The olfactory equivalent of a designer handbag or a great pair of shoes, when it comes to beauty investments there is nothing quite like a great signature scent. Fragrance is the ultimate beauty statement maker—but at the same time is something that we all connect with on a deeply personal level. The best perfumes have the ability to boost our mood, evoke fond memories, and conjure emotions, and we’re all drawn to different scents for reasons that are beyond any scientific explanation. "Fragrance fits, regardless of your BMI, your bank balance, your heritage, or your age,” says fragrance expert and presenter Alice du Parcq. "There is something fantastic out there for everyone and it's the only beauty ritual that you can't make a mistake with, because it's so entirely subjective. Whereas skincare, make-up and haircare are all things that we 'need', fragrance is something that we 'want', so it's emotionally led and always a positive experience.”
It’s this personal aspect to fragrance that makes the appeal of finding a signature scent so compelling, but when shopping for fragrance there are a few key things to consider. Are you someone who likes to make a statement with their scent as soon as they enter a room? Or do you prefer a subtle, more intimate fragrance experience? Are you after a one size-fits-all scent that works no matter what the time of day or season? Or are you building a fragrance wardrobe, with options for day, night, spring, summer, autumn, and winter? Of course, another key thing to consider is what notes you’re drawn to. If you like sweet scents then seek out notes like vanilla, tonka bean, and almond. If you’re drawn to bright, fresh fragrances then look for citrus notes, or if you prefer warmer, deeper scents, keep an eye out for woody notes like cedar, sandalwood, and oud.
If you’re struggling to pick just one, be open to the idea of having a selection of different perfumes to choose from. "My advice when looking for a signature scent is always to think plural, not singular,” says du Parcq. "Aim to have a few signatures that work for four or five typical scenarios where you would wear fragrance.” Du Parcq advises keeping those four or five 'moments' in mind when out shopping for perfume and identify whether scents fit into one of those. "For instance an easy, comfortable work-office one; an outdoorsy or cosy scent for a weekend away with friends; an elegant but subtle one for a restaurant dinner; a glambomb for a cocktail party; a Sunday morning hangover splash,” she explains. "Above all, you need to ask yourself if it gives you joy.”
If you’re looking for something new or less well known, what exactly is it that differentiates the best perfumes from the average ones? According to du Parcq, it’s the ability for a scent to be polarising and statement-making. "I feel like anything in the room-rocker shoulder-pad-perfume category deserves a place in an Icons list because it shows true courage and balls to send a fragrance into a consumer world that you know loads of people might not like,” she says. "Think Dior Poison, Calvin Klein Obsession, Tom Ford Black Orchid, Mugler Angel, even the more recent Chanel Le Lion.” These scents are all powerful, unique, and highly complex. "Above all, they're fun and fabulous,” adds du Parcq. "That renegade attitude is really missing today - most major launches are so very safe, polite and restrained.” Fragrance expert and content creator Nicole Koremblum is of the same opinion. "It must have that ‘je ne sais quoi’, ‘never been done before’ aspect to it, it must break ‘fragrance rules" as we know them, and it cannot be considered a classic without evoking very strong feelings in its users,” she adds. "People must be divided in two categories, those who love it and hate it—no in between.”
While even some of the best new perfume launches can go in and out of style, there are a handful of fragrances that stand the test of time—or are set to. Indeed, the best perfumes remain wearable and timeless for years to come—and there’s a version for every occasion, season, and personal taste.
From perfume classics created by the iconic fragrance houses of Chanel and Dior, to innovative offerings from new and niche fragrance brands like Phlur, Jo Loves, and Boy Smells, this is our official list of the best perfumes for women. Whether you’re after the best floral perfumes, the best daytime perfumes, the best winter perfumes, or the best long-lasting perfumes, there’s something on our list for everyone.
Shop the Best Perfumes for Women:
- Best-selling perfume: Chanel No 5
- Best iconic perfume: Mugler Angel
- Best new perfume: Diptyque L'eau Papier
- Best celebrity perfume: Fenty Beauty Fenty
- Best niche perfume: Vilhelm Parfumerie Dear Polly
- Best luxury perfume: Tom Ford Rose Prick
- Best affordable perfume: & Other Stories Sicilian Sunrise
- Best everyday perfume: Glossier You
- Best day time perfume: Jo Loves Pomelo
- Best night time perfume: Byredo Slow Dance
1. Best-Selling Perfume: Chanel No 5
Key notes: Aldehydes, ylang-ylang, neroli, iris, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, oakmoss, vetiver.
