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13 Floral Fragrances That Aren't Basic

Floral fragrances are everywhere, but finding scents that stand out in a crowd is still possible. These picks will have people asking what you're wearing.

By Sasha KonikovoPublished 5 years ago 8 min read
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Floral fragrances—they're everywhere. If you walk down the street, you will undoubtedly pass by at least one or two women who wear flower-powered fragrances on a daily basis.

This is one of the oldest perfume categories in existence and also remains one of the most reliable in terms of quality. Their popularity is pretty self-explanatory, too. Who doesn't want to smell like a bouquet of fresh flowers?

Their overwhelming popularity is what leads me to the biggest issue that I have with florals. Everywhere I go, I smell floral scents that all seem to have the exact same type of vibe to them.

Sometimes, I can even pick them out by name—Daisy by Marc Jacobs, Bombshell by Victoria's Secret, Sweet Pea by Bath and Body Works, just to name a few. Sure, they're nice, but they are EVERYWHERE!

It's aggravating since I don't want to have a perfume that smells just like everyone else's! Are you in the same boat? If so, you're going to love these epic floral scents that make a point of being anything but basic.

Leave it to Giorgio Armani to create floral fragrances that still have a strong traditional vibe without being cliche. This stately fragrance kicks off with strong floral notes of rose, combined with the juicy aromas of pear, black currant, and pineapple—all on top of a base of vanilla and jasmine.

It's yummy but will keep people guessing thanks to the subtly spicy kick from the pink pepper mid-notes. As far as traditional florals go, you really can't get better than Sì Passione.

Speaking of passion—this perfume is a wonderfully romantic gift. If you're brainstorming unique Valentine's Day gifts that will say more than roses, this perfume will certainly do that.

Etat Libre d'Orange is a French perfume company that has become a cult favorite due to their uniquely airy, almost surreal fragrance formulas. Une Amourette is one of their newest floral fragrances, and it's a serious conversation starter.

If you're a fan of ultra-high couture, you'll be happy to know that this fragrance was a collaboration between Etat and celebrity fashion designer Roland Mouret.

This perfume is pointedly light, but carries a beautiful blend of spice and florals. If you're a fan of iris, vanilla, and neroli, you're going to enjoy this unearthly yet pretty scent. It's best described as a work of art in a bottle.

This indie perfumer has become the talk of the fashion industry after major A-list celebrities like Madonna have been spotted wearing their fragrances. Their perfumes are known for including exotic ingredients that aren't quite found anywhere else.

She Belongs There, for example, is a smoky yet floral aroma that involves classic layers like gardenia and vanilla alongside exotic selections like pikake. Give it a whiff, and you'll understand why so many celebrities love to be carried away to an exotic island with this beachy yet smoky scent.

You had to know that I was going to mention Bond No. 9 again, and I mean, why wouldn't I? Though they are starting to get mainstream attention, the perfume house is still niche enough that most people will never guess the brand you're wearing.

Bond No. 9 has a ton of floral fragrances worth writing home about, including Chinatown, Queens, and Perfumista Avenue. However, it's their collaboration perfume with Saks Fifth Avenue that really seems to get people going.

Saks Fifth Avenue for Her is known for being one of the most feminine floral fragrances they've put out—and honestly, that's saying something. This perfume has tons of white floral notes, including gardenia, tuberose, vanilla, and jasmine.

It's light, crisp, and undoubtedly refreshing. And it's girly, too!

Tocca's one of those perfume houses that just seems to attract "girly girls" like moths to a flame. Everything from their Victorian-chic bottles to their floral fragrances adds to the brand's appeal, which is why it's a great gift idea for the femme in your life.

Giulietta is one of their more recent floral scents to hit the market, and it's a great one to try out. The perfume was inspired by a love story between an Italian director and his wife, which explains the very heavy Italian influences in the aroma.

Freesia, lily of the valley, apple, musk, and a wide range of botanicals make this an amazing date night scent—not to mention a perfectly exotic party fragrance, too.

London-based Penhaligon's is one of the only perfume houses to have a tradition of serving royalty and remains popular among Britain's elite today. Their perfumes are known for being simple and crisp, rather than heavy-handed or heady.

If you ask me, that's a winning philosophy on perfume-making.

