Need a new perfume in your life? There are so many out there to choose from… where to start? To help in your search, we asked the team for their favourite perfumes. Whether you’re looking for a good fragrance as a gift or thinking of trying out a different perfume, here’s a good place to begin.
I have worn Red Door by Elizabeth Arden for years and it’s what my children associate me with. Now I love Givenchy Dahlia Divin, especially for evenings. I bought the first one at a duty-free shop not long ago and I’m now onto my second bottle. Another favourite is Victoria’s Secret Noir Tease, which is great for travelling. My younger daughter loves it too! It’s a lighter scent that’s perfect for any time of the day. – Rebecca Bisset
From freshly cut grass to the sweet smell of a ripe mango, scent has always been a strong emotional trigger for me, bringing back happy childhood memories and carefree summer days. This is why I love everything about the Maison Margiela Replica fragrance range, aimed at replicating fond memories through scent. The scents include ‘Lazy Sunday Morning’, ‘Floral Market’ and ‘Whispers in the Library’, but my hands-down favourite is ‘Beach Walk’ – an impeccably bottled day at the beach. I could honestly spray this on in the depth of winter and it would whisk me back to a hot summer’s day on the sand – salty skin, sizzling sunscreen, crashing waves and a hint of coconut. Who knew you could bottle nostalgia! – Leanda Rathmell
I’m a big fan of the Jo Malone range of perfumes, especially for daytime wear as they are quite light and refreshing. My husband often picks up the travel set for me, which contains five of the signature scents in miniatures – perfect for carrying around in your handbag. I particularly like the citrus range of fragrances, my favourite being the Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne. – Juliet Keys
This Fragrance Mixology Set from Oo La Lab is by far the most exciting ‘fragrance’ I have ever received – a box the size of a kid’s shoebox, packed with rows of little scent vials and empty spray bottles with a guide on how to personally design nine fragrances. It’s a little daunting at first, but there are scent strips provided where you can combine your choice of top, middle and base scents to see if you like them as a combination before you leap into mixing. With fragrance notes like rose, fougère and tea, that you can blend with amber, vanilla, musk and more, you could make a new scent almost as fast as mixing a cocktail!
The nine spray bottles are only 3ml each, but with 12 vials of 5ml fragrances, I have plenty to play with. I’m already thinking how I will use the leftovers – in my wardrobe perhaps, or a spray bottle for room spray. I have made two formulas so far: fougère with oriental and muguet, and tea with vanilla and musk. I’m enjoying these for now, and in about a week’s time I’ll make a brand new fragrance blend to fit my mood! – Danielle Rossetti
My favourite special occasion perfume is Maison Francis Kurkdjian À La Rose. I love rose scents but I’m quite picky about them, and this number is perfect in my books. It’s not your ordinary floral fragrance; apparently the essence of 250 freshly bloomed roses from Grasse are added into each bottle! The soft and powdery scent rounds up with woody and musky notes. It’s my go-to for a night out or a dinner date! – Anthia Chng
My all-time favourite is Miss Dior Eau de Parfum. I love its light flowery and citrusy scent – it’s great even for short trips out of the house! The bottle may appear small but each spritz stays on well so it’ll last you a pretty long time. – Lindsay Yap
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This article first appeared in the February 2019 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
