Luxury perfume is the easiest way to add elegance to the everyday. With just a quick spritz, you can transform even the most basic outfit into a powerful and effortless style. We tested dozens of top-rated luxury perfumes and spoke with three sought-after experts to discover the ultimate scents in luxury.

Like having caviar and diamonds for breakfast

In This Article

In This Article

Consider the power fragrance wields—it can give you the strength to walk a little taller or bewitch a romantic interest (hello, pheromone perfumes!). So, it’s understandable why we’re always on the hunt for the next inspiring scent. “Whether it’s luxury, niche, or any other category of fragrance, one should choose a scent that truly resonates with them,” says Isaac Lekach, co-founder of Flower Shop Perfumes Co. While it’s advisable to spend within one’s means, investing in a luxury fragrance often provides access to higher-quality ingredients and richer compositions.” Simply put, the best luxury fragrances envelop us in an invisible cloak of couture, giving us all the confidence of designer threads—without the dry-cleaning bill.

We scoured the market for top-rated luxury perfumes and selected 23 for InStyle editors to test in our New York City-based lab. We asked them to describe the scent in detail, including the most prominent notes, the fragrance family it belonged to, and the type of person, occasion, or time of year it may be best for. We also noted whether the scent was long-lasting or if it disappeared sooner than we wanted. And since presentation is everything (especially for high-end beauty), we judged the design of the perfume bottle or vessel that housed it, and if we thought it was special enough to warrant a luxury price tag. Read on to discover the best luxury perfumes that will elevate your scent and style.

The ingredients to look for when selecting a luxury perfume

“When choosing a luxury perfume, consider qualities like longevity, projection, and sillage (the degree to which a perfume’s scent lingers)—the usual markers of performance. Ultimately, the best choice is a deeply personal one. Look for a fragrance that resonates with you, suits your mood, and aligns with the image you wish to project. Over time, you’ll discover the notes that speak to you and, with them, the perfect scent to embody your style.” —Isaac Lekach, co-founder of Flower Shop Perfumes Co.

Our Top Picks Best Overall: Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady at Fredericmalle.com Jump to Review Best for Evening: Byredo Mojave Ghost Eau de Parfum at Nordstrom $225 Jump to Review Best Long-Lasting: Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 at Nordstrom $210 Jump to Review Best Citrus: Creed Aventus for Her at Amazon $445 Jump to Review Best Designer: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle at Nordstrom $92 Jump to Review Best Earthy: Diptyque Philosykos at Diptyqueparis.com Jump to Review Best Woody: Le Labo Santal 33 at Nordstrom $107 Jump to Review Best Fruity-Floral: Yves Saint Laurent Libre at Nordstrom $35 Jump to Review Best Musk: Killian Paris Rolling In Love at Sephora $295 Jump to Review Best Fresh: Nette Opening Night at Sephora $30 Jump to Review

Best Overall

Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady

View on Fredericmalle.com

Why We Love It: Fine, as chronic over-sharers, we’ll admit we want to appear a little more mysterious now and then—and Frédéric Malle's Portrait of a Lady lets us live freely in our enigmatic daydream. Encapsulated in a seemingly inconspicuous minimalist bottle, the fragrance initially fooled us with its rosy top notes (there are no less than 400 Turkish roses per bottle!), and assumed it would remain that way until fruity waves of rich raspberry and blackcurrant unfolded into a mature scent, grounded with the depth of patchouli and sandalwood, well-suited for days when an extra boost of confidence is needed. Additionally, since it doesn’t lean too warm or have one, attention-hogging and genre-defining note, we think you can have fun playing with the perfume any time of year. 

Who It’s For: Although very prominent and intriguing, this non-overpowering scent is perfect for the busiest of bees, as it has endless potential to wear to the office or time spent off the clock (just mist yourself twice for extra evening allure). 

Fragrance Family: Woody | Key Notes: Rose, blackcurrant, patchouli, sandalwood | Size: 1.7 oz

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Sunita, tester: “I'm doing my best here to describe the scent—it smells like a mix of sweet, floral with musky undertones. The sweetness and musk stands out the most to me without it having a strong alcohol smell.”

