The Best Perfumes for Women, Ranked and Reviewed

If you’re looking for the best ladies’ perfume, the Cashmere Mist Eau de Parfum by Donna Karan is a luxurious-looking option in terms of packaging and scent that won’t have you breaking the bank.

The Moroccan jasmine, lily of the valley, and sandalwood key notes give this scent an alluring quality and an almost oriental persona that’s a great year-round choice for the most avid floral fragrance fans.

This long-lasting perfume for women features ultimate luxury that’s recognizable right from the bottle. The iconic scent of self-indulgence is intensified even more when you notice how the bottle mirrors the beautiful contours of the female body.

The dark, bold, but not overpowering scent of jasmine managed to win over the hearts of many users, with some of them stating that this is their all-time favorite fragrance. Soft and romantic, this perfume will make you feel like a million bucks.

On the other hand, top perfume reviews did mention that the specific combination of notes does gravitate toward the woodsier fragrances, making it generally a much bolder and headier scent than most floral perfumes.

Lancôme’s Idôle is one of the best fragrances for women who like floral scents. Its Spotless Jasmine Absolute, Radical Rose Essence, and Clean Chypre Accord key notes create a modern yet sophisticated symphony of scents that’ layered over a vanilla base for perfect balance and harmony.

The bottle design also reflects that modernity and subtle elegance. It’s one of the slimmest perfume bottles you’ll come across, in a shade of rose gold. It showcases the power of female determination in a subtle and elegant way.

Read any “Best Perfumes” review where Idôle is described (expert or user), and you’ll see that this fragrance has managed to strike a chord with most ladies. It’s praised for its overall mature, sophisticated, and sexy character, as well as its fresh, shower-clean scent.

On the other hand, some users were bothered by the fact that the bottle doesn’t sit up, and a few of them mentioned that they just didn’t find the “edge” they were looking for with this scent, which only highlights the fact there’s no single best-smelling perfume for women because, in the end, it all boils down to personal preference.

One thing is certain, though – Lancôme’s Idôle is one floral scent that’s bound to turn heads.

Who said the best perfumes for women are made exclusively for them? Jo Malone’s Wood Sage and Sea Salt cologne is one of quite a few genderless or unisex options that just smells divine – on both men and women.

This layerable scent is composed of fresh notes of sea salt and woody, earthy sage. These ingredients give it a joyful and spirited character that can be further built upon, as Jo Malone London colognes are meant to be combined. So, instead of sticking to one option, you can get the producer’s most popular perfumes or colognes and other body products to create a unique and individual scent.

Right off the bat, you can see that this fragrance can offer way more than it may appear, however, that doesn’t mean you can’t use it on its own.

User reviews tend to be rather positive, but some did mention that if you’re into floral scents, this ocean-inspired fragrance probably won’t suit your style and preferences.

Those who liked it said that this cologne for women and men is evocative of cold winter days next to the seaside. It ranks high because of its layerable nature, which enables you to come up with your own unique scent, giving you a lot of options for combining. It’s understandable if you prefer something that works “out of the box” and look for other options on the list. But, if you like to mix and match, with this cologne, you can pretty much create the best female perfume in the world by yourself.

If you take a look at a couple of lists of top perfumes for women, you’ll notice eau de toilettes are always present among the top choices, although they are not, strictly speaking, perfumes. That’s because they’re the ideal choice for warmer months, giving a refreshing scent, which can revitalize you both mentally and physically.

This also holds true for Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana, as the fragrance aims to capture the essence of the Mediterranean lifestyle with its colorful, fresh, and fruity notes. The green apple and bluebell top notes will transport you to sunny Southern Italy in an instant.

This highly feminine and resolute fragrance in a simple yet elegant bottle managed to become the top women’s perfume for many ladies who tried it out. Numerous users have praised the scent for its clean and sexy fragrance that evokes feelings of a sunny summer day. Also, several users mentioned that it’s a great go-to option as the fresh, effervescent scent makes it great for virtually any occasion, let that be formal, informal, or an evening event.

On the other hand, several users mentioned that it’s by far not among the best long-lasting perfumes for ladies as it fades away rather quickly, even for eau de toilette standards.

The Light Blue line by Dolce & Gabbana has been around for more than 15 years and has managed to gather a pretty solid camp of admirers. If you’re looking for a light and subtle spring/summer fragrance that’s always refreshing and never boring, Light Blue might just be your best option!

The Carolina Herrera Good Girl Eau de Parfum is an oriental perfume that ranks high among the top fragrances for women, and for a reason. With almond top notes, jasmine sambac and tuberose middle notes, and tonka bean and cocoa bottom notes, it’s a rich and vibrant scent that’s mysterious and elegant at the same time.

Good Girl encapsulates the “scent of the modern woman.” The sweetness of jasmine aims to bring out the femininity, the creamy and opulent cocoa and tonka express the mystery while coffee and almond add bold vibrancy to the mix.

The top perfume reviews for this fragrance seem to back these claims up, as several users have mentioned that Good Girl is among their all-time best-smelling scents, and at this price, it’s a pretty hard deal to beat.

On the other hand, some mention that the fragrance fades away quickly and that its sweetness can be overwhelming for some.

All in all, Good Girl is a perfume best used for evening events because of its rich and pronounced scent. For those looking for something more subtle, this fragrance might not be the best option.

