawling, content creator and co-founder of the fragrance discovery app Sniff, says global tariffs and increased costs of goods may also have customers longing for stronger scents. “People want more bang for their buck,” she says.
Some of the most popular beast mode perfume recommendations may cost upwards of $300 (and in some cases, even $600), but when you only need one spray to smell amazing all day long, you’re getting a much better cost per wear than a perfume that requires multiple sprays or reapplication. "Perfume is an expensive, luxury category, so people want to feel like they’re getting their money’s worth," agrees Yong. "A perfume that can’t be smelled an hour after applying seems like a poor investment."
Rawling also believes that the social media landscape, which she says heavily favors compliments and virality, has contributed to beast mode fragrances taking off. “A lot of people tend to choose fragrances based off of what is going to get complimented. They’re not necessarily choosing a fragrance because it’s something that they really love themselves,” she explains. Beast mode scents are inherently difficult to ignore due to their strength, so you’re more likely to get a compliment from a stranger on the street than when you’re wearing a demure light fragrance.
Finding a beast mode fragrance isn’t as simple as pursuing the Sephora fragrance aisle and looking for a perfume labeled as “long-lasting.” That’s because how long a fragrance lasts and its strength isn’t a cut-and-dry formula. “There are many factors that make a fragrance last longer, for instance, the choice of ingredients, or a perfume’s concentration, but also how it is composed technically,” says Aurélien Guichard, creative perfumer and co-founder of Matière Premiere.
To spot a likely beast mode scent, take a look at its composition. In a nutshell, fragrance is composed of top, middle (or “heart”), and base (or “bottom”) notes. Base notes are where you’ll see a common thread among long-lasting fragrances. “If you want a fragrance to last long, you need to have a lot of bottom notes,” says Jelk. Base notes are heavy molecules, so they'll stay on your skin and clothes for many days. Guichard says to look out for base notes like vanilla, incense, styrax, myrrh, sandalwood, or patchouli. Rawling adds oud, tobacco, musk, and honey to the list. "The more of these earthy, rich base notes in a perfume, the more likely the fragrance is to be long-lasting and have projection," says Yong. Fragrances with a concoction of these base notes, such as the TikTok-viral blend of vanilla, honey, and musk, Giardini di Toscana Bianco Latte, can last on the skin for 12 hours or more.
You'll also likely find a beast mode perfume in a highly concentrated fragrance. A typical perfume will have anywhere from 15 to 20 percent concentration of perfume oils (colognes and eau de toilettes have an even lower concentration, at two to 15 percent). However, a scent labeled as “parfum,” “extrait,” or “absolu” will have a much higher concentration at over 20 percent. Matière Premiere’s eau de parfums, for example, have an average perfume concentration of 20 percent, whereas the brand’s recently launched extrait collection has an average concentration of 30 percent, so you can expect the latter to pack a mightier punch. When you find a fragrance that not only has a high perfume oil concentration but is packed with heavy base notes, you have a beast mode scent on your hands.
If you want to be known as the main attraction, going “beast mode” with your fragrance is the surest way to command attention. To help you find a scent that will announce your arrival, I’m sharing the most nuclear perfumes worth adding to your collection. Many of the below are new beauty launches from over the last year, proving brands have been meeting consumers’ demand for stronger perfumes with higher concentrated formulas.
Vanilla "Beast Mode" Perfumes
The name on every fragrance TikToker's lips, Bianco Latte is a vanilla perfume lover's dream. This confectionary delight of caramel ribbons, syrupy honey, and vanilla sits on a cloud of white musk that lasts for well over eight hours.
Those wanting a more sensual take on YSL's iconic Libre can find it in the Intense version. It features the line's signature orange blossom and lavender, with a warm, sensual vanilla bourbon essence specially crafted for the house.
Aptly named, Followed is designed to leave a trail of admirers lusting after you. Coffee and chocolate provide an energetic burst of fragrance before sweet caramel and vanilla leave you in a warm, comforting embrace.
Vanilla is pushed to its limits in this extract (which boasts a 30 percent concentration). Some reviewers have called this the "holy grail" of vanillas as it's not too sweet, warm, or spicy, striking the perfect balance between all three.
As the name and bottle suggest, you can expect a heady floral explosion of jasmine, rose, and orange blossom from this new, more intense version of Viktor&Rolf's most iconic fragrance. It's grounded by vanilla bean extract for a sweet, ultra-feminine blend.
Sandalwood "Beast Mode" Perfumes
Matière Premiere combines one natural ingredient at its highest dosage with a few carefully chosen complementary notes to create its blends. In Santal Austal Extrait, Guichard added black cardamom absolute Nepal, exclusively developed for the brand, to take the spicy, vibrant intensity of sandalwood to new heights.
Ask any beauty editor, and they'll tell you Amouage Guidance ranks high on their lists of best fragrances of all time. The new extrait version holds a staggering 46 percent fragrance oil concentration, and it shows in its 12-hour wear.
Valaya was already a show-stopping fragrance, but this flanker is even more so with the additional intensity of creamy almond. Warm, powdery notes blend with the floral, woody makeup you know and love, resulting in a blend that's pure sophistication for hours on end.
When I think of "beast mode" fragrances, Kilian Paris is a brand my mind immediately goes to. Its latest release, a raspberry liquor-infused Angel Share flanker, is a two-spray max and one I reserve exclusively for date nights due to its amount of sex appeal.
Honeyed flowers unfurling in the evening heat; drinking lychee juice out of a wooden cup; walking on a beach under moonlight—these are the settings this ethereal fruity fragrance evokes. A hinoki and sandalwood base keeps this scent grounded and from crossing over into sickly sweet territory.
Amber 'Beast Mode' Perfumes
Commodity fragrances allow you to pick and choose how strong you want your scent to project. With its Bold line, scents are designed to be noticed. Toasted marshmallows over an open fire paint the warm, woodsy portrait that is Milk+ Bold.
Often imitated but never duped, this scent has fragrance reviewers gripped, despite its high price point. The mix of amber, dried fruit, tobacco, and wood notes is majestic enough that I wouldn't be surprised to hear real-life royals are fans.
To celebrate Gabrielle Chanel's astrology sign, Leo, Chanel created a fragrance that fully embodies the spirit of a lion. Amber, leather, patchouli, and vanilla make for a majestic, carnal scent. It comes with the stamp of approval of Rawling, who says it's "very strong, very rich, and very balsamic."
Mancera is a brand that constantly comes up in the "beast mode" fragrance conversation, and it seems the brand doesn't mind one bit. Intense Red Tobacco is Mancera's self-described "beast mode" fragrance with a thick, dense, leathery accord.
If you thought jasmine perfumes were grandmotherly, think again. In Paradoxe Intense, white florals amp up the sensuality, while moss and amber provide depth. It's a sweet fragrance you'll have a hard time finding anyone not a fan of.
Musk "Beast Mode" Perfumes'
This citrus perfume packs a mighty punch of orange, lemon, bergamot, and Mediterranean fruit for up to 10 hours on skin. Its heavy musky base, complemented by amber and vanilla, is the secret behind its intense lasting power.
As if Mojave Ghost couldn't get any better, Byredo boosted the intensity of violet and magnolia to create a powdery floral masterpiece. Fans of the original will love that one or two sprays of the absolu version will last you well through the night. I know I do.
A couple of sprays of this perfume will have you smelling like you just stepped out of the shower, and the effect lasts until you actually do a quick rinse. An overdose of white and pink musk creates an uplifting, velvety blend. Think of it as a mood booster in a bottle.
Cosmic Cowboy is a musk fragrance through and through, but don't let that sway you into thinking it doesn't have projecting power. Imagine a club on L.A.'s Sunset Strip in the '70s—you get all of that boozy smokiness in this blend full of whiskey, tobacco leaf, black musk, and suede.
Before cherry perfumes were a trend, Creed created this head-turning fragrance. Its base of myrrh, frankincense, amber, and musk creates a warm, captivating trail that will have others chasing you down to ask what you're wearing.
Oud "Beast Mode" Perfumes
Another TikTok favorite, this violet, rose, and oud blend is said to be so potent that you will have to shower it off. Two sprays are all you need to be surrounded by a floral cloud of elegance.
One of Rawling's favorite "beast mode" perfumes is a sweet floral blend from Lancôme. Oud Bouquet combines the richness of oud wood with gourmand vanilla and praline, and a touch of soft rose for a scent Rawling describes as "very sweet, very dense, and absolutely delicious."
In a tribute to love and romance, The Moon is a masterful blend of fruits, rose, leather, and oud that unfolds with every hour of wear. Take a look at reviews and you'll see words like "opulent," "rich," and "triumph" thrown around quite a bit.
Look up "beast mode" perfumes and you'll get several Montale recommendations, but the consensus among fans is that Arabians Tonka is the brand's most nuclear scent. Designed to entice lovers of rare perfumes, it leaves an intoxicating trail of Eastern ingredients including saffron, oud, tonka bean, rose, and amber.
All eyes (and noses) will be on you whenever you wear this swanky oud-forward fragrance. With a staggering 60 percent concentration of fragrance oil—the highest on this list—this scent from Born to Stand Out's Extreme Extrait collection is sure to turn heads with its potent smokey blend of oud, patchouli, cypriol, and akigalawood.
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For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
“One of the most popular gourmand fragrance notes is vanilla, and combining it with brown sugar is seriously a match made in heaven,” says fragrance expert Kudzi Chikumbu, also known as Sir Candle Man. “Still, brown sugar fragrances straddle many categories and can result in scents that smell like a boozy Old Fashioned, a delicious baked treat, or even something woody and more grounding.”
Personally, I think brown sugar is one of the most versatile notes in fragrance. That said, it's actually rare to find a scent built entirely around it—or even one that lists it as a top note. So I’ve scoured the market for you and narrowed it down to the top three best brown sugar perfumes that truly deserve a spot in your fragrance collection.
The Best Brown Sugar Perfumes
- Best Brown Sugar Perfume Overall: Kayali Vanilla 28 Eau de Parfum
- Best Gourmand Brown Sugar Perfume: Maison Mataha Brownie Pop
- Best Nostalgic Brown Sugar Perfume: Imaginary Authors Whiff of Waffle Cone
This will likely come as no surprise to anyone who knows me, but for those who don’t: you need a bottle of Kayali Vanilla 28 in your collection. It’s one of the most universally pleasing vanilla perfumes I own—and yes, the brown sugar note is the star of the show. It layers beautifully with practically every single scent I wear day to day (which, let's be real, as a beauty writer is in the hundreds), making it one of the most versatile brown sugar perfumes on the market. The warm vanilla and brown sugar are rounded out with creamy jasmine, tonka bean, amber, and patchouli, giving it just enough depth to keep things interesting without overwhelming the senses.
Fragrance Family: Gourmand
Key Notes: Vanilla Orchid; Tonka bean; Brown sugar
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Long-lasting; Layers well; Mid-range price tag
What I Don’t: Some testers found that the floral note overpowered some of the gourmand
Review for MC: “This is one of the best brown sugar perfumes that money can buy. The note is paired with Vanilla orchid and Tonka absolute, so it’s a delicious combination of sweet, fluffy scents that just feels super charming. It’s fantastic to layer (especially with more fresh and woody scent profiles), but it truly does stand out all on its own. I am a big, big fan of this perfume and recommend it any chance that I get.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
If you’ve spent any time over on the perfume side of TikTok, you’ve likely heard of Escapade Gourmand by Maison Mataha. A little less famous—yet completely underrated—is its sister fragrance, Brownie Pop. Like its predecessor, this scent is a beast-mode gourmand and smells like an intoxicating mix of brownies and popcorn. For me, the magic is in the dry down, and even though it’s one of the top notes, that's when the brown sugar in this perfume really shines and just completely takes over the scent. It’s buttery, mouth-watering, and smells like the most decadent dessert—perfect for my sweet tooth.
Fragrance Family: Gourmand
Key Notes: Chocolate; Brown Sugar; Vanilla; Sandalwood
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: A true gourmand scent; Gorgeous sillage with just a few sprays
What I Don’t: This is a niche fragrance brand, so it can be hard to track down
Review for MC: “My sweet-treat connoisseurs, step to the front. Brownie Pop by Maison Mataha is a dessert in fragrance-form, and I simply will not be told otherwise. It smells like buttered popcorn topped with a caramel and chocolate drizzle, i.e., the perfect sweet and savory treat after a long day. It’s also a true gourmand, so if you’re prone to perfume headaches, keep the sprays to a minimum, or at least test this one out instead of blind buying.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Want to be transported to your childhood spent at summer fairs and evenings filled with campfire s'mores? Pick up a bottle of Imaginary Authors A Whiff Of Waffle Cone. Created in collaboration with cult favorite ice cream shop Salt & Straw, this scent captures the warm, toasted sweetness of brown sugar through a salted caramel note that feels rich and cozy. Paired with notes like heavy cream, vanilla, and a touch of cinnamon that maintains its sweet, confectionary DNA, this perfume is childhood nostalgia, bottled in the most wearable form.
Fragrance Family: Gourmand
Key Notes: Salted caramel; Vanilla; Saigon Cinnamon
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Nostalgic scent; True gourmand
What I Don’t: Some may find it a little cloying, especially in the spring and summer months
Review for MC: “I'm immediately transported to Coney Island when I smell this perfume. Imaginary Authors has managed to bottle the nostalgic scent of fairs and all the treats that come with them: ice cream sundaes, fried dough, waffle cones for an extra special touch to that ice cream cone that I’d been dreaming about all week. It’s all bottled in this stunning scent that is a gourmand lover’s dream. Want to smell like a snack? Pick this up immediately." — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
What Is a Brown Sugar Perfume?
As you’ve likely gleaned by now, brown sugar perfumes tend to smell sweet and edible, which makes the note perfect to pair with others that have a similar profile. “Most of the time, brown sugar notes are paired with vanilla, creamy notes, and fruity tones,” says perfumer and founder of his eponymous brand, Simone Andreoli. “In contemporary perfumery, brown sugar is often combined with sweet, ambery notes to convey a sexy-sugary interpretation.”
What sets these apart from the headache-inducing body sprays of our youth, though, is that they're often rounded out with deeper, more complex notes—like amber, woods, or musk—which gives the sweetness a more grown-up, wearable edge.
What to Look For In a Brown Sugar Perfume
Brown sugar perfumes are a wonderful introduction to the world of gourmand fragrances, but for more seasoned noses, they can also be a unique addition to some more uncommon perfumes. “The most compelling brown sugar fragrances go beyond the expected gourmand territory into more complex and unconventional combinations,” Chikumbu says. “Rather than another sugary baked good interpretation, look for something that surprises.”
He recommends scents like Bohoboco Red Wine Brown Sugar, which pairs red wine with brown sugar, as well as Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia. The latter combines pear and brown sugar for a result that's unexpected and not overly sweet.
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
To compile this list of the best fresh-smelling perfumes, Beauty Writer Ariel Baker scoured the internet and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market. She also asked the Marie Claire team to share their holy grail picks. For each fragrance MC tested, we assessed the fragrance's notes, how long it lasted, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Meet the Experts
]]>Ask any editor about their favorite sunscreens, and I'm willing to bet Supergoop! makes their list. The brand is behind some of the buzziest sunscreen formulas on the market, including its primer-sunscreen hybrid, Unseen Sunscreen, and its glowy counterpart, Glowscreen. Now, Supergoop has entered the fragrance category with its just-dropped scented Glow Oil.
Supergoop!'s Glow Oil is nothing new. However, its scented versions—Beach Flower and Sunkissed Coconut—are. Both formulas are packed with moisturizing ingredients like argan oil, grapeseed oil, and meadowfoam seed oil to nourish skin and lock in moisture. What's more, these oils don't leave behind any dreaded greasiness or residue and instead absorb quickly and impart a gorgeous, healthy-looking glow—all with the added bonus of SPF 50.
I got my hands on both new scents ahead of their launch date and have been testing them on any semblance of a sunny day over the last two weeks. Not to be dramatic, but now I can't imagine how I ever got through summer without them. These oils take less than a minute to sink into the skin, and I'm not immediately tempted to wash my hands after applying since they don't feel greasy or oily. True to their name, they also leave behind the prettiest sheen.
Scent-wise, Supergoop's new Glow Oils are everything I could want in a summer fragrance. Sunkissed Coconut, my personal favorite, immediately takes me back to the days my parents would cover me head-to-toe in pasty white sunscreen. It's a nostalgic, sunscreen-y scent with notes of fresh coconut, green fig, whipped vanilla, and tonka bean. It's relaxing, soft, and warm. Meanwhile, Beach Flower, a close runner-up, certainly falls into the floral fragrance category with notes of yiang yiang, gardenia, wild orchid, and a fresh marine accord. It's also pleasantly solar, with a touch of sweetness that leaves me feeling warm and sun-kissed.
Supergoop!'s new body oils have earned a permanent spot in my summer beauty routine. Not only do they have the best summery scents I've encountered in a body sunscreen, but I'm seriously impressed by their moisturizing formula. In a matter of seconds and with just a few drops, my skin feels baby-soft and looks gorgeous and glowy. With the addition of SPF 50, these oils are my new everyday multitasking heroes.
Keep scrolling to shop other editor-favorite Supergoop products, which are all currently 20 percent off for Memorial Day.
Today, May 12, the fragrance brand released its Milkshake Hair and Body Fragrance Mist Trio, complete with Banana Milkshake, Lychee Milkshake, and Mango Milkshake flavors. Each retails for $35—or can be purchased as a pack for $105—and offers an unconventional twist on gourmand. Let’s break ‘em down, shall we?
The pièce de résistance of the trio, in my humble opinion, is Banana Milkshake. I promise it’s likely nothing you’ve ever smelled before. It gives me a hint of banana ice cream (I know it sounds weird, but the fragrance smells cooling), a bit of Sun Bum SPF, and a splash of piña colada. It smells good enough to eat (don’t do that, though, please and thanks) and provides a sweet balance to any fragrance layering combo.
That brings me to: Lychee Milkshake. Despite the affordable price point and cheeky packaging, this baby smells luxe—like the kind of fragrance a rich aunt that stays at a $12,000 a night private island resort wears on the regular. It possesses a sparkly freshness you can only capture in a spritz drank on a day that’s 75 degrees and sunny. It’s the most subtle of the trio and wears more like a skin scent.
Last, yet certainly not least, is Mango Milkshake. It’s the boldest of the bunch that leans more toward the citrus family with notes of lemon and tangela (basically an orange). It’s on the creamy side and reminds me of boardwalk sorbet or water ice. In my experience, it’s the most dominant scent, so you really only need one spray.
Blending all three together has been my go-to fragrance move. A little Banana on my clothes, Lychee on my neck, and Mango on my hair is my personal olfactory personality, but you really can’t go wrong. That in mind, shop each body mist below—before it’s too late.
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
]]>Take a look at the best new perfumes of 2025, and you'll see a fruit basket of notes from cherry and pear to strawberry and mandarin. These notes are nothing new in the perfumery world; however, this year's blends point to an interest in less saccharine scents. "We’re seeing brands create perfumes that lean into the 'clean and fresh' movement, rather than overly sweet fruit fragrances," says DSM-Firmenich perfumer Erwan Raguenes. "As we see the popularity of ‘skin scents’ and ‘gender-neutral’ scents take center stage in 2025, I think this will continue to be the case."
What's more, these sophisticated new blends have the power to instantly transport us to happier times. "Fruity fragrances are nostalgic in the best way—cherry chapsticks, strawberry body sprays, a burst of memory that no other scent family comes close to capturing," says Demi Rawling, content creator and co-founder of the fragrance discovery app Sniff. For instance, I'm taken back to my favorite beach vacation when I get a whiff of a sunscreen-y coconut perfume.
"Fruity fragrances have long suffered from a bad reputation, often dismissed as juvenile or overly sweet, but that narrative deserves a rewrite," adds Rawling, and I couldn't agree more. If you're ready to add a fruity perfume to your olfactory personality, keep scrolling. From editor-loved brands like Phlur, Tom Ford, and Jo Malone, I've been testing these picks for weeks to see which scents are worthy of adding to your collection.
The Best Fruity Perfumes
- Best Overall Fruity Perfume: Phlur Strawberry Letter Eau de Parfum
- Best Affordable Fruity Perfume: Le Monde Gourmand Nectar De Passion Eau De Parfum
- Best Luxury Fruity Perfume: Tom Ford Lost Cherry Eau de Parfum
- Best Sweet Fruity Perfume: Vilhelm Parfumerie Mango Skin Eau de Parfum
- Best Fresh Fruity Perfume: Jo Malone London Beach Blossom Cologne
Think of diving into a bowl of ripe strawberries in the height of summer—that's the inspiration behind this delectable Phlur fragrance. Brand founder, Chriselle Lim, says she wanted to create a fragrance for her daughter who's obsessed with the juicy fruit, so it's no wonder why this scent is full of joy and sweetness. Plum nectar, woods, and ambery notes add richness and depth, so it's a fragrance you can just as easily reach for on special occasions or everyday wear.
Notes: Cassis leaves; Strawberry gariguette; Plum nectar; Wild lily; Red poppy; Apple blossom; Earthy woods; Tonka bean; Sugared amber
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Sweet, but not cloying; Mature; Nostalgic
What I Don't: May be best suited for spring and summer
Review For MC: "Strawberry Letter is everything I want in a fruity fragrance and then some. It's sweet, but not too sweet, nostalgic, playful, and doesn't veer into synthetic territory. Despite its sweetness, its ambery, slightly woody base gives it a touch of sexiness, too." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Le Monde Gourmand is proof that good things can come with small price tags. For just $25, you get a jammy, sweet juice that will instantly put you in a good mood. Passionfruit and strawberry make for a fun duo that only gets more delicious as the creamy base develops.
Notes: Passionfruit; Pink grapefruit; Wild strawberry; Dreamy jasmine; Peony blossoms; Orange flower; French vanilla; Sandalwood crème; Sweet musk
Size: 1.0 oz.
What I Love: Great value; Nostalgic; Sweet, but not cloying; Great for layering
What I Don't: Longevity could be better; Strawberry note is strong
Review For MC: "My grandpa used to give me those generic pineapple hard candies that come in a yellow wrapper (IYKYK), and that's exactly what this scent reminds me of. I will say only the initial spray is very tropical, so if you're expecting a beachy blend, you may be disappointed. Instead, it dries down into a creamy, strawberry-filled scent that I find delectable." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Long before cherry perfumes were a trend, Tom Ford's Lost Cherry was an iconic name in luxury fragrances. It's the fruity fragrance that put cherry on the map, and you'll often come across similar blends in your fragrance journey, but nothing comes close to the original. It's sweet, but perfectly balanced with floral notes and a delicious creaminess that gets better with wear.
Notes: Black cherry; Tonka bean; Bitter almond; Sour cherry; Plum; Turkish rose; Jasmine sambac; Vanilla
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Long-wearing; Strong projection; Rich-smelling; Complex; Great for any season or occasion
What I Don't: May be too strong for some
Review For MC: "I've tried my fair share of perfumes over the years, but none make me feel quite as opulent as Lost Cherry. The layered cherry notes combined with rich almond and tonka are comparable to a vintage fur coat—think of pure luxury wrapped in warmth. The longer I wear it and the more it develops, the more I find it irresistible." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Fans of sugary sweet fragrances, especially those who love a vanilla scent, may meet their fruity match in Mango Skin. The initial spray is just like taking a bite out of an overripe mango—juicy, sweet, and delicious. As the fragrance develops, it becomes more of a fleshy mango skin scent, with orris and jasmine complementing the sweetness well. It's a touch tropical, but well worth wearing beyond your beach vacation.
Notes: Blackberries; Mango; Black pepper; Wild orris; Black lotus; Jasmine; Patchouli; Vanilla; Pink sugar
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Mature; Balanced; Sweet, but not cloying; Mango note is realistic
What I Don't: May be too sweet for some
Review For MC: "Sometimes, I want to smell like a snack but not in a confectionary, baked goods kind of way. When that's the case, which has been occurring on a weekly basis since I've added this fragrance to my collection, Mango Skin is my go-to. It's perfectly sweet and juicy—like a ripe mango—but a subtle spiciness from black pepper keeps the sugary blend balanced. My only note is that I have no notes." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
As you might've guessed from the name, this fragrance has me wanting to escape to a beach ASAP. It opens to zesty limes and mint, like you would find in a refreshing cocktail, before relaxing into a nice, airy summer scent. It's beachy, but not in a sunscreen-y, coconut way, but feels more like you're wearing a cool lime-scented ocean breeze on your skin.