Best for Evening

Byredo Mojave Ghost Eau de Parfum

$225 at Nordstrom $290 at Bloomingdales $225 at Saks Fifth Avenue

Why We Love It: Layering on Byredo Mojave Ghost is the final step in our routine shortly before we hear the clinking sound of ice sliding around in a cocktail shaker. Its enticing combination of musky ambrette and slightly sweet naseberry calls to mind dark-liquor drinks in crystal highball glasses or steeply brewed tea poured from a vintage kettle. Magnolia and violet swept in to uplift the scent as well, although this floral arrangement of scents didn’t last long before we noticed a strong presence of grounding base notes, sandalwood and cedar. The bottle is a minimalist’s dream, and we appreciated the audible snap of the magnetic cap closure—a thoughtful feature that will keep the perfume safe while traveling.

Who It’s For: We’ve never come across anything quite like this combination of soft florals and woody notes, making it a great choice for anyone who wants a totally unique calling card. Two spritzes were enough to leave us smelling simply irresistible, from the first drinks to the final curtain call.

Fragrance Family: Woody | Key Notes: Ambrette, magnolia, sandalwood, cedarwood | Size: 1.7 oz

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Olivia, tester: “The notes blend very well together and it takes a few sniffs to process all of them. At first sniff, it reminded me of a cocktail which makes sense, as ambrette is said to smell a bit like cognac or brandy.”

Best Long-Lasting

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540

$210 at Nordstrom $325 at Bloomingdales $210 at Saks Fifth Avenue

Why We Love It: How much introduction does the TikTok-viral, celebrity-adored, and editor-lauded Baccarat Rouge 540 really need? Apparently, quite a lot because we still have plenty to say about this long-lasting perfume. Namely, how it’s worth the price alone based on its sheer staying power and heavenly gem-stone-shaped bottle. Like any great work of art, Baccarat Rouge 540 has inspired others, but none have come close to the sweet, resinous, and woody notes that seamlessly melt together. Saffron, in particular, stuck out immediately and remained on our skin hours later, while fir resin added a spicy complexity and depth, and a hint of light florals and woody pine tree, and cedarwood notes, all three of which stood out strongest on linen threads.

Who It’s For: This perfume is for those who like versatility—we could see the appeal of layering its breezy, unfussy scent with a gourmand fragrance if we wanted to fully lean into its syrupy notes, or taking a different route and capitalizing on its woodier aroma to build a more unisex scent.

Fragrance Family: Woody amber | Key Notes: Jasmine, saffron, cedarwood, ambergris | Size: 1.2 oz

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Nikki, tester: “Baccarat Rouge 540 is a sweet, resinous, woody floral. It is so well blended that it is difficult to distinguish between notes but I smell saffron, cedar and amber. There is also a musky quality to this fragrance as it dries down.”

Best Citrus

Creed Aventus for Her

$445 at Amazon $300 at Saks Fifth Avenue View on Neiman Marcus

Why We Love It: Creed Aventus pretty much guarantees a good morning—or at least a promising start to the day. Its uplifting citrus medley of crisp green apple and fresh bergamot evoked visions of summer’s blue-skied afternoons and lounging in grassy parks. Although zesty and bright, don’t mistake this scent as a strictly spring or summer fragrance, as it dries down into the deeper heart notes of amber, sandalwood, and patchouli, to mellow its initial sharpness. (A tad more vanilla might’ve further cut the terpenic notes, it truly just depends on your preference.) And, although the box it came in lacked in presentation (the shiny cardboard looked cheap to us), the bottle itself certainly didn’t disappoint. Its curvaceous edges, ornate cap, and golden hue nodded to the heritage brand’s centuries-old royal roots when Queen Victoria appointed the perfumery as the official supplier to the Royal Household.

Who It’s For: Bright and effervescent, this perfume leans feminine, but not girlish or immature, making it perfect for the equally effervescent people in your life (and maybe even yourself!).

Fragrance Family: Fresh citrus | Key Notes: Egyptian green apple, Indian sandalwood, musk | Size: 1 oz

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Kimberly, tester: “The fragrance definitely seems long-lasting and held up remarkably well on the skin, hair and fabric after settling in for twenty minutes or so.”

Best Designer

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle

$92 at Nordstrom $108 at Sephora $172 at Ulta

Why We Love It: This isn’t your grandmother’s Chanel. No, actually. The brand first released Coco Mademoiselle as a more youthful alternative to the classic Chanel No°5, and last year even named the breakout actress and model Whitney Peak as its brand ambassador. We immediately felt its brighter, more playful energy through the crisp and citrusy orange notes, reinvigorating us like a shot of espresso. This energizing vibe eventually faded as the perfume dried down into a smooth and creamy vanilla aroma. It lingered longest in our hair, and didn’t last more than a few hours on our wrist. Luckily, the formula didn’t leave behind an oily residue in any area except our clothing where, admittedly, we probably sprayed it too heavily. 

