If you ask anyone who knows me what I love most within the world of beauty, they’ll tell you it’s fragrance. Don’t get me wrong, I love makeup and skincare too, but fragrance is my thing</>. As a result, my fragrance wishlist is pretty hefty; we’re talking a list as long as my arm. And this got me thinking: if I had to narrow it down to create the *ultimate* list of wishlist-worthy fragrances for her, what would make the cut?
Well, it’s by no means been an easy task, but I’ve just about managed it. Read on for my expert recommendations as I reveal my list of the very best luxury perfumes – they’ve all clinched the top spot on my own perfume wishlist, and deserve a space on yours too…
1. The Softly Spiced Signature
The perfect blend of sweetness and spice, Portrayal Woman takes the sweet, hypnotic tones of sun-drenched jasmine petals and adds creamy and luxurious vanilla, enhanced by a smoky touch of tobacco. Finally, an unexpected dash of balsamic, spicy elemi joins the mix – I can see why its scent is often used to boost and revive tired senses.
I wouldn’t blame you for adding Amouage Portrayal Woman to your fragrance wishlist just for its bottle alone! Sitting in a soft, cushiony felt-lined box, the pink iridescent bottle is a piece of art, the holographic shifting in the light. As the finishing touch, the cap is topped with a literal Swarovski crystal in a dazzling blue shade.
2. The Delicious Chocolatey Treat
I can’t decide what’s the most ‘wishlist-worthy’ aspect of Folie D’un Soir: its deliciously irresistible chocolatey fragrance or the proudly displayed oversized pom. And I can’t decide because it’s both these things.
Folie D’un Soir kicks off with a sprinkling of pink pepper, but the real luxury starts in the heart. It centres around a jammy and enticing Turkish rose, nuanced by an utterly opulent myrrh note that adds a delicate touch of spice to the scent. Rich, smoky incense and leather add a seductive warmth, but the cocoa note has to be my favourite aspect of the base; it adds a velvety smooth chocolatey richness without feeling sickly sweet. It’s Hotel Chocolat dark, rather than Nestllé milk.
And yes, Folie D’un Soir’s extravagant bottle gives me ‘rich auntie’ vibes in the very best way. If you decide to tick Folie D’un Soir off of your wishlist, the bottle deserves centre stage in your fragrance collection.
3. The Extravagant Fruity-Floral
You’d be mad not to have The House of Oud Grape Pearls on your wishlist. I mean, just look at it. Nothing short of breathtaking, the unisex fragrance is held in THOO’s iconic ‘egg’ sculpture, Here, it’s dressed in an opulent swirl of deep purples and glistening golds, sitting proudly on a gold podium (which doubles up as the lid). The best bit? Each THOO flacon is made individually, so no two are alike – the one you’ll get is unique to you. And I also love that the fanfare and decadence begins before you even see the bottle;you slide the base of the box out of its case to reach the fragrance – it’s the perfect reveal.
But there’s so much more than meets the eye when it comes to the Grape Pearls fragrance – by which I mean, the fragrance itself is worthy of the opulent design. It starts with a rich velvety floral bouquet, lifted by a dazzling, crisp and cool frozen blueberry note before the truly rare heart unveils itself. Voluptuous, romantic rose petals pair with – you guessed it – grape pearls and leaves – alongside a rich, addictive coffee bean note that stops the scent from feeling too sweet. Then, the warm, sensual and long-lasting base of amber, vanilla, white musk and oud adds a final layer of indulgence to wrap up this stunning luxury perfume. If you’re looking for a sweeter way to wear oud without loosing the dazzling depth, Grape Pearls is a perfume wishlist essential.
4. The Gorgeously Gourmand Fragrance
I’ve purposefully chosen Oriana Eau de Parfum as the fragrance that needs to be on your perfume wishlist. Why? Because I’m well aware that Delina is typically at the top of Parfums de Marly fans’ ‘dream perfume’ list, but Oriana deserves to be there too.
My personal favourite Parfums de Marly fragrance, Oriana starts with a joyful burst of honeyed mandarin, Italian bergamot and citrus-aromatic grapefruit. The heart blossoms with a fresh, sweet orange blossom, refreshed by crisp frosted raspberry and fruity blackcurrant. But my favourite thing about Oriana is its base; it pipes vanillary Chantilly cream over marshmallows kissed with icing sugar. It pairs these sweet notes with soft, sensual musk and clean musk mallow (AKA ambrette) for a snuggly but sensual scent.
And how could a bright pink curved bottle, complete with a gemstone-encrusted cap not find its way onto your fragrance wishlist? It got the Barbiecore memo before the Barbiecore trend was even happening.
5. The Tea Lover’s Dream Scent
Before I talk about what Blue Tea smells like, I have to mention its design; it’s held in no ordinary box. The outer box treats The Merchant Of Venice’s niche fragrance like the prized possession it is, as the two sides of the box slide back to reveal the perfume sitting proudly centre stage. As it does so, it effectively transforms into a display case just for the Blue Tea fragrance – and yes, it deserves its very own display cabinet, just like any luxury perfume does.
Complete with a red tassel, the white glass bottle features a stunning piece of blue Asian-inspired artwork that honours the perfume’s inspiration: the Far East. As soon as you spray the fragrance, you get a waft of tea leaves, which create a refreshing clean tone as they’re joined by a light sprinkling of nutmeg. In my opinion, there’s a hint of pretty pink rose petals from the very start although they’re in the fragrance heart; these are joined by magnolia and neroli to create a fresh, romantic bouquet before the sensual musky, vetiver base graces your senses. There’s a note of mate in the base here too, returning to Blue Tea’s thirst-quenching tea tone.
6. The Tech-Driven Refillable Fragrance
At a slightly lower price point than lots of the other wishlist-worthy fragrances for her in this line-up, Moncler Pour Femme is my top recommendation for those who want an under-the-radar scent that still feels like a luxurious treat.
The feminine iteration of Moncler’s first-ever fragrance, this fragrance is made for lovers of the great outdoors. But the thing that sets Moncler Pour Femme apart – and the reason why it’s made my dream fragrance wishlist – is the fact that is features two exclusive-to-Moncler accords. This means that you won’t find these exact accords in any other perfumes by any other brands.
My favourite of these unique accords is the soft, delicate and crisp powdery snow – it smells like freshly fallen snow on your skin. But these snowflakes glisten in the winter sunshine, thanks to the radiance of Italian Bergamot and a bouquet of white florals, the scent is cocooned by the Mountain Woods – an accord exclusive to Moncler. Its luxurious and heady dry down fuses with natural vanillin for a traditionally feminine allure.
Pour Femme by Moncler might not be the most glamorous bottle in the line-up, but it’ll still be widely appreciated by adventurous types – its flask-shaped bottle honours the brand’s mountaineering heritage. The best bit? The 150ml size has a customisable LED screen and is refillable. Just download the Moncler app, connect your perfume to your bluetooth and add a message to your scent’s screen.
