Choice of a perfume is a very personal thing; it is like your personal statement as to who you are. Some women’s signature scents are so distinct that just a whiff of that scent and the name of that person pops into your mind.
There are some fragrances which have been around for years and have been loved by women of all ages, time after time. The best women’s perfumes are undeniably some timeless classics. There is something about these fragrances which sets them apart from the rest. Designer houses such as Chanel and Dior to some of the more recent brands such as Michael Kors and Juicy Couture all have something unique to offer. Lovely ladies take a look at our countdown of best perfumes for women and see if your favorite perfume has made it to the list.
25. Michael By Michael Kors
Though famous for their hand bags and watches Michael Kors has also added perfumes to their portfolio. The young brand introduced this delicious surprise which is clean and light. It has a very lasting fragrance and the Hawaiian flowery warmth lingers on all day. It’s a perfect blend of spices and flowery scents. Main accords:
- Tuberose
- Musky
- Woody
- Musk
- Cashmere
24. The Healthy Fragrance By LAVANILLA Laboratories
Lavanilla laboratories use vanilla in all of their fragrance lines. The Healthy Fragrance by Lavanilla has become the go-to choice of every woman who loves the scent of vanilla. What includes this in top perfumes for women is the fact that it uses pure vanilla extracts and not the artificially created one, which is being used nowadays by most perfumers. The perfume is made from all organic sugar cane alcohol and a blend of pure essential oils. Because of the ingredients used this is infused with skin saving antioxidants, giving it a modern twist and making this a contemporary classic. Main accords:
- Madagascar Vanilla
- Creamy Tonka
- Freesia
- Vanilla beans.
23. Chance Eau Fraiche By Chanel
One whiff of this and it is almost impossible not to fall in love with the fresh, chic, supple and masterfully balanced fragrance. This isn’t as strong as the other perfumes by Chanel, but it has a lightweight and fresh scent to it. The fragrance is designed for the modern woman and can be worn any time of the day. This became an instant hit, the moment it was launched back in 2007 and continues to be one of the best women perfume to this day. Main accords:
- Lemon
- Cedar
- Jasmine
- Teak wood
- Amber
- White Musk
22. Sensuous Nude By Estee Lauder
Sensuous Nude is the newer version of the original Sensuous. The fragrance continues to have a feminine and cuddly touch which is a signature of the Estee Lauder brand. This is a sweet, citrusy and slightly bitter scent. This is a perfect choice for one of those breezy summer nights, very subtle, feminine and fresh. The middle accords develop into somewhat floral nuances with a hint of jasmine and honey musk. Main accords:
- Sandalwood
- Mandarin spices
- Vanilla
- Coconut water
- Amber and Jasmine
21. Pure White Linen By Estee Lauder
Another modern day classic by Estee Lauder is Pure White Linen. This is an interpretation of its predecessor White Linen. This is a fresh, flowery, fruity, breezy scent, very light weighted and just perfect for summers. As the name suggests pureness, this is a blend of some very natural scents. This has become the ultimate choice of those who like just a faint hint of fragrance surrounding them. Main accords:
- Citrusy
- Raspberries
- Cardamom
- Red tulips
- Cedar wood
20. My Burberry By Burberry
This fragrance from the British luxury house is everything a modern woman wants. It’s strong, sensual and long lasting. The bottle is simple, feminine yet solid. It seems like the scent was designed keeping the women of today in mind. You will feel that the perfumer has managed to bottle up the scent of classic trench, signature Burberry, making it one of the top perfumes for women. Main accords:
- Honey- suckle
- Sweet pea
- Freesia
- Rose
- Patchouli
“There would be hardly anyone who hasn’t owned this one at one point or the other in their lives. J’adore is an intense fragrance which radiates feminism and extravagance. It has an opulent, golden scent.”