Best for: Everyday wear
Clean, floral, and powdery; Chanel No 5 tops bestseller lists every single year. It's over 100 years old but there's still nothing quite like it.
Customer review: "This wonderful perfume has been my luxury item for the past 30 years or more. The scent is warm and floral and just the right strength. I love it!"
2. Best Iconic Perfume: Mugler Angel
Key notes: Cotton candy, coconut, jasmine, honey, blackberry, orchid, patchouli, caramel, vanilla.
Best for: Summer date nights
Love it or hate it, there's no denying it's iconic. "Angel breaks fragrance rules by being so unique and by mixing an overload of gourmand and patchouli into what was supposed to be a typical floral," says Koremblum.
Customer review: "This is a great perfume and I get so many compliments on the smell. This is a firm favourite of mine and I will most definitely buy again."
3. Best New Perfume: Diptyque L'eau Papier
Key notes: White musk, mimosa, blonde woods, rice steam.
Best for: Going to the office
Diptyque launches never fail to surprise and delight. This light, powdery scent is clean but soft, woody but delicate—to me it smells like the pages of a new book.
Customer review: "Not only the coolest name for a perfume, but an amazing smell to boot."
4. Best Celebrity Perfume: Fenty Beauty Fenty
Key notes: Blueberry, tangerine, rose, geranium, magnolia, musk, patchouli.
Best for: A special night out
Perfect for a night out or a party—as would be expected from a fragrance created by Rihanna, this is the fragrance equivalent to wearing a bold red lipstick or six inch heels.
Customer review: "My go to fragrance, absolutely love it. The smell is unmatched."
5. Best Niche Perfume: Vilhelm Parfumerie Dear Polly
Key notes: Bergamot, apple, black tea, black amber, musk, oakmoss.
Best for: Autumn and winter
Each fragrance from niche fragrance brand Vilhelm Parfumerie is inspired by key memories and moments from its founder, Jan Ahlgren. He describes Dear Polly as "a love letter in scent to my wife...Familiar and new, comfortable and invigorating, it is a fragrant brew for two: lovers can wear it and recall each other. Even with distance they’re never apart."
6. Best Luxury Perfume: Tom Ford Rose Prick
Key notes: Sichuan pepper, turmeric, may rose, Turkish rose, Bulgarian rose, patchouli, tonka bean.
Best for: Glamorous evenings
It may contain three different types of rose, but this is a fresh, modern take on the classic scent. The spicy top notes and sweet base notes combine it into something altogether rich, glamorous, and intoxicating.
Customer review: "Nothing can top this scent, a little goes a long way and lasts all day. People constantly comment on the amazing smell, it’s pricey but worth it!"
7. Best Affordable Perfume: & Other Stories Sicilian Sunrise
Key notes: Lemon, watery notes, ginger, petitgrain, tangerine, musk, amber, oud.
Best for: Hot summer days
& Other Stories never fail to impress with their affordable perfume launches—so much so that it was almost impossible to choose just one for this feature. Created by Jérôme Epinette (the perfumer behind a number of Byredo scents), Sicilian Sunrise is an ode to an Italian summer—fresh, green, and aquatic.
Customer review: "This fragrance is so delicious and well balanced; subtle enough for the daytime yet complex enough to layer the scent for more depth."
8. Best everyday perfume: Glossier You
Key notes: Pink pepper, iris, ambrette seeds, ambrox.
Best for: Everyday wear
"Glossier You isn't just a skin scent," says du Parcq. "It's a chase-you-down-the-street attraction magnet that makes you smell like you're a quiet billionaire with an exclusively white wardrobe."
Customer review: "I love it. It smells so nice and clean. I get compliments when I wear it. Amazing. Even when I don’t smell it on myself others smell it on me."
9. Best Day Time Perfume: Jo Loves Pomelo
Key notes: Pomelo, rose, vetiver, clove, patchouli, suede.
Best for: Spring and summer
The best perfumes for day time tend to feature light, fresh notes, which is why this clean, citrusy fragrance is perfect. What's more, it's also available in Jo Loves' unique 'perfume pen' format, so you can keep it on hand for top ups throughout the day.
