When I'm Drowning in Compliments, I'm Usually Wearing One of These Unexpected Perfumes
I'll put my hands up. As a fragrance-obsessed beauty editor, I never thought floral perfumes were my thing. Amongst the numerous perfumes I've collected over my decade of working in beauty, you'll mostly find musky perfumes, woody scents or clean-smelling fragrances in my everyday fragrance rotation. But floral scents? Not so much. For me, they have often carried "dated" connotations, and smelling like a bouquet of flowers had never really appealed to me.
However, florals not only form some of the most timeless and classic perfumes throughout history, but today, perfumers have taken florals, shaken off their old-fashioned connotations and transformed them into more modern interpretations. And it just so happens that some of my favourite summer perfumes and most-complimented scents right now all centre around florals. Who'd have thought? I'm a florals convert.
I've overlooked florals for so long that I've now become invested in wearing them on almost a daily basis, and the compliments have been rolling in. Whether you're looking for a new summer floral perfume, or a fragrance where florals play a supporting role, scroll on for the florals scents that completely converted me into a florals fanatic.
Rose
Key notes: Rose centifolia absolute, saffron, pepper berries essence, patchouli essence, labdanum absolute
Rose is one of the most iconic summer florals, and in May I had the joy of visiting Matiere Premiere's rose harvest in Grasse, where the French fragrance house grows its own roses to produce the rose centifolia absolute in this very perfume. Depending on where the rose is grown, it can smell totally different across different countries, but the weather in the South of France makes this particular rose both floral and peppery and spicy. And combined with peppercorn, earthy patchouli and resinous labdanum, it paints a portrait of a femme fatale rose that's both seductive and dark. It's stunning.
Key notes: Bergamot essence, mandarin essence, pink peppercorn Co2, mandarin green essence, clary sage essence, lavender essence, rose concentrate, orris butter, geranium essence
Inspired by blooming roses in Italian summer gardens, Slow Rise opens with velvety rose petals that slowly unfurl on the skin with an addictive spiciness that gives it a moody twist. But it's the dry-down that's my favourite, where it blooms into an addictive, creamy, buttery iris base that has you smelling your wrists again and again.
Key notes: Damascena rose, rhubarb, lychee, bergamot, peony, vanilla, white musk, cashmeran, cedarwood, incense
This was one of the first floral perfumes that I really fell for (even as a former floral perfumes avoider—on paper, it's not something I would gravitate to), and it's the Parfums de Marly fragrance I now show people when they tell me they're not big on their floral fragrances. This fruity floral combines jammy rose with juicy lychee and smooth vanilla, and the scent is goddess-like. Someone once described it as "feeling like a princess" when they wear it, and I couldn't agree more. The projection and lasting power of this scent also make it a total compliment magnet whenever I wear it.
Tuberose
Key notes: Tuberose, orange blossom, jasmine, marine accord
Known as "Queen of the night", tuberose is considered the most seductive of the florals. This white floral blooms at nightfall and has a creamy, voluptuous and intoxicating profile that is so sensual that throughout history, well-to-do women were cautioned not to walk past tuberose fields for fear it would awaken uncontrollable desires. So if you want to exude a seductive vibe, then you'll love tuberose scents. One of my favourites is Diptyque's Do Son, which captures the velvety-soft, creamy petals of tuberose flower and has a breezy marine quality that smells like a summer evening walk by the seaside with a salty breeze caressing your skin.
Key notes: Cinnamon bark, tuberose, osmanthus, carrot seed, cistus, leather, musk
If you want to try a tuberose scent that's smouldering and perfect for the evening, then I highly recommend you try Tubérose Astrale, which has cemented itself as one of my all-time favourite perfumes. It's inspired by the founder's memory of standing beneath the star-studded Milky Way in a field of creamy tuberose flowers. To me, it's the smell of a shooting star, with blazing cinnamon glowing amongst the heady and hypnotic scent of creamy tuberose.
Key notes: Bergamot, juniper, jasmine, Indian tuberose, ylang ylang, coumarin, tobacco, vanilla
Liberty London has also taken tuberose and given it an unexpected twist. This isn't the kind of tuberose perfume that conjures images of running through flower-filled fields in a flowing white dress. Instead, it feels like something a woman in a vintage velvet suit would wear while sitting in a dimly lit, smoke-filled bar. If you've always found tuberose fragrances a little too floral, this is one to seek out. Here, the creamy flower is contrasted by spicy vanilla and smoky tobacco, which gradually unfold on the skin, lending the scent a darker, more confident edge.
Lavender
Key notes: Wildflowers, lavender, iris, rose, jasmine, vanilla, tonka bean, musk
When you think of lavender, I'd forgive you for conjuring images of pillow mists or scented drawer pouches your grandmother might have used. However, lavender has long been one of the most iconic florals in perfumery, but it has also been trickling into more modern perfumes in a supporting role. Chanel's Jersey Extrait is a floral scent that features lavender, which gives this aromatic floral a powdery quality that feels like nuzzling your rose into freshly laundered jersey. It's soft, comforting, yet incredibly modern.
Key notes: Manuka honey, orange blossom, mandarin, lavender, tonka bean, vanilla, sandalwood
You'll often spot bees buzzing around lavender, and so it makes total sense that lavender and honey make a perfect pairing in perfumery. Honeymoon has a golden, honeyed floral scent that is smooth and seductive, and the addition of lavender makes it almost feel dream-like, comforting and nostalgic, like a late afternoon doze on a summer afternoon.
Key notes: Vanilla infusion, lavender, cacao, ginger, vanilla caviar, vanilla absolute
Burberry Goddess comes in a few different iterations, but the eau de parfum features lavender, and it's utterly heavenly. It's a vanilla-heavy scent that is golden, resinous and smooth in its sweetness, but the lavender gives it comforting cosiness that lasts and lasts on the skin. Trust me, this one gourmand perfume will get you endless compliments.
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