聽https://www.fragrancex.com/Ancient Egyptian Perfume
Fragrance was of聽great importance聽in Egyptian high society. In fact, Egyptian mythology even notes the god Nefertem as being the lord of perfume. He is often depicted carrying water lilies, which were a common ingredient in ancient perfume.
Egyptians made perfume by distilling natural ingredients with non-scented oils. The most popular scents were聽floral, woodsy, and聽fruity. Incense was also used ceremonially and the聽trade of incense聽and聽myrrh聽played a large part in Egyptian international relations.
It鈥檚 said that great Egyptian leaders like Queen Cleopatra and Queen聽Hatshepsut used fragrances to scent their bodies, Wore a Different Perfume Every Day for a Month鈥擳hese 12 Earned Me Compliments
Growing up, the bottles of body sprays, lotions, butters, and eau de toilettes that lined my bathroom vanity聽were far sweeter than a dessert-filled episode of聽The Great British Baking Show.聽My rotation typically included the latest cloyingly saccharine launch from Bath & Body Works; Britney Spears’s Fantasy (or Curious); a pure-sugar scent that, not surprisingly, was called Pink Sugar; and anything else my collection of glossy magazines like聽Seventeen,聽CosmoGirl, and聽Teen Vogue聽was advertising. If it smelled like a frosted bakehouse cookie with sprinkles or the Cinnabon stand at the mall, I was鈥攚ithout a doubt鈥攚earing it.
I’ll always love unapologetically sweet scents, but now,聽my tastes have graduated聽to fragrance blends that are聽warm and woodsy or grounded with spices, leathers, or聽classic florals. That said, signature sweet notes like vanilla are often at the heart of my all-time-favorite perfumes. They’re just far less overpowering. Being a beauty editor and all,聽I always have an聽overflowing stock of聽perfumes, so I decided to start a little experiment聽earlier this聽year. Instead of sticking to my normal trajectory of聽signature fragrances, I went on a perfume-wearing spree, if you will,聽in which I wore a different scent every day for about of month, taking note of which formulas I liked best and which blends won me the most questions, comments, and compliments. In review, I noticed something intriguing: The top聽12 scents all had a common, not-so-secret ingredient, vanilla聽(a result that very much proved my hypothesis that vanilla is still relevant post鈥搒eventh grade and outside the kitchen).
Below, I’m sharing the top聽12 fragrances I’m currently obsessed with and which never failed to earn me compliments from strangers and loved ones alike. Keep scrolling! The best vanilla perfumes聽lie just ahead.
Key fragrance notes:聽black pepper, juniper berries, leather accord, orris, violet, black amber, patchouli, and vanilla
Meet the Byredo fragrance you’ve never heard of but absolutely need on your radar. I realize describing a scent as “intoxicating”聽might sound dramatic, but I’m seriously so addicted to this enveloping mix of black pepper, leather, patchouli, and vanilla, which, in retrospect, is pretty amazing since I would never classify myself as a lover of peppery scents. This is a deliciously smooth and velvety perfume that’s sweet enough to feel elegant and lovely but complex enough not to feel basic or like anything you wore back in junior high. In fact, I love it聽so much I keep the聽Hair Perfume聽($78) on my nightstand at all times. I feel like people in L.A. don’t like to ask “what are you wearing?” (the fear of seeming uncool or tryhard-y), but it’s a no-fail occurrence whenever I’m wearing this Byredo scent and this Byredo scent alone.
Key fragrance notes:聽bergamot, juniper berries, lemon, pepper, incense, orris, pine needle, amber, sandalwood, and vanilla
Key fragrance notes:聽ambrette, magnolia, sandalwood, violet, cedarwood, chantilly musk, and crisp amber
Key fragrance notes:聽amber, musk, patchouli, red fruits, and vanilla
Fun fact: This best-selling fragrance from iconic perfume house Krigler has been worn by many members of Hollywood (and historical) royalty and was Jackie Onassis’s signature scent. I know I just said that I’m not usually a patchouli type of gal, but this is another exception just because of how gorgeous it is. Though it聽is聽sweet, the amber, musk, and patchouli ground any overt saccharine notes from the vanilla and red fruits, and it basically transforms into the most sophisticated version of the scents you聽might have loved when you were younger, like Britney Spears’s Fantasy. It’s sweet, spicy, woody, and definitely one of the best vanilla perfumes money can buy.