Customer review: "Smells amazing!"
10. Best Night Time Perfume: Byredo Slow Dance
Key notes: Opoponax, cognac, labdanum, violet, geranium, vanilla, patchouli, incense.
Best for: Date night
Although it's a relatively new launch, this scent smells like a really classic perfume—it has the same kind of show-stopping impact as floral fragrance icons like Chanel No 5 and Tom Ford Violet Orchid—albeit with a modern Byredo twist. It's rich and boozy, perfect for date night.
11. Best Spring Perfume: Ruth Mastenbroek Amorosa
Key notes: Watermelon, violet leaf, galbanum, tuberose, ylang-ylang, vetiver, amber.
Best for: The first days of spring
An explosion of fresh white florals with a bright aquatic edge and a ripe green base, this is basically spring in a bottle.
Customer review: "I find myself gravitating towards this perfume all the time. Really happy with my purchase."
12. Best Summer Perfume: Phlur Solar Power
Key notes: Jasmine, blood mandarin, bergamot, orange blossom, neroli, musk, driftwood, salt.
Best for: Summer holidays
In Phlur's signature style, this scent is at first musky, woody, and animalic. Leave it to settle on your skin however and you'll notice that the classic summery notes of mandarin, bergamot, and orange blossom lift it into something altogether sweet and citrusy.
13. Best Autumn Perfume: Malin + Goetz Dark Rum
Key notes: Plum, bergamot, leather, rum, amber, milk, patchouli.
Best for: Autumn nights
Part fruity and part leathery, Dark Rum is one of those unique fragrances that works as well for summer as it does for winter, which is why it's one of the best perfumes for autumn (in my opinion). The rich aromatic scent will see you from the last golden days of summer through to winter's fireside cosiness.
14. Best Winter Perfume: Maison Margiela Replica By The Fireplace
Key notes: Cloves, pink pepper, orange blossom, chestnut, guaiac wood, juniper, vanilla, Peru balsam, cashmeran.
Best for: Cosy days in
Rich, sweet, boozy, woody, cosy—it's impossible to run out of words to describe this intoxicating scent. Needless to say, it's exactly what the best winter perfumes should smell like, and yes, it is best worn while curled into an armchair beside by a blazing fire.
Customer review: "I came across this fragrance when I complimented someone else and asked them what they were wearing. I had to have it; it's my go to autumn/winter fragrance. Warming with vanilla and the gorgeous wood smoke which mellows after 20 minutes and lingers all day and evening."
15. Best Unisex Perfume: Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724
Key notes: Aldehydes, bergamot, sweet pea, Egyptian jasmine, orange, white musk, sandalwood.
Best for: Anywhere and everywhere
This is one of those clever and captivating fragrances that smells different on everyone, which is why it's one of the best unisex perfumes to launch in recent years.
Customer review: "Lovely scent that lasts all day. Light fragrance that isn’t overpowering. I have had lots of compliments from friends and family about how lovely I smell."
16. Best Men's Perfume: Rituals Maharaja D'Or
Key notes: Cardamom, pine, patchouli.
Best for: Autumn and winter
Sharing is caring, and here at Who What Wear UK we're big proponents of the idea that really, fragrance is genderless. Although it's billed as a men's fragrance, this fresh, spicy scent smells great on everyone.
17. Best Perfume for Layering: Commodity Milk
Key notes: Milk, marshmallow, musk, mahogany, tonka bean.
Best for: Anywhere and everywhere
Thanks to its sweet, soft, and altogether neutral notes, this perfume is perfect for layering with others—especially those that you want to mellow out. It makes a great base, especially to perfumes that sit within the amber or wood families.
Customer review: "Absolutely adore this perfume, so well balanced and comforting."
18. Best Long-Lasting Perfume: Penhaligon's Juniper Sling
Key notes: Juniper berries, angelica, cardamom, orange, pepper, leather, orris root, vetiver, cherry, amber.
Best for: Autumn and winter
The best long-lasting perfumes will see you through from day to night. Spray this sweet woody perfume on in the morning and you'll not only still be able to smell it on your skin, hair, and clothes by the end of the day, but two days later as well. Yes, even after showering.
Customer review: "Refreshing and delightfully light. This is a classy, subtle scent."
