Women have plenty of accessories in their beauty arsenal to make them look and feel good. However, there is one thing that leaves a mark better than any piece of jewelry or clothing: scent.
According to Venkatesh Murthy, chair of the Harvard University Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, olfactory memory is the strongest of all because the parts of the brain responsible for smells and memory are quite close together.
Because of this, certain odors stay with people longer compared to things they saw or heard in the past. This is also the reason why you feel all sorts of emotions when you get a whiff of a certain fragrance or tend to associate them with specific people.
Scent selection is always a personal thing, which is why no single perfume is universally preferred. But while this is true, some perfume brands seem to have come up with the “right formula” in fragrances.
Here, you’ll discover the best perfume brands to choose from and how to make the most out of them.
Top 5 Perfume Brands in 2023
There are many perfume brands in the market today, but these are the top five that are expected to do well in 2023 and beyond:
1. Bvlgari
With their name written in the classic Latin alphabet, the Italian luxury goods brand Bvlgari is probably one of the oldest existing brands known today. It was founded in 1884 in Rome by Sotirious Voulgaris. Following the brand’s success in the fashion industry during the 1990s, the brand began carrying a line of fragrances that attracted the ardent market.
Bvlgari perfumes come with a wide range of aromas that include green tea blended with notes of citrus. This created refreshingly sweet and delicate fragrances.
The Bvlgari Aqva Amara, for instance, sports an aquatic scent with a hint of woody notes inspired by the Mediterranean. It is also made with rich natural ingredients found in the region that allows it to leave an authentic and rich fragrance on the skin.
Preferred by many men and women, perfumes from Bulgari offer softness and minimalism with a hint of elegance. Different perfumes from this brand also convey a sense of new hope from combining the smell of night-blooming jasmine and the slightly bitter scent of fresh leaves in the morning.
2. Chanel
Next on the list is another brand that has made a mark both in the fragrance and fashion industries: Chanel.
Inspired by the young and daring Coco Chanel, this perfume brand includes plenty of deep, powerful, and addictive fragrances that are irresistible and sexy. This is the brand that produced Chanel No. 5, which is now considered the greatest beauty product of all time.
A century after it was first introduced in the market, Chanel No. 5 has firmly held on to the distinction of being the best-selling perfume. One NPR interview revealed that one bottle of this highly sought-after fragrance is sold every 30 seconds – an exemplary feat for anything sold in an industry where newness is always prioritized.
Of course, No. 5 isn’t the only popular scent from this brand. Chance, for example, lived up to its name (“chance” is French for “luck”) after becoming a best-selling perfume since it was launched in 2002. It is packed in an iconic round bottle to symbolize the “wheel of chance.”
3. Dolce and Gabbana
Dolce and Gabbana France perfumes also made the list after being dubbed as a crowd favorite. This particular brand is famous among men and women alike, though their most popular “representative” is the Light Blue Eau De Toilette.
This perfume, also dubbed as “Italy in a bottle,” comes with citrus notes combined with jasmine, bamboo, rose, cedarwood, musk, Granny Smith apple, and amber. It has a light fruity and floral fragrance perfect for use in places with warm weather.
Other perfumes from Dolce and Gabbana also sport hints of apple, jasmine, roses, and musk and come in a concentrated formula that can last for an entire day, depending on certain factors and use (see bonus tips for making perfumes last longer below).
4. Vera Wang
Like other big names on this list, Vera Wang requires no introduction in the fashion industry. She has also infiltrated the perfume sector with a collection of discreetly sweet and fruity perfumes that are perfect for regular day wear.
5. Burberry
In this collection, My Burberry Blush has proven to be an excellent choice for women as it opens up with a fruity floral scent with a sparkling twist.
Like most Burberry scents, this perfume offers a whiff of lush London gardens. It is specially made to capture fresh beginnings signified by the scent of blossoming flowers in the morning.
Crafted by perfume experts Christopher Bailey and Francis Kurkdjian, this fragrance combines a vibrant and refreshing scent of lemon and glazed pomegranate with notes of rose petal. Using wisteria and jasmine as the base, it also has a crisp hint of apple for an intensely feminine perfume.
Make the Most of Your Perfume: 5 Bonus Tips
Fragrances represent a significant investment. To make sure you get the most out of them, you need to learn these five bonus tips for making scents last longer:
1. Apply on damp skin
The best time to apply perfumes is after you step out of the shower. Just remember to dry off a bit, leaving your skin a bit damp as you spray on your favorite fragrance.
2. Spray on pulse spots
Pulse spots, like the wrist and the neck, are warmer than other parts of the body. Applying fragrances to these parts ensures that the scents get simulated more (and, therefore, last longer).
3. Avoid dabbing or rubbing
Doing this can break down the top notes of the fragrance and mix the perfume vigorously with the body’s natural oils, which can change how it smells.
4. Spray on wardrobe
Fabrics carry scents longer. Try lining your drawers with tissue spritzed with your favorite fragrance to leave your clothes smelling fresh all day, every day.
5. Store perfumes properly
Keep perfume bottles in their original boxes tucked inside a dry, cool, and dark place away from the window. This will avoid direct exposure to sunlight that can break perfume down and make it lose its scent faster.
Choose Your Scent
Scents may not be visible to the eyes, but they have more significant effects on your way of life than you can ever imagine. Choose your perfumes from the top brands listed here and don’t forget to follow the bonus tips for longer-lasting fragrances.