Key fragrance notes:聽aldehyde, geranium, musk, rose, and violet
Key fragrance notes:聽grapefruit, jasmine, neroli, orange blossom, white flowers, white musk, and ylang-ylang
Key fragrance notes:聽pepper essence, orange flower petals, patchouli, cypriol, tonka bean absolute, vanilla, cedarwood, and vetiver
I’ve always been a huge fan of Maison Margiela’s lovely line of eau de toilettes, Replica, and one of the latest releases is this yummy (but far from clich茅) mix of coffee, pepper, vanilla, orange, and cedarwood. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever聽smelled before, and the compliments have been coming in hot ever since I added it into my regular arsenal of fragrances. According to the brand, it’s supposed to evoke the warm and comforting feeling of a coffee shop鈥攃reamy, escapist (especially in the middle of winter), and savory with hints of sweetness reminiscent of pastries. It’s a truly dreamy scent that deserves your attention.
Key fragrance notes:聽aquatic accord, coriander, and red seaweed essence
Key fragrance notes:聽pear accord, lily of the valley accord, and musks
Key fragrance notes:聽orange blossom, honeysuckle, rose, vanilla, and luscious marshmallow
While the combination of vanilla and marshmallow might sound too sweet to handle, trust me鈥攊t’s not. This is Rihanna’s signature scent, and the earthy, fruity hits of orange and neroli give it a juicy and robust finish. I never wear it without receiving a compliment, and it’s by far one of the best “grown-up” vanilla perfumes on my vanity. You’ll be obsessed.
Key fragrance notes:聽apricot, orange blossom, rose, tuberose absolute, jasmine, and narcissus
Key fragrance notes:聽ambrette seeds, almond milk, iris, and musk
Key fragrance notes:聽black coffee, white flowers, and vanilla
Maybe I’m partial to this classic YSL scent because it’s truly wonderful if you’re after something vanilla but still very, very chic, or maybe I’m partial because it’s Zo毛 Kravitz’s favorite scent. Or more likely, it’s a combination of the two. I love this fragrance because it manages to feel both light and mysterious at the same time. It’s not too conventional, but it’s also not too complicated. I keep it on my desk for those mornings when I need a jolt of confidence.
Key fragrance notes:聽lavender essence, orange blossom, and musk accord
Key fragrance notes:聽strawberry, raspberry, bergamot, pear, orange flower, jasmine, white peony, patchouli, white musk, cedarwood, and crystal moss
Key fragrance notes:聽violet, neroli, freesia, jasmine, vanilla, coco musk, and sandalwood
Henry Rose (Michelle Pfeiffer’s the founder!) is the newest, chicest, most important line of fine fragrances you need to know about. In total,聽it now聽has six truly breathtaking scents, and Queens & Monsters is the latest installment. I’ve been astounded at the attention it’s garnered at the office when I spritz it at my desk. It’s a woody perfume thanks to sandalwood, but it gets a fresh, creamy sweetness from smooth additions like violet, vanilla, cocomusk, and freesia. It’s gorgeous, and like all of Henry Rose’s fragrances, it’s聽verified聽by the Environmental Working Group and聽certified聽by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. The brand is also known for聽its 100% ingredient transparency聽and the fact that聽its fragrances are free of all endocrine disruptors, parabens, phthalates, and carcinogens.
Key fragrance notes:聽vanilla and vetiver
Key fragrance notes:聽musk and honeyed neroli
Key fragrance notes:聽citrus, rose, jasmine, white musk, and vanilla
This is literally one of my favorite perfumes of all time, and pretty much everyone who I’ve hugged while wearing this fragrance has agreed. It’s been my signature ever since its launch, and the fact that Zendaya (my hero) is the face of this mix of vanilla, jasmine, citrus, and musk makes it perfect. I’ve always been a Lanc么me stan (in addition to Chanel鈥攎y mom wore a few of聽its staple scents), so it’s a warm and fuzzy line of fragrances that聽is only punctuated with this sweet aroma.
Key fragrance notes:聽apricot blossom, rose, lilac, iris, peach, amber, sandalwood, musk, and vanilla
Key fragrance notes:聽iris, patchouli, praline, and vanilla
Key fragrance notes:聽exotic woods, black amber, patchouli, night-blooming jasmine, and vanilla orchid
Honestly, I love almost every single perfume from Nest (Wild Poppy, Black Tulip Indigo, and Blue Wysteria are my other standouts), but this one, Midnight Fleur, won me the most questions and compliments. It’s dark, pretty, and woodsy but not overly earthy or piney, which I appreciate.
Key fragrance notes:聽pear, raspberry, apricot, jasmine, and Rose de Grasse