19. Best Subtle Perfume: Phlur Missing Person
Key notes: Musk, bergamot, jasmine, cyclamen, neroli, orange blossom, white musk, sandalwood, white wood.
Best for: Everyday wear
This delicate and intimate scent won't have any impact when you walk into a room, but it's certain to draw in compliments from those immediately around you. It's inspired by an intimate embrace with someone you love, so it's subtle but comforting.
Customer review: "I had a feeling I was going to like this by looking at the notes but it ended up being even better than I had imagined. It’s a beautiful, subtle skin scent. I love it for everyday. Smells like you’ve just stepped out of the shower. I’ve already purchased the full size."
20. Best Statement Perfume: Maison Francis Kurdjian Baccarat Rouge 540
Key notes: Saffron, jasmine, amberwood, ambergris, fir resin, cedar.
Best for: Date night
Now this is the kind of scent people will smell when you enter a room—and probably for several hours after you've left as well. "It's easy to see why this has taken the social media world by storm," says Koremblum. "It broke fragrance rules with its ambroxan note and the fact that its overall scent that smells different to everyone." It's true, Baccarat Rouge 540 has an addictive and hard to describe DNA, which only adds to its charisma.
Customer review: "First time buying and it smells really lovely and definitely worth the hype."
21. Best Perfume for Migraine Sufferers: Aesop Eidesis
Key notes: Black pepper, olibanum, petitgrain, cedar, cumin, sandalwood, vetiver.
Best for: All year round
I'm a perfume obsessive, but I've also experience scent-triggered migraines since my early teens... So it's safe to say that sussing out the best perfumes for migraine sufferers is my life's mission. When I polled my fellow migraine sufferers earlier this year, Aesop's sweet but spicy Eidesis came out on top.
Customer review: "I just had to splurge on this after trying in store. It is a truly amazing scent and I’ve had lots of comments when I wear it. It’s pricey but a small spray lasts throughout the day. Definitely worth a splurge. Highly recommend. I’d buy again but won’t need to for a long time as it will last."
22. Best Uplifting Perfume: Sisley Eau de Campagne
Key notes: Tomato leaf, basil, oakmoss, bergamot, lemon, geranium, musk, jasmine, plum.
Best for: Summer
Sometimes the right perfume can be the difference between having an average day and a great day. Nothing boosts my mood and puts a spring in my step quite like Sisley's Eau de Campagne. It smells like a bright summer's day—brilliantly fresh, green, and aromatic.
Customer review: "It's such a fresh, intoxicating smell, there's nothing like it in my opinion. Yes, there are other beautiful scents out there but for me Eau de Campagne beats all of them. Absolutely gorgeous. Definitely great fragrance, I will buy it again for friend."
23. Best Skin Scent Perfume: Escentric Molecules Molecule 01
Key notes: Iso E Super, pink pepper, lemon, iris.
Best for: Everyday wear
Ask any fragrance expert and they will tell you that Molecule 01 is not only the best skin scent in the world, but also one of the most iconic perfumes of all time. Even though it can smell invisible on your own skin, it's guaranteed to draw in compliments from those around you.
Customer review: "My go to fragrance, love layering it with other perfumes but it also smells amazing on its own. It's also one of the few scents that I find really lasts as well."
24. Best Sensual Perfume: Byredo Eyes Closed
Key notes: Cinnamon, cardamom, orris, carrot, ginger, patchouli, papyrus.
Best for: Winter date nights
Simultaneously cosy and sexy, this warm woody fragrance draws upon softly spicy notes to give it a vibrant sensual allure. It's almost like an amped up skin scent, with a powdery, papery base.
25. Best Floral Perfume: Dior Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet
Key notes: Sicilian mandarin, pink peony, damask rose, peach, apricot, white musk.
Best for: Spring
'Bouquet' truly is the best word to describe this crowd-pleasing floral—it's a perfect spring-summer scent. While traditional florals can feel old-fashioned, the sweet fruity notes and musky base make this extremely palatable.
Customer review: "Blooming Bouquet by Miss Dior is a beautiful, light fragrance ideal to wear during the daytime. Delightfully floral and perfect."
26. Best Smoky Perfume: Killian Sacred Wood
Key notes: Ambrette seed, carrot seed, sandalwood, cedarwood, amyris, balsam, milk.
