18 Best Perfumes and Fragrances of All Time (Tested and Reviewed for 2023)

Walk in a room wearing Delina, and someone is def going to smell ya, because the sillage (or the scent trail the perfume leaves behind) is strong AF. When I have a big event for work and want to make a good impression, I always spritz a lil bit of Delina on my wrists and behind my ears. The powdery, musky, rose, and vanilla scent makes me feel powerful and strong.

Glowing customer review: "I’m a flight attendant, and I get complimented on this perfume at least 3-4 times a day. It’s soft and clean. One of the nicest perfumes you can own."

Testers literally say this perfume smells like "home," or like hugging a loved one. Why? Well, because it smells like a human and not a perfume, IMO. It's very subtle and light, with notes like musk, sandalwood, and jasmine—all of which just blend together in a dreamy, skin-like way. I actually love wearing this perfume to sleep (along with the body lotion and hand cream) because the scent is so comforting.

Glowing customer review: "So in love with the way this perfume smells. It smells so nostalgic and is a perfect balance of sweet and woody. Will be in my collection for a very long time!"

Smelling like firewood is chic as all hell, pretty much entirely thanks to Santal 33. It's Le Labo's most popular scent to date, featuring notes of sandalwood, leather, and cedarwood for a smokey, woodsy vibe. But in the dry down, I get warm musk and powdery violet, making this scent a whole lot more complex than campfire, ya know?

Glowing customer review: "I buy a lot of fragrances and this is the best by far. I have received so many compliments since purchasing... and it's only been three days! I've had complete strangers stop me in the mall, the grocery store, and even the movie theatre to ask me what I was wearing. I can still smell it on me the next day too."

Gourmands these days aren't just your run-of-the-mill sweet perfumes, they're giving full-on baked goods. Love, Don't Be Shy by Kilian (famously worn by Rihanna before she created her own perfume, Fenty by Fenty Beauty) combines sugar, vanilla, and caramel in a way that just smells like decadent, creamy marshmallows to me. But it's also layered with orange blossom for a hint of citrus and pink pepper for some spice. It's basically guaranteed to make you smell delectable.

Glowing customer review: "This is such a pleasant winter scent. If you wanna smell like marshmallows all day, this is the way to do it."

Fruity, citrusy, and all-around yummy, this bright fragrance from Ellis Brooklyn feels like a shot of happy energy each time you spritz it. At first, you’ll smell a sweet, light mix of pear, fig, and coconut, which will slowly mellow into a rich musk throughout the day. Truly one of my favorites for year-round wear.

Glowing customer review: “I absolutely love this perfume. It smells amazing. It’s super fresh, and light, and also fruity flowery too. To me, it seriously smells like a summer day outside in the sun. That is the best way I can describe it. The smell is addicting. This is gonna be a long time fav for me.”

Mmmkay, so this Prada perfume has three things going for it: (1) It’s freakin’ Prada, (2) its bottle is incredibly cute and unique, and (3) its packaging is eco-friendly, including a refillable bottle and sustainable paper and cardboard out packaging. As for the scent itself, if you can imagine yourself snacking on a pear in a field of white flowers, you can envision what this perfume smells like: bliss. FWIW, Cosmo social media editor Maddie Hiatt wore this exact perfume on her frickin' wedding day, so that's how you know it's ~lovely~ AF.

Glowing customer review: “I am not a huge fan of most designer fragrances, but this just screams luxurious. The bottle has the signature Prada shape and feels great in your hand. The scent is a warm floral, with neroli bud, white amber, and white musk. The entire Paradoxe line consists of refillable bottles, which is an eco friendly movement I can get behind. Refills use 40% less material overall!”

Hate florals? Hate musk? Hate anything other than the sweet, cozy scent of vanilla? Hi, same. As someone whose signature body lotion scent has been vanilla anything since middle school, I absolutely love this ~grown-up~ version from Kayali.

Glowing customer review: “This is a decadent spiced vanilla dessert in a bottle,” one reviewer notes. “It’s perfect for winter wear when you’re craving something cozy, like being wrapped up in a warm, vanilla scented blanket while eating creme brûlée.”

This perfume smells like walking through Palermo, Italy when the lemon trees are in bloom. But you know, way, way cheaper than the plane ticket. Inspired by a former memory of perfumer Violaine Collas, the bright, sparkling citrus scent has notes of coriander, tea leaves, and white musk.

Glowing customer review: “Absolutely perfect lemon-woodsy scent,” one reviewer writers. “I feel like I’ve been searching for years for this fragrance—everything else has always been too sweet or too musky or not enough lemon, but this strikes a perfect balance for me.”

Warm and ~sexy~ meet fresh and floral in this best-selling perfume from Chanel. The notes of spicy patchouli, zesty orange, and rose smell delightfully fresh and modern, without being too cutesy.

