And Now, Our List of the Best Perfumes of All Time

Key notes: Aldehydes, ylang-ylang, neroli, iris, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, oakmoss, vetiver.

Best for: A punchy statement

Why we consider it the best: Clean-smelling, floral and deeply powdery, Chanel N°5 tops worldwide bestsellers lists every single year. It's over 100 years old, but there's still nothing quite like it. "Despite it being my job to know perfumes inside-out, I can't tell you the number of times I've asked someone what they're wearing only to find out it's N°5—it takes on a different personality depending on who is wearing it. No perfume around can beat its longevity, luxury or crowd-pleasing nature," says Who What Wear UK beauty director, Shannon Lawlor.

Key notes: Bergamot, pear, ambrette, aldehydes, jasmine, rose, rosemary, violet, orris, vanilla, musk, moss.

Best for: Expensive-smelling warmth

Why we consider it the best: Although a relatively new launch in comparison to other fragrances on this list, Merit Retrospect is already proving a classic. It was specifically created with timelessness in mind, and takes inspiration from many of the great perfumes of the past few decades. It starts off sweet and fruity, but after just a few minutes, it dries down to something deeper, muskier and slightly peppered. Trust us, it's unlikely anyone would regret this as a blind buy. "Some of my favourite perfumes are the ones that smell slightly different over time, which is why I gravitated toward Merit's debut scent," explains SEO Writer, Ava Gilchrist. "At first, the fragrance is light, airy and slightly floral to my nose. But the longer it settles on the skin, it develops into something really rich and warm,

Key notes: Juniper berry, cedar, tonka bean, jasmine.

Best for: Throwing on with anything

Why we consider it the best: Diptyque sets the gold standard when it comes to effortlessly chic fragrances, and Orphéon is the coolest of them all. "I have never had as many compliments from any other perfume, and I own well over 100. Orphéon is nonchalantly cool and smells beautifully unique," says Shannon. Created as an homage to a local Parisian haunt frequented by the Diptyque founders back in the 1960s, Orphéon smells like gin and tonic, compacts of face powder, swirling cigarette smoke and the warm comfort of a cosy, velvet-clad bar.

Key notes: Pink pepper, iris, ambrette seeds, ambrox.

Best for: Everyday wear

Why we consider it the best: You likely don't need us to tell you that Glossier You is one of the best perfumes ever made. "Glossier You isn't just a skin scent," says du Parcq. "It's a chase-you-down-the-street attraction magnet that makes you smell like you're a quiet billionaire with an exclusively white wardrobe."

Key notes: Lemon, sweet orange, Calabrian bergamot, lavender, rose, verbena, rosemary, vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli

Best for: Elevated elegance

Why we consider it the best: This classic cologne has been worn far and wide for decades, by both men and women. It is often cited as one of Audrey Hepburn's most loved perfumes—but don't go thinking the Acqua di Parma Colonia smells dated in any way, shape or form. It is, without question, the most exquisite cologne ever made. It smells like a stepping out of a cool shower after spending the day lounging under the Amalfi sunshine—crisp, cool, wild and citrusy.

Key notes: Iso E Super, pink pepper, lemon, iris.

Best for: An enticingly fresh daily spritz

Why we consider it the best: Ask any fragrance expert and they will tell you that Molecule 01 is not only the best skin scent in the world, but also one of the most iconic perfumes of all time. To know the aroma of Molecule 01 is to love it. For the most part, Molecule 01 has a light, clean-linen sort of aroma with a slight metallic depth that keeps it clinging to skin all day. It is totally unique, and you will never find another perfume quite like it. It's so individual, in fact, that despite several Who What Wear UK editors wearing it every day, it has a slightly distinct aroma on each person. "It's the only perfume I'll wear!" says managing editor, Poppy Nash.

