The Best Floral Perfumes to Wear If You Want to Smell Expensive

Elle

13 hours ago

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Look closely at any perfume's list of notes, and you're bound to find at least one floral in there. Turns out, many of us want to smell like flowers in one way or another, although the intensity we desire may vary. I, for one, am a self-appointed rose perfume connoisseur and will shower myself in florals if that's what it takes for people to associate blossoms with me. The editor who sits next to me in the office isn't the biggest fan yet, however, slowly but surely, she's coming around to joining the rest of us floral enthusiasts.
'Floral perfumes have an enduring appeal because they include an incredibly versatile range of scents, from delicate and subtle to bold and intoxicating. Florals are particularly present in traditionally feminine fragrances, but we're starting to see these notes used more and more in 'masculine' scents too,' reports Rodrigo Flores-Roux, a perfumer and the vice president of perfumery at Givaudan. As a result, there's a vast number of floral perfumes out there, especially when you consider the fact that the main qualifier for a floral fragrance 'is that the dominant notes are derived from flowers,' according to Jessie Dawes, the chief marketing officer at Diptyque.
With such a dizzying array to pick and choose from, I can understand if you're experiencing a bit of decision paralysis. But my fellow beauty editors and I have gathered our absolute favorite picks, including both affordable perfumes and expensive perfumes, to help you out. We here at ELLE.com are lucky enough to smell and test hundreds of scents throughout the year, so you know they have to be good if they made the cut. Without further ado, I present to you the 16 best floral perfumes, according to people who know what they're talking about.
The original Delina is a beauty in and of itself, but this version takes it up a notch—probably why it's a FragranceTok favorite. Reviewers gush about its 'sweet seduction' and fruity yet complex symphony of rose, peach, and amber.
Notes: Pear, lychee, grapefruit, rosa damascena, incense, vetiver, vanilla, musk, evernyl
Size: 2.5 oz.
Nordstrom rating: 4.7/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'Beyond the fact that the bottle is gorgeous, this scent is a combination of all of my favorite scent families. The floral notes balance really nicely with the fruity ones, and it's topped off with vanilla for a finish that's deliciously sweet, light, and warm, basically all of the things I personally like to embody. I think this would be a great spring and summer scent but it'd also be nice as a signature scent.' —Tasha Nicole Smith, ELLE beauty assistant
If most fragrances feel too heavy for you and give you a headache, you should try an eau de toilette like this one from Elizabeth Arden. With notes of pink freesia, white tea, and musk, it's the perfect lightweight everyday scent.
Notes: White tea, pink freesia, pink orris, blush honey suckle, trisamber, musk, tonka bean
Size: 3.3 oz.
Ulta rating: 4.6/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'There are days when I'm prone to nausea, and spraying on a perfume will make it worse more often than not. If I still want to smell good, however, a dusting of this scent will perk me up right away without giving me a migraine.' —Carol Lee
A truly floral perfume like this one will instantly make you feel as if you're strolling through a field of wildflowers. Lily of the valley holds the starring role in this fragrance, supported by fruity pear and green blackcurrant.
Notes: Pear accord, lily of the valley accord, musks
Size: 3.4 oz.
Sephora rating: 4.1/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'Donning Springtime In A Park makes me feel like I've gifted myself a huge bouquet of freshly cut flowers. It's feminine in a way that's not too young or mature—it's just right.' —Carol Lee
The moment ELLE Beauty smelled this fragrance, our noses perked right on up, intrigued by the oud, of course, but also a sweeter thing: rose. While the floral note blankets the skin with softness, oud deepens the composition to create a mysterious aroma that swings from daytime to nocturnal as it dries down.