Notes: Lime; Mint; Coconut water; Tonka bean
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: A fresh, clean scent; Unisex
What I Don't: May be best suited for spring and summer
Review For MC: "I didn't think it was possible, but Beach Blossom just dethroned Wood Sage & Sea Salt as my favorite ever Jo Malone fragrance. Like the cult-favorite scent, Beach Blossom is incredibly light, airy, and fresh—it's not the kind of beast-mode fragrance that will get you stopped in the street, but that's what I like about it. A few sprays will make you feel refreshed on a sweaty, hot summer day, and for that, I'm obsessed." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
There's a reason this won the Marie Claire Fragrance Award for Best Fruity Perfume—it's like bottled spring and sunshine. It contains the freshest green notes that will remind you of cut grass or leaves. On the flip side, the fig and creamy coconut heart is bright and uplifting. You can't help but feel like the coolest person in the room when wrapped in this fig-forward scent.
Notes: Bergamot; Green leaf; Pear stem; Fig; Coconut milk; Iris; Blond woods; Tonka bean; Moss
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Long-wearing; Unisex; Unique; Great for layering; Complex
What I Don't: May be best suited for spring and summer
Review For MC: "I will never get tired of smelling like a sexy fig tree when I wear this. The initial sharp green notes are unique in my collection, and they complement the creamy fig and coconut heart so well. The fruits in this blend have a summery feel that makes it an easy reach in sweltering weather, and I also love to layer it with a coconut-forward perfume to enhance the sunniness further." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Think of Guava Granita as the little, more easy-going sister to Ellis Brooklyn's gourmand Miami Nectar. Its blend of guava, banana, melon, and coconut is like sipping on a tropical cocktail. It opens with a blast of juicy fruits before giving way to a balanced sandalwood and vanilla base. With each spray of Guava Granita, you can imagine you're relaxing at a luxurious Palm Springs resort.
Notes: Guava Juice; Banana; Bergamot; Tropical waterlily; Cavaillon melon; Coconut palm, Mango blossom; Vanilla; Sandalwood; Almond milk
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Bright and uplifting; Fun; Balanced
What I Don't: Longevity could be better
Review For MC: "I think of this scent as a summer vacation in a bottle—one spray and I'm immediately transported to a beach with a drink in hand. Right off the bat, this scent is a joy to the senses with tropical, juicy notes. Its dry down feels a little coconut sunscreen-y, but I don't mind. It actually makes me want to reach for it more during the warm weather." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Citrus perfumes can get a bad rep for being synthetic, sharp, or screeching, but rest assured, this fan-favorite Byredo perfume is none of the above. It opens to an invigorating burst of sparkling mandarin and lemon that makes for the ideal warm-weather scent. After about half an hour, you get a confectionery kick from the cotton candy base that makes this fragrance even more delectable.
Notes: Mandarin; Lemon; Neroli; Jasmine sambac; Cotton candy; Musk
Size: 1.6 oz.
What I Love: Impressive longevity for a citrus perfume; A fresh, clean scent; Unique
What I Don't: May be too sweet for some
Review For MC: "I've always stayed far away from citrus perfumes for the fear of smelling like Lysol, but when I heard this Byredo scent was a favorite of MC's Style Director, Sara Holzman, my mind was changed. Her recommendation did not lead me astray because I foresee this as my new go-to summer perfume. It's an invigorating, yet sweet lemon and mandarin pick with an almost sparkling feel. The cotton candy note in the dry down is an unexpected, yet welcome delight." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Nette set out to create an uplifting fragrance, and that's just what they did with Pear Jam. According to the brand, this scent is scientifically backed to boost joy and positivity, and it's all thanks to the magical properties of pear. A floral bouquet of rose, osmanthus, and jasmine complements the sweet, jamminess of pear, so this blend is just as sophisticated as it is bright.
Notes: Japanese pear; Bulgarian rose; Osmanthus; Jasmine sambac; Ambrette seed; Vanilla; Patchouli heart; Raspberry pulp
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Bright and uplifting; A fresh, clean scent; Balanced
What I Don't: Longevity could be better
Review For MC: "First of all, this bottle looks gorgeous on my vanity. Aside from its look, Pear Jam is one of my favorite scents to wear to the gym because it's so fresh and uplifting. I blame it on its sweet pear note, but it puts a pep in my step like nothing else does. It also makes me feel extra clean, so I like to wear it post-shower, too." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Kayali never fails to impress with its sweet scents, and Sparkling Lychee is no different. Aptly named, this scent opens with a burst of juicy, effervescent sugared fruits that will instantly put you in a flirtatious mood. The dry down is when things get additive, as the floral heart notes and sensual vanilla create a trail that will have others lusting after you.
Notes: Blackcurrant; Sparkling lychee; Rose damascena; Candied violet; Jasmine sambac; Sugared amber; Sandalwood; Vanilla absolute
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Bright and uplifting; Sweet, but not cloying
What I Don't: May be too sweet for some
Review For MC: "Lychee is a fragrance note I feel has gone far too unnoticed; however, in the last year or so, releases like Sparkling Lychee are finally giving the fruit the attention it deserves. This scent reminds me of lychee-flavored gummy candies—it's fun, sugary (but not headache-inducing), and mouth-watering. I feel like my most feminine, flirty self with every spray." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Not all fruity perfumes are filled with sunshine and rainbows. One sniff of Fruto Oscuro will have you imagining a witch brewing an aromatic potion in her spooky cabin deep in the woods. It pays homage to Mexico's fruits like capulin (aka black cherry) and quince, but it's also grounded in aromatic, woody notes like frankincense and oud. This is not a scent for the faint of heart, but if you can handle fragrances that have that cool factor, this is the fruity perfume for you.
Notes: Capulin; Zapote; Pink pepper; Artemisia; Quince jam; Mamey; Davana; Black pepper; Frankincense; Upcycled patchouli heart; Guaiacwood; Blackberry
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Complex; Long-wearing; Unique; Strong projection; Great for date night
What I Don't: Not a safe blind buy
Review For MC: "I received a sample of this scent when I repurchased one of my favorite vanilla perfumes (Vanilla Embers, if you're curious), and I used up every last drop of it within a week—it's that good. It unexpectedly blew me away with its smoky, fruity scent profile. Sure, I may feel like a mysterious witch when I wear it, but like the sexiest witch who has ever lived." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Who would have thought a leathery peach would smell so good? Guerlain apparently did with its recent release, Pêche Mirage. The brand unwraps the juicy, sweetness of a peach and combines it with spicy, masculine scents of saffron and leather. The result? An unapologetically bold, unforgettable fruity fragrance that is sure to stand out in anyone's collection.
Notes: Peach; Blackcurrant; Saffron; Osmanthus; Leather; Amber; Sandalwood
Size: 3.3 oz.
What I Love: Unique; Rich-smelling; Great for any season or occasion
What I Don't: Expensive
Review For MC: "If you had told me a year ago that I would be reaching for a leather perfume as much as I am nowadays, I would have never believed you. But the truth is, this fragrance has me feeling like the baddest girl in the room. Sweet juicy peach and spicy leather don't seem like a match on paper, but judging by the sizeable dent in my bottle, it's so wrong that it's a right." Brooke Knappeberger, Associate Commerce Editor
For something "undeniably chic," Rawling recommends you turn to a Dior fragrance, specifically the recently launched Dioriviera. The fragrance expert describes it as "a creamy fig laced with sandalwood and rose, instantly transporting you to a sun-drenched terrace somewhere along the Mediterranean coast."
Notes: Fig; Green notes; Rose; Sandalwood
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Rich-smelling; Smells different on everyone; Great for any season or occasion; Unisex
What I Don't: May not be a safe blind buy
Customer Review: "Fresh and lovely aroma that lasts through the day. Feminine but not sweet. A halo of soft scent that lifts your mood and mindset. Simply beautiful!" — Dior
What to Look For in a Fruity Perfume
- Trending Notes
There's no wrong fruit to go with, but if you're curious what notes are dominating the trend cycle, Rawling has got you covered. "We’re now entering the apricot era," she says. "It's soft, sun-warmed, floral, less sugary than peach, with a subtle sophistication that feels effortlessly chic." The expert also says fig is making a "quiet comeback," and banana is having a moment too, in some of the best new beauty launches. "Then there’s passionfruit, sharp, juicy, and sour in the best way," Rawling adds. "We’re seeing it layered with oud for bold, unexpected contrasts that feel exciting and fresh."
- Occasion
While Rawling says "there’s something about them that feels especially right" for warm weather, you don't have to reserve fruity fragrances as strictly summer scents—I know I don't. As the "ultimate chameleons," as Rawling refers to them, fruit-forward scents can work for a multitude of occasions—you just have to play around with your favorite fruity notes and see what suits your fancy.
Don't know where to start? Follow Rawling's lead: "I reach for mango when I want something tropical and sun-drenched, watermelon when I’m feeling playful, coconut when I want to channel full summer goddess energy, fig when the vibe calls for something chic and unexpected, and apricot when I’m after something soft, addictive, and flirtatiously fun."
Why Trust Us
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
To compile this list of the best fruity perfumes, Marie Claire Associate Commerce Editor Brooke Knappenberger tested and reviewed dozens of fruity fragrances and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market.
Each fruity perfume was evaluated on notes, staying power, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Meet the Experts
]]>One of my favorite things about adjusting your fragrances based on the season is how differently they will wear on your skin in the fluctuating temperatures. When the sun is blazing down on your bare shoulders (protected by plenty of sunscreen, of course) and you’re glistening with a fine layer of sweat from an afternoon of outdoor activities, the juice of your perfume is going to react differently with your skin’s pH. It’s basically magic!
So, for my fellow fragrance nerds or just a casual perfume fan looking for a new scent to channel those pending vacation vibes, here are my must-have summer perfumes.
Channel the Beach Boardwalk
As a true water baby, I love any scent that can capture the salty sea atmosphere of a day at the beach.
If you’ve always wanted to experience a classic New England summer, complete with a lobster boil, oodles of champagne, and an afternoon of sailing around the cape, meet your new favorite fragrance. It’s windswept and salty with a woody sage base that demands attention.
This is summer in a bottle, period, end of sentence. Salty notes of ambergris mingle with earthy Tahitian tiare, floral and fruity ylang-ylang, and musky sandalwood. It’s a dream fresh-smelling perfume for summer.
Bask in the Sunshine
For a bright, sunny, and vaguely citrus scent, look to solar fragrances for your next summer perfume.
While the perfume version of my favorite summer Diptyque scent is sold out, this affordable body mist option still delivers those delicious fig, bergamot, jasmine, and iris notes. It’ll transport you to a sun-drenched balcony in the Mediterranean, sipping Aperol spritzes in the breeze.
As a fresh solar scent, this eau de toilette is basically bottled sunshine. The energizing combo of bergamot, coconut, and heliotrope is everything I want in a summer perfume.
Show Some Skin
A skin scent is subtle, comforting, and incredibly intimate, aka exactly what you’d want out of a sexy summer fling.
I’m not typically a vanilla girlie, but this blend is so minimalist and inviting, all I want to do is take another whiff of my wrist after a spritz. Musk and salted praline add a hint of spice.
I adore this sexy skin scent year-round, but when my skin temperature rises in the summer heat, it takes on a whole new musky dimension. With notes of skin musk, orange blossom, bergamot, and blonde wood, it clings to my body like a sensual nude veil—heaven.
Take a Dip
Is there anything better than swimming underneath the summer sun? Well, wearing fresh, cool, and crisp aquatic scent might be a very close second.
If you’re looking for a tropical vacation in a bottle, run, don’t walk, to pick up this lush and floral perfume. I swear you can smell a hidden waterfall in every spritz, but perhaps it’s the notes of water, passion flower, jasmine, and vetiver.
Ethereal, fruity, and perfectly balanced, this blackcurrant and bergamot scent is a must for your summer lineup. The hint of musk grounds the juice for pure seasonal glamour.
Find Your Main Squeeze
Summer is the season of citrus, so bring those crisp and tart scents to the forefront of your perfume lineup.
Good lord this fragrance is absolutely delicious (not that you should eat your perfume). Mandarin and California lemon kick off the top notes before the scent dries down to a heady neroli and jasmine blend, with sparkling hints of cotton candy.
Fresh, zesty, and rather unexpected, the wood and floral notes ground this citrus fragrance for a painfully cool perfume that is sure to garner compliments. Lemon, bergamot, iris, sandalwood—it has all my favorite summer elements for a bright and sexy seasonal scent.
The key facts: Quince has released eight new scents, "crafted by master perfumers using the world's finest natural ingredients," according to the brand's website. They run the gamut in terms of fragrance families, too, from florals and vanilla-laden scents to unisex fragrances and fresh aromas for summer. Each one is priced at $50 and clearly states on the label the prestige brand that inspired it.
Quince's perfumes also come in chic, minimalist 1.7 oz recyclable glass bottles that fit right in with the high-end packaging in my collection. Plus, the line is completely plant-based and formulated without parabens, sulfates, or phthalates—a huge win for sensitive skin girlies that find some formulas irritating.
I got my hands on Quince's (now sold out) Eau de Parfum Discovery Set and put the eight fragrances to the test over two weeks. Now, I'm not saying the brand's scents are a perfect match for the designer perfumes that inspired them, but they come pretty darn close.
Keep scrolling for a breakdown on Quince's perfumes and my honest thoughts on each. If you're a fan of Tom Ford perfumes or Jo Malone fragrances, you'll want to hit that preorder button, stat.
Fans of sweet, floral scents will want to have Néroli Soleil in their collection, especially if YSL's Libre is one of your go-tos. Quince replicated the designer fragrance's bold blend pretty well, but the brand's version packs a bit of a sharper citrus opening. However, you can expect just as pretty of a floral bouquet, with orange blossom and jasmine, that only gets sweeter and warmer as the fragrance develops.
Notes: Bergamot; Lavender; Orange blossom flower; Jasmine; Tonka bean; Musk; Cedar
What I Love: A bold, feminine scent; Great for date night
What I Don't: Bergamot is a little sharp
Review For MC: "Right out of the gate, I found this scent bold and feminine thanks to its strong jasmine scent. The bergamot leans a little too sharp in the opening for my taste, but the lavender works as a nice complement. The real magic behind this scent comes after about an hour, when it becomes sweeter and slightly musky. It's the perfect scent for a hot summer night out in the town." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Imagine you're on a beach on the East Coast with the scent of briny sea salt and driftwood in the air—that's what Minérale captures. It's as light and fresh as can be, just enough to make you feel cleaner after showering. It shares stark similarities to Jo Malone's Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne, but some Quince reviewers have said it lasts longer, which is a major win in my book.
Notes: Ambrette seeds; Sea salt; Sage leaf; Driftwood
What I Love: A fresh, clean scent; Long-lasting; Unisex; Great for layering
What I Don't: May be better suited for warm weather
Review For MC: "One whiff of this scent and I was immediately transported to a cliffside overlooking a beach. It's super fresh and light, so much so that I've reserved it for wearing when I'm out of the shower or on sweltering days. I wouldn't mind sharing this with my partner, plus I bet it would make for a great base to something sweeter to add some salty freshness. Overall, Minérale may be one of my top favorites out of the entire Quince collection." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Le Labo's Santal 33 is undoubtedly one of the It Girl scents of the last few years, so fans of the perfume will be happy to know that they can get a similar fragrance for more than half off. Quince's take on sandalwood is equally luxurious, featuring a blend of violet, iris, cardamom, and leather. It's not too heavy, smokey, or spicy, so it's an easy, elegant reach for just about occasion in any season.
Notes: Violet flower; Cardamom; Iris; Amber; Sandalwood; Cedarwood; Leather
What I Love: Rich-smelling; Unisex; Great for any season or occasion; Great for layering
What I Don't: Longevity could be better
Review For MC: "There's something about a sandalwood scent that reads rich to me, so this fragrance oozes sophistication. It's first and foremost a woody fragrance with subtle spicy and floral complementary notes, so it doesn't lean too feminine or too masculine. Instead, it's more ambiguous, so I wouldn't mind sharing this with a partner. It's also not too complex, which makes it a great choice for layering and adding an elegant woodiness to any other scent in my collection." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
If you thought fruity fragrances were solely confined to the body mists of your youth, think again. With a similar blend to Tom Ford's Lost Cherry, Les Cerises opens to a juicy burst of black cherries before giving way to a creamy almond and tonka bean heart. As the day goes on, you'll get whiffs of earthy vetiver, which lends an overall sexy feel to this blend. Just like the scent that inspired it, Les Cerises is a complex cherry perfume that gets warmer and creamier with wear.
Notes: Cherry; Almond; Tonka bean; Sandalwood; Cedarwood; Vetiver
What I Love: A mature fruity fragrance; Sweet, but not cloying; Rich-smelling; Great for date night
What I Don't: May not be suitable for warm weather
Review For MC: "I've tried my fair share of Tom Ford perfumes and Les Cerises holds up in terms of luxuriousness. While Tom Ford's is slightly more cherry-forward, I don't mind because what Les Cerises lacks in fruitiness, it makes up for in sophistication. The creamy almond and tonka bean pairs beautifully with the cherry to create a blend that's equal parts warm and sensual—I'd be as likely to wear this scent to cozy up in on a cold day or out on date night." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Judging by the name, it's not too hard to see what this Quince fragrance was inspired by. Any perfume fanatic will recognize similar fragrance notes as the ones found in the iconic Baccarat Rouge 540, and according to Quince reviewers, the two scents are nearly a match. Oud Rouge is a woody scent that is brightened with saffron and warmed with cedar and resin—you can't help but feel like a million bucks while wearing it.
Notes: Jasmine; Saffron; Amberwood; Cedar; Resin
What I Love: Great for any season or occasion; Rich-smelling
What I Don't: Projection could be better; Notes aren't very distinguishable
Review For MC: "I'll admit that my first impression of this scent was that it smells expensive. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that this fragrance belonged in a department store. It's light and woody, but not too strong for everyday wear. In fact, I don't find any one note competing with the other. It has the kind of ease of wear that makes it signature scent-worthy, and for that, I'm obsessed." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Imagine you just got all dolled up for a night out and need a finishing touch to complete the allure—a few spritzes of Jasmin Nuit should be that final detail before you head out the door. With lush jasmine, creamy almond, and vanilla, it's deliciously floral, sweet, and seductive, all wrapped into one fragrance. Aside from its energetic coffee bean opening, Jasmine Nuit is a close match to Carolina Herrera's Good Girl perfume.
Notes: Coffee bean; Jasmine; Almond; Vanilla bean; Musk
What I Love: A bold, feminine scent; Great for date night
What I Don't: Coffee bean note fades quickly
Review For MC: "I don't consider any going-out outfit complete without a fragrance, and Jasmine Nuit is the Quince perfume I would reach for. It's incredibly seductive and feminine with lush florals and a lingering creaminess that would pull anyone near you closer. I can't help but feel sexy and grown up every time I wear it, and I've worn the sample so much that it's nearly empty." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Night-blooming florals contrast with coffee in this blend, which is just as dark and seductive as it is sweet and delicate. Quince reviewers say if you're a fan of YSL's Black Opium, then you'll enjoy Ambre Noir, and I couldn't agree more. The two jasmine fragrances are equally feminine with a bold coffee opening before developing into their warm, vanilla-forward base.
Notes: Almond; Bergamot; Tuberose, Jasmine; Tonka Bean; Vanilla
What I Love: A bold, feminine scent; Great for date night
What I Don't: Projection could be better
Review For MC: "Although not mentioned in the list of fragrance notes, I get a whiff of coffee in the opening, which I find to be like a shot of caffeine. It provides an energetic boost to this bouquet of tuberose and jasmine, otherwise, this blend would lean a bit too floral for my taste. If I smelled any woman wearing this, she would instantly seem more mysterious and alluring." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
For those who love a masculine scent (or are looking for an early Father's Day gift), Côte D'azur makes for a worthy purchase. Think of it as a more affordable version of Chanel's Bleu de Chanel, with similar woody, citrus, and aromatic notes. It has a just-out-of-the-shower freshness that's suitable for any occasion. While it could work in any season, Côte D'Azur would make for an especially great summer fragrance thanks to its light, citrus opening.
Notes: Bergamot; Grapefruit; Blue sage, Jasmine; Ginger; Amberwood; Cedar; Vetiver
What I Love: Unisex; A fresh, clean scent; Great for any season or occasion
What I Don't: May lean too masculine for some
Review For MC: "Out of all of the Quince fragrances, Côte D'azur is by far the brand's most masculine scent, but that's not to say a woman can't enjoy it. Like Minérale, this scent is fresh and clean-smelling, and paints a picture of summers traipsing through Europe, albeit in a more manly way. While it's not quite my taste, I'd love to smell it on a man, and I can definitely appreciate its quality for $50." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
How We Tested
To review the best Quince fragrances, I tested each of the eight Quince perfumes over the course of two weeks. I then rated and reviewed each Quince fragrance based on the fragrance's notes, how long it lasted, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Why Trust Us
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
]]>“Fresh perfumes typically fall into citrus, floral, aquatic, aromatic, and spicy scent categories,” says President of the Americas, Parfums de Marly and Initio Parfums Privés, Yvan Jacqueline. “They are typically light, airy, and clean, evoking a refreshing and vibrant feel. The result is a scent that feels effortlessly uplifting—perfect for everyday wear.”
I’ve been researching and testing fresh-smelling perfumes on the market for months in order to uncover the most intriguing scents. I also tapped Jacqueline and perfumer for International Flavors & Fragrances on behalf of Penhaligon's, Caroline Dumur, to explain everything you need to know about navigating this fragrance category.
From what to look for in a fresh-smelling perfume to some of the more popular notes you’ll encounter as you explore, keep reading for the 411 on all things fresh-smelling perfumes, and shop the 19 editor-vetted recommendations that passed our rigorous testing process.
The Best Fresh-Smelling Perfumes
- The Best Fresh-Smelling Perfume Overall: Dries Van Noten Crazy Basil
- The Best Fresh-Smelling Luxury Perfume: Louis Vuitton Attrape-Rêves
- The Best Fresh-Smelling Unisex Perfume: Phlur Father Figure
- The Best Fresh-Smelling Floral Perfume: Byredo Blanche Absolu
- The Best Fresh-Smelling Ambrox Perfume: Glossier You
Did I ever think that a perfume made to smell like basil would captivate me this much? No. Is this one of the best fresh fragrances I’ve ever smelled in my life? Yes. This Dries Van Noten perfume combines basil absolute, bergamot, and mandarin with notes like rosemary and musk for an aromatic masterpiece. While I don’t tend to gender my fragrances, this is a distinctly masculine (but still unisex) scent that both my husband and I love, so I recommend it to anyone who is starting to explore the fresh-smelling perfume space.
Fragrance Family: Woody Aromatic
Key Notes: Basil Absolute; Bergamot; Rosemary; Cedarwood
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Unisex; Strong Projection
What I Don’t: Expensive
Review for MC: “This was a very unexpected hit in my household. I never thought I’d like such an aromatic green fragrance, but the musks and woods round out the formula so beautifully that I had no choice but to fall in love. I’ve also been using this as a base when layering some of my lighter, more gourmand scents, and every single combination has been a win so far.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
This scent feels like the equivalent of being on the nice list all year. Top notes of bergamot and ginger might lead you to believe you’re headed into the green, earthy-smelling category, but litchi, peony, rose, and patchouli bring it back to center, making it one of those rare fresh-floral perfumes that you want to wear year-round. Though it’s not in the description, the combination almost smells a little like strawberry to me, and it truly feels like femininity in a bottle.
Size: 3.4 fl oz
Key Ingredients: Cocoa; Bergamot; Ginger; Peony
What I Love: Fresh gourmand; Long-Lasting; Gorgeous packaging
What I Don’t: Not available on any major retailers
Review for MC: “Dumur’s explanation of how other notes can elevate a perfume’s freshness is clearly illustrated in Attrape Rêves. To me, the cocoa, lychee, and woody notes are most apparent when I smell this perfume from afar. Still, once I get up close, I can distinctly parse out the bergamot that gives it an almost aldehydic facet. This is what the grown woman version of me in my head smells like—rich as hell.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
This is one of my all-time favorite Phlur scents. Warm woods and lush, earthy notes work together to create a perfume that is equal parts fresh and sweet, nondescript yet deeply inviting—it’s like the smell of your skin after spending a rainy day in the woods.
