There would honestly be no better way for us to celebrate National Fragrance Day than by asking the beauty industry’s coolest people what their go-to fragrances are. To us, that meant picking the brains of the ultra-chic and refined team at luxury beauty retailer Violet Grey. The retailer has never steered me wrong when it comes to purchasing other beauty items like skincare and hair care. After all, each beauty product sold on the platform is vetted by experts from all walks of the industry and at least 70% of them have to deem it worthy of purchase before it hits the shelves.
I’d say that’s a trustworthy curation process and you can rest easy knowing the scents its staff has selected are note-worthy. To round out their wonderful picks, I’ve included a few that we beauty editors can’t stop wearing either. Not that we think we’re anywhere near the coolest people in the industry, but we do spend plenty of time talking about it and hope you vibe with our most-treasured scents, too. Keep scrolling and celebrate by curating your own new signature scent from the list below.
Key notes: Turkish rose essence, rose water essential, musk. “My favorite violet-code approved fragrance is Frédéric Malle’s Dans Mon Lit (english translation ‘in my bed’). It is the most divine linen spray. I’ve been trying to normalize turn-down service at home since 2006.” — Cassandra Grey, Founder & Chair. “Linen spray is the most underrated member of the fragrance family, and in my estimation, by far the most luxe. What is more decadent than misting one’s pillows with a light spritz of Frédéric Malle’s Turkish rose and musk-laced Dans Mon Lit? It freshens everything up mid-week and just feels like a treat.” — Sarah Brown, Executive Director, Violet Lab
“This transporting candle fills my home with so much intense, earthy sweetness from the resins and flora of the Brazilian jungle that my hair almost starts frizzing. It’s a true feel-good burn: Costa Brazil’s products are responsibly made and support the Brazilian rainforest and its communities.” — Kirsten Johnson, Head of eCommerce & Marketing
Key notes: Turkish rose, blackcurrant, raspberry, patchouli, benzoin, cinnamon, clove, white musk, frankincense, ambroxan, sandalwood. “Sophisticated, complex and idelible, this fragrance is just as elegant as it is sensual. It has been my signature scent for years now. The top note is a unique take on an evocative oriental rose, but it is truly unlike any other rose perfume.” — Cassandra Cadwell, Senior Manager, Curation and Community
Key notes: green cardamom, iris, palo santo, violet, cedarwood. “I keep coming back to this fragrance by The Nue Co. The profile draws on a study by the Brain & Behavior Laboratory at the University of Geneva, which mapped neurological responses to scents to show how scents can impact how you feel. It provides a lovely mindfulness moment when applying, and I get compliments throughout the day whenever I wear it (more in the vein of ‘something smells so good!?’ vs. ‘what fragrance are you wearing?’).” — Olivia Smith, Marketing Manager
Key notes: lemon, mandarin, and orange flower, jasmine, vanilla, sandalwood, waterlily. “Fragrances always have a way of altering moods, but Vyrao’s are actually designed to. Of their five ‘vibrational’ fragrances, I am currently drawn to wearing Free 00. Citric and bright while still faintly heady and earthy, when I wear it (or even layer it with the brand’s other 4 scents), I find that I am more intellectually creative, inspired, and energized, which is ideal for my kind of work.” — Jaclyn Little, Copy Director
Key notes: tuberose absolute, suede accord, India Orpur, and Szechuan peppercorn. “This is a sansual afterglow in a bottle. It’s a light floral rose with a little sweetness, the perfect feminine rose fragrance that is there but almost feels like it could be how you smell naturally. You, but rosier. Whenever I wear this, I am complimented on the way I smell. I don’t go anywhere without it.” — Cassandra Cadwell, Senior Manager, Curation and Community
Key notes: tuberose, orange blossom, jasmine, amber wood. This Diptyque classic comes in a beautiful blue, limited-edition bottle temporarily, but the scent is absolutely timeless. Every Diptyque perfume I’ve had the pleasure of trying is so fresh and sophisticated that it doesn’t even smell like perfume sometimes at all if you know what I mean. Many times, if you smell a scent really closely, you get a hard whiff of alcohol, but that’s never been the case for me with Diptyque. To me, that shows how much care, time, and energy is put into each of its unique offerings.
