The 7 Best Neroli Perfumes Feel Like an Eternal Summer and Are Perfect for Layering
The ideal scent to combat those seasonal blues.
As a lover of all things that smell good, I sometimes completely hyperfixate on specific notes. Orris, Iris, vanilla—it’s like one day I’m going about my business and then bam, a new obsession is randomly unlocked. That is exactly what is happening to me right now with neroli, and if you love white florals, lock in with me for the next few minutes.
“Neroli is a beautiful essence that is derived from the orange blossom,” Aymar de Chergé, the Vice President of Marketing at Parfums de Marly, tells me. “It's a floral essence that brings a very solar vibe to a perfume to convey a kind of very sunny, uplifting feeling.”
While I would traditionally stick to neroli scents in the hotter summer months, I’ve been expanding my understanding of white florals as a category, and I’ve discovered that many of the scents I am drawn to have that citrus-leaning neroli note I can’t get enough of. Plus, depending on the fragrance's composition, neroli can be worn year-round for an elevated, intentional take on the clean-smelling perfumes we already know and love.
Of course, I have been on the hunt for the best neroli fragrances on the market, and if I can toot my own horn, I think I’ve found an incredible list. So if you’re also on your own neroli kick, keep reading to shop the best of the best on the market, from a beauty writer who has access to it all.
The Best Neroli Perfumes
- Best Neroli Perfume Overall: Tom Ford Neroli Portofino
- Best Floral Neroli Perfume: Parfums de Marly Athénaïs
- Best Designer Neroli Perfume: Prada Infusion d'Iris Eau de Parfum
- Best Neroli Eau de Toilette: L’Occitane Néroli Orchidée Eau de Toilette
- Best Neroli Perfume Oil: Cyklar Naked Neroli Roll-On Perfume Oil
- Best Luxury Neroli Perfume: Van Cleef & Arpels Neroli Amara Eau de Parfum
- Best Neroli Fragrance Mist: Salt & Stone Neroli & Basil Body and Hair Fragrance Mist
Best Neroli Perfume Overall
An icon. A legend. The moment. Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino has been a beauty editor staple for so long that I would be hard-pressed to find one of us that doesn’t have a bottle. This scent is vacation in a bottle: neroli, Italian bergamot, and Sicilian lemon combine to create a scent akin to a pit stop at an orange grove in the middle of the Mediterranean, and I live for it.
Review: “I’ve been using this scent for a week. I must say that never have I felt happiness from the smell of a fragrance alone. This is sunshine in a bottle. I’m obsessed, addicted, and can’t get enough of the smell. I’m buying the biggest bottle on my next purchase.” — Sephora
Best Floral Neroli Perfume
If I could describe any neroli perfume as being fit for a princess, it’d be this one. Athénaïs is a neroli note done to perfection, especially for anyone who loves a more amber-leaning take on the scent. Jasmine, Orange flower, tonka bean—those are only a few of the key notes in this fragrance, so you can only imagine how incredibly it will project off the skin, all while highlighting the delicious citrus portion of the composition.
Review: “I have a few of Marly’s fragrances and love them, but this one has become my absolute favorite. Received it as a sample with a fragrance purchase and had to have it!” — Macy's
Best Designer Neroli Perfume
In a world where two of my favorite floral notes live in harmony, Prada’s Infusion d’Iris is the place to find them. Iris, neroli, and mandarin are the stars of the show, and the scent is as uplifting and effervescent as you’re imagining. It’s a formula that stands on its own beautifully, but when I layer it with another neroli scent, the scent cloud that envelops me is always bar none.
Review: “When I first sprayed it on paper, it opened up very citrus-like with a bit of iris, but it quickly transforms into the most comforting powdery, soapy scent. I would wear this every day in a heartbeat; get it!” — Sephora
Best Neroli Eau de Toilette
L’Occitane is legendary, and you've probably heard of the brand because of its delicious shower oil, which has gone viral too many times to count. The brand’s scented universe is expansive, and it also includes this fantastic eau de toilette that beautifully spotlights the solar qualities of neroli. This delicate EDT composition features lemon, white orchid, vanilla, and, of course, neroli, and it’s fantastic to wear to bed or lounge around in without overwhelming the senses as some stronger scents can.
Review: “Such a beautiful sensual scent, especially layered over the body lotion. Just makes you feel wonderful and so fresh.” — L’Occitane
Best Neroli Perfume Oil
Cyklar has no misses, so of course the brand’s Naked Neroli oil made the list. Sandalwood, musk, and neroli are delicious notes on their own, but there’s something to be said about the fact that this is an oil fragrance; that specific modality, to me, makes this scent bloom on the skin once it interacts with your body heat, and the resulting scent is effervescent but still restrained, perfect for someone who prefers a more intimate scent bubble.
Review: “All the fragrances from this brand are good, but this one was my favorite. I ended up buying two for my (male) friend and myself because we both liked it so much in the store. I love the bottle too!” — Sephora
Best Luxury Neroli Perfume
Van Cleef & Arpels fragrances don't get enough hype, and I am here to fix that. Neroli Amara has notes of bergamot, mandarin, black pepper, and orange blossom, and the resulting composition is fresh, clean, and a little green. It’s the perfect clean girl scent if you ask me.
Review: “Such an amazing clean scent. It never fails; every time I wear it, I get compliments left to right. Thank you to the amazing sales rep for putting me on.” — Bloomingdales
Best Neroli Fragrance Mist
Want more of a mist-and-go moment? Salt & Stone’s Neroli and Basil is perfect to throw into your gym or travel bag, especially if you need to hit multiple events or meetings in one day. Super-chic glass bottle aside, basil, French lavender, and shiso leaf combine with the hero neroli note for a scent that’s fresh, clean, and almost a little green (think sap from a freshly picked leaf).
Review: “This is a great, fresh fragrance. I'm really impressed with its staying power, especially for a body mist. It easily lasts all day on me. The glass bottle feels very luxurious and high-quality. The scent is clean and soothing.” — Sephora
What Are the Best Notes to Pair With Neroli?
The best part about the world of perfumery is that your nose is your ultimate guide, so whatever concoction you come up with when playing around with your neroli perfumes is yours to treasure. However, a few notes pair beautifully with neroli, especially if you want to enhance the green, citrus facets already present in the note.
“I love neroli with bergamot and petitgrain when I want something crisp and effortlessly polished,” influencer and the founder of the niche fragrance house, Influxious, Funmi Monet, tells me. “Jasmine brings out its floral side, while soft musks give it that beautiful, fresh skin feeling.”
That said, Monet is a big fan of pairing neroli with sandalwood, vanilla, or amber, especially for a headier concoction that is almost guaranteed to turn heads. “Those combinations are where it gets especially interesting for me,” she adds. “Those warmer notes give the brightness of neroli a soft, sensual backdrop. You get the freshness, but there’s something underneath that makes you want to lean in closer.”
How to Wear Neroli Perfumes All Year
Neroli is decidedly a note that absolutely shines in the summer. Still, that doesn’t mean that’s the only season you can wear it in. “With any solar notes, including tiare flower, ylang-ylang, neroli, and others, if you want to wear them year-round, try combining them with amber accords, vanilla, tonka bean, woods, and more,” Chergé says. “The beauty is in the tension between the scent families that you opt to layer. The combination of the depth, warmth, and freshness transcends seasonality.”
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Meet the Experts
Funmi Monet is a content creator and the founder of the fragrance brand Influxious.
Aymar de Chergé is the Vice President of Marketing at Parfums de Marly.