Fragrance Family: Wood
Key Notes: Fig; Jasmine; Sandalwood
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Makes a woody perfume feel approachable; Chic bottle
What I Don’t: Low sillage
Review for MC: “Father figure is very aptly named. The first spray will have you thinking that this is a men’s fragrance; however, creamy sandalwood, orris root, and vanilla Madagascar provide a comforting facet that you normally see in gourmand scents, making it a formula that works well on everyone.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
You haven’t discovered fresh-smelling perfumes until you’ve come across Byredo’s Blanche. They’ve recently created a flanker of the original that somehow smells even better, which is no easy feat. Blanche Absolu is a delicious blend of aldehydes, peony, and musks, and it smells like you've jumped into a bed of fresh laundry.
Fragrance Family: Floral Aldehyde
Key Notes: Aldehydes; Rose absolute; Musk
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Smells like a bar of soap; Chic packaging
What I Don’t: Some people dislike that it is a bit sweeter than the original
Review for MC: “Blanche is one of my favorite Byredo perfumes of all time. The absolu version is perfect to reach for if you want to smell like the epitome of a clean girl. This version adds additional floral notes, such as rose, violet, and jasmine, making it slightly sweeter than the original. Still, if you want to smell like a fancy soap collection, this has your name written all over it.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
A fragrance that changed the world of cosmetics forever, Glossier You is an iconic fresh fragrance that adapts to the wearer. Another musky skin scent, it features notes of pink pepper, iris, and ambrox, all of which contribute to the cozy and clean scent profile that this perfume is known for.
Fragrance Family: Woody Floral
Key Notes: Pink Pepper; Iris; Ambrox
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Skin scent; Under-$100
What I Don’t: Need to spray a lot to create a good sillage
Review for MC: “I’ll admit, the very first time I smelled Glossier You back in 2017, I wasn’t a fan. Since then, I’ve done a complete 180 and am now obsessed. It’s the perfect perfume to throw on and go—it matches any mood, season, or outfit. While I personally like my perfumes to project a bit more heavily and thus, spray quite a bit when I wear this formula, if you prefer a lighter scent, one or two sprays of this will keep you smelling fresh without being overpowering.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
The most fascinating thing about this perfume is that it only has a single note: Iso E Super. The scent is known for its close proximity to the skin, but its woody, velvety qualities are legendary, especially when used to layer with other formulas. (It's very versatile and won't fight with other notes.) If you're someone who wants to get into perfumes but doesn’t necessarily like them, start here—it's approachable and subtle.
Fragrance Family: Woody Floral Musk
Key Notes: Iso E. Super
Size: 1.05 fl oz
What I Love: Unisex; Wearable year-round
What I Don’t: Can be hard to find
Customer Review: “The most intoxicating fragrance ever! I get stopped and asked constantly what am I wearing!” — Bloomingdales
One whiff of this perfume will transport you to a tropical island, and I have to say: I never thought a fresh-smelling perfume could straddle scent profiles so well. This concotion features notes of lime, sea salt, and mint— a combination that I will say is not typically one that meshes with my olfactory personality, but this brand combines them with woods, fruits, and ylang-ylang for a mixture that is as citrusy and it is fresh.
Fragrance Family: Tropical Citrus
Key Notes: Lime; Sea salt; Exotic fruits
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Leans more on the citrus-fresh side; Long-lasting
What I Don’t: Not really a year-round scent; Leans summery
Customer Review: “The initial spray was very masculine to my nose so I was too scared to spray it on my skin. The next day, I sprayed it on and got the same overly masculine scent…. . but once the dry down started to set in, that’s when the magic happened! Now I’m in love!” — Maxaroma
If virality matters to you when purchasing beauty products, this perfume has been a TikTok sensation, selling out multiple times. It’s meant to smell like a hug from a loved one, and notes like skin musk and bergamot nectar ensure that it does. For a fresh perfume that sits closer to the skin, pick this one up ASAP.
Fragrance Family: Floral Musk
Key Notes: Skin Musk; Bergamot Nectar; Blonde Wood
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Unisex; Works year-round
What I Don’t: Not very long-lasting
Customer Review: “I will have this scent in my arsenal forever! It’s true to its name. It reminds me of my mommy, but she never wore it. It’s light but musky. If you are looking for a new fresh, yet memorable scent….this is it.” — Sephora
I love spicy perfumes, so when a fragrance can make both me and my husband smell like a can of black pepper and super fresh and sexy, I take note. If I just described your go-to scent profile, you need Parfum de Marly’s Kalan. Blood orange, black pepper, lavender, orange blossom absolute—my mouth is watering just thinking of how many sprays I'm going to put on to go to work tomorrow. It’s that good. I’ll be needing this in a body wash, pronto.
Fragrance Family: Spicy Amber
Key Notes: Blood orange; Lavender; Oakmoss
Size: 2.5 fl oz
What I Love: Spicy; Unisex; Super long-lasting
What I Don’t: Spicy fragrances are not for everyone
Customer Review: “This scent is great. A little overpowering but overall, a very interesting scent. Packaging is beautiful as is the bottle and design. Scent lasts a very long time and receives many compliments. I'm glad to add this to my collection. Very pleased.” — Bloomingdales
Until I read the description about two years after buying my first bottle, I had zero clue that this Margiela perfume was technically a floral. That’s how much it smelled like a fresh load of laundry. While the fragrance notes include lily of the valley, iris, and more, to me, it smells more like detergent and a fresh baby, i.e., some of the most pleasing scents known to man.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Lily of the valley; Iris; White musk
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Soapy-smelling; Strong sillage
What I Don’t: Can become a bit overwhelming if you spray too much
Customer Review: “My absolute favorite clean girl fragrance. Love wearing it when I’m lounging around, or being casual.” — Sephora
Want to smell like a sexy tree? Pick up a bottle of Debaser and thank me later. There’s a reason this scent won Marie Claire’s best fruity perfume award for 2024. Bergamot, fig, and coconut milk may sound like the beginnings of a delicious acai bowl, but thanks to other ingredients like green leaf and pear stem, you’ll smell like an edible yummy treat, which to me is the same thing as eating one.
Fragrance Family: Aromatic
Key Notes: Ripe fig, Iris, coconut milk
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Clean scent that doesn’t smell soapy
What I Don’t: The bottle doesn't last that long
Customer Review: “Love the overall scent. It starts off strong and spicy, which reminded me of India (nostalgic for me). I found it surprisingly peppery in notes. It then smells more floral which is also lovely. It fades off into a light scent after an hour which I don’t mind but not one of the longer lasting perfumes I own.” — Bluemercury
The ability for a musk note to somehow smell clean yet well-worn needs to be studied. Until then, experience the magic of juxtaposition with Initio’s Power Self. White flowers, pink pepper, cedarwood, and more elevate this fragrance from just another run-of-the-mill skin scent to a unisex masterpiece that seriously smells good on everyone.
Fragrance Family: Floral Woody Musk
Key Notes: White Flowers; Osmanthus; Pink Pepper; Ambrox
Size: 3 fl oz
What I Love: Stunning presentation; Soft notes but not a skin scent; Great longevity
What I Don’t: Heavy jar that is not great for travel
Customer Review: “This perfume is creamy, slightly peppery, and has great sillage. It’s like a combination of my two favorite perfumes from the brand: Musk Therapy and Atomic Rose. A recent release, this has already made it into my everyday perfume cabinet, which says a lot about how much I enjoy it.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
This is one of my favorite Dior perfumes of all time, and it single-handedly made me fall in love with chypre. Woody and floral notes round out the formula and give it a slightly more feminine quality, but believe me when I say that this is a year-round staple that should 1000 percent be in your collection.
Fragrance Family: Woody floral
Key Notes: Chypre; Rose; Oak Moss
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Woody but not overpowering; Beast-mode projection; Over six hours of wear time
What I Don’t: You need a lot of sprays for sillage
Customer Review: “I am hooked. This is my new fragrance. I started with buying the hand and body wash and fell in love with the light, very pleasant scent. After a while, my whole bathroom smells heavenly! Had to buy the hair mist and the perfume itself. Highly recommend!” — Dior
From the house that created the iconic Baccarat Rouge 540 (and the complementary body oil that I’m obsessed with) comes a sleeper hit that should be in your collection immediately, also known as Petit Matin. A burst of citrus gives way to a floral musk in Maison Francis Kurkdijan’s Petit Matin. Technically a more masculine scent—you all likely know by now that gendered perfumes aren’t my thing—it makes sense why this has become one of my favorite fresh-smelling formulas.
Fragrance Family: Aromatic Green
Key Notes: Lemon; Orange blossom; Musk; Ambroxan
Size: 2.4 fl oz
What I Love: Lemon-heavy without smelling like cleaning supplies; Elegant bottle; Long-lasting
What I Don’t: Expensive
Customer Review: “This is honestly my favorite scent to wear all spring and summer. When first wore it, I was not impressed. The glory is in the wearing. I spray it and it disappears quickly. Hours later, I will be searching for what smells so good. It finally clicked that it was me! I’m glad that they brought it back. I thought it had been discontinued.” — Fragrancenet.com
Another skin scent, this one from Snif, is cozy and slightly fruity, thanks to the peach skin note in the formula. While some may take this category of perfume to be similar to body mists, this formula is anything but. Instead, it’s light and airy, so I love wearing it to bed or to go for a walk around my neighbourhood. It’s also gorgeous for layering.
Fragrance Family: Musky citrus
Key Notes: Plum; Peach skin; White moss
Size: 1 fl oz
What I Love: Affordable; Can wear anywhere comfortably
What I Don’t: Not very long-lasting
Customer Review: “I originally got ME as a free sample, then I bought the 10 ml, now I finally caved and bought the 30 ml. It's so unique and layers well with every other fragrance I own. It's an EXCELLENT addition to my fragrance collection.” — Ulta
A cross-generational hit, Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue is beloved by both my mother and me, which is hard to wrap my brain around since we have such different tastes in perfumes. That said, it speaks to this perfume's gorgeously uplifting scent profile made of citrus, apple, and bamboo notes. I can’t help but think of summer when I wear this, and if that’s not the epitome of a fresh perfume, then I don’t know what is.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Sicilian Lemon; Bamboo; Cedar; Musk
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Strong sillage; Great for all ages
What I Don’t: Some may find it too citrus-heavy
Customer Review: “I love this light and fresh scent! It isn’t overly floral in my opinion which I like, but it gives me a clean vibe. I think this perfume is beautiful for everyday and perfect for spring and summer. I also think it lasts on my skin nicely. I don’t feel like I need to reapply through the day to keep smelling it which is nice, yet the scent isn’t too overpowering! I think most people would really like this one.” — Sephora
Pepper leads the charge in Bottega Alchemie, which is housed in the most stunning bottle I have ever encountered. Besides the fact that each fragrance comes with its own small tray that makes it double as decor, the actual juice of Alchemie is mouthwateringly sexy. A mixture of pink pepper extract, mandarin oil, leather accord, and labdanum sounds like something dreams are made of, but thankfully, they’re all included in this formula, so you won’t have to imagine the perfect fresh, woody fragrance—just make a trip to Bottega Veneta.
Fragrance Family: Woods
Key Notes: Pink pepper; Mandarin orange; Leather
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Spicy, Great sillage; Stunning presentation
What I Don’t: Cap is hard to get off
Review for MC: “This perfume is equal parts spicy and fresh. It opens with a nose-tickling pepper note that quickly gives way to the leather, labdanum, and sandalwood notes in the heart and base of the fragrance. It has next-level projection, so if you’re in an office, on a plane, or work in a hospital, you’ll only need a spritz or two to create the perfect scent bubble.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
If you want to smell like the phrase “squeaky clean,” Lake and Sky’s 11:11 should be in your collection. On the first whiff, you’ll smell the ozonic accord, but as it dries down, you get hints of amberwood, musk, and driftwood. Ever been to the gym and realized you needed a shower in a bottle? Keep this one on you at all times.
Fragrance Family: Ozonic Musk
Key Notes: Ozonic accord; Amberwood; Driftwood
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Clean and soapy-smelling
What I Don’t: Can smell a little too oceanic
Customer Review: “I've been on a quest to find a fresh, clean scent with decent longevity. Lake and Skye 11 11 is the one! It leaves a slight, soft scent trail and is 'quiet' enough to be office-safe. You just can't go wrong with this one.” — Ulta
A luxurious addition to any perfume collection, Guerlain’s Musc Outreblanc is a wonderful “my skin but better” fragrance. While not exactly a skin scent, it sits close to the body and smells almost a little ethereal. This is one of those perfumes that I would imagine a fairy smells like.
Fragrance Family: Woody Musk
Key Notes: Amber; Musk; Rose; Neroli
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Light and airy; Musk-forward; Beautiful packaging
What I Don’t: Slight marine-smelling accord that is a bit unexpected
Customer Review: “While in Las Vegas, I visited the Guerlain shop in the hotel and bought this on recommendation from the saleswoman. I told her I did not want an overpowering scent as I wanted to wear it to the office as an everyday scent. This is a lovely, elegant perfume. I have many fine perfumes and find myself reaching for this one all the time.” — Guerlain
What Is a Fresh Perfume?
“These fragrances trend to feature citrusy notes such as bergamot, lemon, mandarin, or grapefruit,” Jacqueline says. “Aromatic notes like basil or mint, and green notes from fresh herbs also bring fresh facets to a perfume.”
Dumur agrees, adding that there are many other ingredients and olfactive structures that can also convey freshness in a fragrance. “Notes like rose or lily of the valley can bring a fresh petal tonality to a perfume,” she says. “Of course, all the olfactive notes reminiscent of water and ozonic scents typically fall into the category as well.”
How a perfume is composed also matters, as the art of juxtaposition can take a fragrance in a completely different direction than its notes may imply. “Even woods can bring freshness to a perfume,” Dumur says. “Patchouli, for instance, is sensual and deep but brings a lot of contrast to many perfumes, which amplifies the fresh factor.”
What Should I Look for In a Clean, Fresh-Smelling Perfume?
The answer to this question depends on your personal preferences. “I would say to look for a scent that makes you feel happy and makes you smile,” Dumur says. “There are numerous uplifting scent profiles to choose from: aldehydes (ingredients that smell soapy and clean), musky skin notes, and more.”
Jacqueline suggests considering a few other factors that are not entirely related to specific notes. “Think about longevity, sillage (or a scent trail), and how a fragrance wears on the skin,” he says. “When choosing a fresher fragrance, you want to look for a scent that has a balance between being refreshing without being overpowering. It should make you feel clean and light.” Pro tip: don’t rule out the heavier woody perfumes that you typically bring out in the winter. They can layer beautifully with lighter scents in your collection.
Why Trust Marie Claire?
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How We Tested
To compile this list of the best fresh-smelling perfumes, I scoured the internet and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market. I also asked the Marie Claire team to share their holy grail picks.
For each fragrance I tested, I assessed the fragrance's notes, how long it lasted, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Meet the Experts
]]>I was curious to hear what notes would take over the fragrance world in 2025, so I turned to Darryl Do of Delbia Do Fragrances and Flavor for insight. To my surprise, he said, "Strawberry is the next call-out note for perfumes," and added that "Malin & Goetz Strawberry, Phlur Strawberry Letter, and Nest Santa Barbara Strawberry are a few in the scent-scape." While strawberry in fragrance is nothing new, per se, it is going through a bit of a revival—I've counted at least four new strawberry perfumes that have launched this year alone.
With social media's obsession with all things coquette (and even strawberry shortcake makeup), fun and girly strawberry scents feel like the perfect perfume pairing. They can be bright and uplifting for the summer, light and fresh for every day, and even bold and sexy for date night—whatever your olfactory personality is, there's a strawberry perfume for you.
As a self-proclaimed fragrance junkie, I'll never pass up the opportunity to dive headfirst into the latest perfume trends. For research, I've been wearing nothing but strawberry-scented juices for the last few weeks. Below, are my honest thoughts on the nine best strawberry perfumes on the market, from Yves Saint Laurent's floral blend to Marc Jacobs' most iconic perfume.
The Best Strawberry Perfumes
- Best Overall Strawberry Perfume: Phlur Strawberry Letter Eau de Parfum
- Best Fresh Strawberry Perfume: Clean Classic Strawberry Fields Eau de Parfum
- Best Gourmand Strawberry Perfume: Kayali Yum Boujee Marshmallow | 81 Eau De Parfum Intense
- Best Strawberry Perfume for Nighttime: Burberry Her Eau De Parfum Intense
- Best Floral Strawberry Perfume: Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris Eau De Parfum
Phlur perfumes have a penchant for going viral for all of the right reasons, and Strawberry Letter is no different. In fact, according to Phlur's founder Chriselle Lim, the fragrance sold out in less than 24 hours after launching in February 2024. Inspired by "sweet childhood memories," it opens with juicy strawberries before a floral bouquet comes through. The dry down is when things get addictive and even sexy, as amber, tonka bean, and a touch of earthy woods balance out the sweetness.
Notes: Cassis leaves; Strawberry gariguette; Plum nectar; Wild lily; Red poppy; Apple blossom; Earthy woods; Tonka bean; Sugared amber
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Sweet, but not cloying; Mature; Nostalgic
What I Don't: May be best suited for spring and summer
Review For MC: "This fragrance may remind me of my Strawberry Shortcake doll from my childhood ('90s babies will know what I mean), but it's not immature in the slightest, thanks to a warm, woody base. It's bright and uplifting, so I reach for it anytime I want a boost of joy, which is all the time in the spring and summer." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
For anyone on PerfumeTok, "clean-girl" scents are the perfumes to know in 2025, and Strawberry Fields is clean in every sense of the word. Juicy, fresh strawberries are wrapped in a linen accord to create a delicate, skin-like scent. You can rest assured that this fragrance doesn't include acetone, parabens, phthalates, animal by-products, acetaldehyde, and other potentially harmful ingredients.
Notes: Wild strawberry; Linen accord; Jasmine petals; Orchid blossom; White musk; Amber
Size: 2.0 oz.
What I Love: A fresh, clean scent; The strawberry note is realistic; Great for everyday wear; Clean, vegan, and cruelty-free formula
What I Don't: Projection could be better
Review For MC: "If wearing a white sundress on a hot summer day had a scent, it would be this perfume. With its linen accord and jasmine, it's incredibly light and refreshing, like a breath of fresh air while sitting in the sun. Every time I spray this scent, I picture a strawberry patch still dewy from the morning mist—it doesn't get much fresher than Strawberry Fields." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Mona Kattan, aka the cofounder of Kayali, takes the crown as the queen of gourmands in my eyes. Every one of Kayali's scents is a confectionary delight, and the same can be said of Yum Boujee Marshmallow. It opens with a sugar rush of candied strawberries before it develops into a fluffier, marshmallow-based treat. Think of this scent as a bowl of strawberries, marshmallows, and whipped cream—any dessert lover will find it irresistible.
Notes: Freesia; Nectarine blossom; Pink marshmallow; Strawberry, Coconut flakes; Whipped vanilla; Raspberry sugar; Pink musk; Ambrox
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Sweet, but not cloying; A unique take on gourmands; Great for any season or occasion
What I Don't: May be too sweet for some
Review For MC: "To know me is to know my love of gourmands, so this scent ranks high in my collection of all-time favorites. A few spritzes have me feeling like I'm tasty enough to take a bite out of, and I've even been told as much on a date. What I especially love about this scent is that it's light and fluffy, and not too heavy like other gourmands can typically feel. As such, I can reach for it in the daytime, nighttime, or really any time I want to feel like a snack." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor.
There are a few different flankers of Burberry's Her, but the Intense version stands out with the addition of orange blossom and its ambroxan base. Orange blossom mingles with fresh strawberries to create a sophisticated floral sweetness, while ambroxan works to add an ambery, woody undercurrent that's downright sexy. Wear this scent out on date night, and I can practically guarantee the compliments will come rushing in.
Notes: Wild strawberry; Orange Blossom; Ambroxan
Size: 1.0 oz.
What I Love: Long-lasting; Nice, hefty bottle; Great for special occasions
What I Don't: The woody dry down is not for everyone
Review For MC: "Out of all of the strawberry perfumes in my collection, this is by far the sexiest—and the longest-lasting. I find the orange blossom is the perfect floral complement to the strawberry without either note overpowering the other. After an hour or two, it settles into a warm, ambery base with a lingering fruitiness. I can't stop smelling myself every time I wear this perfume, which is why it's one of my go-tos for a night out." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
If you don't want a sickly sweet strawberry perfume, then Mon Paris may be up your alley. It leans more on the floral side with a heavy emphasis on white datura flowers and peonies. The result is a bright and bold, yet fresh-smelling blend that will whisk you away to the sophisticated streets of Paris. For anyone who loves fresh, feminine scents, this is a no-brainer buy.
Notes: Red berries; White datura flower; White musk; Patchouli
Size: 1.6 oz.
What I Love: Nice, hefty bottle; A fresh, feminine scent; Great for any season or occasion; Long-lasting; Sweet, but not cloying
What I Don't: Strawberry note isn't as prominent as in the other fragrances in this list
Review For MC: "I'll be honest—it took me a while to nail down the notes in this fragrance, but once I did, I could easily see its appeal. I find that this perfume is more of a floral fragrance rather than a fruity one, but that's not to say I don't get whiffs of strawberry. The fruit is more of a supporting character to the white florals in this scent, which I don't mind. All in all, this is a blend that embodies femininity to a T." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Perfume oils have the added benefit of having a high concentration of oils and natural extracts, without using alcohol. This means that they tend to last longer, and those sensitive to alcohol can still enjoy fragrance. In its latest launch, Nest New York managed to capture the scent of fresh-picked strawberries just brought in from the sun. As the fruitiness wears off, a floral aroma picks up for a mood-boosting aroma.
Notes: Strawberry; Dewy pink peony; Solar woods
Size: 1 oz.
What I Love: Long-lasting; Bottle will last a long time; Easy to apply precisely; Great to layer with; Moisturizes skin
What I Don't: Takes a few seconds to absorb into the skin; Some say the strawberry smells a bit artificial
Review For MC: "Nest's perfume oils are must-haves in any perfume lover's collection who plays with layering scents—Santa Barbara Strawberry will be the backbone of several of my warm-weather fragrance combos. It's not so sweet as to overpower anything I pair it with. Instead, it adds a slightly fruity and floral aroma that's bright and uplifting. I plan on layering this oil with nearly my entire collection to create more summery scents." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Real perfume lovers know that expensive price tags do not always equate to high-quality juices. That's why Le Monde Gourmand, a fragrance brand with $25 perfumes, is so impressive. Despite its affordable prices, the brand doesn't sacrifice quality in its blends, so you can expect a sophisticated take on the strawberry trend with Fraise Fouettée. You'll find it irresistibly sweet with its strawberry milk scent combined with banana, orange, and warm vanilla sugar.
Notes: Fresh strawberries; Florida orange; Hint of banana; Heliotrope flower; Soft butter, Coconut water; Whipped sugar; Vanilla cream
Size: 1.0 oz.
What I Love: Great value; Sweet, but not cloying; Great to layer with
What I Don't: Could have better projection
Customer Review: "This literally smells like candy! Such a sweet strawberry scent without being overly sweet, it has a little creaminess to it that just smells divine! It settles on the skin beautifully, almost like a lingering clean and sweet soap. Most def buying like 3 more!" — Ulta
Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume has been around for a long time—in fact, it's one of the first perfumes I ever received as a gift as a budding fragrance collector. While my bottle has long since been used up, I still remember its fresh and playful feel. It bottles up the sweet beginnings of spring with soft white florals and juicy strawberries. It earns a grown-up feel with a creamy sandalwood base, so no one will be able to tell your age from your scent.