Notes: Oud, rose hydrolat, rose oxide
Fragrantica rating: 3.7/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'Everyone I know who's sniffed this scent has loved it. My colleagues and I are hit with compliments left and right when we've worn it. It just has so much complexity to it that it's endlessly intriguing—I'd love to smell men wearing it too.'—Carol Lee
Glossier You was a sensation when it first debuted in 2017, and it has become so ubiquitous in the streets of New York City and beyond that Glossier founder Emily Weiss recently stated, 'this could be the next Chanel No. 5.' The scent is warm and sparkling and adapts to fit each wearer.
Notes: Pink pepper, iris, ambrox
Size: 1.7 oz.
Sephora rating: 3.7/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'Glossier You mimics the fresh, clean, aroma that envelops your nose when you step out from your everything shower. It smells like you, but better.' —Danielle James, beauty expert
Anyone who's been itching to try a skin scent should consider Missing Person. A soft and subtle blend of jasmine, orange blossom, and musk, the scent becomes one with your natural scent and enhances whatever's already there. Side note: The magnetic cap is oh-so-satisfying.
Notes: Skin musk, bergamot nectar, blonde wood
Sephora rating: 3.8/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'Missing Person smells how a long, warm hug from your comfort person feels. I layer it with any and all fragrances because it sits so close to the skin, and I even spray it on at night before bed if I want to feel extra cozy. I love it with all my heart, and I hope I always have a bottle on hand.'—Carol Lee
If you're a fan of Ouai's Treatment Masque or Rose Hair & Body Oil, you'll be happy to know that you can smell like them, too. The woody, musky rose of Melrose Place is the same scent found in those hero products from the hair and body care maker.
Notes: Champagne, bergamot, rose
Sephora rating: 4.2/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'Not sure where my summer will take me but I know what scent I want to have on hand: Melrose Place by Ouai. As a Ouai St. Barts obsessive, I didn't even bother to give its sister scent a chance, but I'm glad I caved. Melrose Place is a versatile companion, airy and soft, with faint floral notes that meld with the woodier elements seamlessly. As it kisses my skin, the woods dissolve to make way for rose and lychee to emerge.' —Nerisha Penrose, ELLE.com beauty commerce editor
'Magnolia fascinates me because I find it impossible to discern what Mother Nature was thinking when she created this beauty,' says Flores-Roux. That intriguing flower is the top note of this floral perfume. Plus six silky musks provide a second-skin, almost pheromone perfume-like vibe.
Notes: Essence of magnolia, rose centifolia, geranium bourbon, heart of musk, sandalwood
Size: 3 oz.
Nordstrom rating: 4/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'One of my first forays into designer scents was Narcisco Rodriguez. My NR collection has grown tremendously over the years, but All of Me is the clear standout. The powder pink packaging gives way to its superb scent: a soft, floral-musk aroma that takes the edge off my bolder scents on days when I feel like smelling bright.' —Nerisha Penrose
Francis Kurkdjian based this fragrance on Christian Dior's love of the French Riviera—hence the name. The two key notes, rose and fig, evoke the scents that permeate the air during a summer in the South of France.
Notes: Fig, rose
Size: 4.25 oz.
Dior rating: 4.6/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'I kind of happened on this scent—a good friend of mine wears it and recommended it to me. From the moment I tried it, I haven't been able to stop wearing it. It's an effervescent solar floral that feels like France in the summertime. It's the perfect marriage of rose and fig, but it also has a salty, airy quality that I can't quite put my finger on that really makes it shine.' —Katie Berohn, ELLE beauty editor
Michelle Pfeiffer built fragrance brand Henry Rose with the mission to supply customers with transparent ingredient labels, and Flora Carnivora is her first fragrance where florals take center stage. The florals in question? Jasmine, tuberose, and orange flower for a citrusy twist.
