Is it just me, or is there a kind of weird dichotomy where shopping for perfume is concerned? On one hand, our consumer-trained brains crave a unique, signature scent. The more unlike everyone else we smell, the better. (Somewhere along the way, it was deemed "uncool" to smell like every other person at work, in your class, etc.) But, on the other hand, there's a persistent fascination we hold with knowing, coveting, and owning what everyone else is talking about. (I blame social media.) Regardless, the end goal of perfume searching (if we choose to wear one at all) is to select a scent that resonates with who we are as human beings—whether our perfume is a nod to nostalgia, a comfort, or a memory; is tied to our fashion preferences or the makeup aesthetic we love; or just evokes a feeling like, say, happiness. Many of us want our perfume to make us feel a certain way, and the idea that it will also make us smell nice is just an added benefit.
If you're someone who is seeking a truly rare perfume that no one else will know or recognize, you probably won't care to read much further. That said, if you're someone who is looking to own and wear a perfume cherished by fellow perfume lovers, you've come to the right place. In addition to pinpointing 20 of the most popular perfume brands in the marketplace, I've gone ahead and cross-checked best seller lists and the press releases sitting in my inbox and have relied on countless other beauty editor sleuthing tricks to narrow down each brand's fragrance collection to its most-wanted perfume at the moment. Keep scrolling! Below, you'll find 20 of the most popular perfumes in the world (for the time being, at least!).
Glossier You Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: musk, ambrette, ambrox, green irisroot, and spicy pink pepper
Before the insanely binge-worthy guilty pleasure You on Netflix, there was the insanely addictive guilty pleasure Glossier You Eau de Parfum. Quite luckily, we have room in our lives for both. This award-winning perfume has accumulated a devoted following among scent enthusiasts. It's a creamy, soul-warming musk number that uniquely adapts to every person's skin chemistry differently. Because of this, you'll either love it or despise it.
Diptyque Eau de Minthé Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: patchouli, geranium, mint, and rose oxide
It's not surprising that this best-selling perfume from Diptyque is one of the most popular in the world right now. Though a mint-centric fragrance might be doubt-provoking, we promise this lively, fresh scent will rebuke any suspicions. Yes, there's a hint of mint, but it's expertly mellowed out by delicate geranium and a touch of patchouli for complexity.
Byredo Gypsy Water Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: bergamot, juniper berries, lemon, pepper, incense, orris, pine needle, amber, sandalwood, and vanilla
Although the brand's other GOAT fragrance, Mojave Ghost ($180), is right on this bottle's heels, Gypsy Water has to be the most popular best-selling perfume from Byredo. According to the brand, Gypsy Water is inspired by and serves as a tribute to the unique customs, lifestyle, and beliefs of the Romani people. The cozy, woody notes like pine needle and sandalwood feel fresh and bright thanks to other key players like zingy citrus and rich amber.
Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: violet accord, cardamom, iris, ambrox, cedarwood, leather, and sandalwood
Even though niche, cult-loved fragrance brand Le Labo makes some of the most sought-after perfumes in the industry, we're not sure if another scent from the brand will ever surpass the popularity of Santal 33. Try it, and you'll see why it's become an utmost obsession.
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: orange, patchouli, Turkish rose, Grasse jasmine, and vetiver
Chanel makes so many iconic perfumes we wrote an entire article dedicated to its holy-grail lineup. That said, Coco Mademoiselle has risen to the top of the pack where demand and popularity are concerned. True to signature Chanel fashion, it's still wildly classic and sophisticated, but the juicy hints of orange and complementary florals make it feel more modern than some of Chanel's older notables like N°5 and Allure.
Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: raspberry, pear, datura flower, white musk, and patchouli
This popular perfume from YSL might just be the next best thing to an actual trip to Paris. Fittingly, the city is exactly what the scent is inspired by.
Dior Miss Dior Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: Calabrian bergamot, Grasse rose, and rosewood
Miss Dior was my first "big girl" fragrance—aka not available at Walgreens or tied to whatever teenage singer or actress I was obsessed with at the time—and I still keep a bottle on my vanity. Considering it's currently one of Dior's top-selling favorites, I'm definitely not alone in my lifelong obsession and loyalty.
Marc Jacobs Perfect Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: daffodil, rhubarb, almond milk, Cashmeran, and cedarwood
Marc Jacobs has debuted so many beloved, nostalgia-provoking scents over the years (Raise your hand if you owned at least one Daisy iteration!), but it's the brand's newest fragrance endeavor, aptly called Perfect, that has stolen perfume lovers' hearts. Fun fact: This perfume was inspired by Marc Jacobs' mantra, "I am perfect as I am," which he has tattooed on his wrist.
Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: jasmine, rose, cattleya, orange blossom, and patchouli
Every iteration of Flowerbomb that Viktor & Rolf has gifted us is downright dreamy. (There's an entire collection!) But nothing hits quite like the brand's ultra-popular original. It's the perfect gateway perfume for anyone who unabashedly adores sweet, floral scents but who wants something elevated and not overly saccharine.