Who It’s For: Though jasmine and rose, along with the stunning rosy-hued, diamond-edged cut bottle, lead the scent to skew more feminine, grassy rich undertones of vetiver and patchouli round out the fragrance, giving it surprising unisex potential. We found ourselves savoring each note, enjoying how we could pinpoint them one by one as the scent unfolded.

Fragrance Family: Floral | Key Notes: Turkish rose, orange, patchouli | Size: 1.7 oz

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Michelle, tester: “A very feminine and vibrant scent best for an elegant evening out or for a day out for brunch with friends. It was lightly sweet with strong notes of amber and patchouli. There was also a very strong citrusy scent with light hints of rose and vanilla. The scent blended beautifully with my natural scent and was intense without being overwhelming.”

Best Earthy

Diptyque Philosykos

View on Diptyqueparis.com $230 at Bluemercury.com View on Neiman Marcus

Why We Love It: Philosykos, a Greek phrase for “friend of the fig,” is an aptly coined name for this unisex fragrance, given how the trio of fig notes—fig leaves, fig tree sap, fig tree wood—embroidered the overall scent with their subtle, earthy tanginess rather than dominating it. Its grassy notes leaned more toward the greenhouse than a rose garden, and instead, spicy black pepper lent it a complex kick. The longer we wore the perfume, the more we enjoyed where its fragrance journey led us, eventually ending in a musky scent that felt very grown up, but not stuffy (think: Cool aunt energy, not grandma’s vanity). Interestingly enough, one exception was our hair, which smelled lighter and fresher than our skin. 

Who It’s For: This green, earthy scent is perfect for nature lovers who still appreciate a touch of luxury. Holding the heavy, smooth flat glass bottle in our hands was comforting, too, like we discovered the perfect skipping stone, and unboxing its luxurious thick packaging became an experience all in itself.

Fragrance Family: Woody | Key Notes: Fig leaves, black pepper, cedar, coconut | Size: 3.4 oz

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Mia, tester: “As soon as I smelled the perfume, my first reaction was ‘Oh! This smells great’. It has a really unique scent that is really naturalistic, almost plant-like, and a bit fruity.”

Best Woody

Le Labo Santal 33

$107 at Nordstrom View on Lelabofragrances.com $68 at Walmart

Why We Love It: Santal 33 is that girl—confident, stylish, and everyone knows her. It’s the brand’s best-selling perfume, a signature sandalwood, interwoven with citrus, iris and violet to create a gorgeous, soothing profile. Interestingly, woodier notes of palo santo and cedar and a secondary spicy, pepper one jumped out most to us the longer we wore it. As evidenced by the variety of celebrities who also wear it (from Justin Bieber to Sophie Turner), this inimitable combination leaves it with a versatility practically anyone could appreciate. We were also quite smitten with the bottle itself, notably how it displays where and when the brand formulated the fragrance, making us feel like the scent was crafted specifically for us in a couture-like fashion. 

Who It’s For: This is a scent for someone sure of themselves (or at least pretends to be). Patchouli and incense lend an intensity to this fragrance, similar to a masculine-smelling cologne, which could be a bit overpowering for some, especially given the thick mist each spritz gives.

Fragrance Family: Woody | Key Notes: Violet accord, iris, ambrox, cedarwood, sandalwood | Size: 1.7 oz

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Mollie, tester: “Santal had a woody, musky scent with very light floral and citrus undertones. It's a balanced musky and floral with hints of fruitiness that seem to bloom the longer that they sit on my skin. I can smell heavy notes of palo santo and cedar—almost incense-like as well as an unfamiliar floral scent that lingers.”

Best Fruity-Floral

Yves Saint Laurent Libre

$35 $30 at Nordstrom $35 at Sephora $165 $141 at Macy’s

Why We Love It: YSL Libre replicates the same feeling of having someone clasp a cold, gold necklace around your neck or hearing the secure click of securing a watch on your wrist: It’s a satisfying, bright scent that made us feel put together, renewed, and armed with a carpe diem attitude. We were very impressed with how jasmine and peony remained present throughout our wear, and although the fragrance dried down a little sweeter on our skin, it never spurred a headache (and we’re very sensitive to these types of scents). Although we were struck by the bottle’s elegance and artful feel, we wished that its nozzle was more functional because it sprayed the perfume at an angle rather than one, even stream.

