Trust Me—Beauty Editors Don't Want You to Know About These 24 Perfumes

Beauty editors love to talk about beauty. Obviously. But I’m not sure people fully understand the extent of our love for products. If you were to get a group of us together in a room, we could talk about beauty products for hours without coming up for breath. That’s why, whenever you drop us an email, DM or comment asking for some beauty advice, we’re typically all too pleased to dish the dirt.

There does, however, appear to be one caveat to this statement. Over my many years of partaking in and observing conversations amongst beauty editors, I have come to realise that we tend to get a little flustered when it comes to talking perfume and fragrance. Not because it is a notoriously difficult topic to write about or because we don’t know our stuff but because we get defensively sentimental about it.

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(Image credit: @_JESSICASKYE)

Look, the truth is (and I’m being brutally honest here) no one likes smelling like everybody else, but beauty editors really hate it. When long-standing beauty-editor favourite Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 hit the big time last year, we simply didn't know what to do with ourselves. We have access to every perfume under the sun and take great pride in smelling almost totally unique. It’s for this reason that fragrance recommendations often get whispered from ear to ear between intimate groups of editors that can be trusted. Frankly, passing off another beauty editor’s signature scent as your own basically breaks every unspoken rule in the book. 

Luckily for you, I’m a total snake. So without further ado, keep scrolling for the 24 best niche fragrances that beauty editors really don’t want you to know about. Some have been shared with full consent, others most definitely not.

1. Chanel Les Exclusifs de Chanel Jersey 

2. Byredo Velvet Haze

3. Diptyque Orphéon

4. Trish McEvoy 100

5. Jo Malone London Sea Daffodil Cologne

6. Abel Odor Nurture

7. Aerin Rose de Grasse

8. Ghost The Fragrance

9. Diptyque Tam Dao

10. Le Labo AnOther 13

11. Ex Nihilo Honoré Delights

12. Jo Loves White Rose & Lemon Leaves

13. Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza

14. Glossier You

15. Serge Lutens Fleurs d'Oranger

16. Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady

17. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Gold

18. Sana Jardin Tiger By Her Side

19. Penhaligon's Cairo

20. Miller Harris Rose Silence

21. Dior Eden-Roc

22. Boy Smells Rose Load

23. Juliette Has a Gun Musc Invisible

24. Estée Lauder Blushing Sands

Next Up: Short-Lived Perfume Is the Worst—Here's How to Make It Last

 This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

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Freelance Beauty Editor

Shannon Lawlor is a renowned beauty journalist and has contributed to Who What Wear’s beauty content since 2020. As a leading beauty editor, expert and brand consultant, she has over eight years of experience working for some of the industry’s most esteemed titles, including Who What Wear (of course), Glamour UK, Stylist, Refinery29 and Fabulous. Having also worked behind the scenes with some of the industry’s biggest brands and retailers, Shannon has a unique insight into what people really want from their beauty routines. Understanding that beauty lovers seek honest, open and responsible advice, she has it made her mission to demystify the intimidating world of beauty, taking a no-frills approach to the most relatable topics. While Shannon is the first to admit she doesn’t hold the answer to every beauty question out there, she is dedicated to sharing her expert insights in a bid to help. As a self-proclaimed lazy girl, Shannon has an affinity for easy-to-use, foolproof beauty products and has made it her mission to scope out the best of the best. When she’s not working, Shannon is likely soaking in the bath or giving no-holds-barred beauty reviews on Instagram from her bathroom floor.