Notes: Violet leaves; Wild strawberries; Violet petals; Jasmine bouquet; Musk, Vanilla infusion
Size: 1.0 oz
What I Love: A classic that has stood the test of time; Great to layer with; Smells different on everyone
What I Don't: Longevity could be better
Customer Review: "You can’t go wrong with the original Daisy. Fresh, sweet, summer floral. It’s playful, pretty, sexy, and subtle all at once, truly a scent for anyone! The dry down is warm and almost honey-like on me. Just beautiful." — Sephora
Malin + Goetz sought to create an "unexpected" strawberry fragrance (long before the note was a trend, mind you), and that's just what they did. It's not as sweet or sugary as other strawberry fragrances, but instead expect something greener and fresher. It opens with sparkling bergamot and strawberry, but the sweetness is cut down with earthy notes and spicy pink pepper. Because of its musky base, this is a unisex fragrance you could share with your partner, too.
Notes: Sparkling bergamot; Mara strawberry; Pink pepper; Jasmine petals; jasmine lactone captive; Woodland greens; Cedarwood; Oakmoss; Captive musks; Orris root
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: A unique take on strawberry; A fresh, clean scent; Unisex
What I Don't: May not be sweet enough for those seeking a traditional fruity fragrance
Customer Review: "Settles down to be such a lovely, soft fragrance... but takes you for an unexpected and interesting ride along the way. Sophisticated and not cloyingly sweet or overbearing, a skin scent, and perfect for warm weather." — Nordstrom
Why Trust Us
Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, with nearly five years of experience in the beauty industry, and is a fragrance fanatic, bringing her first-hand knowledge and recommendations to the piece. She has reported on dozens of perfume stories, including the best gourmand fragrances, the best coconut fragrances, and the best winter fragrances. She consulted a fragrance expert for this story as well.
Marie Claire is also an authority on perfume, having tested over 500 fragrances for the Marie Claire 2024 Fragrance Awards. We continually stay up to date on the latest fragrance trends, innovations, and releases.
How We Tested
To compile this list of the best strawberry perfumes, Marie Claire Associate Commerce Editor Brooke Knappenberger tested and reviewed dozens of strawberry fragrances and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market.
Each strawberry perfume was evaluated on notes, staying power, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Meet the Expert
]]>Trust me, you'll thoroughly enjoy wearing a scent that captures the crisp, watery, and sweet fruit. Pear fragrances are silent sleepers of the perfume world. Truth be told, I didn't even realize that a few of my favorite formulas had the note listed in their descriptions. But now that I've gotten the scoop about the category, my undercover love for the scent profile makes so much sense. “Pear tends to give off a fresh and juicy expression,” says founder and chief executive officer of DedCool, Carina Chaz. “It’s a really versatile note that pairs well with sweeter scents—the duo tends to create a really beautiful balance.”
Pear perfumes are an ideal component of curating an olfactory personality or for layering with more gourmand fragrances, but they're also incredible light perfumes you'll wear on repeat during the spring and summer. I have been going down the pear perfume rabbit hole for the past few weeks, so if you’re also ready to expand your fruity-fragrance palette, keep reading to learn all you need to know about this unusual note, and shop the top ten scents every beauty editor loves.
- The Best Pear Perfume Overall: Juliette Has a Gun Pear Inc.
- Best Fresh Pear Perfume: Merit Retrospect L’Extrait de Parfum
- Best Gourmand Pear Perfume: Dedcool Aura Eau de Parfum
- Best Floral Pear Perfume: Burberry Her Eau de Toilette with Pear
- Best Vanilla Pear Perfume: The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods Eau de Parfume
Cetalox and musk flank the earthy green pear note in Juliette Has a Gun’s Pear Inc. and the combination is divine. Perfect for fans of more fresh, second-skin profiles, this perfume is the epitome of spring—especially for people who don’t love overly green florals. If your spring makeup is staying put, a seasonal fragrance refresh doesn’t hurt.
Fragrance Family: Fresh Fruity
Key Notes: Pear accord; Cetalox; Musk
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Clean smelling; Second skin
What I Don’t: Not super long lasting
Review for MC: “This perfume is one of my favorite finds of all time. It’s simultaneously fresh and sweet but doesn’t veer too far in either direction. It also layers beautifully with one of my favorite perfumes of all time, which is Gold Personal from Commodity. I’ve been keeping it on my desk as my ‘mid-day refresh’ perfume, and it’s never clashed with any of the other fragrances that I have on. My only wish is that it lasted a little longer. Otherwise, this is a true gem.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
There’s a reason Marie Claire considered this one of the best perfumes of 2024. It’s warm and sits close to the skin; it almost feels like a secret weapon that I can throw into any purse and refresh on the go. I am usually skeptical of makeup brands that go into perfumery, but Merit nailed it.
Fragrance Family: Warm and Fresh
Key Notes: Bergamot; Pear; Jasmine; Musk
Size: 1 fl oz
What I Love: Skin scent; Unisex
What I Don’t: Small bottle size
Review for MC: “Despite the small bottle, this perfume packs a punch. It’s equal parts fruity and fresh, and it surprisingly lasts quite a long time. The first time I smelled this formula, it quickly landed on my top shelf, so I can safely say that it was love at first sniff.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
From the creators of the viral Milk perfume, it is no surprise that Dedcool’s Aura is the perfect pear-forward gourmand. Normally, notes like marine, lotus, and cassis would turn me off. However, in this formula, they’re blended with musk, caramel, and vanilla. The balance results in an ethereal-smelling perfume that would satisfy gourmand, floral, and fruity perfume lovers alike.
Fragrance Family: Fruity Floral
Key Notes: Pear; Cassis; Cedar; Caramel; Vanilla
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Lightweight fragrance; Well-balanced scent profile
What I Don’t: Lasting power
Review for MC: “I’m a big fan of Dedcool’s Milk (and Mochi Milk…and Taunt), so I was already expecting to love this fragrance—and it immediately lived up to the expectation. This perfume is floral and aquatic, but the more gourmand facets that the brand is known for shine through beautifully. It allows me to dabble into three different fragrance categories simultaneously, so the notes become more distinct depending on the type of fragrance or oil I layer it with.”— Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
My husband and I enjoy this unisex perfume, which is surprising because we're normally a floral-averse household. Still, the pear in this formula is so green and photorealistic that it almost takes over the entire perfume. If you don’t typically like green floral scents but want to start exploring the category, start here.
Fragrance Family: Fruity Floral
Key Notes: Green pear; Peony; Musk
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Photo-realistic pear scent; More subtle floral notes
What I Don’t: Short-lasting power
Review for MC: “Like to smell like a fresh bouquet and a basket of just-picked pears? Look no further than this perfume from Burberry. It has a photorealistic quality that makes my mouth water a little bit. After a while, the floral notes in the perfume become more apparent. It’s one of those more subtle, but still very lovely, perfumes that is safe to wear in large or public spaces like to work, school, or on a plane.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Until I looked up the notes, I did not realize there was pear in this perfume, and I’ve had my bottle for over two years. That’s how strong and long-lasting the vanilla in this scent is. Created by one of my favorite clean perfume brands, The 7 Virtues, it has notes of pear, rose, vanilla, caramel, and amber. Yes, it smells just as good as it sounds, and I need you to make a trip to your nearest Sephora to at least give it a sniff for yourself.
Fragrance Family: Gourmand
Key Notes: Pear; Rose; Vanilla
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Vanilla formula; Strong projection
What I Don’t: Not blind-buy safe
Review for MC: “If you’re on the hunt for a primarily pear-forward perfume, I don’t recommend blind-buying this perfume. However, if you’re a gourmand lover, this is right up your alley. Vanilla Woods is an extremely strong and slightly spicy vanilla fragrance, with the fruity pear facets only being exposed during the dry down. While it does technically qualify as a pear perfume, that is not the strongest note in the formula, so go in with your eyes open with this one.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Other Pear Perfumes That I Love
An intoxicating combination of pear and rose, Nette’s Pear Jam is an editor favorite for a reason. If you’ve ever heard of "dopamine dressing," consider this its fragrance equivalent. The uplifting scent profile makes this perfume a shoo-in for a favorite in the spring and summer months.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Koji pear; Rose essence; Patchouli coeur
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Mood-boosting; Realistic pear note
What I Don’t: Not the most long lasting
Review for MC: "Every time I get a whiff of this pear-forward scent, I’m reminded of just how powerful a fragrance can play into our emotions. Nette wanted to create a perfume that boosts joy and positivity, and so resulted Pear Jam. The Koji pear note is fresh and juicy, making for the perfect pairing to the warm floral mid and base notes. All in all, I can’t help but feel happy every time I wear this fragrance, which is why I reach for it so often.” — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
If you know anything about By Rosie Jane perfumes, you know they are light, elegant, and pair well with pretty much any other in your fragrance collection. So goes the case of this pear-forward scent, Leila Lou. It’s fresh, a little earthy, and wonderful for those who prefer their scents to have a slightly more green quality to them.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Pear; Jasmine; Freshly cut grass
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Fresh scent; Appropriate for everyday wear
What I Don’t: Some may find the grass note overpowering
Review for MC: "I never knew freshly cut grass was something I wanted to smell like, but boy, does it work in this fragrance. The green note is paired alongside ultra-juicy pear in the opening, before giving way to a soft jasmine dry down. This is one of my go-to spring scents for the gym because it’s as fresh and clean as can be.” — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Daisy stans, please rise. This formula from Marc Jacobs takes the classic Daisy DNA and swaps out strawberry for a pear accord, resulting in a delicious accent to one of the most popular perfumes of all time. In fact, my college roommates and I all had the original formula, so when I say that this one is an easy crowd-pleaser, take my word for it.
Fragrance Family: Fruity Floral
Key Notes: Pear Accord; Violet accord; Mimosa extract
Size: 2.5 fl oz
What I Love: Fresh; Has the original daisy perfume DNA
What I Don’t: Eau de toilette isn’t super long-lasting
Customer Review: “Obsessed! I love all things from Marc Jacobs, and this new twist on Daisy is perfect for spring! The OG Daisy is my fav, I’ve been through several bottles. This one is similar, but with fresh citrus twist. The neon yellow bottle is SO cute to display!” — Sephora
Elegance bottled is the best way that I can describe this Jo Malone perfume. Freesia and patchouli anchor the pear note, making it a little more palatable for daily wear. This is another one of those formulas that’s non-offensive, so you can wear it to that big board meeting just as easily as you can for brunch with your friends.
Fragrance Family: Fruity Floral
Key Notes: King William Pear; Freesia; Patchouli
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Pear-forward formula; Chic bottle
What I Don’t: Staying power
Customer Review: “English Pear and Freesia is an elegant, versatile fragrance perfect for daytime wear or special occasions. Its fresh and floral composition is uplifting without being overpowering, making it suitable for all seasons. A delightful choice for anyone who enjoys a fragrance that is both refreshing and sophisticated.” — Sephora
Another favorite from 7 Virtues, Lotus Pear is sweet but not cloying, thanks to the peach and orange blossom notes that make it lean a little more on the citrus side. One of my favorite aspects of this perfume is how well it plays with others in my collection, but it truly does shine on its own. It’s a stunning formula that will satisfy any pear-lover’s taste buds, but please, don’t taste it, it's not an edible perfume.
Fragrance Family: Fruity Floral
Key Notes: Williams Pear; Lotus Flower; Gardenia
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Well-balanced formula
What I Don’t: Not the most long-lasting scent
Customer Review: “I don't know why this scent is not rated as highly as some of the others in the 7Virtues line. I think this is the BEST scent in their collection! Truly beautiful - it's sweet but not conventional, and I don't find it openly floral. If you like Candied Lychee, I think you would like this - I find it a tad less sweet and a tad more floral. To me, this is like the fruitier cousin of Gucci's Floral Gorgeous Gardenia. A really beautiful scent! Please keep this in your product line, 7 Virtues!” — Sephora
What Can I Layer With Pear Fragrance?
According to Chaz, the notes that are best paired with pear notes are a little more subdued but full-bodied. “Floral, woody, and musky notes always provide a nice addition to a pear composition,” she says. “It’s an incredibly versatile aroma.”
What Should I Look for In a Pear Perfume?
The answer to this question depends on the kinds of perfumes you find yourself naturally gravitating toward. “I'd consider pear fragrances to fall under the fruity category,” Chaz says. “So what you should look for is contingent on if you're looking for a perfume with a sweeter fragrance or more grounded, woody compositions.”
When looking at the scent descriptors, search for notes that regularly appear in the perfumes you already like. My go-to formulas tend to be woodsy, sweet, and a little creamy, so vanilla, iso e super, and ambroxan are likely notes I’d want to see paired with a pear note in a perfume. It’ll take some testing and a good bit of trial and error, but eventually, you’ll come to recognize your signature scent profile.
Why Trust Marie Claire?
Ariel Baker brings over five years of experience in the beauty industry and is a fragrance fanatic, bringing her first-hand knowledge and recommendations to the piece.
Marie Claire is also an expert in fragrance, writing content around fragrance trends, the best perfume releases, and more.
How We Tested
To compile this list of the best pear fragrances, I scoured the internet and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market. I also asked the Marie Claire team to share their holy grail picks.
For each fragrance I tested, I assessed the fragrance's notes, how long it lasted, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Meet the Expert
]]>While Hollywood's elite have access to the best fragrance brands in the business (not to mention plenty of them have their own brands), the majority probably stock up on their favorite scents at Sephora during its bi-annual Savings Event. The retailer's selection includes Taylor Swift's favorite Tom Ford perfumes and many celebrity-endorsed Jo Malone fragrances, after all.
The sale is based on your tiered Beauty Insider status. Sephora Rouge members can earn a 20 percent discount, while VIB and Insiders will earn 15 percent and 10 percent discounts, respectively. The sale is only open to Insider members, but if you're not a member, don't worry—signing up is free. To earn your discount, use code SAVEMORE at checkout, and be sure to do so before April 14 when the sale officially wraps.
The Sephora sale is site-wide and includes everything from luxury skincare to mature skin favorites, plus products from our editors' beauty routines. However, I suggest picking up a new fragrance at a discount while you can. After all, it's not every day you can steal a celeb's beauty routine for yourself.
For a selection of the celebrity-perfumes you can find on sale at Sephora, keep scrolling. There's a luxuriously-scented something for everyone, whether you prefer sweet gourmands or sophisticated musky perfumes.
Eagled-eyed Swifties spotted this Tom Ford fragrance in the background of a clip in Swift's Miss Americana documentary. The pop star's signature scent was all but confirmed during the 2024 VMAs when drag queen Xunami Muse complimented her perfume and asked what she was wearing, to which Swift simply replied, "Tom Ford." With its warm blend of sandalwood, ylang-ylang, and a few spices, it's no wonder that she was getting compliments left and right.
I felt very validated when Cardi B hopped on Instagram Stories and revealed her fragrance layering combo included my favorite Kayali scents. She starts with a few spritzes of Vanilla 28, a cult-favorite vanilla perfume that's almost impossible to hate if you're a fan of sweet scents. It's deliciously warm and dessert-like without being headache-inducing or immature. Give it one sniff and you'll see why it tops our list of the best vanilla perfumes of all time.
The rapper layers Vanilla 28 with Kayali's Yum Pistachio Gelato, a TikTok-famous perfume known for its mouth-watering scent profile. She told her followers that it smells like a "pistachio macaroon," and I couldn't agree more. This fragrance is like a whipped and airy version of your favorite pistachio ice cream with notes of whipped cream, marshmallow, and cotton candy.
Jo Malone has a legion of A-list fans—as such, you'll find the brand on this list more than once (and even twice). Perhaps the brand's most royally obsessed follower is none other than Kate Middleton. According to multiple outlets, Princess Kate prefers Orange Blossom, a spring-forward perfume, as her signature scent. It boasts notes of water lily, orris, and balsamic vetiver—a fitting combo for a nature lover.
Before Swift got into Tom Ford perfumes, the singer reportedly wore Viktor & Rolf's iconic perfume, Flowerbomb, early on in her career. Think of this scent as a bouquet of warm, sensual florals—jasmine and rose are inherently feminine, while its vanilla base gives it an irresistible sweetness.
Marc Jacobs' Daisy perfume has been around for nearly two decades, so at this point, it's reached icon status. Sydney Sweeney is a fan and previously told The Cut, "I like that this perfume is not so strong that when you walk in a room, you leave a cloud behind you." She also called it "dainty," adding, "It’s one of those perfumes that if you want someone to smell it, it means they’re close enough to you.” For anyone into light, floral scents, I can practically guarantee this will be up your alley.
Henry Rose is a grossly underrated fragrance brand, which is why I was so glad to see Meghann Fahy was a fan. The actor previously shared with Marie Claire that she loves "things that could be a little bit masculine," so it made sense when she revealed to The Strategist that Windows Down was one of her favorite scents. The citrus perfume leans a bit on the unisex side with notes of bergamot, Earl Grey tea, and musk.
The word on the street among any Hollywood star who's given Rihanna a hug is that she smells incredible. While she likely wears Fenty's Eau de Parfum by now, it was reported before its launch that the superstar wore Kilian's Love, Don't Be Shy perfume—a gourmand lover's dream blend of marshmallow, vanilla, and orange blossom.
Given Beyoncé's penchant for glam, it's only fitting that the "Cowboy Carter" singer wears something equally as glamorous. Featuring cognac essence, cinnamon, oak, and tonka bean, this boozy scent is a nod to brand founder Kilian Hennessy's family liquor business.
Cynthia Erivo took a chance on this rich, unisex fragrance at the duty-free counter at the airport and hasn't looked back. "It’s so sweet and smoky at the same time, and it just works with my body chemistry," she told The Strategist. "It’s been months, and I haven’t used any other fragrance."
Before Vanessa Hudgens was turned on to Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille, she told The Strategist that she wore this Maison Margiela Replica fan-favorite. "I’m just a big fan of a semi-masculine scent that has a hint of vanilla in it as well," she said.
Wood Sage & Sea Salt is a massive favorite among the Marie Claire staff, plus it gets the A-list stamp of approval from Megan Markle. Back in 2016, the Duchess of Sussex told Express that Wood Sage & Sea Salt is one of three perfumes she rotates from—the others being Jo Malone's Wild Bluebell and Oribe's Côte d’Azur. The former is the perfect choice for the upcoming summer season as it's an ultra-fresh blend that will make you feel like you're walking on the beach in the salty sea air.
Real fragrance lovers, like Ariana Maddox, know that body mists are not to be slept on. The Love Island host swears by a popular Sol de Janeiro body mist in her fragrance layering combo, specifically the purple Chieriosa 59. She revealed to Marie Claire, "the combination of the moment is a vanilla sandalwood," adding that she first uses Le Labo's Bigarade 18, a neroli and bergamot fragrance, before using Chierosa 59 to add vanilla sweetness.
Sofia Richie-Grainge has made a name for herself in the quiet luxury space, so it doesn't surprise me that Jo Malone is her favorite fragrance brand. She revealed to Harper's Bazaar that English Pear & Sweet Pea is one of her favorites because it's "super fresh" and easy to layer with the rest of the brand's line-up.
When a star has been wearing a perfume for "as long as she can remember," you know it's a good one—that's the case with Hailee Steinfeld and Miss Dior. The actor once told Marie Claire that it has been her "go-to fragrance for the longest time." The iconic scent works for any season or occasion with its floral blend of rose, lily of the valley, peony, and iris.
While at Coachella last summer, Lili Reinhart told Glamour her "all-time favorite scent" was Armani's Acqua Di Gioia. Inspired by Italy’s Mediterranean coast, it combines the best summer notes into an under-$100 bottle. There's everything from mint leaves and citrus to jasmine and peony to whisk you to a white-sand beach somewhere.
According to Redditors, Taylor Swift's other Tom Ford favorite is Tobacco Vanille, a cult favorite in the brand's line-up. Similar to Santal Blush, this luxurious fragrance packs a warm and spicy punch of tobacco leaf, creamy tonka bean, vanilla, ginger, and cocoa. If that's not enough to convince you to try this heady scent, it's apparently a favorite of Harry Styles, too.
At this point in my career, I understand the notes I return to again and again. I know they're super popular at the moment but gourmand fragrances are a pass for me—although the marshmallow perfume trend is very intriguing—and I don't typically care for anything that's very spicy, too rich in oud, or that's exceptionally fruity. Instead, I lean towards woody, aquatic, floral, amber, and salt scents, all of which compliment my body chemistry beautifully. Until now, I had never really given a lot of thought to smelling like... a tree.
That's not to say Chloé Cedrus is a straight up Christmas tree overload of pine and cedar (which would make a very nice holiday candle). Rather, this perfume offers up a feminine take on a quintessentially woody aroma, with plenty of grounding florals and musks to soften the base. Given that it's part of the Chloé girl world, the scent is of course bohemian, but more refined Earth mother (read: sexy witch) without the hippy, patchouli, incense vibe.
Notes of cardamom, bergamot, and pink peppercorn kick off the top of the scent for an invigorating and slightly spicy first whiff before drying down to a warm heart of Bulgarian rose and earthy cassia bark. The base of vetiver, sandalwood, and cedarwood rounds out the wood-forward fragrance for a perfect balance between elegant and smoky, musky and tender. It's as if you stepped out of a foggy clearing deep in the forest, dressed in some slinky black dress that demands everyone's attention while long tendrils of hair cascade down your back in the crisp twilight air. You know, witch but make it fashion.
Best of all, this is an extremely approachable eau de parfum—definitely safe to blind buy—without ever feeling basic or boring. On the contrary, it's both comforting and intriguing at the same time, luring you in closer to take another whiff. I don't know about you, but that's exactly how I want the people around me to feel when I step into a room—intrigued and a little nervous that a such a powerful woman has entered their orbit. Basically, if you're hunting for some big witch energy this spring (although I can see myself wearing this scent all year long) Chloé Cedrus might become your new fail-safe fragrance of 2025.
Unlike traditional spray perfumes, solid fragrances are wax-based, meaning they're easy to travel with and more discreet to apply, explains fragrance expert Kudzi Chikumbu. But the best part? Solid perfumes are touted as longer-lasting alternatives to their classic liquid counterparts due to the slower rate of formula evaporation and the more potent concentration of fragrance.
While the concept may be ancient, today's formulas feel fresh, thanks to their sleek, cool packaging and skin-friendly ingredients. Whether you're drawn to the aesthetic and nostalgia, or just looking for a convenient, easy way to re-apply your signature scent, mark my words: the solid perfume trend is the next big beauty moment.
Keep reading for how solid perfumes work and my favorite products to hit the market.
Does a Solid or Liquid Perfume Last Longer?
A solid perfume can last longer than a traditional eau de parfum or body mist. The reasoning is that "with a solid perfume, the carrier is generally wax, which allows for slower diffusion," Chikumbu says. This can make it feel like the scent lingers longer, though its staying power "ultimately depends on the fragrance oil percentage."
Because solid perfumes are applied directly to the skin, they also react to body heat, which helps them melt and gradually release the scent throughout the day. To use a solid perfume, just swipe a little onto your pulse points—wrists, neck, behind the ears—and let it do its thing.
Shop the Best Solid Perfumes
I'm obsessed with a rose scent, but not one you'd find in your grandmother's perfume collection. Diptyque does it right with its fruity, floral profile that smells like real roses and is balanced out with fresher notes. Bonus: The luxe packaging is also refillable, offering a sustainable, cost-friendly way to get in on the trend.
Chikumbu is a fan of the NOYZ solid perfumes that he says came out last year and "developed a lot of fan-fare." I'm personally obsessed with the scent, Unmute, which has a warm vanilla amber profile and contains moisturizing squalane for the ultimate sensorial experience.
If you’re obsessed with the warm, slightly spicy aroma of Fenty’s signature Eau de Parfum like me, you’ll love this purse-size solid formula. The geometric design lends to its chic aesthetic, and the velvety balm melts into your skin upon application.
Another favorite of Chikumbu's is the Glossier You, as he notes that he can layer it with anything. It's a solid version of the famous You spray that was launched a few years back and has become a cult favorite across the beauty industry. The profile is marketed as a 'skin scent enhancer', and is designed to work with each wearer's unique scent chemistry alongside notes of pink pepper, iris, ambrette seeds, and ambrox.
This iconic fragrance is my go-to spring scent, and now it’s perfectly bottled up in an on-the-go design. The top note of pear blends beautifully with the heart of freesia and base of patchouli, creating a well-rounded, clean fragrance.