Best for: Winter
Creamy and dry, this perfume is smoky, but without relying upon classically smoky notes like oud and leather. Instead, it has a clean and woody edge.
27. Best Citrus Perfume: Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin
Key notes: Lime, orange, bergamot, basil, thyme, lilac, iris, vetiver, patchouli.
Best for: Anytime you need a boost
Not only is this one of the best Jo Malone perfumes but it's arguably one of the best citrus perfumes of all time. The bright citrus notes are balanced out in an unconventional way by the green herbal ones.
Customer review: "I love everything about it."
28. Best Woody Perfume: Byredo Super Cedar
Key notes: Rose, cedar, vetiver, musk.
Best for: Evenings out
Cedar is a popular fragrance note and although it's used within many blends, it's rarely given centre stage. That's what makes this incredible woody perfume from Byredo so special—the small ingredient line-up allows the warm, sunny cedar to really shine through.
29. Best Fresh Perfume: Serge Lutens L'Eau
Key notes: Aldehydes, citrus, magnolia, white mint, clary sage, ozonic notes, musk.
Best for: The start of spring
The best fresh perfumes feel like a breath of fresh mountain air or a strong sea breeze, which is exactly what this scent was inspired by.
30. Best Musky Perfume: Thé Noir 29
Key notes: Fig, bay leaf, bergamot, cedar, vetiver, musk, tobacco, hay.
Best for: Winter date nights
Musk is another note frequently used as the supporting act within fragrance blends—it's warm, woody, and has the ability to make a perfume smell cosy and familiar. It really stands out in this scent, perfectly complemented by sweet fig and warm cedar.
Customer review: "Amazing fragrance, long lasting, lingering scent."
31. Best Earthy Perfume: Boy Smells Italian Kush
Key notes: Pomelo, black peppercorn, basil, rhubarb, cannabis leaves, pistachio, cypress, patchouli, sandalwood, labdanum.
Best for: Summer
Although it's at first spray fresh and green, this scent warms into a herbal, earthy aroma. It smells like a stroll through a luscious green forest on a hot summer's day.
32. Best Fruity Perfume: Maison Margiela Replica On A Date
Key notes: Blackcurrant, pink pepper, bergamot, rose, geranium, davana, moss, patchouli, vetiver, musk.
Best for: Spring date nights
This fruity perfume is inspired by a warm afternoon spent in a French vineyard. It's above all fruity, but floral notes of rose and geranium keep it feeling elegant and grown up.
Customer review: "My favourite scent - sexy, clean, fruity, musky - everything in this little bottle of gold dust - and the bottle is so pretty on my vanity."
33. Best Spicy Perfume: Diptyque Eau Duelle
Key notes: Vanilla, cardamom, juniper, pink pepper, black tea, bergamot, musk, saffron, ambergris.
Best for: Autumn days
Spicy scents aren't always the most palatable, but balanced out by sweet notes of vanilla and juniper, this is a warm, comforting perfume—the olfactory equivalent of a cosy cashmere jumper.
34. Best Gourmand Perfume: Ex Nihilo Honoré Delights
Key notes: Neroli, bergamot, ambrette, iris, orange blossom, musk, sandalwood, cedar.
Best for: Everyday wear
Some gourmand perfumes can smell sickly and cloying, but the beauty of this one is that it's light and airy. Inspired by a Parisian patisserie, it brings to mind the warm, sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries.
35. Best Travel Perfume: Byredo x Susanne Kaufmann
Key notes: Juniper berries, elemi, galbanum, green jasmine petals, fig cream, pink sugar.
Best for: Going on trips
Thanks to its compact packaging and roll-on applicator, this perfume oil is perfect for applying while on the go. The smoky green scent is inspired by (and perfectly captures) the mountainous landscape of the Austrian Alps, Kaufmann's homeland.
Beauty Editors' Favourite Perfumes
All of my beauty editor friends are equally perfume-obsessed, but they all have one key perfume that they swear by above all others. So who better to ask to help me create a definitive list of the most covetable, crowd-pleasing scents? Ahead, keep scrolling for the best perfumes for women, according to industry insiders.
Commodity Milk
Eleanor Vousden, Who What Wear UK Beauty Editor
"I'm not usually a fan of sweet fragrances, but Commodity's Milk has hands down become a firm favourite. Both skin-like and sweet in equal measure, it makes me think of luxury vanilla ice cream you might be served in a bougie desert.
