A new pair of jeans or heels is nice, but nothing puts quite the same pep in our step as a brand new perfume. From the ritaul of that very first spritz, to the boost in confidence, to the influx of comments and compliments…nothing can beat it. That said, and as we all know, actually finding a perfume that you love unconditionally can be harder than finding a needle in a haystack. There are plenty of classics that are hard to go wrong with, but we also love smelling fresh and *not* like every other person in the bar or subway. And, that’s where new, yet-to-be-discovered-and-become-mainstream perfumes come in.
Even though new perfumes launch practically every day, not all of them are created equally, and not all of them are worth your hard-earned dollars. Below, we’re breaking down the new perfumes that have our noses’ discerning seal of approval, plus a few other oldie-but-goodies that we just couldn’t stop ourselves from including. Keep scrolling! The best new perfumes we think you’ll go nuts for are just below.
Key fragrance notes: bergamot, orange, jasmine, caraway, musk, osmanthus, frangipani. If you’re someone who wants to smell like some of the most iconic stars, public figures, and members of royalty, you’ll definitely want to familiarize yourself with Krigler—a fragrance house that’s been around for over a hundred years and worn by such names as Grace Kelly, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Audrey Hepburn, Kate Middleton, Leonardo DiCaprio, and so many more. Voyage au Paradis 56 is the brand’s newest label, a sparkling French Riviera-inspired number that was originally blended in 1956. Though it was eventually retired and placed into the Krigler archive, in 2019, Ben Krigler, the fifth-generation owner and perfumer, decided it was time to resurrect it as a “renaissance of joy”—a process that took a whopping three years. It’s delicious, and completely transportive—both historically and geographically.
Key fragrance notes: cranberry, strawberry, coconut water, waterlily, fig leaves, neroli blossoms, white floral accord, sandalwood, crystal musk. For those who favor fresh scents that veer subtly fruity and floral, we recommend fine jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer’s first-ever fragrance debut. It’s meant to invoke Meyer’s childhood memories of growing up in Malibu, and the creamy airy mix of coconut water, fruits, and breezy florals will make you feel like you’re at the beach with sand between your toes regardless of the time of year. (Although, of course, we especially love it in the summer months.)
Key fragrance notes: Redwood forest accord (conifers, bay, moss, violet) and blue flag accord (jasmine, violet leaf, soft petals). Vintner’s Daughter’s ultra-tight catalog of cult-loved skincare products has a brand new cousin—a limited-edition perfume. In the brand’s true, botanical-based, ultra-clean nature, it’s a uni-sex hand-blended fragrance that’s 100% natural and spun from only the highest-quality whole plant ingredients. It’s one-third floral, one-third-woody, and one-third earthy, and your pulse points are begging for it.
Key fragrance notes: fig, bergamot, handpicked jasmine, cyclamen, coconut, vanilla. Nothing gets us more frothy at the mouth than a new Ellis Brooklyn perfume, and Sun Fruit is the latest. As you might glean from the name, it evokes sun-drunk day at the beach punctuated by juicy hits of fruits and florals, and mellowed out with milky-sweet additions like coconut and vanilla. It’s a reinvention of your typical floral-fruit fusion, specifically inspired by an Emily Dickinson poem on forbidden fruit.
Key fragrance notes: white jungle flora, Brazil orange oil, pink pepper, grapefruit zest, geranium bourbon, nutmeg oil, clear wood, myrrh, cedarwood atlas, vetiver, plant-based musks, amber, cypriol, patchouli. This brand new (and first-ever) perfume from skincare brand Costa Brazil has been generating so much buzz amongst the beauty and fashion set, we dedicated an entire review to it. Imagine swirling palo santo through the air of a Brazilian rain forest when the floor is still dewy from a recent shower—that’s exactly what this smells like.
Key fragrance notes: freesia, plum, amber, cashmere woods, madagascar vanilla beans, cistus oil. As the newest addition to Byredo’s mystique-fille Night Veils Collection, this rich take on vanilla is unlike any other vanilla perfume you’ve smelled before. Byredo Founder & Creative Director Ben Gorham envisioned a smoky vanilla bean charged with history and character, ultimately resulting in a more nuanced, far from saccharine take on the classic scent. “The expected sweetness of vanilla is cut through by textures of earthiness and darkness, a warm mix of cashmere wood, ciste, and musk coalesce to form an intoxicating ambrosia,” the brand details on its website.
