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The supple leather of a Birkin bag and the waxy wood of a surfboard. A breezy walk down the boardwalk and an open-air dinner in Indonesia. Indulgent treats of mochi, matcha, and raspberry ripple ice cream. Welcome to this year’s Best of Beauty winners in the Scent category, a list that includes nine genre-defining fragrances, a solid perfume, two body mists, one delicious-smelling hair mist, two oils, and four home aromas.
At Allure, we know there's no easy way to navigate the search for the perfect fragrance, particularly in our pursuit of naming the very best scents of the year. The most subjective of all the beauty categories, fragrance is incredibly tricky to judge—bound up in biases (not to mention allergies), personal memories, and cultural preferences. You’ll never be able to find one perfume that appeals to everyone, but we feel confident the scents we selected this year all represent something exceptional in their category.
That greatness includes a whiplash-inducing rose scent and a musky eau de parfum that brings an unexpected accord to the mix. It’s an enigmatic herbaceous fragrance inspired by the deep, dark depths of the ocean, and also a hyperrealistic candle that smells like you sliced into a tomato. It’s a solid perfume that moisturizes the skin and a home fragrance that neutralizes even the most pungent odors in your home. So what are these scents that left our testers (uncharacteristically) speechless and in full agreement? Keep scrolling.
Best of Beauty Awards 2025: Scent
Shop your favorite category or keep scrolling for the year's favorite fragrances, body mists, and candles.
See our winners:LargeChevron
Best Floral Fragrance
Phlur Rose Whip
Best Floral Fragrance
Phlur Rose Whip
Nordstrom
Revolve
Senior director of audience development Lexi Herrick applies the Phlur Rose Whip.
Why It Won: Phlur Rose Whip transforms the most demure of all florals—the rose—into a provocative bouquet, bringing out the classic note’s darker, velvety facets. An initial jolt of spicy pink pepper dissipates to reveal a rose dripping in honeyed, ambery sweetness, while its leathery base adds strength, dimension, and something a little bit naughty to this fruity-floral triumph of a scent.
Tester feedback from senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor & senior director of audience development Lexi Herrick
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“Rose Whip is a seductive and surprising take on the classic note—you wouldn’t find a leathery rose in the early aughts." —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
“It's velvety soft and exudes a lush, vibrant rose scent." —Lexi Herrick, senior director of audience development
Best Herbaceous Fragrance
L’Artisan Parfumeur 33 Abyssae
Best Herbaceous Fragrance
L’Artisan Parfumeur 33 Abyssae
Neiman Marcus
Why It Won: Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche talked about gazing into the abyss. Perfumer Daphné Bugey imagined how it smells. A fragrance that defies categorization, L’Artisan Parfumeur Abyssae 33 is inspired by the darkest depths of the ocean, blending rose, eucalyptus, vetiver, and blonde woods to create a scent that swims the olfactive line between green and woody, floral, and fougère. At first spritz, the eau de parfum is bracing and herbaceous, but as you float on through your day, the expansive scent settles into something much more calming, intimate, and altogether mysterious.
Tester feedback from beauty closet associate Edward Horgan
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“If I want to smell like I’ve just taken a nice stroll through a botanical garden, this is what I’m reaching for. It’s a nice, light scent that delivers herbaceous without packing a heavy punch.” —Edward Horgan, beauty closet associate
Best Woody Fragrance
Victoria Beckham Beauty 21:50 Rêverie Eau de Parfum
Best Woody Fragrance
Victoria Beckham Beauty 21:50 Rêverie Eau de Parfum
Nordstrom
Bluemercury
Head of video Natalie Campbell applies the Victoria Beckham Beauty’s 21:50 Rêverie Eau de Parfum.
Why It Won: The Posh-est Spice Girl created the prettiest perfume for work days, date nights, and every event or occasion in between. Victoria Beckham Beauty’s 21:50 Rêverie Eau de Parfum is inspired by an actual date night between the Beckhams over 20 years ago—an outdoor dinner in a rainforest in Java, Indonesia, surrounded by rice fields and tea lights. Capturing that sexy-but-outdoorsy moment, 21:50 Rêverie is a woody, subtly sweet fragrance that oozes warmth, with raw vanilla heightened by a tobacco leaf top note and juicy, bitter plum heart.
