We love discussing perfume here at Who What Wear, and it’s no secret that popular olfactory notes like vanilla, rose, gardenia, and lily of the valley make up some of our favorite (and, historically, the most covetable) fragrances on the market. Another ultra-popular addition? Jasmine, which, along with rose, is considered a “foundation stone of perfumery.” In other words, almost every bottle of perfume you come across in this life will contain at least one or the other.
As it turns out, there are over 200 species of jasmine, and it’s widely credited for the inherent richness and intensity it can lend a fragrance. Of course, depending on the notes it’s paired with, jasmine can instantly transform into something verging on green and crisp or just as easily into something enveloping and musky. As an ode to the flower, we’ve found 10 of the best jasmine perfumes that smell beautiful, luxurious, and, yes, very expensive. (Because hey, sometimes it’s the little things even if you’re just donning sweats for the day.) Keep scrolling for all of our jasmine-containing favorites plus some additional honorable mentions along the way.
Key notes: bitter orange, jasmine sambac, neroli, orange blossom, sandalwood, amber, musk, vanilla. Le Labo makes some of the most coveted perfumes in the industry, so we would be remiss not to include the brand’s well-rounded dedication to jasmine right off the bat. Thanks to the abbreviated scent profile, it’s the uncomplicated modern floral fragrance of a jasmine lover’s dreams. The brand says it best on its website; “We refuse all responsibility for any havoc this perfume might create in your circle of friends.”
Key notes: pink freesia, rose petals, lily of the valley, magnolia, fresh jasmine. A quick lesson in perfume 101: Once you spritz a fragrance, the top notes within the scent profile are what you will smell first, the middle notes will come next, and the base notes will be the lingering, most potent scent you’re left with as you wear the perfume. This bouquet of florals from Byredo features fresh jasmine at the base and other lighter bouquet fares like rose petals and pink freesia up top. According to the brand, this perfume was created as a celebration of spring’s earliest blooming flowers. In a word, it’s lovely.
Key notes: cucumber, prune, rose, jasmine, vetiver, patchouli. The price for this fragrance is nothing to sneeze at, but this timeless scent isn’t just one of the best jasmine perfumes—it’s one of the best perfumes point-blank. (And if you can’t get over that price point, there’s always this handy travel size!) Created in the 1950s by legendary perfumer Edmond Roudnitska, this perfume was kept secret and only worn by his wife up until recently when it was debuted by renowned perfume nose Frédéric Malle. Additions like melon, cucumber, and prune make this jasmine perfume entirely unique.
Key notes: plum, mirabelle, white peach, lemon, mandarin, bergamot, iris, jasmine, carnation, rose, ylang-ylang, Madagascar vanilla, musk, amber, Tonka bean. Clive Christian is one of the most covetable, expensive, and surprisingly under-the-radar perfume houses in the industry. As a quick debrief, the brand is a leading independent fragrance house in Britain, and the brand’s predecessor, the Crown Perfumery Company (established in 1872), is the only house ever to have been granted permission to use Queen Victoria’s crown on its bottles. In addition to said royal heritage, its fragrance concoctions are of the most intricate, high-quality, and utterly divine nature, making them well worth the indulgent investment. This scent, in particular, is crafted from 248 ingredients with notes like iris, plum, white peach, lemon, mandarin, ylang-ylang, vanilla, and jasmine taking center stage.
Key notes: peach, mandarin, bergamot, rhubarb, jasmine, rose, orris, narcissus, lily of the valley, tuberose, vanilla, Cashmeran musk, patchouli, rum, and sandalwood
Key notes: black and white peppercorn, ylang-ylang, amber, precious sambac jasmine sepals absolute, clary sage, rich spices. Black Orchid, Tobacco Vanille, Oud Wood, Fucking Fabulous… Tom Ford has no shortage of iconic and expensive fragrances. However, we vehemently think this best-of-the-best jasmine number is one of the brand’s most underrated and irresistibly lovely scents. Jasmine lovers, you’ll be tickled pink. (Or should we say rouge?) As the brand says, this full-bodied perfume is “as audacious as red, lacquered lips.”
Key notes: wild mint, jasmine, lily, orange flower, maté leaf, and rose. If you are not as keen on warm, sweet, or overly floral iterations of jasmine, you’ll love this crisp and clean perfume from iconic fragrance house Jo Malone London. As the brand says, think of this as your bottled equivalent of “a sun-drenched morning in an English country garden.”
Key notes: tuberose fleur, jasmine Egypt infusion, jasmine sambac, honeysuckle. Exotic, velvety, and fresh, this fragrant perfume is one of the best for jasmine lovers. Comparably, it’s a bit more affordable than some of its fellow bottles, and the elegant melding of jasmine sambac and jasmine Egypt infusion makes it extra special.
Key notes: lily of the valley, lily, orange blossom, jasmine, tuberose, animal accord, ambrox. Ex Nihilo’s collections of Parisian-created scent concoctions are positively intoxicating, and Jasmin Fauve is the ultimate hybrid between blooming floral and raw leather. As the brand describes it, this jasmine perfume is “a journey into the center of a poisonous white flower, where only its diaphanous veins would be revealed.” Intriguing, no?
Product: wisteria, honeysuckle, jasmine, narcissus. This masterful jasmine perfume from legendary French brand Diptyque epitomizes the word “dreamy.” Dripping with floral inspirations drawn from Venetian gardens, it’s sweet, delicate, and entirely lovely. “This scent evokes the secret gardens of Venice, the flowery groves, and the plots of wild grass behind the low walls between the canals,” notes Diptyque on its website.
Key notes: water, passion flower, bergamot, jazmín yucateco, sambac, clove, snake plant, vetiver, copal. D.S. & Durga is one of our all-time-favorite perfume brands, and this tropical interpretation of a classic jasmine perfume is one of the best we’ve ever smelled. This is not your average jasmine perfume, folks. According to the brand, one sniff should evoke visions of a tropical jungle complete with crocodiles, shaded temples, limestone ruins, snake plants, and humidity, making it the perfect addition to your summer fragrance wardrobe.
Key notes: oleander, cabreuva rouge, grapefruit pith, white lily cream, Egyptian jasmine, alabaster violet, ambrette seed, vanilla, fog. Up next, The French Fragrance Capsule: 16 Perfume Brands That Will Always Be Iconic
