"You Smell So Good" Is My Favorite Compliment—16 (On-Sale!) Scents I'm Stocking Up On

3 weeks ago 3
Kaitlyn McLintock

published 8 November 2024

Perfumes atop a vanity

Beauty editors have a certain predilection for perfume. I mean, we wouldn't be beauty editors if we weren't obsessed with all things beauty, right? However, I'm convinced that the Who What Wear team takes it to a whole new level. I haven't found people who are more passionate about scent than me and my colleagues. We regularly chat about our favorite fragrances, keep each other abreast of new launches, and debate scent profiles in Slack group chats.

We also never miss out on an opportunity to stock up on our favorite fragrances. That's why we're all clamoring to get on Nordstrom's website. Right now, the retailer is holding a massive sale on some of the most iconic, internet-famous, and editor-approved perfumes. I'm talking about brands that rarely go on sale, like Byredo, Diptyque, Tom Ford, and more. And since we're fragrance-obsessed, we went through the entire sale section to pinpoint the 16 perfumes worth purchasing first (at least in our humble opinion). Keep scrolling!

Delina Eau De Parfum

Parfums de Marly

Delina Eau De Parfum

Notes: Rhubarb, lychee, bergamot, Turkish rose, peony, vanilla, cashmeran, musk, vetiver

I can't tell you how many of my fellow beauty editors have recommended this fragrance to me. It's a sophisticated floral scent that combines classic powdery notes like rose and peony with bright, warm notes of lychee, vanilla, and vetiver. It's basically TikTok's "coequette" aeshetic, bottled.

Young Rose Eau De Parfum

BYREDO

Young Rose Eau De Parfum

Notes: Sichuan pepper, ambrette seeds, damascena rose, orris, musk, ambroxan

Not the heady, powdery stuff of traditional rose perfumes, this fragrance is fresh and vibrant like an actual, budding rose. It's a modern take on a classic note..

Vanilla Sex Eau De Parfum

TOM FORD

Vanilla Sex Eau De Parfum

Notes: Vanilla tincture India, vanilla absolute, sandalwood essence

I consider this to be the ultimate vanilla perfume. It's soft, smooth, and almost sensual in nature. Every time I wear this, people stop me in the street to tell me I smell good.

Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau De Parfum

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau De Parfum

Notes: Jasmine, saffron, cedarwood, ambergris

Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Baccarat Rouge 540 is an icon. The internet-famous perfume. As my colleague and fellow beauty editor, Shawna Hudson, put it, "it's rich and warm and gives you such an it-girl aura." Enough said.

Libre Eau De Parfum Spray Fragrance

Yves Saint Laurent

Libre Eau De Parfum Spray Fragrance

Notes: Lavender essence, orange blossom, musk accord

As designer perfumes go, I think this perfume is unique. The combination of lavender and orange blossom, while unexpected, is luxurious and expensive-smelling.

Missing Person Eau De Parfum

PHLUR

Missing Person Eau De Parfum

Notes: Skin musk, bergamot nectar, sheer jasmine, cyclamen, neroli blossom, orange flower, Australian sandalwood, blonde wood, white musk

Here it is—one of my all-time favorite fragrances. If anything has ever come close to my signature scent, it's this. The sheer scent lingers on my skin, making me smell like myself, but better. Last time I wore it, my boyfriend asked, "Why do you smell so good?" I answered that I was wearing perfume. He responded, "Really?" and leaned in for another sniff. That's the kind of under-the-radar perfume I love.

Replica by the Fireplace Eau De Toilette Fragrance

Maison Margiela

Replica by the Fireplace Eau De Toilette Fragrance

Notes: Pink pepper, orange flower petals, clove oil, chestnut accord, guaiac wood oil, cade oil, vanilla accord, Peru balsam, cashmeran

If there was ever a time to stock up on Maison Margiela's Replica By the Fireplace, it's right now as we head into winter. The warm, smoky scent is beloved by so many beauty editors. It makes you feel like you're sitting in a cozy chair, fireside, in a Swiss ski lodge.

Philosykos Eau De Parfum

Diptyque

Philosykos Eau De Parfum

Notes: Fig leaves, fig tree sap, black pepper

An ode to fig trees, this fresh and slightly herby scent makes me feel like I'm on a cliffside in Greece, relaxing under the warm sun. Who doesn't want to feel like that?

