A touch of new beginnings is in the air and brings a breath of fresh air into our everyday lives. Why not underline the spirit of optimism with new flavors? Maybe you’ll discover your personal favorite scent for 2024 in our selection of currently successful perfume highlights!
Favorites in a bottle
Regardless of whether it’s sweet scented water, niche scents with cinnamon, celebrity perfumes or the latest winter compositions – according to studies, around a third of German women use fragrance daily or several times a day.
Overall, sales of perfume in Germany in 2023 were almost 2 billion euros. But what is actually sprayed most often? Which creations have the potential to become a cult fragrance?
We have looked at the latest best lists from major perfumeries and online fragrance retailers and put together 10 successful women’s fragrances for you that we have repeatedly come across in the top ten from Flaconi, Douglas & Co.
Libre by Yves Saint Laurent
Freedom to spray? Sounds good! The floral bouquet of lavender, jasmine and orange blossom with tangy notes of currant and mandarin radiates carefree lightness and awakens a sense of adventure.
Libre by Yves Saint Laurent is currently number 1 among the best-selling fragrances at Douglas and it is also in the top 10 at Notino and Flaconi. But the complex fougère creation is not only commercial – this is what perfumes are called, which are typically fresh, herbaceous and citrusy Combining notes such as lavender, moss, bergamot and geranium – a success: in 2023, Libre was awarded the “Women’s Audience Prize” at the German Perfume Prize, the Duftstars.
The composition also received a good rating from Öko-Test, as one of the few luxury fragrances tested. Feel free to try!
This is what Libre smells like:
Top note: Lavender, currant, mandarin, bergamot
Heart note: Orange blossom, jasmine
Base note: musk
Chloé Signature Eau de Parfum by Chloé
This modern classic among rose scents has been at the top of the sales lists for quite a while. The feminine creation has been inspiring people since 2007. It is floral but not too sweet and conveys a feeling of cleanliness and security.
A successful, harmonious composition that numerous fans have been loyal to for many years and are no strangers to it. Like supermodel Ashley Graham, who raves about her favorite scent: “I can’t live without my Chloé perfume.”
This is what Chloé Signature smells like:
Top note: Peony, litchi
Heart note: Rose petals, magnolia
Base note: Cedarwood, amber
La vie est belle by Lancôme
The cheerful, elegant mix of fruit notes and white flowers with a lovely vanilla base conjures up a radiant pretty-woman smile on our lips. And that is at least as infectious as that of Julia Roberts, who has been the face of the popular women’s perfume since its launch.
No wonder that the feel-good scent remains consistently in the hit lists: currently at number 3 with Flaconi, Douglas and Notino!
This is what La vie est belle smells like:
Top note: Iris, pear
Heart note: Patchouli, orange blossom, jasmine
Base note: Vanilla, tonka bean
Paradoxes by Prada
The youngest among the bestsellers is Paradoxe from Prada. The floral-powdery, yet fresh mix of pear, neroli, orange blossom and sensual amber and musk conquered the accounts of #perfumetok influencers in 2022, the year of its launch.
The modern composition appealed particularly to younger perfume addicts with campaign ambassador Emma Watson and a sustainable bottle concept. At Douglas, the newcomer was already able to occupy a place in the top ten.
This is what paradox smells like:
Top note: Bergamot, mandarin, pear
Heart note: Neroli, orange blossom, jasmine
Base note: Amber, benzoin, bourbon vanilla, white musk
Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel
Chanel’s legendary No. Although 5 is still one of the best-selling women’s fragrances worldwide, the classic has to settle for second place among the current top sellers of the YBPN network, which includes over 1,100 stationary perfumeries.
The little, no less popular scent sister Coco Mademoiselle is currently in first place. The oriental-woody fragrance mixture impresses with its floral-fresh start, a sensual heart note and its spicy-smoky base as an elegant but uncomplicated all-rounder.