It's warm, milky and softly sweet without being overbearing and it always generates compliments when I wear it. With tonka bean and mahogany wood, has a subtle woodiness and spiciness to it which makes it all the more addictive.
Commodity has cleverly formulated it in three projections, meaning you can choose to wear it close to your skin or opt for the bold option, which projects your fragrance even further—genius."
Maya Nije Tobak and Guerlain Angélique Noire
Morgan Fargo, Freelance Beauty Editor and Who What Wear contributor
"Some people have affirmations, others have meditation practises. I have perfume. A fragrance wardrobe that helps me feel stronger, calmer, more self-possessed and more like myself.
These two perfumes, one from independent perfumer Maya Nije and one from 19th-century-founded fragrance house Guerlain are sultry, smoky and alluring, with a kick of sweetness on top.
Tobak, a dark, woody, smoky scent combines tobacco leaf, vetiver and cinnamon. The version of me who feels comfortable in any situation and has the confidence of five women wears this perfume. And when I wear it, I do.
Angélique Noire, on the other hand, is sweeter but no less rich. It's sweet and floral, laced with vanilla and jasmine, but base notes of cedar wood and a pink pepper top note, keep it from veering into cloying. Instead, it's sophisticated and enticing. A timeless, alluring perfume I reach for evening after evening after – well, you get it."
Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin
Erin Jahns, Who What Wear Beauty Director
"You know a perfume is one in a million when you fork out over £100 for the real thing less than 10 seconds after getting a whiff of a sample. I had an immediate 'where have you been all my life' reaction to this stunning fragrance, and I think you will too—especially if you're someone, like me, who goes weak in the knees for rose-led scents. The aforementioned is anchored by violet, musk, plus pink and black pepper. It's delicious, and it's quickly become my signature."
Byredo Velvet Haze
Mica Ricketts, Beauty Editor and Who What Wear UK Contributor
"I'd be hard-pressed to think of a perfume that I've recommended more than Byredo Velvet Haze—possibly the most delicious scent in my entire perfume collection and undoubtedly the one that I now wear most frequently. Like all of Byredo's cult fragrances, it's distinctive and unique, yet it isn't overpowering in the slightest. Ask me what it smells like, and I'd say it's a comforting, musky scent with a hint of almost vanilla-like sweetness and a healthy hit of floral patchouli. It's cosy without being heavy (I happily wear this all day and all night, whatever the season or weather), and it's wonderfully grown-up. I always feel like I have my act together when I wear this. Simply put, I adore it. It's unlike any other perfume in my stash, and I highly doubt I'll smell anything like it again."
Le Labo Thé Noir 29
Keeks Reid, Freelance Beauty Journalist and Cosmopolitan UK Contributing Beauty Director
"I have always been obsessed with the idea of having a signature scent, and I knew I'd finally found one when a co-worker told me she knew that I was in because she had smelt my perfume in the kitchen. I've been wearing Le Labo Thé Noir 29 for about three years now, and while I try other scents occasionally, it's my number one. I layer it with the body lotion to help the scent stick around, and it means I only need a little spritz, as the scent can be quite overpowering. Overall, it’s a pretty woody scent with warmth from the mix of fig, cedar and musk, but it's not at all feminine. In fact, my friend says it smells like a sexy man, which makes me love it more."
Glossier You
Laura Capon, Freelance Beauty Editor and Content Creator
"If soulmates came in a perfume form, Glossier You would be mine. To me it smells like a warm hug in a bottle and it's the scent I reach for whenever I need that extra emotional support. It’s meant to smell differently on everyone, which means whenever I smell it on someone else, it never smells quite the same as my version. For me, it’s the kind of fragrance where the notes don’t matter, but think Ambrette seeds (or amber, if you have no clue what they smell like), iris and pink pepper."
Jo Malone London Wood Sage & Sea Salt and Nectarine Blossom & Honey
Rebecca Fearn, Freelance Beauty Editor and Features Writer
"When someone asks me what my favourite fragrance is, I find it almost impossible to answer. I'm a big perfume person who can feel and almost even see scents, so it's hard to choose just one, especially out of the rather ridiculous collection I've built over the years. I use scent to evoke memories; some fragrances I can no longer wear because they remind me of an ex-boyfriend, and others are comforting time capsules that transport me to my travels in faraway lands. If I had to choose one classic combination that I always return to, though, it's probably Jo Malone London's Wood Sage & Sea Salt and Nectarine Blossom & Honey. I started wearing this pairing when I'd just moved to London five years ago at the peak of my independence and freedom. It's cool and warm all at once, is somewhat unique to me (given that it's layered) and just smells like home."