19. Velvet Orchid By Tom Ford
This fragrance seems to be as smouldering hot as the designer himself. This is part of Tom Ford’s Black Orchid house and carries forward the bold floral legacy. With this fragrance we see character, atmosphere and originality intermingling. The scent has a timeless signature and it has accords of imaginary Black and Velvet Orchids well blended. Main accords:
- Balsamic
- Sweet
- Floral accords of purple velvet and Turkish rose
- Sandalwood
- Vanilla
18. J’adore Eau De Parfum By Dior
There would be hardly anyone who hasn’t owned this one at one point or the other in their lives. J’adore is an intense fragrance which radiates feminism and extravagance. It has an opulent, golden scent. This is in line with fashion house’s idea of modern feminism. It is sweet yet balmy, floral with a hint of fresh mandarin. Main accords:
- Fruity
- Aquatic
- Floral
- Sweet
17. Flowerbomb By Viktor & Rolf
The perfume was launched at the 10th anniversary of Viktor & Rolf house. It radiates glamour and sophistication. As the name suggests it is a fiery bouquet of fresh oriental flowers, with accords of green tea and bergamot. The fragrance is sweet, seductive, silky and powdery all in one making it without a doubt one of the best perfumes for women. Main accords:
- Floral with a hint of Jasmine and Centifolia rose
- Green tea
- Citrus
- Patchouli
16. Journey By Mary Kay
Our take on this is classic, sophistication, allure all bottled up in a lovely package. This expensive smelling perfume is actually very affordable. As the name says you can carry it in different parts of your journey of life. This scent is wearable at work, play, date or anywhere you like. It is another fresh scent which has been around for almost two decades now and remains a modern day classic. Main accords:
- Aquatic
- Fresh spicy
- Musky
- Green
15. Tory Burch By Tory Burch
This must be one of the youngest entries in this list, but we had to include it because of the immense response the perfume has gotten ever since, it was launched. Tory Burch collaborated with Estee Lauder Cosmetics so obviously the collaboration had to result in a masterpiece. The fragrance has notes of grapefruit, pink pepper, sweet alyssum and cedar wood. Main accords:
- Citrus
- Floral
- Woody
- Musky
- Cedar
“Another burst of nostalgia! I can almost smell this familiar scent as I type. This unparalleled revolutionary fragrance became a definitive legend since its launch. This is a result of exceptional alchemy between spices, fruits, woody fragrances and astuteness which can still mesmerize our senses.”
14. Loveswept By Philosophy
This has got to be one of the most budget-friendly, yet expensive smelling perfumes you can get your hands on. This was launched with the wish that “we follow our hearts”. Its fresh scent promises us energy, optimism and a dose of romance. This is a very subtle feminine fragrance. Main accords:
- Citrus
- Fresh floral
- Tropical
- Fruity
13. Sexy Little Things Noir By Victoria’s Secret
Sexy Little Things Noir is provocative, seductive and playful perfume with floral and fruity aromas. It opens up with nectarine aromas of citruses, berries, bergamot and apple, followed by heart-of-lily, jasmine, plum and vanilla. The bottle comes with an atomizer and is a mysterious black which adds to the whole vampy appearance. Main accords:
- Fruity
- Sweet
- Powdery
- Musky
- Vanilla
12. Nirvana Black By Elizabeth & James
Mary Kate and Ashley-Olsen launched a new brand Elizabeth & James after their two siblings. The perfume has been a massive hit. The bottle has an aura of mystery, modernism and sexiness surrounding it, so does the scent which is inside. Though the scent is somewhat unisexual but has been popular among young women ever since it hit the markets. Main accords:
- Violets
- Sandal wood
- Vanilla
- Balsamic
- Powdery
11. Daisy By Marc Jacobs
Daisy by Marc Jacobs can be best defined as fresh and feminine scent which has a glistening floral yet woody fragrance. It has been a popular choice among the sophisticated yet dazzling woman who strives for simplicity. It has a beautiful bottle with little daisies attached to the cap. Main accords:
- Powdery
- Aquatic
- Citrus
- Ozonic
- White Floral
10. Roses De Chloe By Chloe
Roses de Chloe was launched to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the fashion house. This is a graceful and gentle perfume with a Parisian rose garden feel to it. Bergamot, Damask rose, Magnolia and amber have been combined together to form this timeless perfume for women. Main accords:
- Rose
- Musky
- Citrus
- Floral
- Fruity
“This was Marilyn Monroe’s signature smell. In one of her interviews she said I never go to bed with my Chanel No 5. The perfume is radiates bold feminism making it an all time classic.”