Tester feedback from head of video Natalie Campbell
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“Rêverie Eau de Parfum hits multiple olfactive categories at once; it’s musky, earthy, slightly sweet, all without being overbearing. It's a very complex scent—I love the hints of tobacco—and I enjoy how it wears on the skin throughout the day.” —Natalie Campbell, head of video
Best Earthy Fragrance
Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum
Best Earthy Fragrance
Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum
Nordstrom
Why It Won: A modern-day chypre, everything about Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum is elegant and enigmatic. An ingredient called miracle berry at the top makes bitter flavors taste sweet. The rare butterfly lily, native to Madagascar, has never before been used in a feminine fragrance. The toasted oakwood at the base smells more like rum than humid earth. Their combination results in an ever-shifting fragrance that’s as smooth and sensual as the exquisite leather used in the house’s Birkin bags, yet with an inexplicable and irresistible tartness that has you constantly coming back for another whiff.
Tester feedback from senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor
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“She smells expensive! Commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann and I—unbeknownst to each other—both described Barénia Eau de Parfum as smelling like the inside of a designer bag. It's bright, woody, and melds with your own skin scent for a vibe that's increasingly intimate as you wear it throughout the day.” —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
Best Gourmand Fragrance
Dedcool Mochi Milk Fragrance
Best Gourmand Fragrance
Dedcool Mochi Milk Fragrance
Sephora
Dedcool
Why It Won: An extension of the brand’s category-defining Milk fragrance, Dedcool Mochi Milk Fragrance is more whipped than creamy (thanks to marshmallow and sweetened rice milk), more sparkly than syrupy (that would be the peach nectar), and with a base more reminiscent of a skin scent. The result is an edible-inspired juice that smells less overtly saccharine and more like the semisweet treat it’s named after
Tester feedback from associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen
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“I’ve always said I’m not a fan of gourmand fragrances, they’re much too sugary and cloying for my taste. But I am a fan of Dedcool, and its latest scent has made a liar out of me. Mochi Milk Fragrance is a very mature take on the classically sweet scent family—and now, one of my new favorite perfumes.” —Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director
Best Citrus Fragrance
Tory Burch Sublime Eau de Parfum
Best Citrus Fragrance
Tory Burch Sublime Eau de Parfum
Amazon
Why It Won: Tory Burch Sublime Eau de Parfum is a sunny, playful fragrance that boasts some very serious, old-school perfume notes. Rose, vetiver, osmanthus, and leather lend the easy-going (and easy-wearing) citrus scent an air of sophistication that makes you want to hold your chin higher and your back straighter when wearing it. As impressed with the Brutalist-style bottle as the uplifting scent inside, our testers gave Sublime Eau de Parfum the most universal praise of all the perfumes we tested this year.
Tester feedback from senior art director Ingrid Fowler
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"The fresh, zesty scent is the ideal daytime fragrance—I especially like to wear it on sunny days. Bonus points for its sculptural glass bottle, which looks beautiful on my vanity.” —Ingrid Fowler, senior art director
Best Fruity Fragrance
Jo Malone London Raspberry Ripple
Best Fruity Fragrance
Jo Malone London Raspberry Ripple
Nordstrom
Why It Won: Named for the nostalgic ice cream flavor, Jo Malone London Raspberry Ripple is a mouthwatering swirl of tangy red currant, juicy raspberry, and milky white musk that smells both delightfully tart and deliciously creamy—a sophisticated contrast that stays close to your skin and lingers there for hours. And while the perfume brings to mind a quintessential summer treat, the musky warmth makes this a satisfying spritz all year-round.
Tester feedback from creative director Amber Venerable
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“This smells like a summer cocktail to me in the best way. It's like a refreshing light spritz with a hint of berry—the perfect amount of sweetness.” —Amber Venerable, creative director
Best Solar Fragrance
Maison Margiela Fragrances Replica Beach Walk Eau de Toilette
Best Solar Fragrance
Maison Margiela Fragrances Replica Beach Walk Eau de Toilette
Nordstrom
Sephora
Why It Won: Maison Margiela Fragrances Replica Beach Walk Eau de Toilette is a beautifully soft scent that changes dramatically as it settles into your skin. It opens warm and coconut-y, with a zing of lemon that's bright like the sun. As the fragrance dries down, all the sparkle and hard-core coconut evaporate. What's left is a milky, musky scent evocative of sandy skin and salty ocean air.