Donna Born in Roma Eau De Parfum Fragrance

Valentino

Donna Born in Roma Eau De Parfum Fragrance

Notes: Blackcurrant accord, bergamot essence, jasmine grandiflorum absolute, jasmine sambac absolute, jasmine tea, bourbon vanilla, cashmeran, guaiac wood essence

I know I already said Phlur's Missing Person Eau de Parfum is my favorite fragrance, so I'll qualify this by saying Valentino's Donna Born in Roma Eau de Parfum is my favorite designer fragance. It's so warm, alluring, and timeless.

Bright Crystal Eau De Toilette

Versace

Bright Crystal Eau De Toilette

Notes: Pomegranate, yuzu iced accord, magnolia, lotus flower, peony, vegetal amber, acajou, musk

I once heard someone describe this scent as "angelic" and I don't disagree. Equal parts fruity, floral, and musky, it's the ultimate "who's that girl?" scent.

'burberry Goddess Eau De Parfum

Burberry

Goddess Eau De Parfum

Notes: Vanilla infusion, lavender, vanilla caviar, vanilla absolute

Rich, luxe, and expensive-smelling: this perfume is what I picture a powerful CEO would wear. Or, you know, a mythological goddess. With a fragrance note like "vanilla caviar," how could I not?

Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne

Jo Malone London

Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne

Notes: Ambrette seeds, sea salt, sage

I've never met a single person who dislikes this iconic English scent. It's fresh, natural, and slightly woody. I think Who What Wear's beauty director, Erin Jahns, put it.best when she once told me, "It makes me feel like I'm a sea nymph living on the English coast." Can you tell we take our fragrances—and the feelings they evoke—seriously?

I Don't Know What Fragrance Enhancer

D.S. & Durga

I Don't Know What Fragrance Enhancer

Notes: Bergamot essence, Iso E Super, vetiver acetate, civettone, firsantol, ambrox super

This is technically a fragrance enhancer, meaning it will accentuate whatever perfume you layer over it. However, I know so many perfume-obsessed people who wear it alone. thanks to its fresh, sheer, and clean-smelling quality.

Café Rose Eau De Parfum

TOM FORD

Café Rose Eau De Parfum

Notes: Turkish rose, dark coffee, rose Bulgaria, ylang-ylang, coriander, patchouli, cardamom, incense, sandalwood

If you love the rich, warm, and inviting smell of your favorite coffee shop, this perfume will delight your senses. With notes of rose, coffee, coriander, and cardamom, it's a dark floral with a hint of spice. I think it's the perfect fall-and-winter fragrance.

Father Figure Eau De Parfum

PHLUR

Father Figure Eau De Parfum

Notes: Waterlily, fig, cassis buds, orris root, iris flower, jasmine dew, Madagascar vanilla, patchouli leaf, sandalwood

Another Who What Wear team favorite, this green, herby scent is so unique. Personally, I wasn't sold on it at first sniff, but it turned out to be one of those "slow burn" scents that grows on you until you can't stop wearing it. There's just something about the fresh, woody, and aquatic scent profile that I can't stop sniffing.

Love, Don't Be Shy Refillable Perfume

Kilian Paris

Love, Don't Be Shy Refillable Perfume

Notes: Neroli, orange blossom, marshmallow

Fun fact: Rihanna is reportedly a fan of this sweet, floral fragrance. If it's good enough for Rihanna, it's definitely good enough for me. So, yeah, I'm stocking up on it while it's on sale.

Kaitlyn McLintock is an Associate Beauty Editor at Who What Wear. Although she covers a wide range of topics across a variety of categories, she specializes in celebrity interviews and skincare and wellness content. Having lived in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, she recently relocated back to her home state of Michigan where she works remotely. Prior to Who What Wear, she freelanced for a variety of industry-leading digital publications, including InStyle, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Hello Giggles, and Coveteur. Before that, she held a long-term internship and subsequent contributor position at Byrdie. When she's not writing, researching, or testing the latest and greatest beauty products, she's working her way through an ever-growing book collection, swimming in the Great Lakes, or spending time with family.

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