ByteBoop

Base Notes: Sandalwood, musk | Middle Notes: Orange blossom, jasmine, tuberose, rangoon creeper | Top Notes: Neroli, mandarin, lemon | Size: 1-3.3 oz 

This floral scent isn’t your standard flower garden of a perfume. Instead, it’s a flowery trio (jasmine, tuberose, and rangoon creeper) with a white floral base that comes off as rich and powdery upon first spritz. This scent immediately transports me to a lush and ethereal rose and jasmine garden, making it my go-to everyday perfume that doesn’t overpower my senses. I now wear it so often that my friends associate the fragrance with me, and I love how delicate and empowering it makes me feel. 

As it dries, it softens—it is, after all, an eau de toilette—into a subtle and sexy scent rooted in sandalwood and musk. With top notes of vibrant neroli, mandarin, and lemon, this pick blends citrus, oud, and florals for a deliciously balanced and well-rounded essence that improves as the day progresses. If you’re looking for a gentle floral perfume that is sophisticated and alluring, this Gucci perfume is the way to go.  

Amanda Rosenthal, writer: “It’s the feminine, sexy, confident woman sitting at a bar, drinking a cosmo. I always get complimented about how great I smell and have been stopped on the street, in Ubers, and restaurants/bars, to get asked what I am wearing, and this beauty is the secret.”  

Base Notes: Vetiver, patchouli, myrrh | Middle Notes: Rose, guaiacwood, jasmine | Top Notes: Rose, pink pepper, shiso | Size: 1.6 oz 

Floral perfumes don’t just have to be soft and feminine; this Aesop fragrance is the perfect example of a woody and nuanced floral scent. The unisex concentrate takes a typically feminine rose aroma and intensifies it with base notes of vetiver, patchouli, and myrrh (an earthy-smelling resin extracted from trees). Infused with pink pepper, shiso, guaiacwood, and jasmine, the results are a spicy and woodsy fragrance that brings forth a calming and meditative element (think rose petals by the fireplace with hot apple cider). We love how this one leans more modern and cool while embodying the classic floral feeling of sexy and romantic. 

Derek Deng, associate content editor: “Upon first sniff, it’s a super strong floral, but it dries down into a woody floral that surprises me every time. It also has this calming presence on the skin that truly grounds me.”

Adi Giesey, beauty editor, using Louis Vuitton Spell On You: “I typically do not gravitate toward sweet or floral fragrances, but there is something so romantic about this perfume. Every single time I wear this perfume, I am flooded with compliments. Uber drivers, baristas, coworkers, and dates have all stopped to ask me what scent I was wearing.”

Base Notes: Sandalwood, vetiver, suederal | Middle Notes: Cardamon oil, guiacawood, olibanum, cuir | Top Notes: Birch, tonka bean | Size: 0.03-2.54 oz 

Looking for a cozy, sensorial escape? This perfume from Scents of Wood embodies cashmere sweaters, a walk through crisp leaves, the smell of chai spice, and cozying up by the fireplace on a cool day, and all our other favorite fall things. The under notes of sylvan sandalwood, vetiver, and velvety suede permeate through the creamy tonka bean and cardamon oil to deliver a spicy and mysterious scent that will surprise you every time you sniff it. Birch adds a distinct, complex, sweet, and earthy depth to the fragrance. We also love the evocative bottle, which features a gold cap in the shape of a branch and a primordial-looking heart base. This scent is unlike any other and will have people stopping you in your tracks to learn about it. 

Ally Hirschlag, associate editorial director: “The warm spice and wood top notes against the sophisticated leather bottom notes come together to create a versatile scent that easily walks from day into night. It also complements any gender—my husband has used it, and it smells great on him, too.”

Base Notes: Oud, vetiver, white sandalwood, musk | Middle Notes: Narcissus, suede, jasmine sambac, cedarwood | Top Notes: Madagascar black pepper, gurjun balsam, vanilla | Size: 0.33-1.7 oz 

Love in a bottle does exist—in the essence of a warm, romantic fragrance inspired by true intimacy. This bohemian perfume effortlessly blends the redolence of luscious fig, vetiver, silky jasmine, and oud to create a passionate smell that feels like a close embrace. Formulated without phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde, and synthetic dyes, this one is great for those with sensitive skin looking to avoid these potentially irritating ingredients. The sultry and sweet formula is housed in a simple and chic ribbed bottle inspired by an antique ink flask. Write your special someone a love note while draped in an aurora of decadent fig, or simply mist this elixir on before cocktails with your friends or your next date night and watch as a wave of comfort and love washes over you.