Who It’s For: Out of all the options we tried, we’d feel most comfortable recommending this as someone’s signature scent because its clean and unassuming fragrance could blend into any season. Additionally, though light, we never felt like it fully faded from our pulse points and instead melted into our skin to complement our natural scent.

Fragrance Family: Warm Floral | Key Notes: Freesia, rose, jasmine, peony | Size: 1.6 oz

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Jane, tester: “The perfume has fresh, delicate floral notes that aren't overpowering. Since it's very light, it can be a versatile perfume used for numerous occasions whether it's a casual workday or going out with friends. It has underlying fruity notes that complement the floral notes, so it overall smells like you just stepped out of a fresh shower (in the best way).”

Best Musk

Killian Paris Rolling In Love

$295 at Sephora View on Bykilian.com View on 24s.com

Why We Love It: Rolling in Love is the kind of guest everyone hopes will be at their dinner party: An interesting, welcome addition to the mix who contributes without bogarting every conversation. Not to mention it arrives in a fabulous, gold, and red-accented outfit. Like a true musk, it wears close to the skin without overly projecting, instead relying on a prominent almond note to fill our senses with soft warmth. The fragrance never veered into cloying, overly sugary territory, but it did make us think of a dessert all the same (like, perhaps, an expertly toasted crème brûlée versus a rich brownie). To our surprise, we could hardly detect its scent on silkier fabrics (a bit disappointing since we envisioned wearing it when we’re gussied up in our finest satin threads). However, the perfume projected strongly on everything else.

Who It’s For: Warm and toasty like a roasted marshmallow, Rolling in Love undercuts any sugary themes with a sophisticated musk fitting for anyone looking for a signature wintertime scent. It carried the same scent on our skin and hair as it did on all other types of fabric.

Fragrance Family: Floral | Key Notes: Ambrette seeds, almond milk, iris, musk | Size: 1.7 oz

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Gibreel, tester: “This scent settled into my skin very smoothly but it did take a few minutes to dry up after multiple sprays. It doesn't fade quickly and it's not overpowering.”

Best Fresh

Nette Opening Night

$30 at Sephora

Why We Love It: If we didn’t believe in love at first sight before, this Nette fragrance convinced us that falling head over heels is real—at least when it comes to life-changing fragrances. Sharp zings of neroli’s bitter orange essence swirled with spicy fruity-floral bergamot come together for an energetic twist before settling into a warm, cozy amber. Oftentimes we associate fresh scents with new linens and grassy green fields, and, although we have nothing against smelling like a clean load of laundry, we appreciated how the accord between amber and a vanilla note brought out a more seductive theme we’d layer on before a second date.

Who It’s For: Kicks of citrus in this fragrance are perfect for those who wish to be re-energized and have their spirits lifted with each spritz. 

Fragrance Family: Fresh | Key Notes: Bergamot, neroli, vetiver | Size: 1.7 oz

Best Unisex

Maison Margiela Replica Lazy Sunday Morning

$165 $73 at Nordstrom $35 at Sephora View on Sobelia.com

Why We Love It: Floral-forward, but not heavily so, Maison Margiela‘s buzzy perfume kept us guessing what notes would reveal themselves next. What started as a stroll down a garden path laden with roses and iris quickly shifted into a headier territory, and one we relished. Vanilla, musk, and patchouli oil added warmth and sensuality, instantly piquing our curiosity, and, dare we say, making us feel up for a cheeky flirt. To be completely fair, we judged a book by its cover when picking the perfume to test and gravitated toward its white thread-wrapped packing, because it boasted an elevated, organic luxury energy you might see shelved in Gwyneth Paltrow’s favorite spa.

Who It’s For: This pick is perfect for those who want a touch of something sophisticated and sexy. Do note that the bottle has an old-school vintage charm to it, particularly the hand-printed label and round dainty nozzle, which is a little hard to press down on but looks lovely all the same.

Fragrance Family: Warm and spicy | Key Notes: Pear accord, iris accord, white musk accord, Indonesian patchouli oil | Size: 1.5 oz

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Dani, tester: “The scent first hits as floral, but then musk and subtle sweetness follow. Almost like rose, musk, and vanilla. It seems unisex, like it would make sense on anyone.”

