The 10 Best Floral Fragrances, According to Marie Claire Editors

I promise, these smell nothing like your grandma.

best floral fragrance including chloe, dioriviera, and more
(Image credit: Future)

For the longest time, I refused to wear anything in the floral fragrance family. I feared smelling stale or too pungent or offensive thanks to an overpowering swarm of rose. But oh, how wrong I was. After doing a deep dive into the world of eau de parfums, I’ve come to the conclusion that the best floral fragrances are concocted with sophistication. Some smell light, airy, and are perfect for summer. Others have a subtle sweetness that marries floral notes with fruity or gourmand hints. Many, you wouldn’t even guess have a floral composition, as woody, aquatic, and spicy notes mesh together. 

“The floral category has been a fan-favorite for a long time, but I think there are cool new iterations and formulations that give florals a new sophistication,” Ellis Brooklyn founder Bee Shapiro says. “We’ve been on a gourmand kick for so long, that fresh takes on florals feel modern. I would look for new takes on tuberose, rose, and gardenia.” Cult classics from brands like Chanel, Gucci, and Diptyque will always have a spot on the list, but newer innovations from Dior, Krigler, and Byredo are quickly gaining popularity. 

To find out which floral fragrance I, along with the rest of the Marie Claire team, deem to be the best of the best, keep reading.

What to Look For in Floral Perfumes

  • Specific Notes 

Floral notes run the gamut—you’ll find the obvious rose note in some, but you’ll also see geranium, lily of the valley, jasmine, gardenia, violet, neroli—the list goes on. The concentration and depth of each note will vary fragrance-to-fragrance. 

  • Concentration 

Pay attention to whether your fragrance is an eau de parfum or eau de toilette—it indicates how long-lasting your fragrance will be. “Alcohol really works as a carrier and disperser of scent, making it the ideal base for perfume,” Abel founder Francis Shoemack previously told us. An eau de parfum will have more perfume, less alcohol, whereas an eau de toilette will have less perfume and more alcohol, which means its scent is more fleeting. 

The Best Floral Fragrances, According to Marie Claire Editors

Samantha Holender
Beauty Editor

Samantha Holender is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.