Hallie Gould, editor-in-chief and GM: “I never thought I’d stray from my previous favorite until I first smelled Lover. The creamy sandalwood is mixed with vetiver, jasmine sambac, and a bit of oud for the most intoxicating scent I’ve ever smelled. It’s like a warm hug. I am constantly complimented while I’m wearing it.”

Base Notes: Fir resin, cedarwood, sugar, ambroxan, oakmoss | Middle Notes: Amberwood, ambergris, hedione | Top Notes: Saffron, jasmine | Size: 0.37-6.8 oz

This lustrous amber fragrance blends woody notes with bright saffron to bring you a sensual and feminine scent. The chic perfume embodies a confident, self-empowered woman, and with one spritz, you’ll begin to feel the results. The spicy and floral headnotes give the scent a luxurious feel, like shopping in Paris while being offered a glass of champagne. Base notes of fir resin, cedarwood, sugar, ambroxan, and oakmoss blend to give this scent a warmer aroma that lingers on your body. We love how we can smell this on our sweaters days later. Plus, it is packaged in a gorgeous crystal bottle, an elegant upgrade to any vanity or table.  

Caitlyn Martyn, former associate editor: “I actually learned about it in 2019 when some friends and I were out to dinner in the Hamptons. Our (very chic European) waitress took our orders and walked away…all five of us immediately started whispering about how incredible she smelled. When she came back, I unabashedly asked her what she was wearing, and in her (again, very chic) European accent, she said, ‘Baccarat Rouge 540.’ Since then, I’ve had it in my collection and consider it the sexiest, most feminine (yet not overly so) fragrance that suits everyone I’ve ever smelled it on.”

Star Donaldson, social media director, using Maison Louis Marie No. 04 de Balincourt: “It is warmer and a little sweeter than the other perfumes in my collection due to the amber wood notes, but I love that it has all of my favorite top notes of sandalwood, cedarwood, and vetiver. It comes in a simple square bottle and seems relatively unassuming, but one spritz really speaks for itself.”

Base Notes: Marshmallow, white amber, cashmere | Middle Notes: Violet, orris, heliotrope | Top Notes: Pear, ambrette, bergamot | Size: 0.33-3.4 oz 

This marshmallow and pear medley is just what you need if you love the fun and playful sweetness of a gourmand fragrance but want to upgrade to a more mature scent. This addictive combination takes sugary flavors and deepens them with pear, bergamot, and ambrette to create a luscious and youthful blend that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet. The aroma lends a bit of creaminess with heart notes of heliotrope, violet, and orris, balancing the musky and nuttier base. One mist and the joyful yet sophisticated treat of this fragrance will win you over. The cherry on top: It is long-wearing, so you won’t need to constantly reapply. 

Abby Dupes, former associate editor: “I love that though this perfume is definitely for the sweet tooths out there, it’s not overwhelming. On first sniff, juicy pear takes the reins. But as the perfume evolves through the day, with a spectacular wear time of six to seven hours on me, cozy notes of ambrette and marshmallow take hold.”

Base Notes: Vanilla, tonka bean, leather, birch wood, patchouli | Middle Notes: Rose, honeysuckle, cedar leaves, moss | Top Notes: Apple, black currant, raspberry, incense, saffron | Size: 0.33-1.7 oz 

Rich and juicy dark raspberry, black currant, and apple notes meet with leathery and earthy saffron and moss in this scent for a delectable treat. The blend strikes the perfect balance between masculine and feminine, resulting in a bold, mysterious perfume that’s long-wearing (due to fragrance oil). The included incense gives it a spiritual and smoky flair that pairs well with the sweeter vanilla and tonka flavors. The scent isn’t your typical gourmand but rather reinvents how we think about appetizing fragrances. The deeper notes complement the fresh and fruit-forward head, making this worth salivating over. 