Best Fresh-Floral

Henry Rose Windows Down

$35 at Nordstrom $35 at Nordstrom $35 at Sephora

Why We Love It: Windows Down gave us a relaxing and exhilarating vision of cruising down a quiet road lined with blooming, aromatic flowers at dusk. Blink and we might’ve missed the quick breeze of white florals before a zestier, green scent greeted our senses. While our clothing and hair held on most to the florals, we wouldn’t have minded if they lasted longer on our skin before the musky scent took over. On the flip side, the minimal alcohol scent accompanying our spritzes was a major win, and we could tell it boasted a lower ratio from how it didn’t stain most fabrics.

Who It’s For: If you love the uplifting woody profile that accompanies another brand favorite of ours, Queens and Monsters, you’ll similarly become entranced by this sweeter, perkier cousin. Smooth and edge-less, the bottle kept slipping in our hands, but we still loved its sleek silhouette.

Fragrance Family: Fresh | Key Notes: Neroli, orange flower, jasmine, moss | Size: 1.7 oz

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Rebecca, tester: “The fragrance had a mostly floral scent, though the earl grey tea was very much present. There was a slight undertone of an alcohol smell when first smelling it but it goes away immediately.”

Best for Summer

AERIN Hibiscus Palm Eau de Parfum

$150 $128 at Nordstrom View on Aerin.com $150 at Saks Fifth Avenue

Why We Love It: Like most things Aerin Lauder touches, her Hibiscus Palm perfume has all the elements of a sunny summer day, but without any of the cheesy, sunscreen-like notes you usually find. Inevitably, when temperatures creep above 70 degrees, tropical fragrances hit us like tidal waves at every turn, and though a delightful phenomenon for some, we sought out a summertime fragrance with that same sunny disposition, albeit less basic. Don’t get us wrong, the Hibiscus Palm perfume still contains our favorite tropical-adjacent notes, such as hibiscus, and ylang-ylang, giving it an airy, familiar essence, but it’s the creamy coconut, sweet vanilla, and earthy musk balance any excess sweetness to add a degree of elegance. For such a light scent, it’s surprisingly long-lasting and retained its breezy feel. 

Who It’s For: This perfume is for when you want to recall your favorite summer memories, with the sun on your face, and the tropical vibes of traditional sunny scents. Its profile is familiar, but grown up, like if you were to compare the same beach trip you booked after a big promotion versus the one you took with your parents when you were 13.

Fragrance Family: Floral | Key Notes: Hibiscus palm, ylang, coconut milk, vanilla | Size: 1.7 oz

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Isabel, tester: “The Aerin hibiscus palm smells primarily floral, with a nice, subtle hint of sweeter notes tied in. The Ylang and Hibiscus were most identifiable but blended together well—not overpowering. The scent smells a bit muskier on my skin than on the samples, but it still holds an 'airy' feel to it.”

Best Herbal

Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt Cologne

$74 at Nordstrom $32 at Sephora View on Jomalone.com

Why We Love It: We felt pulled in by this fragrance’s woody, herbaceous notes, which made us want to head out for a dewy, sun-soaked morning walk under a canopy of leafy and soft, mossy ground beneath us. As the scent moved into energizing citrusy grapefruit notes eventually replaced the alcohol smell the perfume left in our hair. Our skin experienced the most favors, where the fragrance blended dreamily with our natural scent. But, we can’t say the same for the pungent aroma that it leaves on wool fabrics, so if you live in heavy sweaters this may not be for you.

Who It’s For: The Jo Malone London Wood Sage and Sea Salt is a friend to all and an almost universal crowd-pleaser, making it perfect for the indecisive. Classy as can be, Jo Malone London put the finishing touches on this fragrance by wrapping the bottle with a thick black ribbon, the kind we’d save to tie in our hair.

Fragrance Family: Fresh, green| Key Notes: Ambrette seeds, grapefruit, sea salt, sage | Size: 1 oz

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Mandy, tester: “When I smelled this on the bottle, I found the scent refreshing and calming. There's an underlying herbal woodsy scent.”

What to Keep in Mind

• Rare Ingredients: “Natural ingredients that are difficult to find or extract, such as oud, saffron, and ambergris, often elevate a fragrance,” says Kate Oldham, SVP, GMM, Beauty, Jewelry and Home at Saks Fifth Avenue, adding that there’s “not one specific ingredient” that instantly earns the luxury label, but rather it’s “the combination of ingredients that evoke a luxurious feeling.”

  However, a key difference between the ingredients used in mid-tier perfumes versus luxury comes down to how they’re sourced. “Luxury perfumes are formulated with more naturally derived notes while lower-level perfumes use more synthetics,” says Melinda Solares, beauty director at Sephora.

