If PerfumeTok hasn’t taken over your algorithm yet, you’re missing the fount of videos where collectors round up seemingly spell-casting scents. “Perfumes that will get you compliments” is a major theme—who wouldn’t want to spritz on a little adulation? But, what exactly are these compliments?
We took the liberty of filling in the blank with Fall’s fresh crop of fragrances. Here, the best new perfumes that will get you compliments, and exactly what type of praise you can anticipate, because we like to choose our fragrance—and flattery—wisely.
Merit’s first foray into fragrance reflects the minimalist-yet-totally-put-together vibe the brand is known for. Notes of bergamot and pear blend with aldehydes, jasmine and rose—the effect is slightly nostalgic but in a way that’s tricky to pin. It’s also made of nearly 30 per cent fragrance oil, for a scent that sticks around all day. Housed in an utterly sleek gold-capped bottle inspired by modernist jewellery, this scent is the perfect addition to any thoughtfully designed powder room.
Herbaceous is the name of the game for Aussie brand Aesop’s newest perfume, which takes inspiration from Mediterranean orchards and green tea steeped with figs. It’s fresh and uplifting, with notes that mimic that warm drink (green-citrus petitgrain, bitter galbanum, pink pepper and more). So Virēre, which means “to be full of life” in Latin, is an apt reflection of your surely flourishing foliage. After the initial dry down, its base of hay and cedar leave you with lingering warmth.
A new take on Glossier’s OG scent You, which is a PerfumeTok mainstay, Doux gives off that mysterious je ne sais quoi energy. You know, the roll-out-of-bed-with-zero-makeup-and-messy-hair-but-still-looks-incredible type. Building on the same musky ambrette and woody ambrox base as its older sister, this iteration taps violet, Palo Santo (think: Le Labo’s Santal 33), frankincense and myrrh for a touch of spice. The result is a floral woody musk that will elevate even the most understated of ensembles.
Some people just have an eye for spotting one-of-a-kind treasures, and Gucci’s latest scent is that talent distilled into fragrance form. Inside the cheeky yellow bottle is what the fashion brand describes as an ozonic floral gourmand. It pairs comforting vanilla with cool aquatic notes to create a quirky blend that’s nothing short of completely fabulous.
Leave it to Hermès to give quiet luxury a scent. Named after a special type of leather used by the French fashion house, Barénia’s bottle is an homage to the Collier de Chien bracelet (a.k.a. a dog collar bracelet). It’s the brand’s first Chypre—a scent category that marries contrasting citrus and mossy notes—and the juice fuses butterfly lily and miracle berry with patchouli and oak. The combo conveys impeccable taste, and for those of us who are nowhere close to affording a Birkin, it lets us in on the fantasy, just a little bit.
This decadent scent will have onlookers sniffing you out from across a crowded restaurant. Notes of rose centifolia (a variety of the thorny flower that’s green and aromatic), rich cocoa and earthy oud play off one another to create a floral gourmand that’s captivating, not cloying. A few spritzes and suddenly it seems like your dessert-making skills could rival Claire Saffitz in the kitchen.
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