Key notes: ylang ylang, Tahitian tiare, ambergris. Basically, my fellow Associate Beauty Editor Katie convinced me to try this and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s the ylang ylang for me that does it, but the other notes blend really nicely for a floral-y goodness like no other.
Key notes: soap bubble accord, rose superessence, white musk, coconut milk accord. This beautiful Maison Margiela scent is all I’ve been wearing lately—seriously. Even when I’m just working at home, I’ll spritz a bit on and I instantly feel relaxed, like I’m actually taking a warm bubble bath. Even if you’re not a bath person, you’ll still enjoy the freshness of rose mixed with the smooth aroma of coconut milk, and white musk.
Key notes: pear accord, lily of the valley accord, musks. “Spring to me means one thing—time to whip out Maison Margiela’s Replica Springtime in a Park. Bursting with pear and lily of the valley, this perfume is the scent equivalent of cherry blossom season. It’s airy and delicate, making it a perfect Sunday afternoon scent.” — Katie Berohn, Associate Beauty Editor
Key notes: bergamot, plum leaves, fresh fig, pear, jasmine, cyclamen, orris, orange blossom, amber, vanilla planifolia, musks, coconut. “I’ve never come across an Ellis Brooklyn perfume that I didn’t like, and their newest launch is no exception. Figs scream warm weather to me—my favorite thing to do is pick up a package on my way home from work in the summer and eat them in the park. This perfume transports me to balmy July nights.” — Katie Berohn, Associate Beauty Editor
Key notes: petitgrain essence, coconut water, coconut milk, bergamot, solar musk, banana, pineapple. “Did someone say summer in a bottle? This fragrance takes me back to the summer days of my youth—Lycra swimsuits, coconut-scented sunscreen, jumping off the diving board at my neighborhood pool, and sun-drenched afternoons. It’s so unexpected and different, I feel like people are honestly orbiting me when I wear it—it’s that intoxicating.” — Katie Berohn, Associate Beauty Editor
Key notes: bergamot, juniper berries, lemon, pepper, incense, orris, pine needle, amber, vanilla, sandalwood. This scent from Swedish perfume house Byredo is a total classic. Celebrities and editors alike lose it over this scent because it’s so. dang. good. Maybe it’s the notes of juniper berry, or maybe it’s the beautiful blend of sandalwood and lemon. Either way, it’s utterly exhilarating and is one of the signature scents of celebs like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Kate Bosworth. Personally, I can’t get enough of the sweet yet slightly musky aroma. It smells heavenly on the skin and is one of my all-time favorites for both day and night wear.
Key notes: cassis, Acacia honey, peach. If you’ve read any of my other writings about fragrances, you’ll probably notice I tend to lean toward fresh, floral, and lightly sweet fragrances—it’s just my MO. This Jo Malone offering does all of the above so well but never leans too floral or too fruity.
Key notes: jasmine, orange blossom, patchouli. Although I believe in making fragrances genderless, this perfume from Viktor&Rolf does smell deliciously feminine. It’s not too strong or too weak—it’s just right.
Key notes: Grasse rose, lily of the valley, patchouli. This is a floral scent that’s a bit nostalgic for me. Anyone remember Miss Dior Cherie? That was my fragrance obsession growing up because I’d smelled it so many times in the perfume sample pages of the fashion magazines I read. I was gutted when they discontinued it, but its legacy lives on in Miss Dior which is close and still smells warm and serene.
Candles are another favorite way of mine to add a burst of energy to a room. I’m big on sacred space sprays and herb cleansing, but some nights it’s all about a good candle. This Ranavat favorite is heavy on one of my all-time favorite smells, freshly harvested jasmine.