Key notes: Mandarin, fruity jasmine, amber woods

Best for: Date night

Why we consider it the best: Dior's Miss Dior Eau de Parfum has proved one of the bestselling perfumes of the past few years, but this iteration is the one that really shines as a future classic. Created by one of the world's best and most famed perfumers, Francis Kurkdjian, Miss Dior Parfum is a creamier, more intense version of the classic Eau de Parfum. It smells like white, creamy jasmine petals that have fallen off their stems and heated under the midday sun, all while the aroma of surrounding citrus trees and berry bushes mingle in the air. It's a nuzzling sort of perfume that draws anyone and everyone to the wearer. (Prepare to be the most complimented person in the room when wearing it.) Be warned: people will be flocking to you all night to ask after this one.

Key notes: Lemon, watery notes, ginger, petitgrain, tangerine, musk, amber, oud.

Best for: Hot summer days

Why we consider it the best: & Other Stories never fails to impress with affordable perfume launches—so much so that it was almost impossible to choose just one for this feature. Created by Jérôme Epinette (the perfumer behind a number of Byredo scents), Sicilian Sunrise is an ode to an Italian summer—fresh, green and beautifully aquatic.

Key notes: Sichuan pepper, turmeric, may rose, Turkish rose, Bulgarian rose, patchouli, tonka bean.

Best for: Glamorous evenings

Why we consider it the best: It may contain three different types of rose, but this is a fresh, modern take on the classic scent. The spicy top notes and sweet base notes combine to make it something altogether rich, glamorous, and intoxicating. Would you expect anything less from Tom Ford?

Key notes: Cotton candy, coconut, jasmine, honey, blackberry, orchid, patchouli, caramel, vanilla.

Best for: Summer date nights

Why we consider it the best: Love it or hate it, there's no denying it's iconic. (Especially now with Euphoria actress Hunter Schafer as the face.) "Angel breaks fragrance rules by being so unique and by mixing an overload of gourmand and patchouli into what was supposed to be a typical floral," says Koremblum.

Key notes: Blueberry, tangerine, rose, geranium, magnolia, musk, patchouli.

Best for: A special night out

Why we consider it the best: Perfect for a night out or a party—as would be expected from a fragrance created by Rihanna, this is the fragrance equivalent to wearing a bold red lipstick or six inch heels. It is punchy, a little bit smoky and it really makes quite a statement.

Key notes: Musk, bergamot, jasmine, cyclamen, neroli, orange blossom, white musk, sandalwood, white wood.

Best for: Everyday comfort

Why we consider it the best: This delicate, intimate and nude scent won't have any impact when you walk into a room, but it's certain to draw in compliments from those immediately around you. It's inspired by an intimate embrace with someone you love, so it's subtle but comforting and uplifting.

Key notes: Saffron, jasmine, amberwood, ambergris, fir resin, cedar.

Best for: Girls' night

Why we consider it the best: Now this is the kind of scent people will smell when you enter a room—and probably for several hours after you've left as well. "It's easy to see why this has taken the social media world by storm," says Koremblum. "It broke fragrance rules with its ambroxan note and the fact that its overall scent smells different to everyone." It's true, Baccarat Rouge 540 has an addictive and hard-to-describe DNA, which only adds to its charisma.

Key notes: Bergamot, apple, black tea, black amber, musk, oakmoss.

Best for: A spicy hit for special occasions

Why we consider it the best: Each fragrance from niche fragrance brand Vilhelm Parfumerie is inspired by key memories and moments from its founder, Jan Ahlgren. He describes Dear Polly as: "A love letter in scent to my wife...familiar and new, comfortable and invigorating, it is a fragrant brew for two: lovers can wear it and recall each other. Even with distance, they’re never apart."

Key notes: Butterfly lily, miracle berry, oakwood, akigalawood.

Best for: An uplifting sparkle

Why we consider it the best: The best perfumes for daytime tend to feature light, fresh notes, which is why this clean, sparkling, works-with-your-skin fragrance is perfect. In true Hermès style, it possesses an expensive-smelling quality that leaves you feeling like money. It starts off with an intense sparkle, that truly does tickle the nose with freshness, but soon it develops into something a little more human, working with your skin to leave a warm, inviting finish.

Key notes: Tangerine, neroli, lavender, jasmine, orange blossom, vanilla, white musk.

