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The world of perfumery can be a tricky one to navigate, with hundreds of options to choose from. So, we sat down with one of the best experts in the business, to offer a little guidance that will help you pick the best perfume for you.
Firstly, there are two main categories that crop up when speaking about perfume: eau de toilette and eau de parfum. “Eau de parfum has a higher concentration of fragrance, which results in a longer-lasting aroma” shared The Fragrance Shop’s Natalia Ortiz. “Eau de toilette concentration is lower, falling between 8-12 per cent,” Ortiz added, which means it doesn’t last quite as long but is usually a little cheaper.
You may also be surprised to learn there’s a correct way to wear your perfume. “Fragrances work best with the natural oil and moisture of your skin,” Ortiz said. “Apply your fragrance directly to your skin after a shower and moisturising. Never rub your fragrance, just spray and let it settle,” she explained.
When it comes to choosing a new scent, look at the core ingredients of some of your favourite perfumes. More often than not, there will be three or four ingredients that stick out in almost every fragrance, and you can start to look out for these in other scents.
Below, we’ve rounded up our list of the best perfumes to buy now, and we’ll continually update this article every time another fragrance catches our eye (or our nose). So, keep scrolling to see what made the cut.
How we tested the best women’s perfumes
Just a few of the perfumes we tested for this round-up
(The Independent)
Our beauty editor has spent years building up a vast perfume collection. For this round-up, we looked at famous fragrances – such as Chanel No5, Marc Jacobs daisy and YSL black opium, to name a few – as well as some relatively unknown names. Key categories to look out for were, of course, scent (although this can be rather subjective), longevity, ease of application and how the bottle looked (we want it to be stylish enough to display, after all). Keep scrolling to see which ones scored full marks.
The best women’s perfumes for 2024 are:
- Best women’s perfume overall – Phlur father figure eau de parfum: £98, Freepeople.com
- Best budget women’s perfume – Scentology pomelo and neroli perfume for women: £12.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best floral women’s perfume – Marc Jacobs daisy eau de toilette: £44.76, Amazon.co.uk
- Best luxury women’s perfume – Chanel No5 eau de parfum: £71, Thefragranceshop.com
- Best citrus women’s perfume – Floral Street sunflower pop eau de parfum: £74, Lookfantastic.com