A favorite of Beauty Director Hannah Baxter's in the scent Thousand Palms, this solid perfume delivers on longevity and aesthetic.
Unlike the rest of the wax-based perfumes on this list, this one is a bit different thanks to its gel-like texture that feels super lightweight and not at all greasy on my skin. Though all of Longtake's perfumes have a lovely scent, the Basil and Vetiver is my favorite thanks to its herbal aroma that doesn't smell at all medicinal.
An iconic spring perfume, Miss Dior is a refreshingly bright floral-meets-fruity scent. While I find that the traditional eau de parfum spray leans more jasmine, this solid fragrance actually settles a bit more woody on my skin. If I’m really looking to double down: I’ll layer them both.
Clean beauty and wellness brand Sidia dropped one of my favorite solid perfumes that has a warm, musky scent that's not at all overpowering. It's also filled with jojoba and fruit oils for a super silky, moisturizing application.
One of Chikumbu’s favorite products on the solid perfume market is this stunning refillable design from Next Memory that can be customized with your initials. Choose from a variety of scents, all formulated with a moisturizing blend of shea butter and skin-conditioning vitamin E.
Meet the Expert
]]>While floral profiles—like rose or jasmine—are incredibly popular this time of year, “the most interesting spring scents don’t lean into florals,” says Romy Kowalewski, founder and creative director of 27 87. “They lean into tension. Spring is transitional by nature, so a great spring fragrance captures that in-between.” You'll find fresh takes on peach and cherry, light vanilla perfumes, and even nuanced notes like saffron in the season’s most in-demand scents.
I’ve been testing and finding an incredible variety of scents that I can almost guarantee will give you the best spring fragrance collection you’ve ever had. From traditional floral combinations to stunning molecular fragrances that adapt to your natural scent, these 15 perfumes are unique but still crowd-pleasing—a win-win, if you ask me. Keep reading for tips on how to approach your spring fragrance wardrobe.
The Best Spring Fragrances
The Best Spring Perfume Overall: The Harmonist Yin Transformation
The Best Musky Spring Perfume: Courrèges L'eau Pâle Eau de Parfum
The Best Fruity Spring Perfume: Guerlain L'Art et la Matiere Peche Mirage Eau de Parfum
The Best Floral Spring Perfume: Frédéric MallePortrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum
The Best Gourmand Spring Perfume: Maison Mataha Evasion Bonbon
A criminally underrated niche brand, it makes sense why more people have yet to discover the gem that is Yin Transformation. As a floral aquatic formula, it doesn’t lean too much into either category. Instead, it’s musky and slightly lactonic, giving it a fresh, “my skin but much better” quality that I can’t get enough of.
Fragrance Family: Floral Aquatic
Key Notes: Calypso Orchid; Almond milk; Ylang Ylang; Iris
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Floral that isn’t overtly green; Long lasting; Great sillage
What I Don’t: Expensive
Review for MC: “I actually fell in love with this fragrance from smelling it on someone else, and I’m so glad I did. Once I got my hands on it, I couldn’t believe this was a floral aquatic perfume—those are two of my least favorite scent categories. Still, this formula combines notes like pink peppercorn, orchid, and white musk, and the combination is mouthwatering. It somehow smells musky, powdery, floral, and even a little spicy, all at the same time, without being too busy or all over the place. It’s such an elegant perfume that I actually recommend that anyone of any gender and fragrance proclivity give it a smell. It’s one of those perfumes that has massive crowd appeal.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
This perfume smells like baby powder in the best way. For those with more seasoned noses, you can definitely smell the lemon essence and slight peppery facets of this fragrance, but the softer vanilla and ambroxan notes round out the formula beautifully.
Fragrance Family: Aromatic Citrus
Key Notes: Lemon essence; Pink pepper; Vanilla; Ambroxan
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Chic bottle; Light and seasonally appropriate
What I Don’t: Wish it lasted a bit longer
Review for MC: “This perfume felt like an undercover agent. I was shocked to realize that notes like lemon and pink pepper were in the formula because it smells so much like a musky baby powder. It’s beautifully light and a little airy—kind of what I’d imagine a fairy to smell like on a sunny day. This perfume is the definition of ethereal.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Fruity perfumes are hit-or-miss for me, but this one from Guerlain is a 100 percent hit. It combines notes of peach and leather for an unexpected but gorgeous take on a traditionally very sweet fragrance category that can sometimes veer into the childish arena. This is a fruity perfume for the grown and sexy.
Fragrance Family: Fruity Leather
Key Notes: Blackcurrant; Saffron; Peach Accord; Ambergris
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Fruity and sweet, yet not overpoweringly loud
What I Don’t: Expensive
Review for MC: “While I usually love leather notes, fruity perfumes can be tricky, so I was surprised by how much I love Pêche Mirage from Guerlain. The unexpected combination of notes creates a sweet but not cloying perfume that feels light yet simultaneously heady. It feels like the perfect scent to use to transition from cold weather into the warmer spring months.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
I’ll let you know right off the bat—this perfume is not for the faint of heart. This brand is known for having beast-mode fragrances (ie. they'll last forever), and Portrait of a Lady is heavy on the rose. Still, the note is flanked by others like frankincense and raspberry, so it doesn’t smell like a bouquet of roses; it's more like a hot and mysterious person bought you a bouquet of roses, which feels much better in my humble opinion.
Fragrance Family: Floral Amber
Key Notes: Rose; Raspberry; Clove; Frankincense
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Stunning rose perfume; Classic in the world of fragrance
What I Don’t: Expensive
Review for MC: “This perfume has been a favorite of celebrities and scent connoisseurs for years. At its heart, it’s a classic rose perfume that is taken up a notch by notes like frankincense, patchouli, and sandalwood, and it simply smells good on everyone. If you’re not a big fan of floral perfumes but want to get into the space, get your nose on this immediately.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Maison Mataha has become well-known for their sweet, gourmand perfumes. On the heels of the virality of Escapade Gourmand, the brand released Evasion BonBon. The scent is a true confection of strawberry, caramel, and musk. If you’re into playful scent profiles that pack a punch, pick this one up immediately.
Fragrance Family: Gourmand
Key Notes: Strawberry Candy; Marshmallow; Musk
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Sweet “grown up” gourmand
What I Don’t: Extrait formula is extremely strong
Review for MC: “This is a perfume for the true gourmand lovers. It’s an overdose of strawberry candy and marshmallow, so much so that I don’t even really decipher the floral, musk, and vanilla notes. That being said, this feels like Aqualina’s Pink Sugar for grown-ups, and I absolutely love it. This is an extrait formula, so it’s really strong, and you only need two to three sprays max to get the sillage you’ll need for everyday wear. It also layers beautifully with other perfumes, and I’ve been having the best time creating new combinations with this perfume as a base.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Other Spring Perfumes I Love
My husband and I fight over this scent, so that should let you know how good this unisex perfume smells on both of us. It’s spicy, airy, and sexy. I love layering it with some of my sweeter perfumes like Evasion Bon Bon to add depth, but it’s just as delicious on its own. Think of the hottest person you know—they probably own a bottle of this perfume.
Fragrance Family: Spicy Amber
Key Notes: Habanolide; Saffron; Ambroxan
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: A true unisex perfume; Long Lasting; Strong projection
What I Don’t: Expensive
Customer Review: “Aroma is so unique. Like all your favorite scents blended into one if you like exotic scents. I can breathe deeply, close my eyes, and feel like I’m in a Kaaba in Morocco.” — Ministry of Scent
Do you want to know my reaction to this perfume on first sniff? My eyes rolled back into my head, my mouth fell open, and I audibly exclaimed, "Oh my God." This is one of the most seductive vanilla perfumes I’ve ever smelled. A little spicy, a little floral, and perfectly creamy, this is another genderless scent that will have you wondering why you never picked up a bottle sooner.
Fragrance Family: Amber Floral
Key Notes: Orris pallida extract; Myrrh resinoid; Vanilla
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Unisex vanilla
What I Don’t: Expensive
Customer Review: “Absolutely in love with the Gucci Luxury Collection Alchemist’s Garden Vanilla Firenze Eau de Parfum! This fragrance is a perfect balance of elegance and warmth, with a rich, creamy vanilla scent that feels both luxurious and inviting. It's subtle yet captivating, making it an ideal choice for a date night. The softness of the vanilla is perfectly complemented by the sophisticated notes that linger just enough to leave a lasting impression without being overpowering. It’s a fragrance that feels timeless and chic, and I’m absolutely obsessed with it! Perfect for any romantic evening, and definitely worth the investment. 5 stars all the way!” — Nordstrom
For me, not every day is worth a super strong perfume. Some days, I want to keep it demure and cute. That’s where this perfume comes in. It’s soft and spicy, yet also smells a bit clean—like you stepped out of the shower and are standing next to a cashmere-scented candle. This doesn’t provide extrait-level sillage, but it’s gorgeous and impactful nonetheless.
Fragrance Family: Warm and Spicy
Key Notes: Badiane; Cashmere Flower; Tonka Bean
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Soft scent that sits close to the skin
What I Don’t: Not super long-lasting
Customer Review: “I loooove this fragrance. The scent starts with a lot of star anise (sort of liquorice-like), and then once it sits for a bit the cashmere really shines. So cozy and warm, like you’ve wrapped yourself in the softest blanket. So addicting!” — Sephora
I can find earthy perfumes a little off-putting but this one from Commodity had my heart at first sniff. Iso E Super is one of the key ingredients, which gives it that airy adaptability that I adore in molecular perfumes. Deeper notes like vetiver and sandalwood round it out to be a perfume that feels light enough for spring.
Fragrance Family: Warm and Spicy
Key Notes: Vetiver, Iso E Super, and Sandalwood
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Spicy but wearable for every day; Chic packaging
What I Don’t: Some may find it to subdued for a perfume that is meant to project well
Customer Review: “I enjoy warm, earthy, and woodsy scents. Paper+ Bold is all of these things with a nice ‘sweet scent’ aftermath. I think this could be my new go-to scent for the Fall/Winter months. So cozy!” — Sephora
Another superstar in the world of fragrance, this formula from DS & Durga is designed to enhance the scent of other perfumes. It features bergamot, which gives the perfume a fresh quality, making it delectable for any gender.
Fragrance Family: Fresh Woods
Key Notes: Bergamot Essence; ISO E Super, Ambrox Super
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Layers well but also smells good on its own; Season-less fragrance
What I Don’t: Expensive
Customer Review: “If you are that person, the one that hates popular scents that everyone raves about in today's world, and want a scentthat would differ you from all, A CLEAN, NOT HEAVY BUT SUBTLE SCENT LOVER, THEN THIS PERFUME IS FOR YOU. It is perfection, I am thankful that I got this from the Space NK calendar cause best believe this is the best scent I have ever smelled. So clean yet strong but unisex and not overpowering. Just waiting for a good discount to buy the 100 ml. And believe me when I say it STAYS. All my clothes are still have the traces of this even though a week has passed.” — Bloomingdale’s
Cardamom is one of my favorite fragrance notes, and I have a feeling that’s why I fell in love with this perfume so quickly. Warm and inviting, yet slightly sharp from the bergamot note, this perfume perfectly balances traditionally masculine and feminine notes. It's also a powerful formula, given the affordable price point.
Fragrance Family: Fresh Woods
Key Notes: Bergamot Peel; Cardamom Pod; Velvet Peach Skin
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Affordable; Strong Projection
What I Don’t: Bulky packaging
Customer Review: “I've always hated the scent of perfume designed for women. I mainly wore cologne since that's all I could stand to smell all day. This scent is such a perfect blend of ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine.’I'm not sure why others tend to think it fades quickly, but I can smell this all throughout the day. The perfect perfume, finally!” — Ulta
This is one of the most unique perfumes in my collection. Made from a variation of woody notes, the scent is adaptable to each person, but the profile remains the same throughout the day, so you’ll keep smelling the notes with the same intensity throughout its wear. I (and many other beauty editors) adore this perfume, so if you’re looking to stand out from the crowd, add this to your collection.
Fragrance Family: Woods
Key Notes: Akigalawood; Belambre; Georgywood.
Size: 3 fl oz
What I Love: Skin enhancing scent; Gorgeous bottle
What I Don’t: Expensive, hard to find.
Review for MC: “I had never heard of this brand, but one sniff of Genetic Bliss, and I became a huge 27-87 fan. This perfume adapts to the wearer so that it won’t smell the same on everyone. Still, the scent story is consistent throughout the day—fresh, aldehydic, woody, and clean. It falls perfectly into all of my favorite fragrance categories, and numerous other editors have also raved about how much they love this perfume to me, so it feels like I really discovered a hidden gem.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
Marshmallow still feels relatively untouched in the perfume world, especially when we’re in the middle of a gourmand boom. YSL aims to fix that with the latest Black Opium flanker, which features a marshmallow musk accord. It’s sweet and not as heavily coffee-scented as the original, so if you weren’t a fan of the first edition, this one may be up your alley.
Fragrance Family: Warm Gourmand
Key Notes: Marshmallow Musk Accord, Coffee Accord, Vanilla Bourbon Absolute
Size: 3 fl oz
What I Love: Marshmallow top note; Fresh take on a classic perfume
What I Don’t: Some may find the floral notes overpowering
Customer Review: “I slept on this honestly because of the packaging - glitter isn’t generally my thing. But this is a great scent. The coffee dries down quickly, and it leaves a great sweet musky marshmallow behind. Highly recommend!” — Sephora
Be warned: you’ll get a ton of compliments when wearing this Prada perfume. A gorgeous floral, notes like neroli bud and white musk combine to create a sweet, well-rounded fragrance that is universally appealing. Any age and any gender adores this scent, so if you want a fragrance that is a relatively safe blind buy, you’ve found it.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Neroli Bud, White Amber, White Musk
Size: 3 oz
What I Love: Musky, amber-forward scent; Universally appealing
What I Don’t: Awkwardly shaped bottle makes storage hard
Customer Review: “My signature scent. Very feminine, sexy, and deep. The floral notes are great for the daytime, but I think the base notes are excellent for evening wear. This is my go-to date night perfume. Its wear is INCREDIBLE. You will absolutely be smelling it on yourself throughout the whole day. Tons of compliments on this fragrance. A must-have in any fragrance connoisseur’s collection.” — Sephora
Romantic is the best way that I can describe this perfume. Its fruity top notes quickly give way to a heart of rosa Damascena, and it finishes off with a creamy, vanillic dry down. So many of my friends have worn this one on dates and have raved about how many compliments they’ve gotten.
Fragrance Family: Amber Floral
Key Notes: Pear; Lychee; Rosa Damascena
Size: 1 oz
What I Love: Elegant bottle; Very feminine perfume
What I Don’t: Expensive
Customer Review: “I absolutely love this scent. My favorite perfumes are sweet and fruity and this scent definitely has that. This scent contains fruity notes of pear, lychee, and grapefruit. There are also notes of rose damascena paired with incense and vetiver. There is a subtle base of vanilla, musk and evernyl.” — Bloomingdales
What Are Spring Perfumes?
While fragrance isn’t inherently seasonal, there are some notes that fare better in warmer months versus cooler or colder weather. “Spring is never just about softness,” Kowalewski says. “Look for notes with clarity and structure: green banana peel, linden blossom, absinthe, aldehydes, marine accords, or skin-like musks.”
What Type of Fragrance Is Best for Spring?
There are a few notes that are particularly well-suited for spring. “Think of clean, soapy aldehydes that shimmer without sweetness and bright zesty citrus notes that cut through the still-cold air,” Kowalewski says. “Molecules with skin-like elegance can create lift without volume. And if there’s floral, it should clash slightly. A spring fragrance should feel like clarity after noise. Not romanticized. Just radically present.”
Why Trust Marie Claire?
Ariel Baker has over seven years of experience in the beauty industry and is a fragrance fanatic, bringing first-hand knowledge and recommendations to the piece.
Marie Claire is also an expert in fragrance, writing content around fragrance trends, the best perfume releases, and more.
How We Tested
To compile this list of the best spring fragrances, we scoured the internet and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market. We also asked the Marie Claire team to share their holy grail picks and asked independent and staff testers to try a mix of cult favorites and new launches.
For each spring fragrance we tested, we assessed the fragrance's notes, how long it lasts, and its overall scent as the day went on.
Meet the Expert
]]>As fragrance houses are upping the ante, competing to outdo one another in fresh avant-garde ways, the perfume industry isn't just about smelling good anymore. Now, it's a race to create a brand new sensorial experience—and as of late, perfumes dubbed safe to eat have re-entered the chat. While they're unlikely to be seriously harmful (due to the fact that there's more regulation than in the days of Dessert Beauty), before you consider your perfume an afternoon treat, let's unpack this trend.
Fragrance influencer @paulreactss posted a TikTok detailing his experience testing, and subsequently, tasting Haute Sauce Beauty's lineup of "America's only edible fragrance." In the video, Paul sprays it directly in his mouth—something, I must add, the brand says not to do—and reacts completely shocked, saying the Vanillian Dream scent tastes just like a "nutty, macadamia creme brulée." In the same spirit, beauty podcast Fat Mascara talked about the London-based edible perfume, Amorecco that's "made to be sprayed, tasted and devoured," per the brand.
Haute Sauce says its perfumes are 100 percent edible because they contain food-grade ingredients that are sugar-free and vegan. That said, there is no ingredient list to be found, which, I'll be frank, makes me very hesitant to get in on the taste test phenomena. Amorecco, on the other hand, lists all ingredients in its "lickable perfume" and they're fairly simple. The fragrance is comprised of "food-safe" or "generally food-safe" ingredients, as classified by the FDA, alongside alcohol, fragrance, and sweeteners.
Another factor to consider? The longevity. While these may smell and taste sweet, they may only last for a short period of time. The secret to a long-lasting perfume is the concentration of oils, and because this is an alcohol-based formulation, chances are these edible perfumes are going to evaporate quickly.
My take? Perfumes you can eat are fun in theory but feel more like a novelty than a game-changer. Sure, the concept is intriguing—who wouldn't be curious about a fragrance that doubles as a treat (especially a marshmallow perfume)? But at the end of the day, perfume is meant to be worn, and sniffed, not eaten. If nothing else, this trend proves that the beauty industry will always find ways to keep us entertained. Maybe just read the fine print before licking your wrist in public.
Non-Edible Gourmand Fragrances We Love
Review For MC: "Despite having a collection of nearly 100 bottles, I still regularly turn to this whenever I'm craving a sugary delight. With a blend of two types of vanilla and hints of grounding chocolate and musk, I find this fragrance to smell exactly like homemade frosting—sweet, buttery, and even a touch powdery. It has a creamy, slightly woody dry down to give it some depth, but all in all, it's melted ice cream in a bottle, so naturally, I'm obsessed." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Review For MC: "In my time as a shopping editor, I've tried plenty of perfumes but none have surprised me more than this one. At first, I thought I was duped into thinking this was a gourmand because it does lean very floral at the initial spray—that would be the notes of geranium and neroli coming through. But underneath the floral notes, there's a buttery element and sweet raspberry in the dry down that is simply delicious." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Review For MC: "Celebrity perfumes tend to be a hit or a miss, more often the latter for me, but this one is definitely a hit. Its sugary, berry opening is equal parts delectable and comforting, plus it's unique from the other vanilla fragrances I have in my collection. While the bottle is gorgeous on my shelf, it's not the most functional, but that's my only gripe with this fragrance. All in all, I can't count on this fragrance to make me feel cozy all day long." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Phlur first came up on the scene in 2022 when its musky fragrance Missing Person went viral on TikTok. Later, the brand had another hit on its hands with the sweet-scented body mist Vanilla Skin and thus began a bona fide hit-maker. It's not too hard to see the brand's appeal, either. Aside from the luxe, aesthetically-pleasing packaging, each scent is meant to evoke a specific memory or feeling, whether it's a bold floral fragrance or an easy-to-layer mist. Phlur's owner and creative director, Chriselle Lim, also uses world-class perfumers behind iconic scents from Byredo, Kayali, Glossier, and more to create rich, long-lasting perfumes.
As you might've guessed, I've tested and collected more than a few Phlur perfumes throughout my fragrance journey, but not every one can be considered a hit. Out of the over 20 different scents, only 10 made the cut out of my list of the best of the best Phlur perfumes. The following fragrances and body mists are the top-rated on the market and the scents I regularly turn to in my own collection. Keep scrolling to see which Phlur perfumes deserve all the hype and my honest thoughts on each.
Best Phlur Perfumes
- Best Overall Phlur Perfume: Missing Person Eau de Parfum
- Best Overall Phlur Body Mist: Vanilla Skin Body Mist
- Best Floral Phlur Perfume: Rose Whip Eau de Parfum
- Best Light Phlur Perfume: Father Figure Eau de Parfum
- Best Sweet Phlur Perfume: Heavy Cream Body Mist
Launched in 2022, Missing Person is undoubtedly what put Phlur on the map—the story behind it is likely part of the reason why. Around the time of the launch, Lim was going through a divorce, so she was inspired to create a perfume that would bring her comfort. What resulted was Missing Person, an intimate scent meant to smell like your lover's skin. It became a viral hit on TikTok, leading to the expansion into body oil, lotion, hand cream, perfume oil, and a candle.
Notes: Skin Musk; Bergamot nectar; Sheer jasmine; Fresh cyclamen; Neroli blossom; Orange flower; Sandalwood Australia oil; Blonde wood; White musk
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Ideal scent for layering; Great for any season or occasion; Long-lasting; Smells slightly different on everyone; Has a comforting effect
What I Don't: Projection could be better
Review For MC: "Missing Person is one of those scents that makes me sigh and smile in comfort—just like Lim intended. To me, it smells like the biggest hug from my mom and like all is right in the world, which is why I probably wear it so often. It's not too floral or too musky, either, so I find it a great base scent for layering. There's really never a time when this fragrance couldn't work—I wear it going to bed, to the gym, to the office, on flights, and everywhere in between. It's just that good." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
There's plenty of reasons we rated this the best-ever body mist on the market. For starters, it's impressively complex for a body mist. At first spritz, it's deliciously sweet like sugar but it develops into a warmer, woodier scent with a tiny touch of spice to keep it interesting. It plays well with others, too—you can layer it on nearly anything to add a touch of warm sweetness.
Notes: Pink pepper; Sugar crystals; Lily; Jasmine petals; Cashmere wood; Benzoin; Vanilla; Sandalwood; Agarwood
Size: 8 oz.
What I Love: Ideal scent for layering; Sweet, but not cloying; Long-lasting
What I Don't: Has a woody dry down that may not be suitable for everyone
Review For MC: "Vanilla is my first fragrance love, so Vanilla Skin is a scent I hold near and dear to my heart. While I have both the eau de parfum and body mist versions, I find myself reaching for the latter more often because of how well it layers with the rest of the scents in my collection. I like to spray it in my hair to catch sweet whiffs throughout the day. Not only that, but I've found that the body spray lasts nearly as long as the EDP, which is a feat in and of itself." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
If you think rose perfumes are too mature and outdated, then Rose Whip is the ideal floral scent to try the note. Phlur set out to change rose naysayers' minds with a fragrance that's both feminine and delicate, and strong and bold. The contradiction between its spicy pink peppy opening and soft rose base is what makes this fragrance so unique. Dare I say, after a spray or two, your stance on rose will be changed.
Notes: Pink pepper; Black currant; Rose; Osmanthus; Nutmeg; Amber; Cashmere wood; Musk
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: A bold, unique interpretation of florals; Great for any season or occasion
What I Don't: May not be a safe blind buy for traditional floral fans
Review For MC: "I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek of this fragrance back in December 2024, and I hadn't been able to stop thinking about it after my first sniff. I am by no means a fan of florals—I find rose in particular too grandmotherly—but Rose Whip is downright cool. It takes rose and spins it on its head with spicy pink pepper and a warm leathery and floral base. It's the kind of perfume that makes you think whoever is wearing it is the coolest in the room, and for that, I'm obsessed." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Father Figure gets a ton of hype on social media and it's not too difficult to see why. It's richly layered and smells a little different to everyone—sometimes you may think its lush and green from the fig and orris root notes, other times you may get sweet or even woody whiffs. All in all, though, Phlur fans agree that Father Figure is one of the brand's best thanks to its androgynous-leaning clean scent.