Best for: Any after-dark occasion

Why we consider it the best: No perfume gets you geared up for a special evening quite like YSL Libre. It has a strong creamy sweetness, but combined with the powdery touch of lavender and jasmine, it remains mature and intriguing. And, I mean, have you seen how chic that bottle is?

Key notes: Watermelon, violet leaf, galbanum, tuberose, ylang-ylang, vetiver, amber.

Best for: The first days of spring

Why we consider it the best: An explosion of fresh white florals with a bright aquatic edge and a ripe green base, this is basically spring in a bottle. 

Key notes: Ambrette seeds, sea salt, sage.

Best for: Seaside vacations

Why we consider it the best: While there are plenty of sweet, sticky summery perfumes out there that all do a similar thing, if you want something really special, Wood Sage & Sea Salt is it. Like most Jo Malone fragrances, it possesses a light summer freshness, reminiscent of crisp white hotel sheets as the beachy breeze comes through the window. But beyond that, it also has a salty bite that keeps people on their toes. Cloying perfumes aren't the one come summer, and this masterpiece proves a very welcome, cooling tonic.

Key notes: Plum, bergamot, leather, rum, amber, milk, patchouli.

Best for: Autumn nights

Why we consider it the best: Part fruity and part leathery, Dark Rum is one of those unique fragrances that works as well for summer as it does for winter, which is why it's one of the best perfumes for autumn (in my opinion). The rich aromatic scent will see you from the last golden days of summer through to winter's fireside cosiness.

Key notes: Cloves, pink pepper, orange blossom, chestnut, guaiac wood, juniper, vanilla, Peru balsam, cashmeran.

Best for: Cosy days in

Why we consider it the best: Rich, sweet, boozy, woody, cosy—it's impossible to run out of words to describe this intoxicating scent. Needless to say, it's exactly what the best winter perfumes should smell like, and yes, it is best worn while curled into an armchair beside a blazing fire.

Key notes: Oud, pink peppercorn, fir balsam, ambergris, marine notes

Best for: Sharing with the men in your life

Why we consider it the best: Sharing is caring, and here at Who What Wear UK we're big proponents of the idea that really, fragrance is genderless. Although it's billed as a men's fragrance, this fresh, marine scent is every bit as exceptional, no matter who is wearing it.

Key notes: Milk, marshmallow, musk, mahogany, tonka bean.

Best for: A base of cosy comfort

Why we consider it the best: Thanks to its sweet, soft and altogether neutral notes, this perfume is perfect for layering with others—especially those that you want to mellow out. It makes a great base, especially to perfumes that sit within the amber or wood families.

Key notes: Vanilla, sandalwood, liquorice.

Best for: Winter nights

Why we consider it the best: The best long-lasting perfumes will see you through from day to night. Spray this sweet, spicy vanilla perfume on whenever you want to make a statement. Even if you were to spray it first thing in the morning, not only will you still be able to smell it on your skin, hair and clothes by the end of the day, but two days later as well. That being said, its sweet depth lends itself perfectly for dinner dates and cold nights out. "This perfume is so special that I once I had a waitress chase me out of a restaurant to ask after it. My coat had been hanging in the cloakroom and she told me that the whole front-of-house team had been trying to locate the delicious scent for three hours," reveals Shannon.

Key notes: Black pepper, olibanum, petitgrain, cedar, cumin, sandalwood, vetiver.

Best for: All year round

Why we consider it the best: I'm a perfume obsessive, but I've also experienced scent-triggered migraines since my early teens... So it's safe to say that sussing out the best perfumes for migraine sufferers is my life's mission. When I polled my fellow migraine sufferers earlier this year, Aesop's sweet but spicy Eidesis came out on top.

Key notes: Bergamot, iris, neroli, cedar, honeyed, powdery notes.

