If you’ve ever spent any time in one, then you’re aware that Ulta is quite literally a beauty gold mine. Anything and everything you could ever want in the beauty realm—chances are, you can find it at Ulta. While you might not think of the retailer as a fragrance destination, there are tons of hidden gems on its shelves.
In fact, there are some perfumes at Ulta that you can’t even find anywhere else. I recently found myself in a rabbit hole in Ulta’s fragrance section and was amazed by how many hidden gems there are. With that, I tasked our beauty team with finding their absolute favorite fragrances from Ulta that they’d recommend to anyone and everyone. Keep reading for our top picks and why we love them.
Like clockwork, every year around this time, I start absolutely itching for warmer weather. When I start wishing for higher temps, I always reach for this fragrance to tide me over. To me, this is summer in a bottle—it perfectly encapsulates frothy waves, sandy beaches, and blooming florals thanks to notes like violet leaves, Tahitian tiare, magnolia, ylang-ylang, and sandalwood.
In our Deep Reviews test for best perfumes, this sweet scent stood out as a clear winner. Though it has sweeter notes like créme de coconut, lavender blossom, and bergamot help mellow it out, rendering it extremely wearable.
This is Dior’s latest take on the iconic J’adore perfume. This one is alcohol-free and water-based, resulting in the most fresh-smelling soft floral. This blend of jasmine, magnolia, and neroli is absolutely magnetic without leaning powdery at all.
“This is one of my all-time favorite scents. I literally always receive compliments when I wear it, so it definitely sits in my top five rotation! It’s creamy and light with a hint of jasmine and vanilla that just smells so incredibly delicious. Not going to lie, I snagged it because I heard Adele wears it and she has impeccable taste.”
“Dylan Blue is such a fruity, crisp, and clean scent. Although the top notes of apple, blackcurrant, and rose are quite sweet, the base has a little more oomph to it with woodier notes like styrax white and smooth woods. I love wearing this one on a night out.”
“I’ve been obsessed with this fragrance since its launch last year. The floral notes in it are so rich and the creamy base of bourbon vanilla just really gets me every time. I think it has easily been my most-worn perfume for the past six months.”
“This beautiful Tom Ford scent is fresh, fruity, and completely lush. I immediately smell like I vacation on the Amalfi Coast whenever I wear this. Every note is so rich from the ylang-ylang and coco de mer, to pistachio and bergamot. It just always perks up my mood when I give it a spritz and I’ll definitely be packing it on my next trip!”
“To me, this perfume smells classic and sophisticated, which means it’s a crowd-pleaser. I always get compliments when I wear it because it has a universal quality thanks to notes of pink peony, freesia, lily of the valley, rose, cedar, and honey.”
“This is a sleeper perfume. Even though it smells amazing, I don’t think it gets a lot of fanfare, but I’m here to say it deserves more credit. With notes of blackcurrant, jasmine, and bourbon vanilla, it’s simultaneously fresh, fruity, and floral. Every time I wear it, it makes me feel like I’m wandering through the streets of Rome on a sunny morning, seeking out the nearest espresso.”
“I’ve been known to wear men’s scents when I’m in a certain type of mood. (My fragrance MO can fluctuate dramatically depending on the day, btw.) So, it’s no surprise how much I love this perfectly unisex scent from Tom Ford. It’s incredibly fresh—citrusy and woodsy without smelling overpowering or too heavy. It’s inspired by the Mediterranean which we love, and the mix of cypress, cistus, oakwood, and salty amber is like bottled sex on a yacht. (Is that okay to say?! Lol—I’m going there.)”
“I am certifiably obsessed with all iterations of Mugler’s iconic Angel perfume—the first-ever ‘gourmand’ fragrance which launched in 1992—but Nova is my absolute favorite. (Yep, it even surpasses the original, IMO!) It’s fruity, floral, and a little bit sweet thanks to the juicy amalgamation of ripe raspberry, rose, and Akigalawood.”
“To me, this perfume epitomizes timeless, classic beauty. Probably, because it sat alongside Chanel’s Allure Eau de Toilette on my mom’s vanity, and is thus burned into my memory. The elegant melding of gardenia, mimosa, and woods instigates waves of nostalgia for me, and while it’s not a scent I wear daily, I have my own bottle in honor of my mom, and whenever I wear it (on special occasions only), it makes me think of her. To me, it’s the most beautiful ode!”
“I’m nowhere close to nuptials, but if I were, there’s a good chance Rose Gold would be my chosen fragrance. The gorgeous design of its bottle is inspired by the brand’s iconic diamond cuts, while its fragrance mixes captivating notes of blackcurrant, blue rose, and ambrette seeds. I also absolutely love wearing this to bed, maybe in hopes of equally sweet dreams.”
“The only way I can truly describe this fragrance is a light and youthful romance in a bottle. It blends stunning notes of peony (my favorite flower) and damascus rose against smooth bergamot and white musks, for a unique olfactory experience that’s all-embracing.”
“I’m concluding my list with YSL’s Libre Eau de Parfum because it’s become the ultimate It-girl fragrance for me. In moments where I’m in need of a confidence boost or want to inspire endless good vibes, I find myself reaching for it. Its sensual take on florals is made possible by a composition of Moroccan orange blossom, lavender essence, and striking must accord.”