Notes: Waterlily, Lush fig, Cassis buds; Orris root; Iris flower; Jasmine dew; Skin musks; Vanilla Madagascar; Patchouli leaf; Sandalwood
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: A true unisex scent; Great for any season or occasion; A fresh, clean scent; Ideal scent for layering; Smells slightly different on everyone
What I Don't: Projection could be stronger
Review For MC: "There are times when I want my fragrance to be subtle, like when I'm traveling or when I'm at the gym—this is the Phlur perfume I reach for. It has such a crisp and clean quality to it, that I can't help but feel like I'm relaxing in a million-dollar spa while wearing it. It gets even better during the dry down as it develops a subtle creaminess that's simply delicious. I'm looking forward to hot weather just so I can wear this more often." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Gourmands can cross over into sickeningly sweet territory fast, but Phlur knows how to do the scent category right. Heavy Cream is a light and airy take on the fragrance family and is reminiscent of a lemon meringue pie. It has a creaminess that isn't heavy, but more so fluffy so it's the perfect sweet scent to layer on during any weather.
Notes: Lemon sugar; Marshmallow; Orange; Jasmine blossom; Coconut cream; Vegan ambrettolide; Vanilla mousse; Salted caramel; Whipped cream
Size: 8 oz.
What I Love: Ideal scent for layering; Sweet, but not cloying; Long-lasting
What I Don't: Name may be misleading
Review For MC: "To know me is to know my love of gourmands—I've tried every variation under the sun, but I love the citrusy sweet combination that is Heavy Cream. I will say it's not as lactonic as the name suggests, but it's more fluffy and sweet like you would expect from a whipped marshmallow dessert. The coconut cream and citrus notes are nice touches, too, as they work to uplift the sweetness." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
With this January 2025 new release, Phlur set out to create a fragrance that makes you feel like your most confident self and it did just that with Golden Rule. It's a feminine fragrance through and through with sensual florals and bold fruity notes as the stars of the show. After a few hours, it develops a creaminess that makes it all the more delectable. Just like the bottle and name suggest, this scent will be one of the most radiant in your collection.
Notes: Mandarin splash; Pink pepper; Golden pear; Orange flower water; Jasmine blossom; Coconut milk; Benzoin; Sandalwood; Vanilla cream
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: A bold, youthful interpretation of florals; Great for any season or occasion
What I Don't: May be too fruity for traditional floral lovers
Review For MC: "There was a time when I would stay away from any kind of floral fragrance, but this scent singlehandedly changed that for me. At first sniff, I was blown away by this blend's bold and fun fruity opening, then I was even more impressed as the floral notes developed. Somehow, Phlur managed to make florals sensual, feminine, and energetic all at once with this perfume—something I've never come across in my fragrance journey. I've been reaching for this for every occasion under the sun, but especially during moments when I need a confidence boost." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
As the name suggests, this fragrance is a love letter to juicy strawberries and the scents of childhood—it was inspired by Lim's young daughter and her love of strawberries, after all. The fruit gets a chic twist with the addition of plum nectar, while tonka bean and amber provide a subtle warmth. It has a nostalgic feel, too. If you're a kid from the '90s, you probably remember the Strawberry Shortcake Dolls—this is that scent, but all grown up.
Notes: Cassis leaves; Strawberry gariguette; Plum nectar; Wild lily; Red poppy; Apple blossom; Earthy woods; Tonka bean; Sugared amber
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: A mature fruity fragrance; Sweet, but not cloying; Nostalgic
What I Don't: May be best suited for spring and summer
Review For MC: "I had always thought fruity fragrances leaned too young for my taste, but then Phlur released this absolute win and it changed my mind forever. It smells like fresh strawberry jam with the teeniest touch of florals from plum nectar and lily to give it some added depth. Whenever I'm in the mood for something uplifting and fun, this is the scent I reach for." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
A lot of Phlur's perfumes tend to lean on the floral side, so this recent release is a breath of fresh air. You may already know Vanilla Smoke as a luxury candle, but as a body mist, it makes for the perfect layering scent. The name says it all as it's smokey with a touch of vanilla sweetness so it can add a cool edginess to any of your go-to scents. As with any of Phlur's body mists, it lingers for an impressively long amount of time, too.
Notes: Bergamot; Pink pepper; Birch; Cacao blanc; Cashmere vanilla; Tonka bean; Incense; Peru alsam; Amber
Size: 8 oz.
What I Love: A true unisex scent; Ideal scent for layering; Long-lasting
What I Don't: May be better suited for the fall and winter
Review For MC: "I was first introduced to Vanilla Smoke as a candle, which I was hooked on all throughout the winter. Then when I heard it was being turned into a body mist, I was skeptical about how the scent would translate. I'm happy to report that it works. I'm not a fan of anything too smokey and deep, and this strikes the perfect balance between incense and vanilla. Whenever I don't want to smell too 'basic,' a few sprays of this add a rich smokiness that makes me feel like an It girl." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Fragrance fanatics know that light perfumes are just as important to have in a collection as beast-mode fragrances and Soft Spot is just that: a really good light perfume. Soft, fresh florals blend seamlessly with citrus to create a scent that's intimate and feminine. It's not too complex, which makes it a great choice for a layering scent as you won't have notes competing with each other. If you're Team Floral over Team Musk, I bet Soft Spot will be your number one pick over Missing Person.
Notes: Bergamot peel; Mandarin; Freesia; Jasmine petals; Waterlily; Vanilla orchid; Amber; Sandalwood; Musk
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: A fresh, clean scent; Ideal for layering; Long-lasting
What I Don't: A little similar to Missing Person
Review For MC: "Soft Spot is like Missing Person's sweeter, more floral little sister. They're both similar in the sense that they're intimate and skin-like scents, but where Missing Person is musky, Soft Spot is powdery and fresh. My nose doesn't pick up any one specific note, but instead, I get a blend of clean white florals and a touch of vanilla sweetness. This is another great Phlur fragrance for layering as it wouldn't overpower anything you pair with it." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
You know that feeling of worn-out bliss from spending an entire day out in the sun? That's what Solar Power captures. At first, it sparkles with citrusy mandarin and bergamot before evolving into a jasmine fragrance with a touch of orange flower. Driftwood and sea salt complete this sunny fragrance that's the ideal perfume for hot summer days.
Notes: Italian red mandarin; Sun-drenched bergamot; Jasmine absolute; Neroli; Orange flower; Driftwood; Solar musk; Sea salt
Size: 1.7 oz.
What I Love: Has an uplifting effect; Great for the spring and summer
What I Don't: May lean too floral for some
Review For MC: "This is one of the most aptly-named perfumes I've ever come across because it's like sunshine in a bottle. Phlur took the best scents of summer—salty sea air, sun-kissed skin, and citrus—and wrapped them all into one intoxicating perfume. While this does lean on the floral side, it's warm, bright, and refreshing thanks to touches of mandarin and bergamot. What I love most about this fragrance is that it doesn't rely on coconut or sunscreen-y notes to whisk me away to a summer paradise." — Brooke Knappenberger, Associate Commerce Editor
Why Trust Us
Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire and brings nearly five years of beauty experience to this story. She is a fragrance fanatic, is constantly testing new beauty launches, and has reported on dozens of perfume stories including the best gourmand fragrances, the best coconut fragrances, and the best cherry fragrances.
Marie Claire is also an authority on perfume, having tested over 500 fragrances for the Marie Claire 2024 Fragrance Awards. We continually stay up to date on the latest fragrance trends, innovations, and releases.
How We Tested
To compile this list of the best Phlur perfumes, Marie Claire Associate Commerce Editor Brooke Knappenberger tested over 20 Phlur perfumes and body mists and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market.
For each Phlur fragrance we tested, we assessed the fragrance's notes, its longevity, and its overall scent as the day went on.
]]>I'm an avid scroller of PerfumeTok and it seems like I can't go more than five minutes without running into a rave review of one of Zara's many fragrances. The consensus among shoppers is that many of the brand's scents are a much more affordable alternative to cult-favorite luxury perfumes. So the next time you find yourself rationing your last few sprays of Baccarat Rouge 540, you can simply head to your nearest Zara store for Red Zara Temptation and save yourself over $300.
Whether you have a favorite luxury scent or not, think of Zara's fragrance collection as a gateway to a world of new signature scents for under $50 apiece. To save you from the headache of smelling every Zara perfume, I did the work for you. Ahead, shop the 13 best Zara perfumes for every scent preference. Whether you're a fan of sweet gourmands or light perfumes for every day, this list will have a rich-smelling, yet affordable olfactory treat for you.
Red Zara Temptation is undoubtedly the brand's best-selling creation thanks to TikTok dubbing it as a near-identical dupe to Maison Francis Baccarat Rouge. While there are plenty of different versions to choose from, the original boasts the warm, familiar, and rich scent fragrance lovers know from the cult-favorite brand. Ultimately, it's sweet and likely the most intense scent on this list, and for that it's obsession-worthy.
Notes: Jasmine, saffron, amber, moss, praline
Available Sizes: 1.0 oz for $18, 1.7 oz. for $28, and 2.71 oz. for $35
What We Love: Long-wearing; Rich-smelling; Strong projection
What We Don't: May not be a safe blind buy
Think of the prettiest bouquet of white flowers like jasmine and orange blossom—a.k.a. the star notes of YSL's Libre—and you get Zara's Golden Decade. With its touch of sweet lavender and juicy mandarin (also found in Libre, by the way), this fragrance is a bold and seductive scent for those wanting to make an entrance.
Notes: Jasmine, orange blossom, mandarin orange, lavender
Available Sizes: 1.7 oz. for $28, 2.71 oz. for $36
What We Love: A warm, complex scent; Great for date night
What We Don't: May be too strong for those who prefer softer scents
Fans of Tom Ford perfumes will recognize this scent as a close alternative to the luxury brand's Grey Vetiver. Made in collaboration with Jo Malone (so you know it's good), this is a citrus fragrance through and through with grapefruit and lemon as the hero notes. Vetiver sits at the base for added woodiness, which provides a rich depth others around you will find luxurious.
Notes: Grapefruit, lemon, vetiver
Available Sizes: 3.4 oz. for $46
What We Love: Strong projection; Created by Jo Malone CBE (the founder of Jo Malone London and Jo Loves); Unisex
What We Don't May lean too masculine for some
Fashionably London is up there in terms of Zara's most talked-about fragrances on TikTok likely due to how wearable it is. With its fresh, clean, and slightly powdery notes, it's a scent that works for every day, season, or ocassion. I've heard more than one comparison to Parfum de Marley's Delina on social media and reportedly this Zara perfume will get you just as many compliments, too.
Notes: Bergamot, rose, musk
Available Sizes: 1.01 oz. for $23, 3.4 oz. for $46
What We Love: Created by Jo Malone CBE; Great for any season and any occasion; Long-wearing; Strong projection
What We Don't: May not be a safe blind buy for some
This pick is aptly named because all of the New York City It-girls I know are obsessed with Le Labo's Santal 33, which is what this scent is said to be an alternative to for a fraction of the price. One spritz will have you wrapped in the familiar comfort of sandalwood, but be warned: It does lean more heavily on the cardamom than you may be used to in Le Labo. However, if you want to feel sophisticated with your scent, this is the Zara perfume for you.
Notes: Cardamom, jasmine, sandalwood
Available Sizes: 1.01 oz. for $23, 3.4 oz. for $46
What We Love: Unisex; Created by Jo Malone CBE
What We Don't: May lean too masculine for some
For those who perfume something light and soft for everyday wear, Applejuice will be right up your alley. It opens up to a burst of fresh citrus before settling down into a warm, lingering hug thanks to sandalwood and musk. While this is already a light fragrance, you can opt for the eau de toilette version for an even more subtle take on the scent.
Notes: Kiwi, apple, grapefruit, jasmine, violet, rose, sandalwood, musk, cedar
Available Sizes: 3.04 oz. for $28
What We Love: Great for any season and ocassion; Available in two strength options.
What We Don't: Not as fruity despite what the name suggests
A few spritzes of this perfume will have you channeling summer, no matter how cold it currently is outside. Equal parts tropical, sweet, and fruity, but not cloying or overbearing, Hibiscus is like a beach vacation in a bottle with notes of mango, passionfruit, and vanilla orchid. It would be nearly impossible to feel sad while wearing it, which is why so many TikTokers are big fans of it.
Notes: Orange, peony, mango, passionfruit, vanilla orchid, and amber
Available Sizes: 3.0 oz. for $23
What We Love: One of the most affordable picks on this list; A fun, bright scent
What We Don't: Longevity could be better
There's some debate on whether or not Ebony Wood is a callback to Jo Malone's iconic Wood Sage & Sea Salt, but considering this Zara scent was made in collaboration with the brand's founder, I think there's some similarities. For starters, you get a deep woodiness from the cypress note but it's balanced with fresh grapefruit, which is comparable to the sea salt note in Jo Malone's. Where Zara's Ebony Woods differs, however, is its coffee note, adding a cool-girl edge to the overall scent.
Notes: Grapefruit, cypress, coffee, pink pepper, patchouli, vetiver
Available Sizes: 1.01 for $23, 3.4 oz. for $46
What We Love: A unique take on woody fragrances; Long-wearing; Strong projection
What We Don't: The coffee note may come on a bit strong
Vanilla perfumes are a dime a dozen these days (Zara has several different variations on its site), but the consensus on Hypnotic Vanilla is that it's the stand-out. If the name didn't give it away, it's a close replica of Dior's Hypnotic Poison, which is a classic warm and sweet vanilla scent, but don't get it confused—this perfume may be strong, but it's not headache-inducing. Instead, think of this as a sultry vanilla that can warm you up on a cold winter night.
Notes: Apricot blossom, jasmine, bourbon vanilla, moss, dulce de leche
Available Sizes: 1.0 oz. for $18, 2.7 oz for $36
What We Love: A warm, sweet scent; Not cloying; Layered; Strong projection
What We Don't: Does not have a strong projection
Some scents have a delicious creaminess or lactonic feel to them, and Fields at Nightfall falls into that category. It has a warm and sweet milkiness that will make others want to snuggle up to you just to get a whiff. With its touch of jasmine, it has a feminine edge that reviewers say makes it a great choice for date night. In case you were wondering, many think it's supposed to replicate Zadig & Voltaire's This Is Her.
Notes: Praline, jasmine, and sandalwood
Available Sizes: 1.0 oz. for $16, 3.4 oz. for $30
What We Love: Great for date night; A warm, sweet scent
What We Don't: Creamy, lactonic scent isn't for everyone
I'm calling it now—rose perfumes are going to have a major moment in 2025, which is why I'm so excited Zara has such an interesting take on the popular note. This is a close take on Montale's Intense Cafe and reportedly the dry-down is very similar to Roses Vanille by Mancera, so you get two luxurious scents wrapped into one bottle. It's a sweet floral scent with gourmand notes you can nearly taste.
Notes: Jasmine, peony, caramel, vanilla, amber
Available Sizes: 1.0 oz. for $18, 2.71 oz. for $36
What We Love: A nuanced gourmand; Great for date night; A warm, sweet scent
What We Don't: May be too floral for traditional gourmand lovers
White floral fragrances get a bad rep for being grandmotherly, but you won't have that problem with Gardenia. With a similar note composition to YSL's Black Opium, Gardenia takes orange blossom and gives it new life with punchy fruits. A base of coffee adds an energizing boost you're probably not used to in floral fragrances.
Notes: Gardenia, orange blossom, coffee notes, peach, raspberry
Available Sizes: 1.0 for $15, 3.04 oz. for $23, 6.08 oz. for $30
What We Love: A unique floral scent; Includes an energizing coffee note
What We Don't: Longevity could be better
Skin scents are having a moment in the perfume space right now and I'm here for it. This fragrance is warm and intimate—like an embrace from a loved one—so you can't help but feel comforted while you wear it. Because it's light and subtle, it plays well with other fragrances in your collection, too. Fans say it's closely related to Dior's Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet but with slightly less lasting power.
Notes: Cherry, peony, vanilla
Available Sizes: 1.0 oz. for $16, 3.4 oz for $30
What We Love: Great for any season and any occasion; Great for layering
What We Don't: Longevity could be better
Cardamom, pepper, clove—all standard spicy perfume notes that have made their way onto my skin over the past few months. As a self-proclaimed scent savant, this means I’ve been testing dozens of fragrances over the last three months (really years, if we’re being honest). I've got you covered if you’ve been searching for your next spicy perfume.
Not only have I gone ahead and curated the ultimate list of spicy perfumes that would satisfy even the pickiest nose, but I've also spoken with fragrance expert, creative director, and founder of 27 87, Romy Kowalewski, who explained everything that there is to know about spicy perfumes.
Whether you’re looking for your new cold-weather staple, or are just in the mood to be complimented constantly, keep reading to learn why a spicy perfume is the most essential addition to your fragrance wardrobe.
The Best Spicy Perfumes of 2025
- Best Overall Spicy Perfume: Dries Van Noten Rock the Myrrh
- Best Designer Spicy Perfume: Dolce and Gobanna Velvet Desert Oud
- Best Musky Spicy Perfume: Bulgari Le Gemme Orom
- Best Vanilla Spicy Perfume: Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Sin
- Best Amber Spicy Perfume: Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur
Created by perfumer Amelie Jacquin, Rock the Myrrh is inspired by a Parisian boutique, and one sniff of this concoction will easily transport you to the city of love. One of the more approachable spicy perfumes in my collection, you’ll find notes like pink pepper, myrrh, and suede in this intoxicating (and unisex) formula.
Fragrance Family: Leather
Key Notes: Cypress; Pink Pepper; Myrrh; Patchouli; Suede; Benzoin
Size: 3.4 fl oz.
What I Love: Not as intense as some other spicy scents
What I Don’t: Expensive
Review for MC: "The day that I have to repurchase this perfume is the day that I will cry a river of tears. Yes, this bottle of perfume costs a pretty penny, but I’m simply unwilling to be without it at this point. The notes are approachable, the scent lasts for hours on the skin (around six total I’ve noticed), and the bottle literally feels like a work of art. No fragrance collection is complete without this perfume.” — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
It was love at first sniff when I initially got my nose on this perfume, and I wore it for about three weeks straight when it first joined my collection. As someone who has upward of hundreds of bottles of perfume, this is a feat. This perfume is somehow simultaneously airy and lightweight, yet somehow becomes more heady the longer you have it on. This is one of the most intoxicating scents that I own.
Fragrance Family: Woody
Key Notes: Tobacco; Saffron; Oud
Size: 3.3 fl oz
What I Love: Slightly floral quality; Easy to store bottle
What I Don’t: Some may find that it smells a bit medicinal
Review for MC: “I love this perfume on its own, but one of its best qualities is how well it layers with other scents. I’ve gotten really into skin scents recently, and the heavier notes of this Dolce and Gabbana scent ground the lighter, more airy perfumes that I’ve been mixing it with. Every single combination has been a hit so far. Still, this perfume also stands on its own so whether you’re a fan of layering your scents (citrus! floral! fruity!) or you just want to wear a spicy perfume by itself, you can’t go wrong with picking this up.”— Ariel Baker
If you think Bulgari Le Gemme Orom feels like a work of art, it's because it is. Inspired by the Labradorite gemstone in Madagascar, this perfume features notes of vanilla bourbon absolute and oud, making it perfect to wear on its own. It can also be paired with traditional gourmand perfumes to take the sweetness factor up a notch.
Fragrance Family: Amber Oriental
Key Notes: Vanilla bourbon absolute; Benzoin siam resinoid; Oud assam essence
Size: 4.2 fl oz
What I Love: Sweeter spicy perfume
What I Don’t: The bulky bottle may make the user experience somewhat uncomfortable
Review for MC: “Smelling this perfume is like that warm fuzzy feeling you get around the holiday season. It doesn’t veer too warm like most vanilla-heavy perfumes, but it still feels nostalgic. It’s like it’s saying, ‘Come closer, but not too close.’ You’ll want to hide this from your partner because they will fall in love with it. Feel free to ask me how I know.” — Ariel Baker
Don't let the lighter formulation fool you, this scent from Ellis Brooklyn is a top contender for one of my favorite spicy perfumes. Black cherry, vanilla, and almond cream all combine to give you the best of both worlds—a spicy perfume with sparkling gourmand facets.
Fragrance Family: Gourmand
Key Notes: Black cherry; Hazelnut; Almond cream; Bourbon vanilla
Size: 3.38 fl oz
What I Love: Lightweight mist that can be worn year-round
What I Don’t: Not very long-lasting
Review for MC: “I am not the biggest lover of cherry scents so imagine my surprise when I realized that it was a top note in one of my new favorite fragrance discoveries. Instead of being cloying, the cherry in this fragrance combines beautifully with the bourbon vanilla and the combination smells so good you’ll almost want to drink it. Don’t do that, but it does smell that good.” — Ariel Baker
A legendary formulation in the world of perfumery, Frédéric Malle's Musc Ravageur is a spicy amber dream. It starts off fresh with bergamot and mandarin notes, but by the time it's dried down, it transforms into a heady scent that both men and women find intoxicating.
Fragrance Family: Spicy Amber
Key Notes: Bergamot; Mandarin; Lavender; Amber; Vanilla; Sandalwood
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Long-lasting, gorgeous packaging
What I Don’t: Expensive; Not blind-buy safe for beginners
Review for MC: “In my opinion, no Frédéric Malle fragrance is safe to blind buy, but if you know you’re a fan of spicy perfumes, there’s a very high chance that you’ll like Musc Ravageur, especially if you have a more seasoned nose. Citrus notes like bergamot and mandarin curate a fresh top note, but the longer the perfume sits on the skin, the more it turns into this super sexy scent that lasts all day. If you’re a beginner in the world of spicy fragrances, I highly suggest you get a sample of this first, but it truly is a masterpiece of a perfume.” — Ariel Baker
Other Spicy Perfumes I Love
If you want a spicy perfume that smells more clean and woodsy, this one from Charlotte Tilbury should be on your "must sniff" list. It's a fairly simple combination of notes: black pepper oil, leather accord, and musk, but it is so incredibly elegant that it feels like a much safer bet for spicy fragrance beginners.
Fragrance Family: Woods
Key Notes: Black Pepper Oil; Leather Accord; Musk
Size: 3.4 fl oz
What I Love: Gorgeous packaging; Great for beginners
What I Don’t: Not long-lasting
Customer Review: “Absolutely love this perfume!! It’s definitely not for everyone and very unique. At first it was too strong for me but the more I wear it the more my body chemistry melts with the perfume. Makes me feel like a sexy goddess.” — Sephora
Want to smell like an actual bottle of cinnamon? Byredo's Eyes Closed has your name written on it. You would think notes like ginger, carrot, and cinnamon would make this scent feel a little too spicy, but the orris butter note, in particular, tempers that sharpness of the perfume to make it much more wearable for every day.
Fragrance Family: Spicy floral
Key Notes: Cinnamon; Cardamom; Carrot; Orris butter; Ginger; Patchouli; Papyrus
Size: 1.7 fl oz
What I Love: Sleek packaging; Strong projection
What I Don’t: Expensive
Customer Review: “This perfume is amazing - warm and spicy and slightly sweet - I get so many compliments when I wear it. It’s complex and inviting - it starts spicier then wears down to a non-saccharine sweet lingering note. I would describe it as a sophisticated gourmand with depth. I cannot get enough!!! So glad I found this!” — Nordstrom
What Is a Spicy Perfume?
Technically, spicy perfumes often fall into the oriental or woody-spicy families. But if you really want to get technical, there are a few notes that you can pay attention to as well. “Think red pepper, cardamom, saffron, pink and black pepper, ginger, or even burnt rubber and metallic notes,” says Kowalewski. “Spicy notes can be grounding, volatile, warm, or electric. It all depends on what it’s paired with.”
Why Do People Like Spicy Perfumes?
While there’s no one-size-fits-all reason why someone may like a spicy perfume, it's typically a crowd-pleaser with more seasoned noses. “Spicy is more than just a scent profile— it’s an attitude,” Kowalewski says. “It’s about unpredictability, about breaking free from the expected.”
Spicy perfumes are also a great way to learn how seemingly unrelated notes can work really well together. “In Elixir de Bombe, for example, we used a sharp burst of red pepper and ginger, balanced with caramel and leather, to create contrast,” Kowalewski says. “Rule of 72 plays with saffron and cardamom in a way that’s bold but refined. Spicy perfumes are all about pushing boundaries.”
