I Wear a Different Perfume Every Day, But These 12 Earn Me the Most Compliments

Best for: Easy, everyday wear

Key notes: Neroli, frangipani, musk, orange blossom, amber, cedar, cashmeran

With neroli oil and orange flower petals, this spritz is fresh at first but has a musky, woody dry down that means it lingers on skin and is perfect for warm summer evenings. It's one of those perfumes that are virtually impossible to dislike.

Best for: A zesty, uplifting scent

Key notes: Grapefruit, mint leaves, green lemon, ginger, bitter orange, verbena white musk, white woods

This eau de toilette is quite possibly one of the most mouthwatering, zingy perfumes I have ever come across. It combines lime and grapefruit with verbena and spearmint, so you'd be forgiven for thinking it might be sickly sweet. In fact, the mintiness mixed with woods and musk makes it irresistibly fresh, like an ice-cold mojito on a sweltering day.

Best for: A warm, woody perfume

Key notes: Grapefruit, bitter orange, lime, cedarwood

Jo Malone CBE actually made this delicious grapefruit perfume for herself (hence the name). It combines grapefruit and bitter orange with lime and spearmint to create the ultimate fresh fruity cocktail. But again, it doesn't have a sticky smell. Instead, woody notes and pepper mean it melts into the skin to leave behind a warm scent that oozes midsummer sunshine.

Best for: Elegant special occasions

Key notes: Lemon, lime, mandarin, bergamot, jasmine, lily of the valley, cardamom, oakmoss, sandalwood, galbanum, musk, amber

Out of all of the perfumes in my rather extensive collection, this one is by far the most asked-after. One spray has people flocking over to ask what I'm wearing—and so it should for that eye-watering price tag. It combines zesty citruses with billowing florals and a hint of spicy warmth that together smell like a sophisticated garden party. Enticing, comforting and slightly mysterious, this bottle has it all.

Best for: Getting in the holiday spirit

Key notes: Italian bergamot oil, Italian mandarin oil, solar floral accord, sensual musky accord.

Francis Kurkdjian himself described this perfume as the feeling of lying down your head on a sun-drenched pillow, and quite honestly, I couldn't possibly say anything more fitting. With musk, sandalwood, mandarin and bergamot, it captures that sort of humid Mediterranean stuffiness while still smelling fresh and free. Not a day goes by that I don't at least give this stuff a sniff.

Best for: A sweet citrus

Key notes: Pear, grapefruit, lemon, apricot, osmanthus, musk

This is the first perfume on this list that I would probably describe as sweet. But not in a sickly, vanilla sort of way, rather like a sugared grapefruit sparkling in the sunshine. It's the sort of perfume I reach for when I'm a little bit bronzed and want to embrace my inner J.Lo, put on some gold hoops and wear a low-cut top. I don't think I have ever worn this without someone giving it a compliment. 

Best for: A high-street citrus perfume

Key notes: Bigarade, bergamot, lemon, basil, mint, musk

Both invigorating and clean-smelling, this is one of my favourite citrus scents, which was created in collaboration with Jo Malone CBE for Zara. Orange and geranium burst onto the skin before the musk leaves a subtle, skin-like quality that's smooth and refreshing. It's one of my favourite Zara perfumes.

Best for: An uplifting summer scent

Key notes: Pressed lemon, Chinotto, blood orange, incense, green mandarin, violet, copaiba balsam, musk ambrette, oak moss

Whatever citrus perfume you come across, just know that this stuff is the citrus perfume. It wasn't the first, and it might not be the most well-known, but it is, in all interpretations of the word, a citrus perfume through and through. It's lemony but warm, fizzy but warm, floral but sweet. If you ask me, no one has and likely ever will create a citrus perfume that comes close to matching the pure brilliance of Italian Citrus.

Best for: Nights out

Key notes: Moroccan orange blossom, musk, neroli

Unlike most citrus perfumes around, this stuff isn't particularly fresh. If you prefer strong, warm smells, this one is definitely for you. With orange blossom, neroli oil and musk, it has the same lightweight freshness as your typical citrus but also has the lingering power of musk. It's a citrus that can be worn just as easily in the winter as it can in the summer.

Best for: A refreshing herbal boost

Key notes: Bergamot, rosemary, vetiver

A herby blend of tangerine and bergamot, this spritz is earthy and grounded in nature. Imagine you're smelling fresh citrus fruit directly from the tree, and you might be able to conjure just a fraction of the joy this yellow bottle of greatness can evoke. 

Best for: A clean citrus scent

Key notes: Mandarin, grapefruit, apricot, grapefruit, rose, magnolia, violet, amber, linden blossom, musk

Ouai's haircare products are renowned for their delicious scents, and this perfume, based on the uplifting, lively vibes of London's Dean Street, doesn't disappoint. With lemon, mandarin, grapefruit and apricot, as well as a bouquet of delicate florals, this perfume is lightweight and clean-smelling—like a shower of summer freshness. 

Best for: Making a citrus statement

Key notes: Italian Bergamot, lemon cedrat, pink pepper, rose, Moroccan neroli, orris, patchouli, Turkish rose, vetiver, amber

A lot of the appeal in the best citrus perfumes lies in their splashy, sunshine quality—they’re lightweight scents and easy to wear. Which is lovely, but if you like a really statement-making scent, then you’re unlikely to gravitate towards them. This one from Eauso Vert, however, will turn heads. The smell will transport you to a dimly lit, sultry corner of a chic cocktail bar, sparkling with spice from pink pepper and the warmth of amber but elevated with a stickiness from Italian bergamot and zesty lemon. It’s complex, alluring, and deeply moreish.