The 10 Best Bergamot Perfumes Are for Anyone Who Wants to Smell Ridiculously Expensive
Floral, gourmand, woody—this fragrance does it all.
I must admit, when it comes to fragrances, bergamot is one of those scents I've always heard about but never really understood. The small citrus fruit is mostly used as an essential oil and is best known for giving Earl Grey its unique bitter flavor. It’s also popular in the fragrance world, so it’s no surprise there are so many of bergamot perfumes on the market. “What makes perfumers love it is that it isn’t a simple citrus,” Kevin Keller, co-founder of Fulton & Roark, tells Marie Claire. “Lemon is sharp, and orange is sweet. Bergamot also has a soft, floral, slightly bitter quality.”
Bergamot’s complexity makes it versatile—it's used not only in citrus perfumes but also in floral scents, woody fragrances, and even gourmands—and it makes the perfect top note. “A great bergamot fragrance offers some brightness on top, then gives it something to push against as it dries down: woods, moss, resin, or musk,” says Keller. In fact, Keller explains that most bergamot perfumes use the fruit as a top note: “Bergamot on its own is lovely but fleeting. The best compositions make the bergamot note feel like the opening line rather than the full story.” Belnu co-founder Darcy Moore notes, adding, “The best bergamot perfumes balance its natural brightness with notes that give it contrast and texture. That sparkling citrus quality works beautifully with something richer, like tea, florals, woods, or aromatic notes.”
With that in mind, finding the best bergamot perfume can be tricky because the top note tends to dissipate first. Luckily, I tried and tested every bergamot perfume I could get my hands on to bring you the 10 best bergamot perfumes across all categories. Whether you like a floral scent or a more musky gourmand, there’s a bergamot perfume for you. Just remember to please spray responsibly.
The Best Bergamot Perfumes
- Best Bergamot Perfume Overall: Acqua di Parma Colonia Il Profumo Millesimato Eau de Parfum
- Best Citrus Bergamot Perfume: GRANADO Citrus Brasilis Eau de Parfum
- Best Long-Lasting Bergamot Perfume: Chloé Le Nectar Parfum Intense
- Best Fresh Bergamot Perfume: Fulton & Roark Fulton Extrait De Parfum
- Best Bergamot Hair and Body Mist: Salt & Stone Bergamot & Hinoki Body and Hair Fragrance Mist
Best Bergamot Perfume Overall
“Acqua di Parma sets the standard for use of citrus,” says Keller. The brand’s Colonia II Profumo puts a modern spin on their OG citrus fragrance, Colonia Eau de Cologne. It opens with top notes of Italian bergamot, grapefruit, blood orange, and petitgrain, followed by middle notes of rosemary, ylang-ylang, and orange leaves absolute. Base notes of vetiver and patchouli round out the scent, adding body to the citrus perfume. If you want a classic citrus scent that packs a punch, this is the one.
Review: “This scent is fresh, intense, and citrusy. It’s not one of those soft fragrances, this one is noticeable from a distance. Perfect if you like perfumes that make a statement.” — Bluemercury
Best Citrus Bergamot Perfume
It’s like your favorite citrus perfume and your favorite floral perfume had a clean-smelling baby. Top notes of mandarin, lemon, and bergamot create a bright, sharp opening; mid notes of mint, jasmine, and kumquat add some sweet floral touches; and base notes of musk, violet leaves, and patchouli make for a long-lasting scent.
Review: “Absolutely lovely, such a wonderful citrus, and develops beautifully into the jasmine and musk.” — Nordstrom
Best Long-Lasting Bergamot Perfume
Chloé’s Le Nectar Parfum Intense opens with a fresh bergamot top note, amplified by heart notes of orange absolute, néroli essential oil, and rose absolute. Base notes of patchouli essential oil and tonka absolute anchor the citrusy scent, creating a bright, gourmand fragrance that leans sweet without being overly sugary. I love this one because, while the bergamot top note does fade rather quickly, the tonka absolute and patchouli essential oil base notes last all day long.
Review: “An absolutely GORGEOUS floral fragrance! Chloe perfumes have NEVER let me down!!! Every single one that has come out, has been a banger. I feel and smell like a rich aristocrat.” — Sephora
Best Fresh Bergamot Perfume
This scent from Fulton & Roark is the perfect everyday perfume because it’s fresh and fragrant without being overwhelming. Top notes of bergamot, cloudberry, pink pepper, and pear leaves give it a fruity opening, while mid notes of oak chips, verbena, tonka bean, and lavender add depth, as do the base notes of cedarwood, tree moss, and amber woods. According to Keller, the scent was “inspired by a springtime bike ride through the Tennessee woods.” The Fulton & Roark co-founder adds that the opening notes are meant to evoke “the breeze and dappled sunlight“ of a day out.
Review: “Roark’s Cove immediately stood out as my favorite in the Fulton & Roark Discovery Collection. It’s effortlessly clean, fresh, and sophisticated without smelling like a typical perfume. The bright bergamot opening is crisp and inviting, while the lavender, moss, and woods create a soft, elegant dry-down that stays close to the skin. It has that “you smell amazing” quality without overpowering a room.” — Fulton and Roark
Best Bergamot Hair and Body Mist
If you prefer a lighter fragrance, try Salt & Stone’s Bergamot & Hinoki body and hair mist. The fragrance opens with top notes of Italian bergamot and grapefruit, and the clean citrus scent is amplified by heart notes of hinoki and vetiver, plus base notes of eucalyptus, amber, and orange blossom. I love this for days when I want a pure, bright, citrusy scent. Pro tip: Salt & Stone also offers various body care products with the same scent, so you can amplify the intensity by adding the Bergamot & Hinoki deodorant or body oil to your routine.