Why Trust Marie Claire
Ariel Baker is a Beauty Writer with nearly a decade of experience. Prior to her time at Marie Claire, she was the Assistant Beauty Editor at Popsugar. She is constantly testing new fragrances, and consulted a fragrance expert for this story.
When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we've spoken to. Learn more about how we review products.
How We Tested
Marie Claire beauty writer Ariel Baker—along with a few editors and contributors—went through a vigorous testing period where they reviewed dozens of spicy perfumes. Each was evaluated on notes, staying power, and fragrance bottle.
Meet the Expert
]]>Now, in 2025, owning a Diptyque perfume is equivalent to owning a little slice of Parisian glamour and romance. While the candles do hold a special place in my heart, I ride hard for the fragrances. I will bet my most precious Chanel bag that you will not be disappointed by the brand's classics like L’Eau Papier Eau de Toilette or Fleur de Peau Eau de Parfum. And new launches, like its Les Essences collection, have already earned permanent spots in my fragrance rotation.
But how can one narrow down the best perfumes from a storied fragrance house? It was tough, but I (and my nose) diligently tested every Diptyque scent in the wild. Below are 10 of the best Diptyque fragrances you should have in your scent wardrobe.
The Best Diptyque Fragrances
- The Best Diptyque Fragrance Overall: Diptyque Bois Corsé Eau de Parfum
- The Best Light Musk Diptyque Fragrance: Diptyque L’Eau Papier Eau de Toilette
- The Best Clean Musk Diptyque Fragrance: Diptyque Fleur de Peau Eau de Parfum
- The Best Woody Floral Diptyque Fragrance: Diptyque Orphéon Eau de Parfum
- The Best Rose Diptyque Fragrance: Diptyque Rose Roche Eau de Parfum
Rich, creamy, and super sexy, Bois Corsé is a true stunner. It mixes notes of coffee, cedarwood, and sandalwood for a deep blend of wood and gourmand scents that are complex and intoxicating. It’s one of those fragrances that will stop people in their tracks once they get a whiff of you.
Fragrance Family: Woody
Key Notes: Café Arabica; Sandalwood; Tonka Bean
Size: 3.4 oz.
What I Love: Smells delicious; Long-lasting
What I Don’t: Some may find it too sweet and strong
Review for MC: “Arguably the most elevated (and chicest) gourmand in my collection, I get all the compliments when I wear Bois Coursé. It’s warm and creamy like most coffee and sandalwood scents are, but it’s also super seductive with a bit of smokiness. It draws people in, and as someone desperate for a meet-cute, this makes me fantasize about an Alexander Skarsgard look-alike approaching me at my favorite coffee shop because he couldn’t help but notice that I’m reading 'White Nights' by Dostoevsky and wearing this scent. Then we bond over literature, get married, and live happily ever after.” — Audrey Noble, Contributing Beauty Writer
If you’ve ever asked yourself what the next great literary novel would smell like, I’m telling you it would smell like L’Eau Papier Eau de Toilette. This merges notes of white musk, steamed rice accord, and mimosa for an elevated paper-like scent that’s equal parts musky and bright. If this doesn’t inspire you to look up the closest vintage bookstore for you to spend all day in, I don’t know what will.
Fragrance Family: Musk
Key Notes: White Musk; Steamed Rice Accord; Mimosa
Size: 3.4 oz.
What I Love: Lightweight; Complex; Unique scent
What I Don’t: It could be too lightweight for some
Review for MC: “I love the smell of paper (bookworms will get me), and this gives me that with a musk twist. It’s pretty lightweight, so I’m not overwhelmed, but I still find it lasts for a long time. One spritz and it gives me a creative burst, making me want to head over to the New York Public Library to finally start writing that novel I keep talking about. “ — Audrey Noble, Contributing Beauty Writer
Fleur de Peau is the perfect balance of old money sophistication without those stuffy vibes. It uses musk, iris, ambrette, and pink peppercorn to create a super fresh burst while deepening the finish with its darker base notes. Not too powdery or too soapy, it’s pretty perfect as far as musks go.
Fragrance Family: Floral Musk
Key Notes: Musk; Iris; Ambrette; Pink Peppercorn
Size: 2.5 fl oz.
What I Love: Balanced; Not too floral; Not too sweet
What I Don’t: Might be too powdery
Review for MC: “This just feels like pure luxury. It has a vintage powdery feel thanks to the musk and iris, but the pink peppercorn makes it a bit fresher and more modern, so I don’t feel outdated. It's what I dream my more mature and fabulous Upper East Side self would wear when I’m finally in the tax bracket to lunch at Bergdorf’s weekly and go to galas in my spare time. So until then, I’ll spritz this to manifest it.” — Audrey Noble, Contributing Beauty Writer
Very few things are cooler than the streets of Paris in the '60s. With notes of juniper berry, cedarwood, tonka bean, and jasmine, Orphéon is a lovely mix of sweet powder and warm wood. It’s rich while still being light and airy, a proper homage to the bars and jazz clubs that inspired one of the most creative and fun decades.
Fragrance Family: Woody
Key Notes: Juniper Berry; Cedarwood; Tonka Bean; and Jasmine
Size: 2.5 oz.
What I Love: Well-balanced
What I Don’t: Might be too powdery
Review for MC: “Sign me up for any scent inspired by the '60s nightlife in Paris, but this, in particular, is so effortlessly cool—like French socialite grabbing drinks with Karl Lagerfeld at all his Parisian haunts cool. It’s soft and powdery to give you that light, airy feel, but it dries down with great depth and warmth for something more decadent and creamy. It's a favorite scent of mine for when I go out.” — Audrey Noble, Contributing Beauty Writer
This isn’t your typical rose scent—and thank the fragrance gods for that. You still get a warm sweet floral note at the heart, but the lemon and patchouli notes bring a light and citrus twist. The contrasting levels harmoniously work together so even the most floral-averse want to consider this for their new signature scent.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Lemon; Centifolia Rose; Patchouli
Size: 3.4 oz.
What I Love: Well-balanced
What I Don’t: Might be too sweet
Review for MC: “Thanks to the lemon note, Rose Roche provides this with a zesty energy that makes it unlike any rose fragrance I have in my current fragrance wardrobe (which I have a lot of). It’s light and fun, and as an Aquarius, I appreciate any unique scent." — Audrey Noble, Contributing Beauty Writer
Other Diptyque Fragrances I Love
Do Son is fresh, like the bouquet of flowers I get from my local farmer’s market. It mixes notes of tuberose, orange blossom, and jasmine to bestow a sweet floral-meets-citrus smell on my skin. The amberwood, on the other hand, provides extra warmth.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Tuberose; Orange Blossom; Jasmine; Amberwood
Size: 2.5 oz.
What I Love: Nice, sweet floral; Long-lasting
What I Don’t: Might be too sweet for some
Customer Review: “Perfect scent, suits everyone. Lasts for long and just smells gorgeous. It’s unlike any perfume I've tried. I feel so luxurious when I wear it.! Definitely on the pricier side but i’d argue it to be worth it due to how amazing it is. Perfect for both men and women, the best unisex perfume on the market.” — Nordstrom
Inspired by the fig trees on a Greek island, this woody scent is exactly what I imagine a very chic forest would smell like. I smell deep, woody notes thanks to fig leaves and fresh plants courtesy of tree sap. It’s rich and elevated, reminding me of that one time I decided to do a Reiki hike amongst the trees upstate. It was such a calming and peaceful experience, I almost didn’t mind the tick bite I got on the journey.
Fragrance Family: Woody Green
Key Notes: Fig Leaves; Fig Tree Sap; Black Pepper
Size: 2.5 oz.
What I Love: Potent; Long-lasting
What I Don’t: Can be too green and woody
Customer Review: “I’m not sure what’s with this fragrance, but it’s stuck in my head and I’m craving it. It’s extremely fresh and green. There is absolutely no sweetness to it. It’s like that smell of freshly cut grass, just a fig version. Extremely nice and refreshing. I spray it after the shower and before I go to bed. It completely relaxes me. I’m not sure if I smell it during the day since I live in a dry, hot environment and it seems the smell disappears on me but I am sure it will be more pronounced during colder months. Love this smell!” — Nordstrom
Clean, floral, and not too sweet, Eau des Sens is a refreshingly cozy scent. It has bright orange blossom notes and juniper berry rounded out and grounded with greener notes like patchouli. As a born and raised LA native, it reminds me of times I would drive to the beach to sit and enjoy the sea breeze and decompress with my favorite fruit smoothie (and no, not from Erewhon. I was a Jamba Juice girly. Sorry not sorry).
Fragrance Family: Citrus Floral
Key Notes: Orange Blossom; Angelica Root; Patchouli; Juniper Berry
Size: 3.4 fl oz.
What I Love: A pretty bright floral; Long-lasting
What I Don’t: Floral notes may overpower the green notes; Not as well-balanced as others
Customer Review: “This Diptyque perfume feels expensive and luxurious. The fresh and light fragrance is elevated by the fact it lasts longer than most neroli based fragrances. I also recommend the other products in the range. Everytime I wear this I get asked what perfume I have on. Highly recommend if you want something fresh and clean with some strength.” — Nordstrom
Made with notes of mandarin, rose, and a salty mineral accord, this scent is a lovely green floral that brightens the senses. It’s inspired by the magic of coral reefs, and if you’re a water person like I am, it will remind you of those idyllic summer boat rides that take you to the perfect spot for snorkeling. For a calm and happy vibe, I have no notes.
Fragrance Family: Aquatic Floral
Key Notes: Mandarin; Rose Bourbon; Salty Mineral Accord
Size: 3.4 oz.
What I Love: Lovely sweet, green scent; Long-lasting
What I Don’t: Might be too green
Customer Review: “This fragrance hit its high note straight out the bottle and played it strong and steady for over twenty-four hours. Three days out from original spritz and I can still catch an echo of it in my hoodie. I’ve never met a citrus that performs like this. My favourite Diptyque to date.” — Fragrantica
An ode to the best city in the world IMO (a.k.a. Paris), Eau Capitale blends notes of rose, patchouli, and bergamot. The result: a powdery floral that’s super light but lingers on for hours in the loveliest way possible. One spray transports me to Palais Royal when the roses bloom. This fragrance makes me contemplate moving my entire life to live out my version of Emily in Paris.
Fragrance Family: Chyphre Floral
Key Notes: Rose; Patchouli; Bergamot
Size: 3.4 oz.
What I Love: Lightweight; Airy; Fresh
What I Don’t: Might be too powdery
Customer Review: “My favorite signature scent as I feel rich and happy when I wear it. Highly recommended.” — Nordstrom
Why Trust Us
Marie Claire is a perfume authority, having tested over 500 fragrances for the Marie Claire 2024 Fragrance Awards. We have reviewed every fragrance family, reported on fragrance trends, and are constantly staying up to date on emerging notes and innovations.
Audrey Noble has more than a decade of experience in the beauty industry and has reported dozens of fragrance stories, including the best woody fragrances, the best vanilla fragrances, and the best citrus fragrances.
How We Tested
To compile this list of the best Diptyque fragrances, we scoured the internet and combed through countless customer reviews to find the top-rated options on the market. We also asked the Marie Claire team to share their holy grail picks and asked independent and staff testers to try a mix of cult favorites and new launches.
For each Diptyque fragrance we tested, we assessed the fragrance's notes, how long it lasts, and its overall scent as the day went on.
]]>I'm a shopping editor, so it's my job to scope out the best deals on the internet for you. My favorites hit every major category, from light perfumes for everyday wear to iconic floral fragrances that will indeed become a new date-night favorite. I've even included a few beauty gift sets so you can get more bang for your buck. Additionally, this list of Valentine's Day candles will set the mood with their delectable (and a little sexy) aromas.
Keep scrolling for some major gifting inspiration for the upcoming holiday. These finds hail from editor-approved brands like Diptyque, Jo Malone, Armani, Gucci, and more. Rest assured that no matter which fragrance you choose, you're doing better than a box of chocolates.
The only thing better than an on-sale perfume is an on-sale perfume gift set. With a full-size bottle for home, a travel-sized option for your purse, and a body lotion, you can smell great from head-to-toe. Save even more with one of our Bloomingdale's promo codes.
I know this pick is $7 over my intended budget, but Diptyque perfumes are too good not to include on this list. Warm weather will be here before you know it, and this scent, made with pear, bergamot, and jasmine notes, is begging to be your signature summer fragrance. Save even more with one of our Ssense promo codes.
This is a cult-favorite jasmine perfume for 50 percent off, so you can't go wrong with this pick if she's a floral fan. Save even more with one of our Nordstrom Rack promo codes.
I'm all for a unique-smelling candle, so this one is a favorite. Its notes include cannabis flower, cashmere wood, white amber, and vetiver, so count on it to boast a woody and smokey scent. Save even more with one of our Shopbop promo codes.
Why buy one Dolce & Gabbana perfume when you can get three of the brand's cult favorites? With this set, which includes a travel size of the Devotion, Light Blue, and Q scents, you'll have a luxury perfume for every mood and season. Save even more with one of our Ulta promo codes.
If you don't know your recipient's scent preferences, gift them this discovery set. They can try fragrances without committing to a full-size bottle. Save even more with one of our Nordstrom promo codes.
This gorgeous burgundy jar would make any minimalist's heart soar, and the cherry and tonka scent inside is equally gorgeous. Save even more with one of our Anthropologie promo codes.
A warm floral scent is an instant mood-lifter in any season, making this perfume an excellent gift for anyone on your list. A dash of ginger, amber, and lemon gives it a unique kick, too. Save even more with one of our Neiman Marcus promo codes.
Jo Malone's perfumes are so elegant, so it's no wonder why it garnered an A-list fanbase. English Pear and Freesia is a favorite of Sofia Richie Grainge, who says it's "super fresh." Save even more with one of our Target promo codes.
With this iconic fragrance, it's all in the name—its crowd-pleasing blend of fresh notes (grapefruit, bergamot, and spring mimosa, to be exact) is designed to be uplifting and joy-inducing. Save even more with one of our Macy's promo codes.
If you want to impress a fragrance lover on Valentine's Day, a luxurious candle that not only smells good but looks good will do the trick. This cool holographic option ticks both of those boxes. Save even more with one of our Farfetch promo codes.
Fruity, sunny, and warm, this is one of my favorite coconut perfumes. It whisks me away on a tropical vacation every time I wear it, thanks to fresh figs, orange blossoms, and pears. Save even more with one of our Sephora promo codes.
This may be called a "Christmas" candle, but I'd argue it has Valentine's Day written all over it. It's designed to help you unwind with 13 pure essential oils, including mandarin, cinnamon, and tonka bean. Save even more with one of our Dermstore promo codes.
This fragrance is a fan favorite with over 4,600 reviews from QVC shoppers. Its blend of muguet blossoms, bergamot, and musk is soft and delicate. Save even more with one of our QVC promo codes.
I don't know about you, but I believe pumpkin-spiced lattes should be enjoyed well beyond the fall, and this big candle allows me to do just that. Save even more with one of our Revolve promo codes.
The collection of eight scents taps into every major scent family. Heady, sexy notes (like the aptly named “Sex Musk”) sit alongside your skin-but-better options, adult-feeling florals, and not-too-sweet vanilla perfumes. Designed to be applied to your pressure points, they radiate a noticeable (but not headache-inducing) level of fragrance that melts in with the rest of your routine. Marie Claire editors have also been secretly testing them for weeks, and we’re all obsessed.
Fans of the rest of Cyklar’s cult-favorite line will recognize familiar scents like Sacred Santal (comprised of notes of bergamot and ambrette) and Vanilla Verve (which blends vanilla with green cardamom and musk). The former is my personal favorite in this new formulation, especially when layered with a new scent in the perfume oil range, Cedar Supreme.
Each tiny bottle retails for $24 and is available on Cyklar’s website now. But, if their quick-to-sell-out range is any indication, these will be gone before you know it. Keep scrolling to shop and hear from our editors about their favorite scents.
After falling head over heels in love with the Sacred Santal body wash and lotion, I was a quick fan of the matching perfume oil. Even when I apply the lotion right before, I don't find that the scent is too overpowering. I also find that it's a great base when mixed with other scents in the range, and I can apply it on the go since the bottle is so small.
"I'm the official Vanilla Verve ambassador. I use the scented body wash, the lotion, and now lock it all in with brand new perfume oil," says Senior Beauty Editor Samantha Holender. "It's subtle enough that it doesn't overpower my (also vanilla) perfume, but still provides a full-day stay and a warm and cozy aura—which is very welcome in this brutal winter weather."
"I fell in love with Cyklar because of their body washes, so when the brand also launched fragrance oils, I knew I had to try them. These body oils landed on the top shelf of my fragrance cabinet as soon as I got my hands on them," gushes Beauty Writer Ariel Baker. "I have multiple favorites from the line, but I've noticed that I've been reaching for Cedar Supreme the most."
"Never did I think I would look forward to wearing a fragrance called ‘Sex Musk’ but lo and behold I am," says Associate Commerce Editor Brooke Knappenberger. "Maybe it’s because this scent feels warm and familiar—like being wrapped in a blanket or a hug— but it’s the first thing I want to put on when I get out of the shower. It doesn’t lean one way either—it’s not too floral or too musky, making it the perfect choice for layering.”
Floral perfumes are not normally my vibe, but Flora Veil is different. It's probably because of the deeper and sandalwood and ambrette notes. When combined with notes like peony and what the brand calls "Fresh Air," you get this sexy-sweet combination I can't stop wearing.
"As much of a fan that I am of woodsy fragrances, I was shocked by how much I enjoyed Modern Patchouli," Baker says. "Some of the notes include coconut water and mimosa, which are a bit unusual but combined with the others like pistachio, vanilla, and of course, patchouli, it's a mouthwatering fragrance that I've been wearing much more than I thought I would. This one's definitely a sleeper hit."
"Lover's Leather has pretty much solidified my love for spicy, woodsy fragrances because next to Cedar Supreme, it's one of my most used scents from the entire collection," continues Baker. "It pairs perfectly with the go-to fragrances that I already wear but the oil adds a depth to my fragrance wardrobe that I find undeniably sexy. It's perfectly unisex, but while you can share this one with your partner, you likely won't want to."
I had my eye on the Bergamont Bond body wash, so I was happy to test the fragrance in the perfume oil first. It combines the titular note with verbena and bamboo for a zesty, citrusy finished fragrance that smells clean. Please Cyklar—bring this out in a candle! I'm begging.
Shop Other Best-Sellers From Cyklar
As a shopping editor, I find nothing more thrilling than finding high-ticket items for less. So, I combined my shopping expertise with my passion for fragrance to scope out the best deals across the web. Lo and behold, my search proved fruitful. I found luxury perfumes from Dolce & Gabbana and Armani alongside cult-favorite scents from brands like Tom Ford , Jo Malone, Orebella, and more. In the candle department, I found a few options you can burn now and keep forever from the same roster of cult-favorite brands.
Keep scrolling to the 16 fragrances I found at a major discount. Whether you're hunting for a Valentine's Day candle to set the mood or simply expanding your perfume collection, there's something for every scent preference on this list. Every pick is also budget-friendly, with a price tag of $200 and under.
It doesn't more wintery than a candle that smells like a fir tree. This one is housed in an on-theme green jar to match. Save even more with one of our Anthropologie promo codes.
To know Jo Malone London perfumes is to love them, but if you haven't found your favorite yet, this set is a great place to start. It includes fan favorites like Wood Sage & Sea Salt, Myrrh & Tonka, and Lime Basil & Mandarin in travel-friendly bottles. Save even more with one of our Macy's promo codes.
This warm, fruity candle will impress your guests. Considering you can enjoy a clean, intense, delicious scent for up to 140 hours for just $59, this is not a deal to pass up. Save even more with one of our Revolve promo codes.
Blind buying perfume is always scary, but My Way is a safe bet if you're a sweet, floral scents fan. Popular notes like orange blossom, bergamot, vanilla, and sandalwood have made it a cult favorite. Save even more with one of our Neiman Marcus promo codes.
I have this Dolce & Gabbana perfume in my collection, one of my yummiest gourmands. The classic Italian dessert panettone serves as inspiration, and its blend of vanilla, candied lemon, and rum nails the vibe. Save even more with one of our Nordstrom Rack promo codes.
When Orebella launched its Nightcap scent, founder Bella Hadid said she wanted to create a grown-up version of the vanilla body sprays we all grew up wearing—and that's what she did. It's a spicy, sexy, mature take with added ginger, cardamom, and guaiac wood notes. Save even more with one of our Ulta promo codes.
Clinique's Happy fragrance has long been a fan-favorite for its joy-inducing combination of fresh grapefruit, bergamot, and spring mimosa. With this sale set, you can experience the fragrance in a full-size bottle, travel spray (which is perfect for keeping in your purse!), and the brand's ultra-popular Black Honey lip gloss. Save even more with one of our QVC promo codes.
This calming candle has notes of sage and lavendar that will help you wind down after a long day (or a frigid commute). Save even more with one of our Target promo codes.
Considering you get two full-sized products at 15 percent off, I'd say this set is a steal. My favorite Laura Mercier scent is Ambre Vanille, a truly warm and cozy vanilla fragrance. Save even more with one of our Laura Mercier promo codes.
This massive bergamot candle will whisk you away to the sunny coast of Southern Italy every time you light it. You'll get plenty of burn time, too—according to the brand, this super-sized candle lasts 180 hours. Save even more with one of our Bloomingdale's promo codes.
If I didn't know any better, I would think this candle was a piece of home decor—it's that gorgeous. The scent is equally enticing with oud, sandalwood, and patchouli notes. Save even more with one of our Net-a-Porter promo codes.
With notes of jasmine, vanilla, and lavender, Mon Guerlain is a perfume with peak feminine energy. Reviewers love it for its mature, not-overtly sweet feel, plus many note that its wears for over six to seven hours. Save even more with one of our Sephora promo codes.
If you like heady winter scents that are a little sexy, consider these from Trudon. Cinnamon, clove, and leather mix with cashmere and candied chestnuts. Save even more with one of our Farfetch promo codes.
If you've ever wanted to test a Tom Ford perfume but couldn't decide which one to start with, consider this discovery set. It includes best-sellers like Tobacco Vanille and Oud Wood, which both fit the cozy vibe. Save even more with one of our SSENSE promo codes.
This candle gets its name from notes like oud wood and smokey embers, so I would say it's pretty warming. Plus, as someone who lives in a pre-war apartment, it will bring the fireplace to me. Save even more with one of our Saks Fifth Avenue promo codes.
We may be in the dead of winter, but it's never too early to start thinking about your signature summer fragrance. This is a twist on an iconic Dolce & Gabbana perfume, with added peach and a touch of woodiness. Save even more with one of our Nordstrom promo codes.
The president has promised to impose tariffs on imported goods once he’s in office. It's not the first time: During the first Trump presidency, approximately $380 billion in tariffs were imposed on thousands of products. This resulted in about $80 billion in new taxes on the American people. This time around, Trump has promised a 25 percent bump on all imports from Canada and Mexico, plus an additional 10 percent tariff on all imports from China. Everyday essentials, like groceries and gas, will be hit most immediately—but luxury goods and non-essentials, including fragrance, may also be affected.
The reason: Many fragrance houses import not only raw ingredients—like roses, patchouli, jasmine, benzoin—but also packaging supplies, like glass bottles, atomizers, and boxes. Trump's tariffs may increase costs across the supply chain, particularly for imported raw materials and finished products.
“In perfumery, we often distinguish between natural and synthetic or ‘man-made’ perfume ingredients,” explains Nic Mastenbroek, perfumer at Ruth Mastenbroek Perfumer London. “Generally, the natural ingredients are the most expensive because of the longer and more complicated processes to produce an amount of oil, resin, or absolute that can be used in a perfume formula.”
Some of the most expensive naturals are sourced abroad: oud oil from Cambodia; rose oil from Morocco and Bulgaria; jasmine absolute from Egypt; and sandalwood oil from Australia or India. Of the synthetics, the most expensive are ambroxan, amber extreme, damascenone, and some specialty floral or green ingredients. Christophe Laudamiel, perfumer, chemist, and cofounder of DreamAir Creative Studios in New York City, explains that natural ingredients such as narcissus, tuberose, oud, vanilla, rose, orris, broom, carnation, boronia, and neroli can range from $2,000 to $50,000 per pound; synthetic molecules aree between $500 to $1,000 per pound.
