The 20 Best Perfumes of 2023, According to Marie Claire Editors

“My ultimate goal in life is to consistently smell like a rich auntie. I’m not talking crisp dollar bills, but rather, a sophisticated woman laced with a scent that's hard to recognize, but yet, so familiar. You know, the smell of a confident, well-traveled human. That's the vibes I get everytime I spritz Guidance. The notes of pear, almond milk, and frankincense are so addictive; I will absolutely wear it for seasons to come.” — Deena Campbell, Beauty Director 

"I have smelled this fragrance on myself, family, and friends. It smells different on everyone and yet is universally crowd-pleasing. The name would indicate a musky, masculine aura, but let me assure you: That's not what you're in for. It's earthy—yes. But it's not antiquated or stuffy in the slightest. Instead, a few spritzes will envelop you with a freshness brought on by jasmine and fig. I will say—it's intense. This is a scent you wear if you want someone to know you're entering a room." —Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor

“I'll get straight to the point: I'm nuts about this scent. D.S. & Durga's Pistachio is a nuanced blend of vanilla, cardamom, and patchouli, with the top note being, of course, the titular little nut. It's untraditional and fresh yet simultaneously familiar and comforting—like eating a big scoop of pistachio gelato while on vacation. Initially introduced as a limited edition, the cult-adored brand recently upgraded the perfume to a full-time forever favorite—which is excellent news for me because I no longer have to ration out my spritzes carefully!” — Emma Childs, Style Editor 

"Spraying a Chanel fragrance historically evokes a certain type of joy—and that's exactly what you can expect from the luxury brand's latest launch. While not (yet) as recognizable as the iconic Chanel No. 5, this fresh and citrusy blend has the makings of a signature scent. The picturesque bottle houses a complex scent complete with hints of citrus and a. tinge of jasmine. It's soft and fruity while sideswiping sweetness, resulting in a mature and sophisticated combination that sparks joy." — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor

"Redefining lavender is not an easy feat: The ingredient has a reputation—one that's a little stuffy and overly powdery. Alas, Le Labo succeeded at giving the sweet-smelling floral a revamp. Their latest launch, Lavande 31, is, in contrast to its main ingredient, light and airy. With a hint of citrusy bergamot and the warmth accompanied by a note of neroli, the fragrance is surprisingly balanced. Another twist? The eau de parfum is subtle, all while maintaining its persistent staying power. Only those close enough to your wrist will have the pleasure of getting a whiff, but it's depth remains the same at all hours of the day." — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor

"By now, you know that vanilla fragrances are here to stay. They've been on the up and up for the better part of the year, and continue to impress me with the complexity and depth of their composition. Take this D.S. & Durga fragrance for example. It's managed to distill the warmth of vanilla without any hint of sweetness. Instead, I feel comforted, mature, and mysterious when I spray this on my skin. It does change and adapt on the skin, with different notes dominating over the course of a few hours. Through it all however, the intensity remains." — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor

"This new fragrance has a fascinating story. The spark notes: The brand used biotech to reverse engineer an extinct flower and harness its scent. While there are six different perfumes in the range, the Reclaimed Flame is my personal favorite. It used a DNA sample of Leucadendron grandiflorum, a species that once flowered on the Western Cape of South Africa. Despite the flower itself not being around since 1960, this blend, which mixes geranium, bergamot, grapefruit, and chamomille (among others), brings the scent profile back to life." — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor

"As the name indicates, this sensual fragrance has a primal edge. With base notes including tobacco leaves, amber, and sandalwood, you can expect a lingering scent reminiscent of raw emotion. That in mind, this eau de parfum isn't entirely rough or masculine. Citruses, suede, and hints of floral round out the complex identity. In the end, you're left with a fragrance that is equal parts fresh and mysterious. I personally like to reserve this particular scent for special occasions or big nights out." — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor

“While *technically* a cologne, I find this fragrance to be perfectly unisex—in fact, I’ve been wearing it on repeat since it launched. It’s fresh at its core with notes thoughtfully selected to remind you of being by the water on a sunny day. Think: A breath of fresh air. The refreshing scent comes together via the combination of Verbena accord, a newly designed note with the intention to illicit the energy of citrus-y green leaves, as well as sweet fennel, and bergamont. It’s been my go-to for casual summer days.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor 

