In the world of perfumes, there are fragrances and then there are sensory icons. The way we perceive and process scent is inherently personal, with a single fragrance talking one person on a nostalgic stroll through the garden and causing another to forcefully recall the faintly cloying scent lingering on elderly women in the changing room of a department store.
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That being said, there are a few iconic women’s fragrances that have stood the test of time, proving their transgenerational appeal. While no scent is universally beloved, there are a select few that will always be adored by the masses, regardless of the passage of time. With that in mind, these are the best women’s fragrances that will continue to be spritzed and admired as the decades pass.
1. Thierry Mugler Angel
A gourmand scent, Thierry Mugler Angel marked the French couturier’s first foray into the world of perfumery. Created in 1992, Angel became the first ever modern gourmand fragrance and has remained one of the best selling fragrances in the world. Slightly syrupy and sweet to start, Thierry Mugler Angel settles down into a delectably multifaceted scent, with notes of patchouli, chocolate, and caramel lingering on the skin.
Brand: Thierry Mugler
Perfumer: Olivier Cresp, Yves de Chirin
Scent notes: cotton candy, coconut, cassis, melon, jasmine, bergamot, pineapple, mandarin orange, honey, red berries, blackberry, plum, apricot, peach, jasmine, orchid, caraway, nutmeg, rose, lily-of-the-valley, patchouli, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, tonka bean, amber, musk, and sandalwood
2. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle provides a younger, lighter alternative to the classic Chanel No. 5. A fresh amber fragrance, it’s equal parts free spirited and sensual with standout notes of bergamot, jasmine, Turkish rose, white musk, and tonka bean.
Brand: Chanel
Perfumer: Jacques Polge
Scent notes: orange, mandarin orange, bergamot, orange blossom, Turkish rose, jasmine, mimosa, ylang-ylang, patchouli, white musk, vanilla, vetiver, tonka bean, and opoponax
3. Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
Widely credited with starting the citrus woody fragrance family, the Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue makes a big impact, utilising a few natural and molecular ingredients to create an invitingly fresh, natural fragrance. Fresh and breezy, Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue evokes the energy of a Sicilian summer through notes of lemon, apple, jasmine, cedarwood, and amber.
Brand: Dolce & Gabbana
Perfumer: Olivier Cresp
Scent notes: Sicilian lemon, apple, bellflower, bamboo, jasmine, white rose, cedarwood, musk, and amber
4. Dior Eau Sauvage
While the Sauvage line has spawned dozens of flankers, the original Dior Eau Sauvage remains the best to this day. Originally launched in 1966, it marked the first time the molecule hedione was used in a fragrance, representing a breakthrough in perfumery. Refreshing yet understated, it boasts notes of lemon, bergamot, rosemary, and basil with a woody base of oakmoss and amber, while vetiver lends a refined, verdant note.
Brand: Dior
Perfumer: Edmond Roudnitska
Scent notes: lemon, basil, bergamot, cumin, lavender, jasmine, rose, carnation, iris root, coriander, patchouli, sandalwood, oak moss, vetiver, musk, and amber
5. Narciso Rodriguez Musc Noir Rose
A fresh take on femininity, Narciso Rodriguez Musc Noir Rose is sensual and addictive. The newest addition to the Musc family, Musc Noir Rose captures modern femininity by blending intense tuberose and light notes of bergamot and pink peppercorn with the signature musky heart and a touch of vanilla.
Brand: Narciso Rodriguez
Perfumer: Sonia Constant
Scent notes: plum, bergamot, pink pepper, musk, rose, tuberose, patchouli, and vanilla
6. Calvin Klein CK Everyone
Calvin Klein were doing genderless fragrances before genderless was even a thing. While the original CK One is a timeless classic with its woody citrus notes, CK Everyone proves its more than up to the task of impressing everyone with fresh watery notes blended with tea, orange, ginger, and cedarwood. Designed with all in mind, Calvin Klein CK Everyone is vegan friendly and makes use of predominately natural ingredients.
Brand: Calvin Klein
Perfumer: Alberto Morillas
Scent notes: orange essential oil, ginger, blue tea accord, watery notes, cedarwood, patchouli, and amber
7. Estée Lauder Youth Dew
Originating as a bath oil, Estée Lauder Youth Dew arose as the result of Estée Lauder wondering why women relied on the men in their lives to buy them perfume. A warm, spicy fragrance that’s equal parts sensual and timeless, Youth Dew has been deemed “simply the sexiest fragrance ever” by men and women alike.
Brand: Estée Lauder
Perfumers: Josephine Catapano
Scent notes: spices, aldehydes, narcissus, lavender, orange, bergamot, peach, cloves, cinnamon, rose, ylang-ylang, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, cassia, orchid, incense, tolu balsam, peru balsam, oakmoss, patchouli, amber, vetiver, vanilla, and musk
8. Chanel No. 5
When you think of perfume, you think of Chanel No.5. Jasmine, aldehyde, and vanilla come together in this elegant and sophisticated fragrance which has cemented itself as an unflappable icon, continuing to be considered the height of femininity over 100 years after its release in 1921.
Brand: Chanel
Perfumer: Ernest Beaux
Scent notes: aldehydes, ylang-ylang, neroli, bergamot, lemon, iris, jasmine, rose, orris root, lily-of-the-valley, civet, amber, sandalwood, musk, moss, vetiver, vanilla, and patchouli
9. Fracas by Robert Piguet
Strange yet sensual, Fracas opens with a voluptuous bloom of jasmine, gardenia, and violet, which eventually make way for richer notes of vetiver, musk, and sandalwood. Provocative and carnal, Fracas has been described as smelling like warm, post-sex skin.
Brand: Robert Piguet
Perfumer: Germaine Cellier
Scent notes: peach, orange blossom, hiacynth, green leaves, mandarin orange, bergamot, tuberose, jasmine, gardenia, osmanthus, narcissus, lily-of-the-valley, carnation, white iris, violet root, coriander, rose geranium, rose, musk, sandalwood, amber, oakmoss, vetiver, and cedar
10. Guerlain Shalimar
Inspired by the love story between Emperor Shahjahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, Guerlain Shalimar is credited with starting the oriental category, blending notes of bergamot, iris, and synthetic vanilla (marking the first fragrance to do so). Named after the gardens of Shalimar in Pakistan, the fan-shaped bottle reflects the silhouette of the fountains in the garden.
Brand: Guerlian
Perfumer: Jacques Guerlain
Scent notes: citruses, bergamot, lemon, cedar, mandarin orange, iris, patchouli, vetiver, jasmine and rose, vanilla, incense, leather, opoponax, sandalwood, civet, tonka bean, and musk
Words by T. Angel