The rarity and the work needed to extract some of these ingredients make them all the more costly. “Oud is derived from agarwood and is produced only when aquilaria trees are infected by a specific mold, making it extraordinarily rare,” says Jean Madar, CEO and chairman of InterParfums, Inc., the fragrance house behind beloved brands like Oscar de la Renta, MCM, and Ferragamo.
Rose de Mai is another raw ingredient that’s fairly expensive. “It’s hand-harvested exclusively in Grasse, France, during a brief blooming window; it takes an extraordinary number of petals and painstaking labor to produce even a small amount of essential oil,” Madar says.
And the extraction process is only the beginning of the journey. Each note must then be packed and shipped to the formulators and then the marketing team, all adding to the cost. Mastenbroek says that ingredients like geranium, eucalyptus, spearmint, and peppermint oils, often sourced from China, could see the immediate impacts of tariffs and ultimately price hikes on the scents that rely on them.
Why not source materials from countries that haven’t been hit with tariffs? Ines Guien, VP of Operations for Dossier, explains: “There are some ingredients that are grown in more than one country, but due to different air quality, climate, soil, and more, the odors are completely different.” She adds that the United States doesn’t currently have the structure or the climate to produce jasmine, rose, or tuberose. “So we must outsource to get these fragrance notes.”
Dossier is seemingly getting ahead of potential challenges by building affordable fragrance profiles inspired by pricier perfumes, including Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s viral $335 Baccarat Rouge 540 (Dossier's version Ambery Saffron costs $49). But other factors, like political climate, can also gouge pricing. “We had challenges getting vetiver oil from Haiti due to their political climate,” Guien shares.
Ultimately, there's no denying the power of perfume to mood boost, unlock memories, and zen you out when needed. According to a 2024 Fragrance Trends report by consumer and market insights agency Mintel, 23 percent of US adults spent more than $60 on their last fragrance purchase, and 40 percent of those say that they consider fragrance an affordable luxury. But with the financial shifts that come with this new administration, perfume may just become a luxury less affordable.
Meet the Experts
]]>Though we’re hardly short of the best luxury fragrances (Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford are some of my favorites), Valentino's scents are distinctive. They evoke the same glamorous aura from the clothes and haute couture pieces that precede them while offering perfume lovers a unique and edgier take on classic floral scents. You spritz these on when you want to strike that perfect balance of chic yet effortlessly cool.
“Valentino fragrances stand out because [of their] irreverence,” Guillame Flavigny, Givaudan perfumer and co-creator of the Valentino Uomo Born in Roma Intense, tells Marie Claire. “They’re a mix of the classicism of Roma and modernity, [and] they are aristo punk.”
It’s always hard to narrow down and pick one scent to settle with when you have so many options (ah, the paradox of choice). But fear not: I’ve done the hard part for you. Below are the eight best Valentino fragrances I’ve tested and loved. Scroll through to see which speaks to you (and your wallet).
Best Valentino Fragrances
- Best Valentino Fragrance Overall: Donna Born in Roma Eau de Parfum
- Best New Valentino Fragrance Launch: Donna Born in Roma Green Stravaganza Eau de Parfum
- Best Valentino Fragrance Gourmand Scent: Voce Viva Eau de Parfum
It’s hard to top the OG. I was first introduced to Donna Born in Roma circa 2019—and soon Valentino had an instant hit. But it didn’t make a splash with wild notes or a strong attack of your senses. Donna Born in Roma took classic notes of jasmine, vanilla bourbon, and pink pepper to create a sweet floral that lingers softly on your skin. Like your trusted ride-or-die, this scent will stick by you (the lasting power is pretty impressive). Expect all the compliments when you spritz this on for the day.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Blackcurrant, jasmine grandiflorum, bourbon vanilla
Size: 3.4 oz.
What We Love: Strong lasting power and not overwhelmingly sweet
What We Don’t: It’s not the most unique scent, and you can easily find a dupe for a fraction of the cost
Fitting with Valentino’s newest beauty ambassador Charli XCX, Green Extravaganza is exactly what I’d envision "brat" to smell like. It teases you playfully with tart tea notes but settles in with a sweet fruity dry down thanks to the vanilla and jasmine. If I were to resurrect my inner club rat, I’d spray this for my four in the morning adventures at my old haunts.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Tea accord, jasmine, vanilla
Size: 3.4 oz.
What We Love: It’s a fresh fruity scent that will appease most
What We Don’t: It doesn’t last as long as we’d like
Voce Vita is the grown up, sophisticated version of the sweet candy Y2K fragrances that raised me. It’s a lovely floral that opens up with a mix of bergamot and orange blossom. A warm vanilla note rises to the surface with time, providing a cozy energy. The green notes of the crystal moss round it out for a more elevated touch. And the best part? Its lasting power is unmatched compared to the rest, which bodes well if smelling like a sweet flower all day is your vibe.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Italian bergamot, orange blossom absolute, crystal moss accord, vanilla
Size: 3.4 oz.
What We Love: It’s a balanced mix of vanilla and floral notes that has long-lasting power
What We Don’t: It may be overpowering for those who don’t normally gravitate towards sweet scents and it smells similar to other known gourmands in the market
Other Valentino Fragrances I Love
Crowned Fragrance of the Year at the 2024 Fragrance Foundation Awards, this is the ideal vanilla scent. It has jasmine and benzoin notes to nicely balance out the gourmand’s sweetness, along with amber to add a soothing warmth. “[It] is intense and pushes the facets of creaminess and a fluffy sensuality to another level,” Honorine Blanc, dsm-firmenich perfumer and Donna Born in Roma Intense co-creator, tells Marie Claire. “[It’s] a very unique and beloved combination of femininity, sensuality with a playful attitude.” Aptly named, it is more profound and a bit darker than the original iteration, which is perfect for when I want to give off “enigmatic cool girl who spends her night gallery hopping vibes.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Bourbon vanilla, amber, jasmine, benzoin
Size: 3.4 oz.
What We Love: It’s a vanilla scent that isn’t too overpowering
What We Don’t: It doesn’t last as long as we’d like it to
I consider this Born in Roma’s more energetic little sister. At first spritz, Yellow Dream welcomes you with bright notes of lemon before settling in with the creaminess of fresh musk and rose. It’s fun and light, and I’d pick it up for a much-needed pick-me-up after a long day of work or travel.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Italian lemon, fresh musk, rose essence
Size: 3.4 oz.
What We Love: It’s a unique, bright take on the OG Born in Roma scent
What We Don’t: It’s pretty light and fades faster than others on this list
While it launched as a men’s fragrance in 2023, Uomo Intense has become a favorite for all beauty lovers, critics (it is last year's Fragrance Foundation Award winner for Consumer’s Choice ICYWW), and just about anyone who falls under its mesmerizing aroma. You get a classic, warm gourmand in the vanilla base, but the vetiver and lavender liven it up. The latter makes it sparkle unexpectedly. “It’s a lot of freshness, very salty, very woody. It works together very well,” Antoine Maisondieu, Givaudan perfumer and co-creator of Uomo Intense, tells Marie Claire. “It’s that contrast that is part of its success.”
Fragrance Family: Spicy
Key Notes: Vanilla, lavandin, vetiver
Size: 3.4 oz.
What We Love: It reinvents vanilla in a cool and sexy way
What We Don’t: It’s pretty heavy and—pun intended—intense
Have you ever smelled something so good you wish you could drink it? Coral Fantasy is refreshingly delicious thanks to kiwi, Brazilian orange, and white musk. You get the sweetest mixture of fruity scents; I liken it to my favorite juice I crave while sunning myself by the beach. But it isn’t overwhelming for those who tend to gravitate towards sweeter-smelling scents, and it lasts pretty much all day. While I don't have freshly squeezed juice on hand, I’ll settle for spritzing this all over on my next tropical getaway.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Key Notes: Orange, jasmine, rose
Size: 3.4 oz.
What We Love: Strong staying power
What We Don’t: It’s potent and may turn off some not looking to smell super sweet
I’m not normally a big fan of earthy scents. (As a known nature-averse person, they often smell too much like nature), but this makes a strong case to change my mind. Thanks to the coffee that’s mixed in with the classic green notes of bergamot and vetiver, you get a brightness and tinge of sweetness to even out those woody and earthy tones. If hiking could smell like this, I’d actually partake in it.
Fragrance Family: Woody
Key Notes: Bergamot, coffee, vetiver
Size: 3.4 oz.
What We Love: It’s a bright woody scent that smells lovely on
What We Don’t: Doesn’t last as long as the others
What to Look for in a Valentino Fragrance?
Valentino has launched many fragrances over the decades, but there are currently three main collections: Born in Roma, Voce Viva, and Anatomy of Dreams. Born in Roma may be its most well-known, with its distinct studded bottle design and warm floral profiles, and it’s the perfect fragrance for those who love sweet scents. “Born in Roma is intense and pushes the faces of creaminess and fluffy sensuality to another level,” says Blanc. “It brought a new elevated texture using unique ingredients to the luxury market.”
Can you Layer a Valentino Fragrance?
While you can technically layer whatever fragrance you want, Flavigny says that layering the different Born in Romas will bring out different facets of each for an enjoyable scent experience.
For example, he says the Born in Roma Uoma can bring some freshness to the Born in Roma Intense. If you want to add some sensuality to the original Born in Roma, he recommends layering the Intense over it. Try playing around with a few combinations to see what Valentino layering concoction smells the best to you.
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]]>"One of the main factors influencing cost is the concentration of the scent," shares Alexandra Monet, perfumer at dsm-firmenich. "Body sprays and mists are often more affordable than eau de toilette or eau de parfum due to their lower concentration."
The ingredients used can also make a difference, says Juliette Karagueuzoglou, vice president perfumer at IFF. "We can use the finest raw materials and find the most exquisite qualities," she explains, which is one of the many reasons why luxury fragrances are great for perfume layering. "You're also paying for the bottle, packaging, and brand communication," adds Monet.
As a longtime beauty editor and expert, I know firsthand that you can never go wrong when it comes to investing in fragrances. Not only will you have them on hand for years to come, but everyone you encounter will remember your intoxicating scent. So, if you're looking to take your fragrance library to the next level, I've rounded up 21 of the best luxury perfumes for Marie Claire. Happy spritzing!
The Best Luxury Perfumes
- Best Luxury Perfume Overall: Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum
- Best New Luxury Perfume: Valentino Sogno in rosso Parfum
- Best Daytime Luxury Perfume: Killian Rolling in Love Eau de Parfum
- Best Nighttime Luxury Perfume: Tom Ford Eau d'Ombre Leather Eau de Toilette
- Best Floral Luxury Perfume: Gucci Flora Gorgeous Orchid Eau de Parfum
As Hermès latest fragrance, Barénia is a true delight. Soft, yet captivating, it truly encompasses everything a luxury perfume should be. After only a few spritzes, I'm left with a glorious long-lasting scent that's a definite head-turner.
Notes: Miracle berry, butterfly lily, oak, patchouli
Fragrance Family: Floral
Size: 3.3 oz
What We Love: It's soft and light, but has staying power
What We Don’t: The round bottle can be difficult to grip while spraying it on; use both hands if this is the case for you
I got an exclusive preview of Sogno in Rosso back in July when Valentino took a few editors to Paris to experience the new Anatomy of Dreams collection. It's safe to say I've been obsessed ever since. It's soft, creamy, and offers a hint of spice. Incomparable to anything I've smelled before, it melts beautifully into the skin and lasts until I wash it off. Bonus: it layers really well with a variety of other fragrances.
Notes: Black pepper, juniper berries essence, vanilla bourbon premium infusion
Fragrance Family: Amber
Size: 100 ml
What We Love: Complex scent profile that is exquisite on its own and blends well with other scents
What We Don’t: High price point. But that's to be expected—and it's worth it
Delicate, warm, and floral are the best ways to describe this perfume, which makes it the perfect daytime scent. While I would definitely consider this fragrance ultra-feminine, anyone who enjoys these notes would fall in love with this classic from Kilian.
Notes: Almond milk, iris, musk
Fragrance Family: Warm florals
Size: 50 ml
What We Love: It's a soft, delicate scent that can work for new and experienced fragrance lovers
What We Don’t: Some may find the scent to be too light. In this case, spray on more
Tom Ford's OG Ombré Leather has been a staple in my fragrance collection since its launch. Eau D'Ombre Leather adds a new spin by using fresh ginger, coriander, cardamom, and vanilla tincture. These notes add a spicy and slightly sweet twist to the classic. It's rich and complex.
Notes: Glowing leather accord, ambrofix, vanilla tincture
Fragrance Family: Woody
Size: 100 ml
What We Love: It's a unisex scent that can be used by anyone
What We Don’t: The complexity of the fragrance may not work for everyone. In this case, spritz on lightly and allow to dry down
Floral and gourmand notes come together to create this unforgettable scent. While I'm typically not a huge fan of sweet scents, the marine note adds freshness that balances out the juice. Together, the notes create a beautiful, uplifting scent that will last all-day—or night.
Notes: Vanilla duo, vanilla orchid, marine ozonic accord
Fragrance Family: Florals and gourmand.
Size: 50 ml
What We Love: On top of the scent itself, the bottle is vibrant and gorgeous—something you'd want to display on your vanity
What We Don’t: The double vanilla notes may be too sweet for some. Try spritzing it on lightly
More Luxury Perfumes We Love
Ultra-floral and feminine, think of Amouage's Lilac Love as the perfect bouquet of florals. Cocoa and tonka beans add depth as the heart notes, while vanilla, patchouli, and sandalwood create a sweet, yet grounding base.
Notes: Lilac accord, orris, sandalwood
Fragrance Family: Floral
Size: 100 ml
What We Love: It is perfect for floral lovers
What We Don’t: It definitely makes a statement, so some may find it to be too strong; expensive
There are a handful of fragrances that go viral on social media from time-to-time, but Byredo's Mojave Ghost lives up to the hype. Primarily woody, this perfume also gives you hints of florals and sweetness, making it well-balanced, yet complex.
Notes: Amrette, Jamaican nesberry, sandalwood, crisp amber.
Fragrance Family: Woody
Size: 100 ml
What We Love: The scent is truly unique
What We Don’t: The round shape of the bottle may not make it the easiest fragrance to travel with
While L'Occitane may be best known for its almond-scented lotions and shower oils, the brand's commitment to honoring nature is apparent in its fragrances as well. An ode to the Provencal landscape, this scent is perfect for anyone who enjoys an earthy perfume.
Notes: Ambrette, white nettle flower accord, wild grass.
Fragrance Family: Mossy woods
Size: 1.6 oz
What We Love: The bottle speaks to the scent in a very obvious way
What We Don’t: The scent may be too earthy for some; not very long lasting
Inspired by the time Gabrielle Chanel won the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award, CHANEL's 1957 remains as timeless as a classic suit from the luxury fashion house. Think of this scent as a blend of florals and woody notes, with just a touch of sweetness.
Notes: Bergamont, iris, cedar, honey
Fragrance Family: Soft floral
Size: 6.8 oz
What We Love: It's a classic scent that will never go out of style
What We Don’t: High price point, however it is worth the investment
If you love Colorado's landscape, this is the perfect fragrance for you. Inspired by the evergreen trees, this scent is an homage to the crisp air and distinct pine smell—perfect for those who love the outdoors.
Notes: Pink pepper, bitter orange, banana leaf, tobacco
Fragrance Family: Woody
Size: 100 ml
What We Love: It's woody and earthy, but adds other fresh notes to balance out the scent
What We Don’t: High price point, but worth it
Regardless of your own gender, sometimes you crave a dark, masculine scent. True to its name, Spicebomb Dark Leather is dark, powerful, and ultra-mysterious. Just look to the bottle, which serves a stark contrast to the pink-tinted glass of Flowerbomb.
Notes: Black pepper, incense, dark leather accord
Fragrance Family: Woody spice
Size: 3.04 oz
What We Love: It's masculine but can be worn by anyone
What We Don’t: May be too dark for some. Only do a light spritz if this is true for you
Although Diptyque may be best known for its luxury candles, don't sleep on the brand's fragrances. Lilyphéa is a new scent from the Les Essences de Diptyque collection, and it's something special. Light and fresh, this perfume is perfect for just about anyone.
Notes: Cardamom, violet leaves, vanilla.
Fragrance Family: Fresh
Size: 100 ml
What We Love: The light, fresh scent can work for anyone
What We Don’t: Some may not find the scent to be strong enough. If this is the case for you, try Corale Oscuro
Sexy and seductive is the only way to describe this particular fragrance. "Le Cuir embodies sensuality, connecting Christian Louboutin red soles with fragrances," says Karagueuzoglou, who is the perfumer of Le Cuir. "Its second skin feel boosts the sexiness. I used an IFF molecule called Saffiano, which has a suede-like scent, to enhance this effect."
Notes: Osmanthus, suede leather
Fragrance Family: Warm and spicy
Size: 2.7 oz
What We Love: It's an ultra-sexy unisex scent
What We Don’t: The stiletto shape of the bottle may make it difficult to travel with, so be sure to get a complimentary travel cap at check out.
Gourmand scents tend to be pretty polarizing, but Devotion has complex notes, which adds some nice spice, warmth, and depth.
Notes: Hazelnut, orange blossom, Madagascar vanilla.
Fragrance Family: Fruity
Size: 100 ml
What We Love: The bottle is beautiful and vibrant, perfect to have on display
What We Don’t: Despite the variation in notes, some may still find it to be too sweet. Solution: layer with a darker scent
Calling all vanilla lovers: This one is for you. If you're looking for a long-lasting version of the classic gourmand note, expect to fall in love with Deep Dark Vanilla. "One spray of this instantly calms my nervous system," says Beauty Editor Samantha Holender. "It's actually my go-to fragrance before crawling into bed."
Notes: Cabreuva, green vanilla leaves, vanilla absolute, dark patchouli.
Fragrance Family: Floral
Size: 100 ml
What We Love: It's dedication to vanilla lovers
What We Don’t: If you don't love vanilla, this probably won't work for you. But you can always layer it with other scents; floral balances it nicely
This scent can be described as a sophisticated gourmand. The addition of florals and amber notes make it well-rounded and irresistibly juicy. It's a true ode to Rio de Janeiro that will have strangers turning their heads.
Notes: Lily, rose, amber, vanilla
Fragrance Family: Amber
Size: 2.54 oz
What We Love: Great to wear on its own, but blends very nicely with other scents
What We Don’t: May be too intense for some; not available at big retailers
The essence of Cult Gaia can be seen and smelled through Noor. The scent itself is a gorgeous blend of floral, earthy, and woody notes that reflect the warmth of the sun, while the bottle is crafted to look like one of their many unique fashion pieces. Three fragrances are in the breakout range, but Noor is my favorite.
Notes: Madagascar black pepper, fig, rose pepper
Fragrance Family: Floral
Size: 50 ml
What We Love: It's a bright and radiant scent that can be used by anyone
What We Don’t: While unique, the shape of the full-size bottle can make it difficult to carry on-the-go
If you're ready to elevate your home fragrance, then you need to get into Space. This one-of-a-kind interior scent blends fresh and earthy notes that complement each other so well that you'll never want to leave your house again.
Notes: Lime, black pepper, sweet amber
Fragrance Family: Woody
Size: 100 ml
What We Love: It will make your home smell ultra-luxe
What We Don’t: You can't spray it on yourself, unfortunately
From the bottle's color to the scent, Palatine screams majestic. It's the perfect blend of fruity, floral, and woody notes. "Though I’m partial to floral scents year-round, I just started using Parfums de Marly’s new Palatine Eau de Parfum and it smells like summer transitioning into fall," says Contributing Beauty Writer Taryn Brooke. "With notes of mandarin, bergamot, and pear, its floral scent also settles on a hint of musk, and it makes you feel pretty yet all warm and cozy inside."
Notes: Mandarin, violet petal, patchouli, vanilla
Fragrance Family: Fruity Floral
Size: 75 ml
What We Love: It is a very sophisticated scent, and also comes in a travel size for easy travel
What We Don’t: Some may find the opening notes to be too fruity. However, as it dries down, sandalwood and musk become more apparent to balance it out
Feminine, floral, and ultra-seductive are the perfect descriptions of this scent. Plus, it's vegan, cruelty-free, and Credo certified, so you can feel good any time you spritz it on.
Notes: Moroccan jasmine, musk, Italian lemon
Fragrance Family: Floral
Size: 50 ml
What We Love: It's light, floral, and sophisticated
What We Don’t: Doesn't last very long; consider priming your wrists
What to Look for in a Luxury Perfume
According to Karagueuzoglou, luxe fragrances should always include more raw ingredients. That said, luxury perfumers are typically less inspired by consumer trends and more focused on making a unique, high-quality scent. "Luxury fragrances often evoke specific olfactive associations," says Monet. While everyone has their own preconceived notions of what 'luxury' should smell like, we have studied luxury codes and identified certain patterns."
What Is Considered a Luxury Perfume?
Pretty much anything that smells elevated and unlike anything else on the mass market is deemed luxury. "Overly sweet or fruity notes are not typically considered luxurious," Monet shares. "Sophisticated, elegant notes like precious flowers, woods, and amber characterize luxury fragrances. These scents offer richness and depth, distinguishing them from mass-market options."
Why are Luxury Perfumes More Expensive?
As previously mentioned, luxury perfumes tend to offer a higher concentration of fragrance, which results in a higher price point. But it also comes down to the uniqueness of the actual notes and how they're sourced. "There are no specific fragrance notes that define luxury scents," says Karagueuzoglou. "We usually find hyper-luxurious woods such as oud or rare flowers such as orris, for example."
Why Trust Marie Claire?
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
]]>Wearing this cocktail of scents was necessary to properly select the 40 winners for Marie Claire’s inaugural Fragrance Awards. With over 400 applicants across fragrance families, new launches, home, designer creations, and luxury classics, the final crop comprised the most exceptional scents the industry has to offer.
So, on Tuesday, Sept. 17, Marie Claire assembled everyone responsible for these award-winning fragrances on New York City’s Somewhere Nowhere rooftop. Noses, executives, and creatives came from Paris, Los Angeles, and, of course, Manhattan to celebrate the power of perfume.
The night kicked off at sunset. But rather than glancing at the usual city skyline, you’d see hands propping lucite trophies and glass fragrance bottles in front of the Empire State Building. (It’s quite the photo backdrop.)
Fragrance CEOs, including Francisco Costa, from Costa Brazil, Edgar Huber, from Nest, and Courtney Somer, from Lake and Skye, mingled with celebrity facialist Cynthia Rivas, fragrance expert and influencer Professor Perfume, and skincare founder and content creator Ella McFadin.
I did interrupt the chit-chatting for a short and sweet toast and to introduce our phenomenal entertainment for the evening.
Susanna Merrick, the founder of AuraWear, took up residence in a cozy corner to match guests’ auras to their ideal fragrance. With nearly an hour-long wait for an enlightening reading, I was lucky enough to learn that my type-A red aura would be calmed by a spray of Parfums de Marley’s sweety and tingly Perseus Eau de Parfum.
If guests weren’t lucky enough to sneak in a reading (some lingered until 10 P.M. to grab some time with Susanna), they were able to enjoy DJ Alex Cooper’s excellent setlist (podcast host and influencer Ian Crumm brought his moves to our makeshift dance floor), get their photo snapped in front of Marie Claire’s step and repeat by photographer Daniel Square, or, quite literally, stop and smell the roses from Plant Shed NYC.
Once an exorbitant amount of cocktails, arancini, and cannolis had been consumed, trophies were hand-delivered to our Special Recognition Winners: Acne Studios X Frederic Malle, Bvlgari, Cartier, Oscar de la Renta, Dolce & Gabbana, Costa Brazil, Diptyque, Killian Paris, and YSL.
With the sun down and city lights on, guests nestled onto couches—drinks clinking—to discuss their favorite fragrance trends and crack open their gift bags, which included over $2,000 worth of products.
Because yes, when you put the biggest names in fragrance on a rooftop, they’re going celebrate scent.
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