However, if you are looking for an unapologetically bold scent that dares to make a statement with an exciting combination of notes at a reasonable price, you can’t go wrong with Good Girl as it’s among the top women’s perfumes in the oriental olfactive family.

Lastly, thanks to its extravagant bottle, this perfume would make a fine gift on Valentine’s Day next to one of those 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate sold every year.

A woodsy fragrance from Phlur, the Sandara Eau de Parfum travel spray is an interesting and exciting scent that can serve as a good perfume for women who like the earthy notes more commonly associated with men’s perfumes.

Again, if you want something out of the box and unconventional, the Sandara Eau de Parfum (just like Good Girl above) might be a great choice.

This perfume (just like all Phlur fragrances) is an eco-conscious product, as the company is a certified B Corporation and a 1% for the Planet member. With its hypoallergenic, vegan, and cruelty-free products, Phlur aims to be transparent and sustainable.

When reading Sandara fragrance reviews, you’ll notice it’s a peculiar fragrance that’s either praised or spoken of with a bit of disappointment. Those who like earthy, slightly spicy, and woodsy notes will find this scent a breath of fresh air in the world of female fragrances dominated by fruity and floral notes.

On that note, those who want to stick to “what works” will probably find better options for themselves even within the oriental fragrance family.

Want to make a statement with a generous dose of floral notes? If that’s the case, you should choose the best–smelling women’s perfume that’s seductive and elegant at the same time. The Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique Eau de Parfum’s bottle encapsulates a subtle yet affirmed symphony of floral and fruity scents (peony, peach, lychee) that can also lean into more airy and woodsy territories (musk, moss, wood).

The design of the bottle is simple, elegant, minimalistic. No whimsical lines, curves, just sophisticated simplicity.

The perky yet seductively elegant scent is the central theme in most user comments. Fragrance reviews all seem to rave about how long lasting the perfume is and how different it is from most floral scents on the market that generally fade away quickly.

The only downside?

The price is on the higher side, which will ultimately deter some ladies from trying it out. That being said, if you don’t mind spending the extra money, this fragrance will surely help you make a statement wherever you go. If, on the other hand, you’re on a budget, there are similarly enchanting yet more affordable fragrances on our list.

If you want to pick a fragrance among the best female perfumes and most luxurious ones, we recommend you try out Tom Ford’s Private Blend Soleil Brûlant Eau de Parfum.

The heart of the fragrance comes from bergamot, spicy pink peppercorn, and mandarin, while the delicate orange flower and radiant black honey notes give it a seductive twist.

The sense of brilliant elegance envelopes you even before you smell the scent itself. As one of the most popular perfumes for women in the luxury category, Soleil Brûlant comes in a lavish packaging that simply radiates the heat and splendor of the August sun. It’s designed with a glossy white label and plaque on the cap, in two sizes, with clean-cut edges that give it a monumental overall look.

Regarding customer experiences, this private blend garnered a lot of positive feedback for being a smooth and nuanced scent. Most users agree that if you want to “smell” like luxury, then this is the top fragrance for women you should choose.

The downside is, of course, that all this luxury comes at a price, making this great-smelling perfume one of the most expensive items on our list.

Wondering what the best perfumes for women that men love are? If so, you should know that most of them prefer floral scents. So, if you want to be seductive and sophisticated at the same time and prefer something luxurious at a not-so-steep price point, the Bal d’Afrique Eau de Parfum from Byredo might just be the fragrance you’ve been looking for.

As Ben Gorham’s love letter to Africa, this scent pays a floral tribute to the myriad cultures, languages, and music styles that represent modern Africa with bergamot, African marigold, and bucchu notes. The middle notes of this well-balanced fragrance are violet and cyclamen, while the base notes are vetiver and Moroccan cedarwood.

Among the best women’s perfumes, this Byredo scent stands out as a luxurious perfume at a reasonable price with a minimalistic design that’s highly sophisticated and truly timeless.

Reviews also praise Bal d’Afrique for being so versatile – it’s an ideal choice both the summer and winter months, with perfect amounts of fresh and citrusy notes.

On the flip side, there are a few reviews out there that mention it’s not really a long-lasting perfume for women and some users disliked the powdery character of the scent.

Some stated they expected the fragrance to linger longer, given the price tag, so if you’re in the market for something more long-lasting, you might find other options on this list that would suit you better.

The best women’s perfume not only smells great, but it also doubles as a stress management tool. If you don’t believe that’s possible, check out Forest Lungs by The Nue Co. We promise, you’re in for a totally new experience with this revolutionary fragrance.

Think of Forest Lungs as more of an anti-stress supplement than a fragrance. While still a perfume, the unique formula with phytoncides – natural compounds produced by trees that protect them from rotting and insects – helps reduce anxiety and stress.

Forest Lungs is the best women’s fragrance for those looking for more natural options. True to its name, this perfume’s rich and woodsy notes come from a range of trees (vetiver, cedarwood, pine) and aromatic resins such as mastic and olibanum.

User reviews tend to be positive for this product, with some of them highlighting that they benefited from its stress-relieving properties. Others were simply satisfied with the scent stating that its warm and a fresh combination never disappoints – the decreased anxiety is only a bonus.

All in all, if you’re looking for top women’s perfumes with therapeutic properties, then Forest Lungs might be something you’d really enjoy.