Key fragrance notes: grapefruit, mimosa, tuberose. Aerin’s best-selling Mediterranean Honeysuckle perfume (see below) gets reimagined with a little more fizz and shimmer. One spritz, and the radiant addition of the mimosa flower will take you to the bright blue skies and undulating waves of the Mediterranea coast. It’s the next best thing to an actual vacation.
Key fragrance notes: Italian bergamot, honeysuckle, grapefruit
Key fragrance notes: mandarin, bergamot, grapefruit, orange blossom, blackcurrant, raspberry, marshmallow, ambrette, chantilly cream, musk. I will never deny (or be ashamed of) my love for sweet perfumes. These days, however, I favor elevated takes on my sugared-up faves circa the early 2000s (you know all the ones I mean), and Oriana is one such example. Obviously, the brand is known for it’s eye-catching bottles which drip with unparalleled vanity appeal, but the French-made formulas hold their own, too. The addition of chantilly cream is the real star in my eyes, and according to the brand, the perfume can be described as a “gourmand, floral and fruity fragrance designed entirely as a variation on texture.”
Key fragrance notes: red currant, Bulgarian rose, transparent white flowers, plum accord, mimosa absolute, plumeria, petalia, sandalwood, tonka beans, vanilla pod
Key fragrance notes: apricot, plum, cardamom, jasmine absolute, peony, agarwood, tonka beans, sandalwood, labdanum. You’re likely already familiar with Phlur’s owner and creative director, Chriselle Lim, and, understandably, the line of memory, moment, and experience-inspired fragrances is adored by fashion girls, everywhere. Apricot Privée is a lush, fresh-yet-decadent take on a traditionally juicy scent. All it takes is one intoxicating whiff of ripe apricot, velvety plum, peonies, jasmine, and the spicy-creamy juxtaposition between cardamom and sandalwood, to show you exactly how special this scent is.
Key fragrance notes: angelica seeds (peppery with a green side), coriander, iris, rose, cypress, myrrh (warm and earthy), amber, cedarwood, creamy musks. Social media-famous fragrance brand Snif just launched this wildly cool perfume collab with Steph Shep, and the anticipation we’ve all had is entirely justified. One (of the many) reasons we love Snif is the fact that they boast clean fragrances that actually last, and trust me when I tell you that you’ll never want this mysterious, complex blend of woodiness, creaminess, and spiciness to vanish from your skin.
Key fragrance notes: neroli, bergamot, magnolia, rose, sandalwood. Don’t sleep on the latest perfume drop from Japanese fashiondesigner, Issey Miyake. According to a press release from the brand, key notes of magnolia, bergamot, and sandalwood leave a tender, musky scent on the skin, and the fragrance also utilizes Aquozone, “an innovative synthetic that deploys a faceted fragrance, at once floral and aquatic, delicate and powerful—like velvety dewdrops, held by the juicy spark of bergamot softened with neroli.” Sign us up.
Key fragrance notes: pomelo, limoncello, black peppercorn, basil, patchouli, sandalwood, agarwood, labdanum, rhubarb, mimosa, cannabis leaves, pistachio, cypress. Boy Smells is still a relatively new member to the world of fine fragrances (the brand’s first-ever spread launched earlier this year), and the newest arrivals, three iterations of Kush, inspired by the brand’s best-selling candles, have kept the momentum of excitement going. We love Italian and Cashmere best, but Cowboy is fab too.
Key fragrance notes: Calypso orchid, mandarin, Bulgarian rose, almond milk, ylang-ylang, iris, white musks, sandalwood, benzoin. The Harmonist is truly one of the most unique and innovative perfume brands on the market. The fresh, water-inspired Yin Transformation is the latest debut amongst the line’s family of holistic fragrances that embrace aspects of the Yin and Yang dualities and the five elements of Feng Shui: water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. Each scent is also carefully made with sustainable, ethically sourced, natural ingredients, that can be traced back to their country of origin, and are OPUR certified.