Tester feedback from senior copy manager Leslie Lipton
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“This scent smells like a breezy walk on the sand and is light yet long-lasting. I’m totally obsessed, and I'm not the only one. I was having oral surgery and the assistant turned to me and asked, ‘Before I put you under, what perfume are you wearing?’” —Leslie Lipton, senior copy manager
Best Musk Fragrance
Penhaligon's A Kiss of Bliss Eau de Parfum
Best Musk Fragrance
Penhaligon's A Kiss of Bliss Eau de Parfum
Nordstrom
Saks Fifth Avenue
Why It Won: When talking about musk-centric perfumes, most fragrance fans lump them into two categories: powdery musks (think milky, creamy, and slightly sweet) and skin-scent musks (your body chemistry but better vibe). What makes Penhaligon’s A Kiss of Bliss Eau de Parfum so special is that it somehow combines the best of both worlds. A chypre by classical standards—bergamot up top, jasmine in the heart, and moss and patchouli at the base—it’s what’s been added to the mix that makes it such a unique scent. Heliotrope brings that powdery element, matcha and green clover add something bright and earthy, and musk acts as a skin-enhancer that softens out the entire composition.
Tester feedback from associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen
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“At $310 for 3.4 fluid ounces, this may be one of the most expensive perfumes I've ever owned…and I'm almost halfway through it. It's a light yet warm musk that lingers like a second skin. It reminds me of a super-luxe Glossier You (and I love Glossier You).” —Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director
Best Hair Fragrance
Gisou Honey Infused Hair Perfume
Best Hair Fragrance
Gisou Honey Infused Hair Perfume
Amazon
Why It Won: Gisou Honey Infused Hair Perfume gives us a lovely halo of honeyed sweetness. But this mist is more than just a pretty scent. Infused with honey from the Mirsalehi bee garden in Amsterdam, the formula simultaneously hydrates and smoothes strands with every spritz. And while hair perfumes are typically less concentrated and contain less alcohol (to prevent dryness), our testers appreciated that the scent lingers all day long.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
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“This makes my hair smell so scrumptious, masking the fact that I'm three days late to washing it. I can sometimes be sensitive to strong scents, but the honey notes in this mist are just the right amount.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
Best Body Mist
Salt & Stone Saffron & Cedar Body Mist
Best Body Mist
Salt & Stone Saffron & Cedar Body Mist
Amazon
Associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen applies the Salt & Stone Saffron & Cedar Body Mist.
Why It Won: Saffron & Cedar is one of Salt & Stone's most requested deodorant scents—customers say they love the smell so much they rub the stick on their necks and wrists to cover more surface area with the beachy, woody scent. It was only a matter of time before the brand turned the scent into a body mist that had all our testers spritzing with abandon. For a scent that evokes California beach culture—the heart features a surf-wax accord—it smells incredibly sophisticated, thanks to elevated notes of spicy saffron, intoxicating jasmine, and earthy oakmoss.
Tester feedback from commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann
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“This is such a well-rounded, grown-up body mist. I love the elevated scent, which settles into this really beautiful, warm, woody base when you’ve worn it for a while.” —Sarah Hoffmann, commerce producer
Ellis Brooklyn Marshmallows Hair & Body Fragrance Mist
Best Body Mist
Ellis Brooklyn Marshmallows Hair & Body Fragrance Mist
Amazon
Why It Won: The marshmallow, peach skin, and caramel accord in Ellis Brooklyn Marshmallows Hair & Body Fragrance Mist are so deliciously creamy, they make mouths water with every head turn or turn of the corner. The addition of classic solar notes like benzoin, vanilla orchid, and amber woods ensures the sugary sweetness never becomes too sweet or headache-inducing.
Tester feedback from associate content manager Hannah Brower
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“Like the perfect roasted marshmallow, this yummy-smelling body mist is light, airy, and kissed with toasted sugar. I get compliments every time I wear it.” —Hannah Brower, associate content manager
Best Solid Perfume
Noyz The Solid Fragrance Detour
Best Solid Perfume
Noyz The Solid Fragrance Detour
Ulta Beauty
Revolve
Features director Dianna Singh applies the Noyz The Solid Fragrance Detour.