Penhaligon's Gardenia scent is amazing, plain and simple. It has strong notes of gardenia, but also layers it with playful touches of lily of the valley, bergamot, hyacinth, and ylang-ylang. The end result is a ladylike perfume that carries from day to night.

If you were to have asked me 10 years ago whether or not roses could be edgy in a perfume, I would have laughed. Nowadays, the perfume house known as Juliette Has A Gun proved how edgy the scent of rose can be.

This is a fragrance that combines floral notes of rose oxide with masculine notes like musk, leather, and amber. Despite the warming notes, Mad Madame remains strikingly icy when it hits your nose.

Mad Madame tells a wild, sexually-charged story that's painted with a very pretty paintbrush. Forget what you knew about roses being only for grannies and good girls. This perfume doesn't play nice and requires a badass to wear it.

Incense Rose is another one of those rare rose fragrances that breaks the rules on what rose perfumes are supposed to be. This heady and mesmerizing fragrance transports you into a distant temple with its smoky, calming, and pointedly botanical scents.

As the name suggests, two of the most powerful top notes are rose and incense. These two powerhouses are followed up by bergamot, cardamom, and a subtle pinch of patchouli. Make no mistake about it; this is one hell of an exotic scent!

If you've ever wanted to bottle up the smell of a church or temple, you'll understand why this perfume is so unforgettable.

One of the things you never hear floral perfumes being described as is "grassy," but parfumeur Ormonde Jayne intends on changing that. Their unisex Qi fragrance has become a major statement-maker in the beauty industry because it ventures where other perfumes won't.

This scent blends grassy and herbal notes with standard floral notes—not unlike what breakout perfume star Jo Malone did. What most people will enjoy about Qi is how incredibly delicate it is, and how natural its aroma happens to be.

If you're a fan of the smell of green tea, moss, neroli, and citrus blossoms, Qi is the perfume that you've always waited for.

You might recognize Margot Elena's other major perfume house name, Tokyo Milk, as the alternative fashion darling of the late 00s. What you might not realize is that she has multiple houses under her control, and one of them is entirely devoted to floral fragrances.

Her Willow & Water perfume might just be the most unique pick she has under her Library of Flowers house. This perfume offers up a trio of layers involving cut greens, lotus, and watercress. It's as aquatic of a scent as you can get in this fragrance category.

If you want to get really creative with coordinating the scents you wear, you can also try making your own easy essential oil soap and get some of the same aromas in your soap as you have in your perfume.

Demeter gained international fame after creating what can only be known as a "fragrance library." This company is one of the only perfume companies to make single-note fragrances that can be worn on their own or mixed together for a signature scent.

If you're looking for a unique fragrance that others haven't gotten, then it's a good idea to look to a flower that's often overlooked. That's why you will love honeysuckle—that sweet scent of the edible yellow flower you used to enjoy in childhood.

This is one bottle that really stays true-to-scent. If you didn't know any better, you'd think you were hiding a honeysuckle bush under your shirt while wearing this.

With a name like "After Midnight," you might expect a perfume that screams vice. Drop your expectations, though, because that's not quite what you'll get with the Different Company's scent.

This perfume has a very powdery, feminine scent that is incredibly attractive without being the typical type of floral you'll find. It's sexy, but at the same time, gentle.

Top notes of iris, angelica, neroli, and mastic give this perfume a very heavenly scent. If angels wore perfume, chances are they'd be wearing After Midnight.

If you're looking for floral fragrances that have a very warm, almost dark ambiance to them, then you might be interested in NEST's Black Tulip. This "dark floral" is one that layers plum, patchouli, violet, and tulip for a scent that's nothing short of seductive.

This is the kind of vampy fragrance you wear when you want to make sure people know you have a little extra mystery. Date night never smelled so good. If you want something a little more exotic for your next time out with your sweetie, you can also check out some seductive oriental fragrances for date night that will be sure to surprise your significant other.

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About the Creator

Sasha Konikovo

Born in the Ukraine and currently a citizen of New York City, Sasha Konikovo has become obsessed with makeup, fashion, and anything that keeps her svelte figure looking sharp. She hopes to marry a billionaire and have a lifestyle like Paris Hilton soon enough.

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