In 1921, Gabrielle Chanel asked Ernest Beaux to create "a woman's perfume with a woman's scent", rare and powerful. The nose presented her with a visionary composition that made unprecedented use of aldehydes. Mademoiselle chose the fifth sample of the fragrance, and decided to name it simply N°5. For this new fragrance, she opted for a bottle with a revolutionary design, adorned with a white label and topped with a faceted cabochon. In 1986, Jacques Polge, the CHANEL nose since 1978, reinterpreted his predecessor's composition to create a fuller version of N°5: the eau de parfum. So, read on and discover the best luxury perfumes for women in our ultimate guide. From the best-smelling perfume of all time to iconic fragrances that have stood the test of time to more recent classics and cult favorites, we’re about to embark on a scent-sual journey.

Women’s perfume is the ultimate finishing touch for any outfit, mood, and occasion. Some feel naked without it, while others adore a spritz (or three) on a special occasion. Thanks to the masterful work of perfumers across the world, we’re not short of glorious scents to choose from; from playful florals to sensual musks to deep and spicy fragrances, somewhere out there is the best women’s perfume that speaks your language. The fresh family is a failsafe crowd pleaser as it lends itself to both feminine and masculine fragrances, as well as all seasons and occasions. Fresh perfumes typically combine fruity, green and water scents—all of which work well with all other fragrance families. Woody fragrances Not only do we have the experience of selling perfumes, we also have the expertise to match. Our staff are trained and developed so that they are the most knowledgeable sales advisors within the perfume industry, we have the largest number of Fragrance Foundation fragrance graduates nationwide and a fragrance finder to guide your online shopping.

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That said, fragrance halls are enough to make both you and your credit card break out in a sweat. They're bursting at the seams with hundreds of different options, and shopping for fragrance online still feels hard to navigate. In our experience, it's always helpful to take a look at the ultimate heroes in the field, the tried, tested and much beloved fragrances, which have won the hearts of so many before us. What fragrance do women like most?

Perfume is so much more than just another beauty product. It's evocative, visceral and even transformative. A fragrance can transport you to a distant memory, or remind you of a particular person. It can uplift, add drama, reduce stress, make you feel sexy and make you feel strong – all in one simple spritz. Most of us refer to our daily spritz as “perfume” but very few are actually categorized as such. Perfume (or Parfum) has the highest concentration of perfume oils (between 20-40%.) Naturally, it is the most expensive and lasts the longest on the skin—six to eight hours. Few things in beauty are as divisive as perfume. Scent itself is very personal – what smells like a delicate bouquet to some is like a headache-inducing flower bomb to others. Second-best: Eau de Parfum (EDP) has 15-20% perfume oils and should last between four to five hours, making it popular for evening fragrances.When it comes to the best selling perfumes for women you can follow your nose. Or you can get the lowdown on PerfumeTikTok, where fragrance buffs give you their no-holds-barred opinion on what scents are really worth your hard-earned cash. Either way, it's a big decision. Finding a scent that speaks to your distinctive personality is no small feat. Many of us feel frazzled by the endless possibilities and subtle differences. So we default to the most popular perfumes out of fear of getting it wrong. And whilst there’s nothing wrong with smelling like everyone else, if you’d rather discover your signature scent, understanding the four fragrance families and concentration strengths will certainly make the process a lot less overwhelming. Four main fragrance families A powdery floral bouquet housed in an iconic bottle with a minimalist design. A timeless, legendary fragrance. Unsurprisingly floral fragrances are the most popular for women’s perfumes. It is also the broadest fragrance family, with scents ranging from a single flower’s scent to bouquets. Popular floral notes include rose, jasmine, and peonies. And softer musky florals such as lavender and violet pair well with orientals like vanilla, petitgrain or neroli. Fresh fragrances