Why It Won: Of course, this fragrance won because of how it smells: creamy, sparkly, vanilla-y—all the markers of a crowd-pleasing eau de parfum. But it’s the power and quality of Noyz’s solid formula that really sealed this perfume’s Best of Beauty win. Infused with hydrating squalane, the silky stick glides effortlessly across the skin, leaving behind a beautiful scent that stays put long after you’ve swiped it.
Tester feedback from features director Dianna Singh
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“There's something so chic and discreet about applying a solid fragrance. I've dabbed Noyz The Solid Fragrance Detour on my inner wrists at my desk and in the back of cabs. The scent itself—apple blossom and musk—smells like a summer day.” —Dianna Singh, features director
Best Perfume Oil
Cyklar Perfume Oil in Vanilla Verve
Best Perfume Oil
Cyklar Perfume Oil in Vanilla Verve
Amazon
Shopping director Shanna Shipin applies the Cyklar Perfume Oil Vanilla Verve.
Shanna Shipin
Why It Won: The $24 price tag is just icing on the Cyklar Perfume Oil Vanilla Verve cake. The perfume oil embraces every sugary, spicy aspect of vanilla, with the star ingredient rendered darker and even more delectable thanks to a generous sprinkling of cardamom, amber, and tonka bean. It’s a big scent that’s best enjoyed up close, as notes of musk and ambrette seed help the creamy, saccharine goodness mingle seamlessly with the smell of your own skin.
Tester feedback from shopping director Shanna Shipin
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“This is a grown-up vanilla—she’s layered, sexy, and loyal. Real talk: Before it ever came my way in Best of Beauty testing, singer Gracie Abrams influenced me to get this perfume. I was interviewing her, and she smelled like creamy cardamom meets spicy vanilla, and I was hooked. I love how small these bottles are, too. You can toss them into your bag and invest in a few of them to layer without breaking the bank.”
Chanel Chance Eau Tendre Body Oil
Best Perfume Oil
Chanel Chance Eau Tendre Body Oil
Chanel
Why It Won: When the original perfume won for the first time 22 years ago, we were taken with its fresh, easy spirit that was more white tee than gold-buttoned bouclé jacket. The Chanel Chance Eau Tendre Body Oil features the same sparkling grapefruit-quince accord and gentle base of jasmine and white musk. The only difference is now we can enjoy the clean, fruity-floral scent with a surge of skin-softening moisture that makes arms and legs gleam.
Tester feedback from senior director of audience development Lexi Herrick
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“I'm a big fan of this gorgeous, sparkly scent. I like the oil consistency, as it dilutes more than a typical perfume and allows for the smell to linger on limbs gently." —Lexi Herrick, senior director of audience development
Best Candles
Best Floral Candle: Malin+Goetz Otto Candle
Best Floral Candle
Malin+Goetz Otto Candle
Amazon
Why It Won: With rose, geranium, and moss, the Malin+Goetz Otto Candle smells of a dewy, green garden after the rain rather than a store-bought bouquet sitting atop your kitchen table. As it burns, you can picture the flowers unfurling their petals to the sky and releasing their enchanting essence into the atmosphere, wafting into whatever space you have the pleasure of sitting in.
Tester feedback from associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen
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“The supercandle may be the biggest candle I've ever owned—and surprisingly, the candle I've gone through the quickest. Though it's a floral scent, when it’s lit, you pick up warm notes of cashmere musk, which kept my rose-adverse husband from complaining. In fact, he recently asked for a refill, because as I said, we burned through this one quickly—well, as quickly as you can go through a one-plus-pound candle!” —Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director
Best Earthy Candle: Nette Laide Tomate
Best Earthy Candle
Nette Laide Tomate
Sonder Beauty
Ccontent director Kara McGrath lights the Nette Laide Tomate Candle.