Glowing customer review: “I received compliments all night,” one reviewer writes. “From the moment I got in the Uber to the restaurant and the bar afterwards. I took a shower and could still smell it on my skin. It smells delicate, elegant and amazing!”

This perfume has a cult-like following for good reason. The smoky and woodsy blend of oud, sandalwood, and vetiver smell straight-up sexy and mysterious. It’s the perfect perfume for date night or going out. Well done, Tom Ford.

Glowing customer review: “This is oud done right. It is one of the best oud fragrances I’ve owned. Given that this private blend is unisex, I’ve tried it a few times, and it smells masculine on me, [but] I tried it on my brother, and he says it smells feminine to him. Nonetheless I cannot get over the opening of the oud to the dry down of the warm amber and tonka bean. Perfect for the colder, sweater seasons.”

Fresh, airy, and watery—a few spritzes of this iconic perfume from Giorgio Armani is honestly the closest thing to a dip in the ocean. I love wearing it as a summer fragrance, but TBH, it’s a winner year-round.

Glowing customer review: “This scent is truly a breath of fresh air. It’s feminine without being too sweet. It’s subtle yet long-lasting. It’s elegant and modern yet never overpowers. I notice people around me, breathing it in when I wear it. It’s a very peaceful, uplifting fragrance.”

You won’t want to say “thank u, next” to this sweet perfume from Ariana Grande. Inspired by the knuckle tattoo she shares with now-ex Pete Davidson, the scent has a mix of lavender, pear, creamy coconut, and vanilla orchid that make it definitively sweet, yet not at all cloying. Consider this the cloud nine of celebrity scents.

Glowing customer review: “This perfume smells soooooo delicious. I smell like a mature version of all my favorite Bath and Body works scents. It makes me feel seductive and sweet.”

The iconic Italian house returns to its roots with a modern take on their original Pour Femme perfume, except this time, it’s a bit more intense and bold. Key notes like mandora—a Mediterranean fruit—are rounded out with touches of bergamot and pink pepper for a fun, floral spice. A deep base of patchouli oil allows this sexy scent to stay put all day (or night) without fading into a distant memory.

Glowing customer review: “This is one of my favorite fragrances and I can recommend this for any season! It’s also perfect for a date night! It’s long-lasting and has such a sensual and smooth vibe to it. I get so many compliments when I wear it!”

If you were a teen in the early aughts like I was, then Flowerbomb probably already holds a special place in your heart. It was my first perfume purchase back in, like, 2006, and I still own it today. The sugary gourmand juice has notes of vanilla, patchouli, and jasmine that are sweet, delicious, and totally timeless.

Glowing customer review: “It’s a very feminine scent while being not too overwhelmingly floral or sweet. It compliments you without screaming ‘hey, I put a lot of perfume,’ if that makes sense. One spritz in the back of neck was enough to linger on me for a very long time. It’s pricey though, but totally worth it.”

Describing a perfume as “unpredictable” might sound like a slight, but when it comes to this fragrance, I promise it’s not. Inside this gorgeous, pink and blue bottle is a flowery combo of tuberose, jasmine, and orange blossom, all of which work together to exude crispness without smelling powdery. And apparently Cosmo girl Sydney Sweeney smells like it, so, I don't need any other convincing.

Glowing customer review: “I love this perfume. It changes over time, going from a strong orange floral scent, to a softer vanilla. This makes heads turn and I receive so many compliments.”

I absolutely love everything about this perfume, It’s inspired by Eden-Roc, an ultra luxe resort in the South of France, and smells like a literal dream. The best way to sum up the vibe, according to Cosmo deputy beauty director Lauren Balsamo? "A Sunny day on a super yacht drinking Sancerre in between dips in the Mediterranean." You know—everyone’s normal summer, right?

Glowing customer review: “This fragrance is beautiful and just what I was looking for to wear in the summer months. It has a fresh, clean, understated but very elegant scent profile”

Whether you take your coffee black or with a little shot of somethin’ somethin,’ you’ll love this spicy perfume from YSL. Developed around notes of coffee, absinthe, and orange blossom, this long-lasting fragrance is the perfect kind of indulgent and seductive for your Saturday night out.

Glowing customer review: “Great for cooler weather, smells a bit decadent and definitely delicious. I love the notes of vanilla and coffee, and feel it is a sexy and mood lifting scent. Great for date night, or just WFH.”

Jo Malone’s Orange Blossom was the signature scent of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding at Westminster Abbey, so you know it’s a good one. Clementine flower, white lilac, and vetiver come together to create a fresh floral perfume that’s truly one of a kind.

Glowing customer review: “My childhood home was in the middle of old orange groves in California, so I’d like to think I know what orange blossoms smell like. And it’s this. THIS. You smell like an orange Grove in the best way, fresh, citrusy, not sweet. Everyone always comments on how good I smell! This is my signature scent until I die!”