Notes: Orange-flower water, absolute tunisia, neroli blanc, jasmine absolute sambac, tuberose accord, cedarwood texas, vetiver oil Haiti, opulent musks, amber
Nordstrom rating:
An ELLE editor says: 'If I had to rank all the perfumes in my collection, floral scents would be at the bottom of the list. I love being gifted flowers, but smelling like them all day long? Not so much. I like my scents complex, mysterious, and not at all flirty or light. However, Flora Carnivora entered my life, and I had to eat my words; this floral perfume is light and intoxicating, ripe with fresh, rich floral notes that feel like a walk through the New York Botanical Garden.' —Nerisha Penrose
Dominique Ropion went through over 600 formulations over the course of two years before landing on the exact combination that came to be known as Carnal Flower. The fragrance is a true white floral, with jasmine and ylang-ylang shining through richer notes like tuberose.
Notes: Green aquatic, ylang-ylang, jasmine absolute, orange blossom absolute, tuberose absolute, coconut, white musks cocktail
Nordstrom rating: 4.2/5
An ELLE editor says: 'Old Hollywood romance films come to mind when I smell this perfume. I'm intoxicated by the florals in it, especially the tuberose. Although I'm too fickle to stick to one scent for the rest of my life, I could see this being a fantastic lifelong signature fragrance.' —Carol Lee
Its name gives it away—the perfumers who conceived of Mojave Ghost were thinking of the Mojave Desert as they selected each note. The scent opens with ambrette and Jamaican nesberry, but the notes of violet, sandalwood and cedarwood reveal themselves during the drydown.
Notes: Ambrette, Jamaican nesberry, violet, sandalwood, magnolia, chantilly musk, crisp amber, cedarwood
Nordstrom rating: 4.5/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'Mojave Ghost is one of those fragrances I want to bathe in, and I do try my best; I hit the nozzle no fewer than eight times during application. Despite my enthusiasm, nobody has ever complained that it's much too strong. Instead, I'm hounded for requests for the name of the scent.'—Carol Lee
Tom Ford has fashioned a fragrance empire, and his debut perfume still holds strong. Black Orchid is tender, luxurious, and captivating, a reflection of its namesake plant. Tom Ford paired the floral with patchouli and vanilla, adding a delicious warmth to the mix.
Notes: Black orchid, black truffle, patchouli
Size: 1 oz.
Sephora rating: 4.2 oz.
An ELLE editor says: 'When I was 18, I got it in my head that I needed a 'signature scent,' and after taking a fragrance quiz at Sephora, I landed on this one. I wore it exclusively for about five years of my life, and now it's a special occasion scent when I want a boost of confidence. It's an incredibly heady, sensual mix of florals and spices. It's the little black dress in my fragrance arsenal—it's never a bad idea to take it out for a spin.' —Katie Berohn
Rodrigo Flores-Roux is the vice president of perfumery at Givaudan.
Jessie Dawes is the chief marketing officer at Diptyque.
Not all experts agree on whether to layer floral perfumes. Flores-Roux believes that each fragrance should breathe on its own: 'Each perfume is its own magical creation,' he explains.
On the other hand, Dawes believes that layering 'is where you can really tap into something magical,' he says. He recommends combining scents to create something that feels particular to you. 'While pairing floral scents together always works, I encourage the wearer to dream up something unique to their tastes and memories. From sparkling bright florals like the rose, mimosa, and freesia, to sweet and heady white flowers like tuberose, jasmine, or hawthorn, your options are limitless,' he adds.
A hundred times yes. 'While blooming flora tends to be synonymous with the spring and summer seasons, floral scents work all year long. Depending on your preferences, you can use floral fragrance to conjure feelings of warmer seasons or lean into a more literal interpretation with floral raw material that's native to the cooler months. Either way, there is never a wrong time to embrace a floral perfume,' says Dawes.
As a leading publisher of fashion, lifestyle, and beauty content, ELLE.com is committed to highlighting the best products in various categories by personally testing the latest and most innovative products, interviewing countless experts, and vetting customer-loved items. For this piece, beauty writer Carol Lee spoke with trusted fragrance experts about floral perfumes. She also searched the internet for floral perfumes, perused reviews for dozens of popular options, and evaluated each on their features and customer reviews.