1. Chanel No.5 Eau de Parfum
Best perfume for special occasions
Chanel No.5
Top notes: May rose, jasmine florals, citrus.
Chanel No.5, created by Coco Chanel in 1921, remains the world’s most famous fragrance,
After nearly a century of success. This powdery floral perfume is a masterful blend of more than 80
Ingredients, including ylang-ylang, rose centifolia and jasmine. It treads that delicate line between
Femininity and strength perfectly, with a layered and intoxicating blend that lingers on the skin for hours.
In 1921, the fashion designer was ready to launch the house’s first fragrance, Chanel No.5. Perfumer Ernest Beaux presented samples of the scent to Chanel, and she chose sample number 5. The first celebrity endorsement will usually spark a surge in sales for any beauty brand. Monroe famously declared that she wore “five drops of Chanel No.5”—and nothing else—to bed, securing Chanel No.5’s place as one of the most famous scents in the world.
2. Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau de Toilette
Best perfume for spring
Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau de Toilette
notes: Wild berries, white violet and jasmine
Daisy, a fragrance marketed by Procter & Gamble, launched in 2007 with a summery, carefree advertising campaign that perfectly encapsulated the fresh and floral juice. A memorable ad featured the actress Scarlett Johansson, who was not yet famous at the time. The bottle has become iconic for its playful daisy topper and has since inspired many knock-off versions. Cindy Crawford’s daughter Kaia Garber admitted using Daisy as a teenager. “I have so many incredible memories associated with Daisy,” she said in an interview in 2021, “and whenever I put it on, it takes me back to them, so it’s an instant mood booster for me.”
3. Dior J’adore Eau de Parfum
Best perfume for date night
Dior J’adore Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Pear, melon, magnolia, peach, Mandarin orange and bergamot.
The scent of Dior J’adore is a luxurious olfactory treat, with hints of gold-coated beauty, floral-fruit nectar, and the gorgeous Charlize Theron. It’s no wonder that Dior J’adore is the number one-selling fragrance for the fashion house.
4. YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfum
Best perfume for a night out
YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Pear accord and Mandarin essence.
Black Opium is the number two bestselling fragrance in the United Kingdom, with over 13,500 5-star reviews. Its ingredients include black coffee and long-wearing patchouli, as well as warming vanilla. “Black Opium is a shot of adrenaline, energy and addiction that a woman needs in her everyday life,” says master perfumer Nathalie Lorson.
5. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum
Best perfume for a posh occasion
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum
Chanel Top notes: Patchouli and vetiver.
The best-selling fragrance in both John Lewis and The Fragrance Shop, this feminine, spicy scent was launched in 2001. Sweet citrus top notes, lingering patchouli, vanilla and white musk make an alluring combination that lasts really well on the skin. “This was the fragrance I wore on my wedding day in 2013,” says beauty editor Stephanie Maylor. “It was the perfume I wore a decade earlier when I met my now-husband, and I still get compliments when I wear it today.”
6. Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum
Best feminine perfume
Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Blackcurrant and pear.
With Julia Roberts as its spokesperson, Lancôme’s La Vie est Belle is the brand’s bestselling feminine fragrance. It radiates pure, unadulterated joy with its top notes of jasmine sambac, orange blossom, and patchouli.
7. Giorgio Armani Si Eau de Parfum
Best perfume for a summer vacation
Giorgio Armani Si Eau de Parfum
Top notes: Cassis, blackcurrant and Sicilian bergamot.
The fragrance launched in 2013 and won an Allure Best of Beauty award in 2020. An award-winning, sweet floral scent, it opens with notes of vanilla and mandarin, and dries down to a long-lasting musky finish. Cate Blanchett (who models the scent) said that “deep developing notes” are what draws her to the perfume. “I love a scent that promises to contain experiences yet to be had.”
8. Jean Paul Gaultier Classique for Her Eau de Toilette
Best classic perfume
Jean Paul Gaultier Classique for Her Eau de Toilette – one of the best perfumes of all time
Jean Paul Gaultier
Top notes: Rose
When a scent is recognised by people upon sight of its bottle, it has become a superstar fragrance. The flacon for Chanel No 5 was inspired by a corset; the scent has spawned many variations. The combination of sweet orange blossom, with ginger and vanilla gives long-lasting appeal to this classic perfume. No list of the best perfumes of all time would be complete without it.
9. Paco Rabanne Lady Million Eau de Parfum
Best perfume for intimate occasions
Paco Rabanne Lady Million Eau de Parfum
Paco Rabanne
Top notes: Bitter orange, fleshy raspberry and neroli.
In 2010, Paco Rabanne launched the women’s edition, ‘1 Million,’ which quickly became one of the world’s most celebrated fragrances. The gold diamond bottle, which gives off a hint of the lavish and decadent scent within, brims with floral, woody accords of orange blossom, jasmine, amber and patchouli.
10. CK One Eau de Toilette
Best cheap perfume for everyday use
CK One Eau de Toilette- one of the best perfumes of all time
Calvin Klien
Top notes: Lemon, green notes, bergamot, pineapple, Mandarin orange, cardamom and papaya.
CK One was a popular 1990s fragrance. Its top notes include zesty lime and bergamot, which fade into the middle notes of nutmeg, jasmine and rose. It finishes on a musk and amber drydown. This scent is considered one of the best fragrances of all time.