Date night can be fun and exciting—whether you’ve been with your partner for years or going on a first date with someone you met on Tinder. Sure, for the latter, there can be some nerves, but whether it’s the first date or 300th date, I always find it’s a great opportunity to get dressed up and feel good. And honestly, after two years of being cooped up at home, I’ll take any chance I get to put on a nice dress, some dancing shoes, and some feel-good beauty products for a night out with someone cute.
While my favorite makeup product is a bold lipstick (and preferably a smudge-free one) for date night, I love the idea of experimenting with some flirty and romantic fragrances. Unless you’re dousing yourself in a perfume, a hint of fragrance feels very intimate—they’ll have to get a little closer to you to get a whiff.
So, I asked my colleagues for their favorite romantic perfumes for inspiration. See what they had to say below, plus other highly rated picks.
“If it’s date night, I’m more often than not reaching for Byredo Young Rose. Not only do I just love the scent (which is the most important thing, after all), but it’s so deliciously pretty it will make anyone in your presence pant. (Trust me, I’ve seen it lol.) I’m a romantic at heart, so I find I usually gravitate towards classic floral perfumes that have just enough edge to keep the scent fresh, not stuffy. This one features Damascena rose at the heart, but it’s flanked with musks, orris, ambroxan, ambrette, and a hit of Sichuan pepper, so once it hits your skin, it’s deliriously good.”—Erin Jahns, Senior Beauty Editor
“I only know one thing about this perfume, and that my fiancé truly loves it when I wear it. It’s like a magnet! The main note is fig, but it’s very nuanced and like a woodsy fig, not like a super sweet sugary fig, if that makes sense. It’s super inviting, and approachable, but still unique. I can’t picture anyone disliking it!”—Kat Collings, Editor in Chief
“Say what you will about Santal 33, but there’s a reason why nearly everyone in places like NYC and L.A. smells like the iconic fragrance. I find the musky sandalwood to be particularly inviting and, dare I say, downright sexy, making it the perfect scent to spritz on for a date or even a night out with friends. I’m amazed at how well it sinks into the skin, too—all you need is a single spritz and it will linger all day (and even into the next).”—Anna LaPlaca, Editor
“Rose prick has been the star of my recent date nights. I feel like it’s the perfect combination of sexy and innocent. It’s very warm and welcoming with its floral rose base yet still has a bit of an edge thanks to the dash of pepper. I’ve gotten so many compliments from this one, so I know it’s a good choice.”—Sierra Mayhew, Associate Editor
“This scent is just so elegant and gorgeous. It’s one of my all-time favorite perfumes and smells intoxicating for a date night. It’s so fresh and inviting with notes of ylang-ylang, blackcurrant leaf, and pink peppercorn. It always gets attention no matter where you wear it.”—Shawna Hudson, Associate Beauty Editor
“I tend to prefer scents that are subtle and floral but with a little something unique about them. Rose 31 is just that. It’s kind of a smoky rose that smells unlike any other rose perfume I’ve encountered. I recently wore it out with my husband on our anniversary and he couldn’t get over how good it smelled.”—Allyson Payer, Senior Editor
“This is a really great, subtle skin scent. It smells like salty skin on a beach and has a slight creaminess to it that makes it super wearable. If you want to make an impression but don’t want to assault your date with a strong scent, this would be my pick for you.”—Katie Berohn, Associate Beauty Editor
This is a warm floral fragrance that is so flirty and sweet, so I consider it an attraction magnet. It has delicious notes of orange blossom, vanilla absolute, marshmallow, honeysuckle, and rose. What more can you ask for?
“This scent smells both sweet and spicy without being overpowering. It’s so unique and feels extra romantic. It has notes of violet leaf, vanilla bean, sandalwood, and patchouli. I’m not one for overly saccharine scents, but this one strikes the perfect balance of deliciously lush and woody. It matches my M.O. perfectly.”—Hudson
I wasn’t a huge fan of rose fragrances until I tried this one. I think it’s because it’s paired with Sicilian lemon, patchouli, and musk so it’s a brighter and fresh take.
“There’s something about this perfume that instantly draws people in, which makes it a perfect date-night fragrance. Every time I’ve worn this, I’ve had people stop me to ask me what it is because it’s floral but also pretty unexpected—not your typical rose-forward perfume at all. If that’s not enough to convince you, my boyfriend loves it and often requests I wear it.”—Berohn
Described as a “colorful floral bouquet,” you know this perfume has “romantic” written all over it. It’s both fresh and sweet with additional notes of centifolia rose and tender woods.
You can’t go wrong with this absolute classic. There’s a reason why it’s been such a popular favorite for years—it’s light, crisp, and elegant. Top notes include mandarin essence, pink pepper, and white violet leaves; middle notes feature rose, jasmine, marigold, and geranium; and base notes contain patchouli, oakmoss, and musks.
This bright and cheerful fragrance contains notes of floral musk, magnolia, bergamot, neroli, fig, and unwilted wood. It’s inspired by Minnie Riperton’s ’70s song “Les Fleur.”
This one is an everyday favorite with so many editors. Turkish rose essence is combined with patchouli, benzoin, cinnamon, sandalwood, musk, and frankincense to make it both seductive and luxe.
The description of this perfume reads it “captures the feeling of silky skin, crumbled linens, and the reassuring scent of clean laundry.” How can something seem so cozy and sexy all at once? Well, apparently this fragrance can. It features notes of pear, lily of the valley, iris, and musk.
Chloé’s take on the classic rose fragrance features notes of bergamot, tea, osmanthus, magnolia, white musk, and amber.