Why It Won: The bold red jar that houses Nette Laide Tomate Candle may be beautiful to look at, but the soy wax’s heady aroma is actually inspired by the ugliest of fruits on the vine. Based on the notion that the least attractive tomatoes are often the juiciest and most fragrant (laide tomate means ugly tomato in French), Nette accentuated the hero note with basil, violet leaf, and a dab of a tomato-paste accord to achieve the ripest, most hyperrealistic tomato candle you can pluck off the shelf.
Tester feedback from content director Kara McGrath
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“I will never get sick of the savory, fresh scent of this candle. Tomatoes are the only plant I have successfully grown every year since I moved into a house with a garden. Burning this lets me relive the experience all year-round of chopping up a fresh one for a salad or sandwich. Also: The red vessel is stunning.” —Kara McGrath, content director
Best Spicy Candle: Voluspa Baltic Amber
Best Spicy Candle
Voluspa Baltic Amber
Amazon
Why It Won: The Voluspa Baltic Amber candle isn't for hiding in the bathroom. The golden-hued, embossed-glass votive is mantle-worthy, and you don't even have to light it to enjoy its ambery, woody scent. The candle’s “cold throw”—or the strength of a candle when it’s unlit—is seriously impressive, and only becomes stronger and more inviting once you light the wick.
Tester feedback from Jesa Marie Calaor
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"Baltic Amber smells floral, woody, and ever-so-slightly sweet. I lit it in my kitchen and the scent radiated throughout the first floor of my house, creating a warm, comforting vibe." —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
Best Room Spray
Homecourt Cece Room Deodorant
Best Room Spray
Homecourt Cece Room Deodorant
Revolve
Bluemercury
Why It Won: Courteney Cox's Homecourt Room Deodorant earned our stamp of approval for the third year in a row, but this time, with Cece. And it wasn’t just for its comforting spicy-woody scent, but because it actually nixes unpleasant odor molecules from your space (would you expect anything less from Monica Geller?). Using a gentle, nonchemical blend of zinc ricinoleate, yeast ferment, and charcoal, every spritz freshens up your room regardless of how pungent the aromatic messes that you, your children, and/or your pets may make.
Tester feedback from social director Kassidy Silva
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"There is no rush quite like guests saying some variation of 'Wow, your house smells amazing, what's that scent?' when they step through your front door. With its smoky-meets-sweet fragrance, the Cece Room Deodorant is a crowd-pleaser. Everyone is always surprised it's a room spray—the scent lasts so long." —Kassidy Silva, social director
Written by Sophia Panych
How does Allure test perfumes and fragrances for Best of Beauty Scent?
For our Best of Beauty Scent winners, we consider each product's performance across the following categories: longevity, sillage (how far a scent travels), complexity of the notes, packaging, and how the fragrance evolves throughout the day. We test hundreds of perfumes, candles, and home scents across all olfactive categories (gourmand, citrus, etc.). Our editorial team—which is composed of in-house writers, editors, contributors, with special consideration from relevant experts—determines that each winner excels in its category.
Are Best of Beauty Scent winners long-lasting?
Yes. The winning eau de parfums, solid fragrances, perfume oils, and home fragrances are designed to be long-lasting. We evaluate fragrances on their ability to maintain a signature scent without fading or turning, even after hours of wear (for personal fragrances) or hours after being lit or sprayed (for home scents).
Do the Scent winners include clean or skin-friendly formulas?
Several of the winning fragrances—such as the Salt & Stone Saffron & Cedar Body Mist—are marketed as clean or free of common irritants like phthalates or synthetic dyes. We try to note when a formula is designed to be nonirritating or more friendly to sensitive skin, and our testers include those who have fragrance allergies and/or sensitivities.
What types of fragrances are included in the Best of Beauty Awards?
The Best of Beauty Scent winners feature fragrances from every major olfactive category, including floral, herbaceous, woody, earthy, gourmand, citrus, fruity, solar, and musk, in formats from sprays and oils to solids and candles.
How can I find the right fragrance for me on the list of winners?
For each Best of Beauty Scent winner, we include a detailed description of the key notes, scent family, wear profile, and tester feedback to help you decide if that fragrance is something you might enjoy. If unsure, look for terms that match your fragrance preferences, like "warm and spicy,” "sparkly and fresh," or “earthy and herbaceous." Many of the winners also come in discovery sets or travel sizes for easy testing.
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