20 elegant luxury fragrances that surpass perfume: Le Labo, Tom Ford, Chanel, etc

Scent holds strength. For you, your family, your colleagues or friends, perfume can record time and create an interpersonal connection. Olfactory signals activate the brain’s limbic system, a gateway to emotions and memory, according to Harvard studies. For fashion houses like Chanel and Gucci, as well as musicians like Billie Eilish and Dolly Parton (both have launched fragrances in 2021), the fragrance is also an invisible calling card. If a fan can wear science-based merchandise, its value is obvious. So how can one navigate the many ways of creating sweet memories?

“I don’t believe people should be limited to just one scent,” explains the perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, make a case for multiple choices “to suit different occasions and moods.” Although the French have spent decades designing fragrances for brands ranging from Burberry to Jean Paul Gaultier, Kurkdjian has recently become a household name, thanks to a growing interest in the line. His Baccarat Rouge 540 eau de parfum—a blend of saffron, cedar and amber “causes unconditional love and addiction,” he says, without exaggeration. Kurkdjian read that Rihanna appreciate Rouge 540, while sheep star Noomi Rapace and designers LaQuan Smith voiced their praise. (You can also find Rapace’s NCP Olfactive perfume necklace below.) Of course, a great scent can appeal to all genders, especially when delivered by means other than a face towel. Now, the olfactory experience comes in a range of formats — an eraser scented with almonds and neroli from Astier de Villatte, a Kilian lipstick with neroli and marshmallow, an Ouai conditioner infused with bergamot and marshmallow. Sandalwood by Byredo-y Mojave Ghost—it’s easy to dip into without getting serious.

That breadth would be better for matching gifts. A business contact might appreciate a stylish fragrance; scented soaps are suitable for a relative, while highbrow hair mist (a smart swap for more expensive eau de parfums) is an inspiring idea for a member of one’s inner circle. people. “Fragrance is personal and subjective about the importance of knowing your audience well,” says Kurkdjian. When in doubt, there’s always a candle: Despite their one-size-fits-all popularity, “they can evoke fond memories,” he adds.

Matthew Harris, Jamaican born good jewelry designer behind Mateo New York, agreed. An enticing home fragrance, like the skin of a longan Agate with black veins candles, can induce the urge to “sit by the fire and feel cozy under a blanket,” he says. But that won’t stop those in fashion from wondering what intoxicating scent is pursuing his awakening. (It’s Matière Premier’s Falcon Leather eau de parfum.) “I want my scent to leave a great mark in your memory, like, ‘What’s that scent? Where did he get it? It’s so amazing! I must find it! I need to have it! ‘” Harris said. It’s frenzy to see a scent like Le Labo’s Santal 33 — at one point the de facto uniform of the creative set — reimagined by The Laundress as a laundry detergent.

All create a delicious buffet for the nose. Here are hit perfumes and unexpected scent formats to surprise and delight everyone in your life.