Best for: Whenever you want to feel really great

Why we consider it the best: Sometimes the right perfume can be the difference between having an average day and a great day. Trust us, nothing puts a spring in your step quite like Chanel's 1957. It smells almost unbelievably expensive, but remains light and wonderfully wearable. The base is an obvious powdery musk, but bergamot and neroli give it a sparkling element that has the scent shining on the skin like a clear, 5-carat diamond. Truly one of the best luxury perfumes.

Key notes: Ambrette, amber, violet, cedarwood, sandalwood.

Best for: Effortless days

Why we consider it the best: This perfume is, as the name might suggest, inspired by the cool, soulful wilderness of the Californian desert. It has made a real impact on the fragrance scene, with anyone who knows anything about fragrance likely to have a bottle on their shelves at all times. With that creamy sandalwood, it has the same cool-girl appeal that Le Labo Santal 33 has, but there is a light breeze that carries a more unique, powdered spice that gives it that slightly dishevelled chicness.

Key notes: Lime, orange, bergamot, basil, thyme, lilac, iris, vetiver, patchouli.

Best for: Anytime you need a boost

Why we consider it the best: Not only is this one of the best Jo Malone perfumes but it's arguably one of the best citrus perfumes of all time. The bright citrus notes are balanced out in an unconventional way by the green herbal ones.

Key notes: Rose, cedar, vetiver, musk.

Best for: Evenings out

Why we consider it the best: Cedar is a popular fragrance note and although it's used within many blends, it's rarely given centre stage. That's what makes this incredible woody perfume from Byredo so special—the small ingredient line-up allows the warm, sunny cedar to really shine through.

Key notes: Aldehydes, bergamot, sweet pea, Egyptian jasmine, orange, white musk, sandalwood.

Best for: An aquatic, refreshing hit

Why we consider it the best: This is one of those clever and captivating fragrances that smells different on everyone, which is why it's one of the best unisex perfumes to launch in recent years.

Key notes: Matcha tea accord, fig, bitter orange, vetiver, cedarwood.

Best for: Cosy days in

Why we consider it the best: For days when you feel a little out of sorts, nothing will ground you and make you feel more comforted than this green tea fragrance from Le Labo. It has a somewhat sweet (but still grounding) creaminess along with a woody depth that keeps it lingering on the skin all day long like an olfactory comfort blanket.

Key notes: Vanilla, cedarwood, tonka bean.

Best for: Warm summer nights or cold winter days

Why we consider it the best: Don't be put off by the notes of this Victoria Beckham perfume, especially if you aren't a fan of vanilla. It has a rich, luxurious depth and woodiness that keeps the warming elements of vanilla without tipping things into a territory that feels too sweet. One spritz on your neck fills you with a sense of warming relaxation.

Key notes: Blackcurrant, pink pepper, bergamot, rose, geranium, davana, moss, patchouli, vetiver, musk.

Best for: Spring date nights

Why we consider it the best: This fruity perfume is inspired by a warm afternoon spent in a French vineyard. It's above all fruity, but floral notes of rose and geranium keep it feeling elegant and grown up.

Key notes: Neroli, bergamot, ambrette, iris, orange blossom, musk, sandalwood, cedar.

Best for: Everyday luxury

Why we consider it the best: Some gourmand perfumes can smell sickly and cloying, but the beauty of this one is that it's light and airy. Inspired by a Parisian patisserie, this French perfume brings to mind the warm, sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries.

"I'm not usually a fan of sweet fragrances, but Commodity's Milk has hands down become a firm favourite. Both skin-like and sweet in equal measure, it makes me think of luxury vanilla ice cream you might be served in a bougie desert.

It's warm, milky and softly sweet without being overbearing and it always generates compliments when I wear it. With tonka bean and mahogany wood, has a subtle woodiness and spiciness to it which makes it all the more addictive.