This is what Coco Mademoiselle smells like:
Top note: Orange, bergamot, mandarin, orange blossom
Heart note: Jasmine, Rose, Mimosa, Ylang Ylang
Base note: Patchouli, Vetiver, Opoponax (sweet myrrh)
In the clip: Why is Chanel No. 5 so popular?
You might also be interested in: 5th anniversary of Karl Lagerfeld’s death: How did Chanel cope with his loss?
My Way by Giorgio Armani
And another lively floral scent that creates positive vibes when you first spray it on. The irresistible mix of juicy, sweet citrus notes in the top note, a lovely heart of tuberose and jasmine flowers rounded off by aromatic vanilla has convinced a wide audience.
My Way by Giorgio Armani can hold its own in the best lists with both Flaconi (8th place) and Douglas (5th place).
This is what My Way smells like:
Top note: Bergamot, orange blossom
Heart note: Tuberose, Jasmine
Base note: Cedarwood, vanilla, white musk
Flora Gorgeous Gardenia by Gucci
The combination of flowers and Miley Cyrus seems to be a real hit guarantee: Before the pop star stormed the music charts with “Flowers” last year, she had already had success with a mix of flowers.
Miley was the star of Gucci’s Flora Gorgeous Gardenia campaign in 2021 – and suddenly everyone (yes, us too) wanted to smell like sweet pear blossom and romantic gardenia.
This is what Flora Gorgeous Gardenia smells like:
Top note: Pear blossom
Heart note: white gardenia, jasmine
Base note: brown sugar, patchouli
Good Girl by Carolina Herrera
High heels on shoes – and in perfumery! Good Girl has not only impressed fragrance fans with its extraordinary bottle, but has also made lasting impressions with its delicious composition of almond, coffee, jasmine and cocoa. Since its release in 2016, the pump perfume has regularly landed in various fragrance top ten.
This is what Good Girl smells like:
Top note: Coffee, almond, lemon
Heart note: Jasmine, tuberose, praline, cinnamon
Base note: Tonka bean, cocoa, cashmere, sandalwood
Alien by Thierry Mugler
One of the favorite fragrances among millennials is still a bestseller among women’s fragrances, even around 20 years after its launch.
With this creation of bright jasmine, fine wood and warm amber notes, designer icon Thierry Mugler has created an unforgettable work of fragrance that is still one of the best-selling women’s fragrances today.
This is what Alien smells like:
Top note: jasmine
Heart note: Cashmere wood
Base note: Amber
For her by Narciso Rodriguez
Whether in the original version as an eau de toilette with the delicate peach aroma of the osmanthus blossom at the start or as one of the variants such as “Pure Musc”, “Musc Noir Rose” or “Fleur Musc”: fans of the “For Her” fragrances swear by it clear musk heart that all compositions from Narciso Rodriguez have in common.
Obviously a recipe for success: “Pure Musc” takes 6th place at Flaconi, while “For Her” is in 8th place at Wir-für-Sie, a trading cooperation between owner-managed perfumeries and cosmetics shops.
This is what For Her smells like:
Top note: Osmanthus, orange blossom
Heart note: Musk, amber
Base note: Patchouli, vetiver, vanilla
Alive by Hugo Boss
For men, Hugo Boss fragrances have occupied the top ranks for decades. When it comes to women’s fragrances, only Alive currently makes it into the best lists of Flaconi (10th place) and Douglas (15th place). The fruity, fresh scented cocktail of crisp apple, sweet plums and berries with vanilla, jasmine and fine woods definitely has the potential to rise even further!
This is what Alive smells like:
Top note: Apple, plum, currant, cinnamon
Heart note: Jasmine, vanilla, thyme
Base note: Sandalwood, cedar, olive wood
Tilo Schulze is not just an author; he is a connoisseur of the olfactory world, writing with a passion that can only come from a profound love and understanding of scents. His words unravel the mysteries of perfumery, bridging the gap between the allure of vintage bouquets and the crisp innovation of modern fragrances.