Review: “I absolutely love the Salt & Stone Bergamot & Hinoki fragrance! It has such a clean, fresh, elevated scent without being overpowering. It smells luxurious and sophisticated, but still light enough for everyday wear. I love that it has a warm, slightly woodsy feel mixed with the freshness of bergamot—it’s a really nice balance.” — Amazon
Best Gourmand Bergamot Perfume
I have the solid perfume version of Tocca’s Laila eau de parfum, and every time I open the compact, I immediately get a whiff of a tropical paradise. The fragrance opens with top notes of green mandarin, bergamot, desert rain accord, and then slowly settles with mid notes of jasmine nectar, lily of the valley, and cardamom blossom, and base notes of toasted vanilla, white woods, and golden amber. The result is a yummy gourmand scent that will make you feel like you’re on a tropical vacation.
Review: “My coworker had this on and she smelled amazing. After finding out what scent it was I quickly updated my next order to include this. As soon as I spritzed it on my wrist, I knew it would forever be my favorite. Sweetly good and bold enough for people to notice but not be overpowering. I get compliments from family and strangers every day. I'm so in love!” — Tocca
Best Bergamot Perfume Oil
A bergamot perfume oil is the perfect purchase for anyone who wants to experiment with layering fragrances because it gives other perfumes something to stick to, helping them last longer. This one from Cyklar smells great on its own—with top notes of bergamot and lavender, mid notes of bamboo, peony, and verbena, and base notes of musks, cashmere woods, and amber—but also acts as a great base for other perfumes. Plus, the bottle is small enough to fit in any purse, and the roller ball makes for quick and easy application throughout the day.
Review: “Fresh, delicious, scrumptious; can’t get enough of Bergamot Bond!!” — Cyklar
Best Solid Bergamot Perfume
The NOYZ Only Human fragrance is a gourmand scent that opens with pink pepper and Italian bergamot, with mid notes of waterlily and bamboo, and base notes of vanilla bean, ambroxan, and cedarwood. I like this solid perfume version because it comes in a tube, making for a no-mess application.
Review: “Long-lasting and smells amazing! perfect for applying perfume in public in case people are sensitive to sprays!” — NOYZ
Best Floral Bergamot Perfume
Armani Beauty’s My Way eau de parfum is a classic floral scent that feels both fresh and a bit powdery. The fragrance opens with notes of bergamot and orange blossom, which puts a nice twist on the floral mid notes of tuberose and jasmine, as well as the base notes of cedarwood, vanilla, and white musks. This is a bit of a bolder fragrance that lingers throughout the day, but the bergamot note does evaporate pretty quickly.
Review: “This product is literally the best perfume I’ve ever smelled in my life. it has this beautiful floral scent that will last you all day long.” — Sephora
Best Fruity Bergamot Perfume
If you’re looking for a fruity scent that’s not too sweet, Merit Beauty’s Retrospect fragrance is worth a try. Not only is the bottle gorgeous, the fresh scent is bright and vibrant, but not overpowering. The perfume opens with fruity top notes of bergamot, pear, ambrette, and aldehydes, paired with mid-floral notes of jasmine, rose, rosemary, violet, and orris, and base notes of vanilla, musk, and moss. I love that it smells like fresh fruit without being overly sweet.
Review: “This scent is SO stunning. You know when you smell a perfume that just gives off a vibe like, this is expensive? That’s what this one always leaves me thinking. It smells rich without being overwhelming.” — Sephora
What Does Bergamot Smell Like?
If you’ve ever had a good cup of Earl Grey tea, you’ll probably recognize the smell of bergamot. “Imagine a cross between a lemon and a bitter orange, then soften the edges and add a touch of floral and herbaceous elements,” Keller describes. “It’s bright, but not sour, fresh, but a little bittersweet, and it has an elegance that other citrus notes don’t.”
Meanwhile, Moore describes the bergamot scent as citrusy, but “much more nuanced than simply smelling like lemon or orange.” Moore continues, adding that bergamot “has a fresh, slightly crisp quality with subtle floral and aromatic facets that make it feel much more sophisticated than most fruit notes.”
What Other Scents Pair Well With Bergamot?
“Bergamot is incredibly versatile, which is one reason you’ll find it in so many iconic fragrances,” says Moore. “It’s beautiful with black tea notes, florals like rose and geranium, or herbs like sage and lavender.” Both Moore and Keler like fragrances that use bergamot to add a bright top note to a woody base, though Keler notes his favorite complementary notes are “spices like pink pepper, black pepper, and ginger.”
Both Moore and Keler also agree that the best bergamot scents often feature contrasting notes. “The best bergamot perfumes balance its natural brightness with notes that give it contrast and texture,” Moore explains. “That sparkling citrus quality works beautifully with something richer, like tea, florals, woods, or aromatic notes.” The combinations truly are endless.
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Meet the Experts
Kevin Keller is the co-founder of Fulton & Roark, a brand that is aiming to be the American Fine Fragrance brand. The brand specializes in fragrances inspired by specific experiences and places across the United States.
Darcy Moore co-founded Belnu, a vegan fragrance brand specializing in clean, plant-derived scents. All Belnu fragrances are made without known allergens or animal products to be vegan and sensitive skin friendly.