  Jasmine, for example, is a common fragrance ingredient, but luxury perfumes will use it in its purest form whereas a mid-tier perfume may create it in a lab. “In some high-end fragrances, these wildly delicate flowers can only be picked at night to preserve their fragile aroma and require thousands of buds to extract what is needed,” says Solares. “That is a lot of work!”

  Luxury perfumes aren’t limited to what one might consider a “classic” scent. Don’t be afraid to approach your fragrance journey with curiosity and creativity or lean into trends. “Fragrance is an art form that continues to evolve and become more popularized,” says Solares.“Don’t let the rarity of ingredients in luxury fragrances lead you to think that you can’t find a trending scent like a gourmand in a luxury brand.”

• Design: When you’re buying perfume, you’re buying a piece of art, including the carefully blended concoction inside the bottle and the bottle itself. “The bottle is a key differentiator between mass and luxury fragrances,” Meg Gray, director of merchandising at Bluemercury.

  You’ll find that pretty much all luxury perfumes are housed in a glass bottle, and those bottles tend to have heft to them—the weight of beauty packaging is often a signifier of opulence. 

  The bottle design also plays a role in elegance; even entry-level perfume fans could recognize Chanel No°5 Eau de Parfum if it was completely unmarked due to their distinctive silhouettes and colors.

• Fragrance Type: “Extrait perfumes are often considered the most luxurious of all fragrance types,” says Solares. “This is because they are highly concentrated with pure perfume oil, typically around 25 percent, which creates a more intense and longer-lasting scent.”

  As pure perfume oil requires raw ingredients, “extrait perfumes also offer more depth, complexity, longevity, and rarity,” says Solares, while most others are eau de parfums, which are less intense than extrait formulas, but still long-lasting.

Your Questions, Answered

What is considered a luxury perfume?

“A truly excellent luxury fragrance must have a unique olfactive scent derived from a blend of high-quality ingredients that create a memorable experience for the wearer,” says Oldham. 

According to self-described fragrance fanatic and director of beauty at Moda Operandi, Jessica Matlin says that the “definition of luxury perfume has expanded to include more unconventional notes for sure, but it’s not enough just to have a quirky note or two.” Because the “most thoughtful and directional fragrances are those that build in unconventional notes that add to the brand’s authentic story.” 

What makes luxury perfumes more expensive?

A luxury perfume’s higher price tag is often the perfect storm of deluxe packaging, brand recognition, and rare ingredients. Beyond the raw materials and how much of them are used in a fragrance, the expense will speak to the talent behind the scent, which is the case for in-demand master perfumers like Francis Kurkdjian, the genius responsible for Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum.

But there are other costs, too: “Everything from the formula and ingredients used to craft the composition, the cost to mold the bottle as well as the resources spent to create the story, brand positioning, copy and endless hours of creative design work,” explains Ray Mauro, Brand Manager of Fragrance Development and Marketing at Avon.

How do you find your signature scent?

Versatility is a key driver behind choosing your new signature scent, says Matlin. “That means it has to be light enough to wear to a 9 a.m. meeting, but still special enough to wear for cocktails or a big night out.” 

But before you commit to your new perfume, Oldham offers a word of caution: “Unquestionably, the most important thing for customers to consider when seeking a fragrance that resonates with their personal preferences is to try it on their own skin.” Not only do fragrances smell differently from person to person, but they also make each person feel different, says Oldham. A perfume subscription service (such as Scentbird) is a great way to sample many perfumes to help you find your signature scent.

“As for saving a luxury fragrance for a special occasion? That seems silly to me—fragrance is an accessible luxury: You should wear it whenever you feel like it,” says Matlin. 

Why Shop With Us

Irene Richardson is a writer for InStyle covering the latest fashion and beauty trends. For this story, she delved into the insights provided by testers and interviewed Kate Oldham, SVP, GMM, Beauty, Jewelry and Home at Saks Fifth Avenue; Jessica Matlin, Director of Beauty at Moda Operandi; and Melinda Solares, Sephora Beauty Director. Irene also relied on previous insights and commentary from Emily Orofino, who interviewed Meg Gray, Director of Merchandising at Bluemercury; and Raymond Mauro, Brand Manager of Fragrance Development and Marketing at Avon. Allison Lax, also a writer for InStyle, additionally interviewed Isaac Lekach, co-founder of Flower Shop Perfumes Co., for additional insights.