9. Euphoria By Calvin Klein
If I had a choice to pick just one perfume from Calvin Klein’s perfume house, I’d pick Euphoria any day. Why? Euphoria is mysterious and appealing; yet has explainable buoyancy feel to it. For over a decade the perfume has remained among one of the top perfumes for women selling like hot cake. It has notes of Green leave, rose hip, black orchid, red woods and amber. Main accords:
- Woody
- Floral
- Powdery
- Sweet
- Amber
8. Eau Dynamisante By Clarins
How can anyone not possibly like this all time classic perfume for women? This transforms me back to my childhood, being one of my mom’s signature scents. This was considered a revolutionary scent at the time of its launch. With each spray of Dynamisante you can smell impossibly fresh notes of rosemary, essential oils, orange and lemon. Clarins introduced the idea of combining skin care with fragrance by using all natural products. Main accords:
- Aromatic
- Fresh flowers
- Citrus
- Patchouli
- Warm and fresh spices
7. Youth Dew By Estee Lauder
This oriental spicy fragrance was the first to be introduced by Estee Lauder and to this day has sold more than 250 million bottles. The scent to this day is considered clean, crispy and luxurious making it an all time best perfume for women year after year. It has top notes of aldehydes, orange, narcissus, cinnamon, amber and even musk. Main accords:
- Warm spicy
- Balsamic
- Powdery
- Woody
- Sweet
- Earthy
6. Opium By Yves Saint Laurent
From its debut in 1977 to the present day Opium remains one of the all time best women’s perfumes. The rich scent of Opium is suggestive, opulent and reminiscent. YSL attributed the scent of this perfume to the act of falling in love. Without a doubt its mesmerizing scent tends to have that effect, which is why multiple editions of the perfume have been launched with the latest one hitting the shelves just last fall. Main accords:
- Balsamic
- Sweet
- Spicy
- Floral
- Warm spicy
5. Coco Mademoiselle By Chanel
This perfume was launched in 2001 as a tribute to the style icon Chanel. It excludes her personal style of freshness, elegance and charisma. It is a Chypre floral fragrance with notes of mandarin orange, bergamot, Jasmine, Turkish rose, Tonka bean and a hint of white musk. The list of some of the best perfumes for women couldn’t possibly be completed without this one. Main accords:
- Citrus
- Rose
- Patchouli
- Sandalwood
- Balsamic
4. Classique By Jean Paul Gaultier
This perfume is like boldness, sweetness, aphrodisiacal, pleasure all bottled collectively in its corset shaped bottle. This was first called JPGaultier Eau de Parfum, but was later renamed as Classique by Jean Paul Gaultier, because of its unstoppable demand. It has top notes of rose and fresh anis with middle notes of ginger and orange blossom. There is also a hint of amber and vanilla. Main accords:
- Sweet
- White floral
- Powdery
- Vanilla
- Floral
- Citrus
3. L’Air Du Temps By Nina Ricci
They say it is one of the purest fragrances ever made, and one whiff of this and you will know why this has been one of the best perfumes for women since 1948, the year of its launch. It was this timeless creation which brought fame to the Ricci house. Floral-spicy carnation notes are the essence of this masterpiece. There is an impeccable harmony between woody notes of cedar and sandal and the floral notes of rose, jasmine, violets and irises. Main accords:
- Warm spicy
- Floral
- Woody
- Powdery
- Aromatic
2. Poison By Christian Dior
Another burst of nostalgia! I can almost smell this familiar scent as I type. This unparalleled revolutionary fragrance became a definitive legend since its launch. This is a result of exceptional alchemy between spices, fruits, woody fragrances and astuteness which can still mesmerize our senses. Its notes include coriander, wild berries, tube roses and orange honey. Many versions of this timeless classic were released later, the latest one being Hypnotic Poison which all followed the legacy of the original scent. Main Accords:
- Balsamic
- Woody
- Sweet floral
- Warm spicy
- Fruity
1. Chanel No. 5 By Chanel
This without a doubt deserves the top spot among all time best women’s perfumes. This legendary perfume was designed for Coco Chanel in 1921. It is the first ever floral-aldehyde composition with such a large quantity of aldehyde present. This was Marilyn Monroe’s signature smell. In one of her interviews she said I never go to bed with my Chanel No 5. The perfume is radiates bold feminism making it an all time classic. The top notes are dominated by aldehydes, bergamot, ylang-ylang and lemon, followed by floral scents and a base of sandalwood, amber, patchouli and vanilla. Main accords:
- Woody
- Powdery
- Musky
- Floral
- Citrus
Some Tips on Choosing a Perfume that’s Right for You
- Know the Scent Families you like, most perfume houses classify their perfumes as woody, floral, spicy and oriental.
- There are testers and samplers available at most stores. Instead of rushing your decision, it is a good idea to purchase samplers at first.
- Never try more than 3 scents in one go. Sniffing too many scents has a sort of numbing effect on your senses.
- Never rush your decision; perfumes contain top, middle and base notes which become more prominent after you have worn the perfume for a couple of hours.
- Always remember what smells great on your best friend might not smell the same on you. It is a good idea to try the perfume on yourself first before you buy it.
- Remember body chemistry, yes everyone’s body has a different way of reacting to any fragrance. The perfume on those perfume cards will smell very different once it reacts with your body. So always try a perfume on one of your pulse points.
- Match your scent to the season, time of the day and your mood. Not every fragrance is appropriate for every occasion. Leave stronger scents for colder months and go for something light during summers.
