These are the best non-basic perfumes of all time
We need to talk about perfume for a moment. Because why do some people keep what they wear so tightly under wraps? You know, those types who hear “OMG, what are you wearing?!” every day, but then say quasi-modestly: “Oh, just something small…” while secretly being afraid that you’ll wear the exact same scent tomorrow. I get it – kind of. But also not really.
Fortunately, I am here (selfless queen that I am) to share the six best non-basic perfumes ever with you. These are the scents that not everyone wears, but everyone wants to wear as soon as they catch a whiff of you. So exclusive that you actually want to keep them a secret yourself. But yes, sharing is caring. Soon you will be the one who subtly smiles when someone asks what you’re wearing. Oh, and before we start, this way your scent lasts longer and you apply it well.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian – Baccarat Rouge 540
Aaaah – as if you just walked out of a golden cloud. Seriously, this perfume is expensive – and you can smell it. It’s addictive without being heavy, a scent that literally makes people turn their heads as you walk by. Think: amber, jasmine, saffron, and something smoky, almost sugary. And no, you won’t smell this perfume on every girl on the street. It’s exclusive, intriguing, and in a strange way… sexy and elusive. Like a fling in Paris – but one that actually lingers. Dating in France? By the way, here are the do’s and don’ts.
Burberry – Her
You think: Burberry? So 2015. Basic girl with a trench coat. But no way. Smell it once and you’ll know: this is anything but predictable. It feels like the perfume version of Lily Collins in Emily in Paris – but on a day without chaos.
Burberry Her smells juicy: think strawberries, raspberries, a bit of blackcurrant (yes, fancy huh). Not like you’re walking in a candy store. More like: luxury patisserie meets fresh morning breeze. And then that undertone: musk. So delicious. Soft, seductive, and just edgy enough to want to wear it every day.
Dior – Rivièra perfume
Yaaas, Dior Rivièra is really such a hidden gem from La Collection Privée by Dior – chic, subtle, and absolutely not basic.
Okay, if you thought Dior was only about Miss Dior and Sauvage (something all men wear), think again. This is sunshine in a bottle, but with style. Citrus, neroli, white flowers… but everything so well balanced that you feel like you’re in a villa in the South of France with champagne in your hand and zero worries in your head.
Elegant, fresh, and sultry in just the right way.
Opium – Yves Saint Laurent
Opium smells heavy, spicy, and oriental. But in the best way. Think: cinnamon, myrrh, vanilla, clove. It’s intense and mysterious, and you have to dare to wear it.
And no, this is not for the ‘clean girl’ with her white nails and a ponytail. This is for the woman who knows what she wants and smells like it too.
Opium is not just a perfume, it’s an energy. Think: red lips (this is the best red lip that doesn’t transfer), velvet, evening heat, and someone you never quite forget.
Kilian Paris – Love Don’t Be Shy
The perfume Rihanna is said to smell like. And honestly? That explains a lot. Because this is soft, sweet, and a bit seductive. Like you’re a marshmallow that just lay down on a bed of orange blossom.
It’s sensual, warm, and comforting at the same time. You wear this when you’re going on a date with someone who’s actually too good-looking for you, but you know: I’m wearing Love, Don’t Be Shy, so it’s going to be fine.
Not for shy types – but for the woman who knows exactly what she wants.
Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche – Estée Lauder
This is tropical in a chic way. Think: warm sand, sultry evenings, white cotton dresses, and glowing skin. A bit of coconut, a bit of amber, a bit of that sultry I-just-got-back-from-the-Bahamas feeling.
And the best part? This surprisingly lasts a long time for an eau fraîche. As if you’ve sprayed a mini-vacation on your skin.
No wonder this sells out every year. More mini vacation on your skin? Here you shop the best body mist.
Which of these suits me?
Determining which of these 6 gems suits you? That’s just like dating 6 men at once. You have to flirt a bit, test, smell, and sometimes… drop out. Walk into a perfume shop (without already wearing a scent – important) and spray the two that appeal to you the most on your wrist, one on your left and the other on your right. Walk around with them, shop a bit in the city. Let them work on your skin. Because perfume smells really different on your skin than on a paper strip. And if after a few hours you still think: OMG this is me, then you have a match.
