The Fragrance No One Is Wearing Anymore, According to a Master Perfumer

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

This spring, Coach launched its latest fragrance, Dreams, which was inspired by the American West. It’s a floral, woody fragrance that mimics the cactus flowers you would find in the desert. One thing it isn’t? "Gourmand,” as master nose Philippe Benacin explained to me. When I chatted with the perfumer behind the scent, he explained to me that gourmand notes and very sweet notes are on their way out right now. Candy-like perfumes were wildly popular two years ago, but they’re being replaced with botanical scents. "Right now,” he explained, "it’s more about floral and beautiful bouquets.”

Personally, I'm not a fan of sweet perfumes and I have never gravitated toward anything that has a sugary fragrance, so this trend is just for me. I tend to opt for anything from Oriental perfumes like Cinema by YSL (which I've been wearing since college) to floral scents like Portrait of a Lady by Frédéric Malle. The latter has become a favorite in the last year.

If you similarly find yourself avoiding sweet perfumes and want to explore fresh floral fragrances, which are the best ones to wear? From soft rose to fresh jasmine to complex tuberose, there are plenty of beautiful scents that will envelop your senses. Ahead, check out the floral scents that will add a bouquet of fresh flowers to your skin.

Gardenia-based scents:

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

Rose-based scents:

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

Jasmine-based scents:

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(Image credit: @alyssainthecity)

Next, discover the best Byredo scents, ranked by an editor.

This post was previously published and has since been updated. 

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Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.