Commodity has cleverly formulated it in three projections, meaning you can choose to wear it close to your skin or opt for the bold option, which projects your fragrance even further—genius." - Eleanor Vousden, Who What Wear UK Beauty Editor

"You know a perfume is one in a million when you fork out over £100 for the real thing less than 10 seconds after getting a whiff of a sample. I had an immediate 'where have you been all my life' reaction to this stunning fragrance, and I think you will too—especially if you're someone, like me, who goes weak in the knees for rose-led scents. The aforementioned is anchored by violet, musk, plus pink and black pepper. It's delicious, and it's quickly become my signature." — Erin Jahns, Who What Wear Beauty Director

"I'd be hard-pressed to think of a perfume that I've recommended more than Byredo Velvet Haze—possibly the most delicious scent in my entire perfume collection and undoubtedly the one that I now wear most frequently. Like all of Byredo's cult fragrances, it's distinctive and unique, yet it isn't overpowering in the slightest. Ask me what it smells like, and I'd say it's a comforting, musky scent with a hint of almost vanilla-like sweetness and a healthy hit of floral patchouli. It's cosy without being heavy (I happily wear this all day and all night, whatever the season or weather), and it's wonderfully grown-up. I always feel like I have my act together when I wear this. Simply put, I adore it. It's unlike any other perfume in my stash, and I highly doubt I'll smell anything like it again." — Mica Ricketts, Beauty Editor and Who What Wear UK Contributor

"I have always been obsessed with the idea of having a signature scent, and I knew I'd finally found one when a co-worker told me she knew that I was in because she had smelled my perfume in the kitchen. I've been wearing Le Labo Thé Noir 29 for about three years now, and while I try other scents occasionally, it's my number one. I layer it with the body lotion to help the scent stick around, and it means I only need a little spritz, as the scent can be quite overpowering. Overall, it’s a pretty woody scent with warmth from the mix of fig, cedar and musk, but it's not at all feminine. In fact, my friend says it smells like a sexy man, which makes me love it more." — Keeks Reid, Beauty Director, Cosmopolitan UK

"If soulmates came in a perfume form, Glossier You would be mine. To me, it smells like a warm hug in a bottle and it's the scent I reach for whenever I need that extra emotional support. It’s meant to smell differently on everyone, which means whenever I smell it on someone else, it never smells quite the same as my version. For me, it’s the kind of fragrance where the notes don’t matter, but think Ambrette seeds (or amber, if you have no clue what they smell like), iris and pink pepper." — Laura Capon, Freelance Beauty Editor and Content Creator

"I am a true lover of fragrance, and my collection of bottles is quite large. As a result, I tend to bounce around a lot in terms of what scent I'm wearing, but lately, I've been exploring a deepening love affair with Killian's Love Don't Be Shy. I was never a fan of sweet scents until I tried this one. It just smells expensive, and it's over-the-top sweet in a way that I actually enjoy. Plus, it's Rihanna's favourite, so that gives it extra points in my book." — Courtney Higgs, Editorial Director at Haus Labs

"I absolutely can't choose just one signature perfume. My perfume collection is full of attention-grabbing scents calling out to be my signature, and while Diptyque Orphéon is no doubt it (but I spoke to this earlier), Tam Dao is a very close runner-up. Like taking a walk through a warm jungle, it's the sort of deep, woody scent that lingers subtly, becoming one with the skin. It's the kind of fragrance that leaves people convinced you wake up in the morning smelling just that good. It's so convincing, in fact, that I had no idea this was my signature scent until a friend caught me spritzing it and said she felt deceived that my natural odour was just a perfume all along. Diptyque, if you don't mind too much, I plan to carry on deceiving people with this comforting bottle of joy for ever and ever." — Shannon Lawlor, Who What Wear UK Beauty Director

"During the day when I glance over my shoulder and this scent comes up to greet me, I always have that split second where I think I've got a clump of Juicy Fruit chewing gum stuck in my hair, as that's exactly what Tubereuse Nue reminds me of. All of the same bubblegum-scented joy and childlike connotations, minus the pain of an impromptu haircut. This is seriously grown-up, with just the right amount of softness that cascades into being ethereal. Whether I'm typing away on my laptop or frantically rushing out of the house, one inhale of this transports me to smiling bigger, breathing deeper and finding the otherworldly within this hectic world." — Giselle La Pompe-Moore, Spiritual Guide and Who What Wear Contributor