Killian Love Don't Be Shy
Courtney Higgs, Editorial Director at Haus Labs
"I am a true lover of fragrance, and my collection of bottles is quite large. As a result, I tend to bounce around a lot in terms of what scent I'm wearing, but lately, I've been exploring a deepening love affair with Killian's Love Don't Be Shy. I was never a fan of sweet scents until I tried this one. It just smells expensive, and it's over-the-top sweet in a way that I actually enjoy. Plus, it's Rihanna's favourite, so that gives it extra points in my book."
Diptyque Tam Dao and Chloé Naturelle
Shannon Lawlor, Marie Claire Executive Beauty Editor
"I absolutely can't choose just one signature perfume. My 70-strong perfume collection is full of attention-grabbing scents calling out to be my signature, but I think I can whittle it down to two real stand-outs.
Diptyque's Tam Dao comes out on top when it comes to a day-to-evening classic, despite being an underdog. Like taking a walk through a warm jungle, it's the sort of deep, woody scent that lingers subtly, becoming one with the skin. It's the kind of fragrance that leaves people convinced you wake up in the morning smelling just that good. It's so convincing, in fact, that I had no idea this was my signature scent until a friend caught me spritzing it and said she felt deceived that my natural odour was just a perfume all along. Diptyque, if you don't mind too much, I plan to carry on deceiving people with this comforting bottle of joy for ever and ever.
But as for my everyday spritz of choice, Chloé's Naturelle is equally as cherished. It's fresh and floral but has an earthy richness to it thanks to cedar essence that takes away any hint of sweetness. Floral perfumes aren't typically my thing, but this little bottle is really special."
Tom Ford Tubereuse Nue
Giselle La Pompe-Moore, Spiritual Guide and Who What Wear Contributor
"During the day when I glance over my shoulder and this scent comes up to greet me, I always have that split second where I think I've got a clump of Juicy Fruit chewing gum stuck in my hair, as that's exactly what Tubereuse Nue reminds me of. All of the same bubblegum-scented joy and childlike connotations, minus the pain of an impromptu haircut. This is seriously grown-up, with just the right amount of softness that cascades into being ethereal. Whether I'm typing away on my laptop or frantically rushing out of the house, one inhale of this transports me to smiling bigger, breathing deeper and finding the otherworldly within this hectic world."
Jo Malone London Vetiver & Golden Vanilla
Iman Leila, PR & Influencer Communications Manager and Founder of So You Want to Network
"My signature scent has to be Jo Malone's Vetiver & Golden Vanilla Cologne Intense. When I walk into a room, everyone knows I'm there because of this scent. I discovered this perfume a year ago, and during quarantine and numerous lockdowns, I caught myself spraying it often to bring some sense of normality to my life. The scent is the perfume equivalent of a warm hug. It's very strong, lingers on all my clothes and is a true representation of me. I'm warm and friendly, my wardrobe is bold, and I'm memorable, so I'll always linger in your mind!"
This post was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
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My Favourite Zara Perfumes Are Now 40% Off—I’m Stocking Up for Guaranteed ComplimentsSave while you can!
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The Glowdown: Nicola Coughlan Shares the Beauty Secrets We All Want to KnowYou won't want to miss this.
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I’ve Received Daily Compliments Ever Since I Started Wearing This TikTok-Famous PerfumeHype warranted.
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The Luxury Beauty League: 13 of the World’s Most Expensive ProductsExclusive, elite and effective.
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French Women With Expensive Taste Have Been Gatekeeping This Luxurious Perfume for YearsIt's high time I share it with you.
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Everyone’s Talking About How Great This New Perfume Smells—Surprise! It’s Now 20% OffGuaranteed compliments, for less.
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I Tested Kilian's Most-Wanted Perfumes for a Week—These Are the Ones That Got Me the Most ComplimentsThey're straight-up intoxicating.
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Sophisticated and Seductive—This Is the Perfume to Wear If You Want to Drive People WildTrust me on this one.
