The first fragrance I ever fell in love with was one that sat on my mom’s vanity when I was young. Not only was I a makeup-obsessed little kid who would beg to wear lipstick and eye shadow to school (the answer was almost always no until I reached middle school), I was also fully enamored with perfume. I loved the different sizes and shapes of the little glass bottles and the way the amber-colored liquid looked inside. On holidays and special occasions, my mom would let me dab a tiny amount of the fragrance on my wrists. I would walk around with my head held high, feeling proud like I was all grown-up. When I grew up and (funnily enough) eventually became a beauty writer, it occurred to me that I never actually knew what that fragrance was. So as any good beauty writer would do, I called my mom to find out. It turns out it was Chloé’s first-ever fragrance, created in 1974 under the artistic direction of Karl Lagerfeld (long before he moved on to Chanel). The fragrance featured strong notes of tuberose, which explains why it smelled so warm, rich, and floral.
Once I rediscovered it, I ended up purchasing a bottle online. When I smelled it, it instantly transported me back in time, and it’s sat safely on my perfume shelf ever since. These days, I’ve expanded my collection of Chloé fragrances to the point where the designer brand now makes up about 90% of my fragrance wardrobe (really, though). Keep scrolling to see my seven favorite Chloé fragrances, and learn why I think you should give this unexpected designer brand another look when it comes time to shop for your next perfume.
Remember the original fragrance I mentioned? The one from 1974? Well, this newly released version is an homage to it. It has the same warm, floral, and slightly honeyed scent of tuberose.
Obviously, this is my favorite Chloé scent, but I know I’m not being objective (nostalgia surely has something to do with it). In fact, I must admit it’s heavier and more overtly floral than the fragrances I usually go for, but that won’t stop me from wearing it whenever I crave a warm and rich fragrance. I lovingly refer to it as my favorite “old lady” perfume.
The next Chloé fragrance I must wax poetic about is this one, called the Atelier des Fleurs Vanilla Planifolia. Just as the name implies, it’s a true vanilla scent. Yet it’s also creamy with slightly spicy notes. Ever since I’ve started wearing it, it’s earned me endless compliments.
Aside from the intoxicating scent, I must mention the bottles in the Atelier des Fleurs Collection. The ridged glass and gold details make it worthy of being displayed on top of my vanity. To me, they’re the opposite of trendy or fast-fashion; they’re elegant and timeless.
If there’s one scent I love as much as tuberose, it’s orange blossom, and that’s exactly what’s found in this perfume, along with accompanying notes of neroli, jasmine, and cedarwood.
To me, this is definitely a daytime scent. It’s also much more layerable than the original 1974 fragrance, which is much deeper, warmer, and even a little heady in nature. I wear it to the office, brunch, and other things of that nature since it’s light and fresh. And that bottle… I love the ribbon detail. It just looks so pretty and collectible. It’s another one I love to display.
To me, this fragrance smells like what would traditionally be considered a more masculine scent. It’s strong but not overpowering and features notes of lychee, freesia, and oakmoss. It’s grounded yet somehow also uplifting, too.
Not only do I love the bottle (no surprise there—it’s a Chloé fragrance, after all), but I also love the way the scent changes once it’s on my skin. It becomes softer and warmer than it is in the bottle.
This fragrance is very floral with notes of rose, verbena, cherry blossom, and a slight hint of almond. It’s sweet but not saccharine, and I can’t help but think it’s the perfect fragrance to wear in the spring and summer (though that won’t stop me from wearing it all winter, too).
Okay, I know I’ve talked a big game about loving each perfume bottle so far, but this one is truly on another level. It’s like a little petit four you’d see in the window of a French patisserie. Ever since I discovered this perfume and the two that follow (more on those in a minute), I’ve displayed them on my vanity as if they were little trinkets I picked up while traveling.
The next petit four perfume (as I so lovingly refer to them) is this one—Chloé’s Rose Tangerine Eau de Toilette. Like I said before, I love orange blossom, tangerine, or any citrus scent, really, so I knew I’d love this one before I ever sniffed it. And I was right.
With notes of tangerine essence, rose absolute, and blackcurrant absolute, this fragrance is fruitier than the others but not overwhelmingly so. I would describe it as being soft and sunny. It’s what I imagine I’d wear if I were to spend a summer Sunday in the French countryside.
Since I started this list with my favorite Chloé perfume, I’ll end it with my second favorite, which is Perfume Naturelle. This is one of those rare fragrances that don’t smell like a fragrance; instead, it smells like fresh, clean air. It’s light and effervescent, and I wear it when I just want to smell like me but better (which is pretty much all the time).
The main notes in this perfume are rose, neroli, blackcurrant, cedar, and mimosa essence, which explains why it smells so fresh with just a hint of woody florals. It’s just soft and lovely.
This warm and spicy scent from Tom Ford includes amber, ylang-ylang, and bergamot.
Lavender, orange blossom, and musk make this YSL fragrance a must-have.
