Moving to Paris for a month as a New Yorker was the ultimate culture shock in the beauty department. New York women love their beauty routines. A fresh blowout and clean-girl makeup are practically required if you want to live in the West Village, but French women do it differently. Seeing people leave the house makeup-free with freshly washed hair grew to surprise me as I walked around the streets of the 7th arrondissement. One thing French women never neglect is a signature fragrance. A lot of my American friends dabble with many perfumes for different occasions, but French people rely on just one special scent to round out their collection. I had to learn more.
I’m quite outgoing, but when it comes to starting a conversation with strangers, I can be a little bit shy. I overcame this character trait of mine by speaking up on multiple occasions during my trip and asking French women, "Now where did you get that perfume?” Many of them smelled so divine I just had to ask. They all convinced me to try the perfume that they considered a second skin, and I fell in love with what they showed me. Below, see the three perfumes that French people recommended to me. You’re sure to be impressed.
1. Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc
Before traveling to Paris, I heard on TikTok that every woman in France is apparently obsessed with this perfume called Musc. When I asked the woman on the plane next to me what perfume she was wearing, I learned that the rumors are true. I can tell you just by looking at her that she doesn’t have time to get stuck in the bottomless hole that is TikTok very often, but she happened to be wearing the most viral perfume of all time.
We were on a flight from southern Spain to Paris, and she was a mom dealing with a lot from takeoff to landing. She was dressed as the epitome of the Parisian woman who loves to take vacations, and I could just tell she was a frequent flyer. She convinced me to try the Pure Musc and Musc Noir throughout our conversation, and it was my mission when I returned home to give this one a test.
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I love a perfume that develops as it sits on your skin, and this one does just that. At first smell, it truly feels like pure musk, but as it lingers, a bit of femininity is pulled out from beneath it. A touch of jasmine and orange blossom floats at the top, while the musk holds its ground beneath it, setting the stage for a very powerful day.
This is the sultry take on the traditional Pure Musc, and it’s about to become my go-to for a night out. It’s harder to come across than some of the other Narciso Rodriguez fragrances, which makes it all the more appealing to me. As soon as I sprayed this, I just couldn’t stop smelling myself. The seductive plum and Italian bergamot just might be my favorite parts.
I felt instantly connected to my inner child as soon as I pulled out Musc Noir. It’s a bit mysterious. At first, you can’t tell if it’s sweet or floral, and the truth is it’s a bit of both. With juicy plum mixed into a seductive floral, this is a staple for French women for sure.
2. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait de Parfum
My first Parisian friend was a very chic man who works in the beauty industry. As he’s the owner of a French bulldog and a home in the South of France, I just knew he had good taste. He swore by wearing all black for every occasion, and I was so here for that. We went to a restaurant with some friends, and on the way out, I exclaimed, "It smells like Baccarat Rouge in here,” to which he told me that it absolutely was. It’s his signature fragrance. I had never met someone who was wearing it so strongly, and he let me in on the fact that it was the extrait, not the parfum. J’adore.
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I feel like the parfum takes a moment to settle into your skin, but the extrait immediately comes out as a powerful fragrance. It’s a tad bit sweeter and far woodsier, which is right up my alley. Apologies in advance to my friends and family, but I’ll be talking about this perfume nonstop for the rest of my existence. The scent of jasmine from Egypt and saffron just smells like old money.
A spicier blend, this is my OG for when I want to feel expensive. Since it’s such a valuable perfume, I spritz it on whenever I could use a little bit of luck, and it’s never failed me.
3. Phlur Solar Power
My neighbor in Paris was the epitome of the Gen Z French woman. Not too far off from a Gen Z New Yorker, just imagine someone who (and excuse my French) simply does not give a damn about anything. Effortlessly dressed in wide-leg trousers and graphic T-shirts, she didn’t initially seem like the type to wear a perfume, but our elevator was small, and I was quick to realize that she does wear one. I got the vibe that this person did not want to talk to me, but I worked up the courage to ask her for her favorite fragrance anyway, and she told me it was Solar Power by Phlur. I had never heard of this one, so I was excited to give it a try.
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The scent on this reminded me of a sunset in all the right ways. The scent gave me a vision of taking an outdoor shower with a view of the Mediterranean. It’s centered around an orange flower so is very fruity at the heart, but it is topped off with jasmine and has a base of solar musk and driftwood that made it smell very clean and fresh. I’ll be returning to this one again and again. My boyfriend, who rarely compliments my perfumes without being prompted, told me he loved how it’s subtle but still fragrant.
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This perfume smells as if a bouquet of flowers were amplified among the deep, woody scent of a magical forest. It’s that good. Many of my co-workers wear it on a weekly basis, and I think that says it all.
I can just imagine a French woman misting her hair with this bright and sunny fragrance on a summer day. I’ve been using this product for quite some time and absolutely adore it.
If you like Baccarat Rouge, you’ll love this one. I recently discovered it and lately am liking it even more than Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s most famous scent. It’s been coming with me on all of my vacations because I love how deep and mysterious it is.
All you need is a dash of rose to feel like a French woman. This fragrance is simply exquisite in all the right ways and is one of my favorites for mixing and matching.
This is currently my ideal date-night perfume, and "passion" is definitely the correct name for it. I love any perfume that is floral with sandalwood, and this one is on the sweet side. My favorite detail is the coconut water, which makes me want to book a vacation.
From the moment I first caught on to this enchanting scent, I was captivated. Every time I wear Après, I feel a surge of confidence and allure in all the right ways. The delicate notes of bergamot and petitgrain create an invigorating burst of freshness that lasts all day.
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