Tom Ford Fucking Fabulous Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: fresh lavender, bitter almond, vanilla, orris root, iris flower, and leather
Not only is this fragrance an all-time best seller from Tom Ford's very covetable list of iconic perfumes, but it's also a surreptitious, gorgeously scented pep talk each and every time we wear it. It's a shoo-in for anyone who loves warm and spicy scents (especially come fall).
Juliette Has a Gun Not A Perfume Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: cetalox (synthetic ambergris)
As if this perfume's cheeky play on words wasn't enough to make you look (or should we say sniff), its popularity and salivation-inducing scent most certainly will. Simplistic, fresh, and unexpected, it's a clean fragrance that's hypoallergenic and uniquely composed of a singular note, cetalox. (Typically, it's utilized as a stunning base note for warm, woodsy scents within the perfume industry.) Another fun fact? The brand's creator, Romano Ricci, is the great-grandson of fragrance legend Nina Ricci.
Valentino Voce Viva Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: Italian bergamot, mandarin, orange blossom, golden gardenia, crystal moss, vanilla, and tonka bean
Lady Gaga is the face of this brand-new perfume launch from Valentino, and the world is already freaking out over how wonderful it is. While Valentino has an entire roster of well-loved perfumes, we see this one leading the pack for the foreseeable future.
Chloé Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: peony, lychee, freesia, rose, honey, magnolia, lily of the valley, amber, and cedarwood
This holy-grail perfume from Chloé is another OG designer staple with serious stamina. Again, the brand has debuted lovely riffs on this beautifully classic scent, but the masses still seem to love (and buy) this powdery floral number the most.
Ellis Brooklyn Myth Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: jasmine petals, tiger orchid, pink lotus, ambrette seeds, white cedarwood, and white musks
Gone are the days when clean, nontoxic perfumes smelled like the essential oil aisle of your neighborhood organic food co-op. Ellis Brooklyn is just one of many burgeoning, ultra-chic fragrance brands proving natural perfumes can last just as long as and smell just as lovely as their non-clean counterparts. The brand has no shortage of fan favorites, but Myth (inspired by clean, crisp sheets and sun-kissed skin) sits at the top in terms of fever-pitch demand.
DedCool Fragrance Number 01 "Taunt"
Key fragrance notes: bergamot, fresh dew, flora, cassis, vanilla, and amber
Another rising star in the clean-fragrance space? DedCool. Taunt, in particular, is seriously special and is a unanimous best seller across pretty much every retailer where DedCool fragrances are sold. The vegan formula features lush notes of bergamot, fresh dew, flora, cassis, vanilla, and amber for a sweet, undeniably wearable, and sophisticated finish.
Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club Eau de Toilette
Key fragrance notes: pink pepper, rum absolute, tobacco leaf absolute, neroli oil, and vanilla
We have so, so many favorites within Maison Margiela's Replica line, but Jazz Club (according to best seller lists across retailers) seems to be a consistent favorite. As you might have gleaned from its retro title, Jazz Club, according to the brand, is evocative of opened cigar boxes, worn leather barstools, and finely aged liquor. It's equal parts cozy and mysterious, which translates to being pretty darn mesmerizing once it's sitting on your skin.
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette
Key fragrance notes: Sicilian cedar, citrus, green apple, bamboo, bluebell, white rose, and jasmine
Light Blue is probably one of the most famous perfumes in fragrance history. If you scroll around on Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta, and other major beauty retailers, you'll notice it's still exceptionally popular among shoppers, whereas plenty of other past icons haven't been able to maintain their relevancy. (It's been around since 2001, folks!)
Jo Malone London Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne
Key fragrance notes: ambrette seeds, sea salt, sage
The heady combination of wood sage and sea salt sounds like something sea nymphs would snack on in some kind of fairy-tale, and honestly, the actual smell of this popular perfume is pretty much that enchanting. With just one spray, you'll instantly be engulfed by the sound of crashing waves, the earthiness of damp forests, and the setting of scenic cliffs.
Phlur Hanami Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: fig, white florals, sandalwood, and hazelnut
Meet Phlur's all-time best-selling perfume, Hanami, one of the most popular scents within the clean-beauty space and beyond. In addition to its super-chic packaging, this popular fragrance was created by perfumer Nathalie Benareau and is hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, vegan, sustainably sourced, and packaged using recycled materials. As far as the scent itself (since that's important, too), it's marketed as a minimalist scent: "aquatic and floral tones, subtle, and warm."
Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum
Key fragrance notes: rose, black currant, raspberry, clove, patchouli, sandalwood, and frankincense
Satisfyingly long-lasting, adored by celebrities, and not dissimilar from a vault filled with hidden treasure is Frédéric Malle's exclusive collection of fragrances, handpicked by the nose himself. (For more than 30 years, he has worked with the greatest perfumers in the world to create his own collection of incredibly unique olfactory creations.) Every single perfume Malle offers is special in its own right, but Portrait of a Lady—the beautiful brainchild of perfumer Dominique Ropion—is an undeniable mass favorite. Its popularity can be attributed to the intoxicating mix of rose, black currant, raspberry, clove, patchouli, sandalwood, and frankincense.
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