Olivia Hancock, senior beauty editor: “It’s become my go-to evening scent because of its edgy, exciting scent profile. Since Punkstar contains 30% fragrance oil, this perfume lingers quite a while on my skin and clothes, which is exactly what I want in a scent.”

Base Notes: Leather, milky musk, vanilla absolute, peru balsam | Middle Notes: Guiac wood, black tea, palo santo, cashmere wood | Top Notes: Jamaican pimento, bergamot, nutmeg, orris | Size: 1.01-3.38 oz 

I’m calling it: this perfume is seduction in a bottle. One spray and I instantly pick up on notes of bergamot and nutmeg, which give the fragrance a welcoming and enticing feel. Moments later, I’m overcome by heady notes of black tea, milky musk, leather, and vanilla, which create a tempting and desirable pull. It’s the perfect feminine musk that leans sensual, which reflects the perfume’s inspiration: Chateau Marmont (a hotel in Los Angeles known for its old Hollywood glamour, mystery, drama, provocation, and intrigue). Once I mist this intoxicating concoction on my wrists and decolletage, I feel sexier and like the most interesting person in the room. 

Amanda Rosenthal, writer: “This fragrance is a sultry, confidence boost in a bottle. After you apply it, you’ll be enveloped in a resinous and sexy scent that’s perfect for fall and winter. It’s anything but boring; I find it extremely alluring and seductive.”

Base Notes: Madagascar vanilla, skin musks, patchouli leaf, sandalwood | Middle Notes: Orris root, iris flower, jasmine dew | Top Notes: Waterlily, lush fig, cassis bud | Size: 0.32-1.7 oz

This vibrant green perfume balances musky notes of patchouli, orris root, and skin musks (an accord designed to enhance your natural scent similar to a pheromone perfume) with delicate waterlily, fig, iris flower, and jasmine dew. The effect is as bright as it is woody. The layered fragrance appears soft and refreshing, but don’t be fooled. As it opens up, you’ll pick up on the muskier ingredients that blend seamlessly with your personal aroma. It embodies a confident boss walking into their new office. It’s direct but not overpowering, and we love that it lasts the whole day. 

Emily Cieslak, associate editor: “What I love about this one is that it never gives me headaches nor overwhelms my senses. It’s there and lingers all day, but it’s not overpowering or nauseating. I also consider the scent to be universal for all seasons. I wore it in the summer and am still wearing it into fall.”

Base Notes: Cedarwood, musks, vetiver | Middle Notes: Magnolia, sandalwood, violet | Top Notes: Ambrette, nesberry | Size: 1.7 oz 

This bright fragrance from Byredo is the best for those craving a scent that embodies stepping out of the shower and sunrays bouncing on your skin. While most fresh perfumes are delicate, airy, and straight to the point, this concentrate is layered with a cedarwood, musk, and vetiver base, giving it a deeper, more nuanced smell. The lighter essence adds a refreshing appeal that warms up on the skin while remaining subtle and crisp. We love that it can be worn by all genders and appreciate the simple and chic packaging. 

Shannon Bauer, former associate editorial director: “Sometimes fresh perfumes are a bit boring or one-note, but this one is beautifully complex yet not overly heady. I get compliments every time I wear it from friends, boyfriends, and strangers. I even had an Uber driver ask me what I was wearing once because he wanted to buy it for his girlfriend.”

Base Notes: Musk, sand accord | Middle Notes: Anise, fennel, white floral | Top Notes: Mint, shiso leaves, marine accord | Size: 2.53-4.22 oz 

Freshly cut grass, glistening dew, lemon spritz, and mint tea are just some of the words that 27 87 Wandervogel evokes. This energizing scent incorporates bright flavors of Moroccan mint, shiso leaf, and marine accord and combines them with wispy white floral, anise, and musk. The essence is just as much herb-y as it is light and airy, like dining al fresco in Italy. This perfume is a great daily option as it isn’t super overpowering. One spritz, and you’ll freshen up your aroma and be ready to take on the day. 

Amanda Rosenthal, writer: “This fragrance feels as if I just took a refreshing shower on a spring morning. The scent is lighter but great for those looking for a subtle perfume that won’t overwhelm their senses.”