“I’ll be honest: I was skeptical of this scent at first. One of the main scent profiles is cotton candy—and I try to avoid smelling overly sweet. But from the second I got a whiff of the blend in the bottle, I was hooked. It’s not a childish, carnival-esque scent, but rather an elevated and appropriately sweet blend that balanced by warm vanilla and a hint of coconut. It’s right in line with the vanilla fragrance trend, which judging by this new launch, is still going strong through mid-summer.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor 

“I like smelling fragrance as much as the next beauty editor, but very rarely does one make it into my very tight edit of everyday scents. Enter: Dioriviera, my new summer staple. It’s the brainchild of Francis Kurkdjian and takes inspiration from the south of France and Paris. It falls into the fruity floral family, with notes of fig and rose. It’s a light scent, so I find myself spraying on more than I do with other scents. Despite its soft profile, I continuously get stopped on the street by strangers asking what I’m wearing.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor 

“With an aquatic-meets-fruity-meets-amber profile, Loewe’s Aire instantly transports me to a dock somewhere with a clear blue body of water. It feels feminine thanks to notes of pear, peony, sandalwood, and rhubarb, but doesn’t err on the floral side. It’s light, refreshing, and clean to its core, making it perfect for summer. It’s one of my go-tos for days when I don’t want an overpowering or intense scent—it’s one of those options that every single person in your orbit will enjoy.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor 

“This fragrance truly brings me back to my history major roots: Inspired by 18th century French beauty, this scent features a number of sweet top notes including mandarin and white peach, which are balanced out by warmer, woodier base notes like vanilla and akigalawood. I know it’ll be my go-to when I’m in the mood to indulge, or when I’m trying to channel my inner queen.” — Gabrielle Ulubay, E-Commerce Writer 

“When you think of a vanilla fragrance, it’s easy to let your mind go straight to the middle school iteration that was the personification of a cupcake. But per our 2023 fragrance trend report, vanilla is back—and with a major upgrade. Take this Eau So scent, which is one of my new favorites. It definitely has a strong profile, but errs more warm and creamy than sweet. All I need is two little sprays (one of my wrist and one on my neck) and I get stopped on the street all day long.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor 

“Historically, most of Ellis Brooklyn’s perfumes have been genderless, unisex, and rode a middle ground in the fragrance world. But their newest launch? It’s anything but—it goes all in on the floral front. Tuberose takes center stage and lays the groundwork for an uber-feminine scent. To make sure the perfume felt modern and not grandma-esque, the heavy floral was balanced out with a bit of citrus and sweetness thanks to Italian bergamot and honeysuckle. Think of it like this: It’s the bottle you want to reach for on a beautiful spring day spent in the sun.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor 

“We launched an incredible new scent that has quickly become my go to: Pause. It is a restorative fragrance created to center, balance, and calm the mind and body during hormonal change. A confident, textured floral scent, violet leaf is mood-stabilizing, mimosa is known to support hormone balance, narcissus promotes deep sleep, and Hay offers tranquility. Pause allows us all to take a moment to reset and restore when we need it most.” — Frances Shoemack, Founder of Abel

“On days when I’m wildly stressed out, this fragrance doubles as a moment of zen. It’s super light and aquatic, quite literally serving as a breath of fresh air. There’s a base of cedarwood and patchouli, but from the second I spray it, I get hyper fixated on the jasmine and hint of basil. In sum: It’s peaceful and refreshing. One of the best facets though boils down to the packaging. Both the box this little guy comes in, along with the bottle itself, are recyclable.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor 

“Florals aren’t always my thing, which is why I was wildly surprised by how much I loved this Guerlain drop. It’s heavy on the jasmine—in fact, it’s the star of the show. Perfumers sourced the ingredient from three different regions—India, Calabria, and Grasse—in an effort to highlight the complexity of the fruity floral that almost bears resemblance to orange blossom. That said, jasmine isn’t the sole note; it’s punctuated by a hint of rose, violet, and iris to create a powdery undertone.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor 

“If you haven’t caught on by now, fruity florals are having a bit of a moment this year. And nobody strikes the balances between citrus and sweet better than Jo Malone. The brand just dropped four limited-edition scents, but this particular eau de parfum holds a special place in my heart. It’s light and airy and bears no resemblance to a field of roses, which in my humble opinion, sets it apart from the pack. The woody notes are virtually undetectable and the end result makes me smell fresh and the appropriate amount of tangy.” — Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor