I find selecting the best perfume (opens in new tab) to wear on any given day a relatively easy task. When the days are hot and balmy, I naturally reach for milky, citrus scents that drench me in rays of sunshine with every spritz. For cold and grey days, I like to opt for cosy, long-lasting perfumes (opens in new tab) that fill me with comfort. For autumn, I like to reach for invigorating and fresh perfumes (opens in new tab) that clear the senses. When it comes to spring perfumes, however, I’m not quite so prescriptive with my choices.
Truth be told, for times like now, when the weather dabbles between warmly optimistic and bitterly drab, I like to be more fluid with my perfume choices. However, as a beauty editor whose job it is to test every perfume that comes my way, my collection is somewhat vast. With my collection inching closer towards three figures with every working day that passes (believe me, I know it’s grotesque), I’m spoiled for choice.
Right now, the only criteria I have for my spring perfume is that it must get me compliments. As much as I like to wear perfume for myself, whether it be to boost my mood or make me feel more myself, I also wear perfume for work purposes—so I can make sure I’m only recommending you the very best products. My testing process for perfumes is, to put it bluntly, wear whatever new formula that’s come my way and see whether it gets me any compliments.
Personally, I think the making of a great perfume is its ability to pique interest. In my opinion, if my perfume smells intriguing enough to stand out in a sea of sweet, floral crowdpleasers, I know I’ve done something right by giving it a go.
And of all the fragrances that have come my way of late, there’s only 8 spring perfumes which have won me enough compliments to justify reaching for them regularly. In fact, these are the only perfumes I plan on wearing until summer arrives in a couple of months time…
1. Jo Malone London Osmanthus Blossom
(Image credit: Jo Malone London)
The very bottle of this perfume oozes spring-time joy—and what’s inside it is even better. With hints of citrus, it has a fizziness to it which tickles the nose and lifts any mood. The floral element is light, sweet and moreish, too. Perfect for warmer spring days, it possesses a warmth that feels like the first warm rays of sun of the year. To be honest, I think I’ll be wearing this well into summer.
2. Loewe Aire Anthesis
(Image credit: Loewe)
If you want to understand what Loewe Aire Anthesis smells like, avoid getting too caught up in the notes. The blend contains ‘Loewe accord’, an olfactory note created by the brand. It’s deep, earthy and raw, based on the rockrose, a Spanish wildflower. Around it are various floral and fruity notes. Together though, they create one of the most stunning aquatic and salty fragrances I’ve ever smelled. Like waves crashing down on wild shores, Anthesis is sense-clearing and refreshing in every way possible—it holds all of the optimism spring should bring.
3. Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet
(Image credit: Dior)
If you like your fruity-floral perfumes to be soft on the nose, then this one is for you. Miss Dior is, potentially, one of the most adored perfumes out there, and this floral eau de toilette addition to the line is equally as crowd pleasing. It’s sweet and sparkling at first, but the floral depth draws you in further with every spritz—it’s the perfect choice for every occasion.
4. & Other Stories Rose Revival
(Image credit: & Other Stories)
Up until recently, I hadn’t really considered myself much of a rose perfume sort of woman. But over the past couple of years, more and more rose-based fragrances have launched which totally reinvent the old, stuffy, powdery scents often associated with the flower. This perfume is one of the good ones. It is, in truth, a very rosy scent—so if you don’t like velvety florals, you probably won’t be drawn to this. However, that’s not to say you won’t like it. As far as I’m concerned, Rose Revival is impossible to actively dislike. It’s light, soft and has enough of a depth that it lingers for many hours. Personally, I think it’s the ultimate accompaniment to a white shirt and jeans get up.
5. Parfums de Marly Valaya
(Image credit: Parfums de Marly)
The first time I spritzed this I immediately turned my nose up. Typically, I like fresh, earthy perfumes, but at first Valaya seems sweet. Notes of vanilla come screaming through, and it appears fresh but in a candied sort of way. Having said that, something about the entire blend caught my attention, and within a few minutes I was spritzing it all over myself. As it wears, it develops into a green concoction of fruits that are more reminiscent of exotic rainforest, rather than tropical beaches. The first day I wore this perfume, every person I encountered had something great to say about it.
6. Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724
(Image credit: Maison Francis Kurkdjian)
If you’re familiar with Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540, get everything you know about the perfume out of your head. This, which is the brand’s latest launch, couldn’t be further away from the sweet, creamy delight of Baccarat Rouge 540. It is, however, every bit as wonderful. It’s light and fresh in a way that makes it totally gender neutral. 724 is like the smell of the pavement after a quick spring downpour as the sun peeps back through the clouds.
7. Ffern Spring 23
(Image credit: Ffern)
Ffern’s approach to fragrance is, in my opinion, genius and revolutionary. You sign up to the waiting list in order to become a member of the Ffern ledger. Once there’s a space, you become eligible to receive the brand’s seasonal, limited-edition perfume for £79. They’ll send it over with vials and testers so, if you don’t like it, it can be sent back for free. Spring 23 is this season’s scent, and it’s exquisite. It’s leafy, citrusy and floral all at once, with a unique hit that makes me want to dowse myself in it daily.
8. Roads Cloud 9
(Image credit: Roads)
This perfume couldn’t be more me if it tried. In fact, I like to this it was made for me. At first, you won’t be sure it smells like anything at all, and then the fresh musk comes powering through—like just washed sheets hung out to dry in the spring sunshine. It’s comforting, clean, fresh and truly smile-inducing. It’s the sort of perfume people will just assume is your natural scent. In fact, I had no idea how good it really was until someone caught me spritzing it last week and exclaimed she thought I just smelled that good.