These are, without question, the 14 best floral perfumes of all time

Even if you hate florals, one of these delights is sure to suit

Floral perfumes: Guerlain Mon Guerlain, Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle, Dior Miss Dior shot on foliage with a buzzing bee
(Image credit: Future)

Floral perfumes aren't for everyone—I get it. But I want you to hear me out for just one minute, because as a beauty editor of nearly a decade, I can tell you for certain that floral perfumes have an unduly bad reputation. In fact, every floral perfume hater that I've met has got it all wrong. The truth is, the best perfumes in existence are mostly floral blends.

When you hear the terms 'floral perfume' or 'floral fragrance', I want you to rid your mind of any negative connotations. Forget the strong, powdered roses and powerful, heady championing of lily of the valley and instead think about burying your nose into a crisp bouquet of crunchy greens and delicate florals. Yep, floral perfumes in 2023 are totally wearable—they're fresh fragrances that please every nose. Oh, and they're long-lasting, too. 

And as somebody who typically leans towards musky, skin-like scents, even I appreciate the beauty of a great floral. You see, having done this job for many, many years, I'm now somewhat of a perfume aficionado. I refuse to wear any perfume that doesn't earn me a compliment on first wear and it has to be unique enough to pique interest—and there are only 14 predominantly floral perfumes (of the hundreds that I've tried over the years) that fulfil my brief. So trust me when I say, these are the 14 best floral perfumes in existence (even the most avid of floral-fragrance haters will like something on this list). 

1. Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle

Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle Eau de Parfum floral perfume shot balanced on some flower leaves

Aerin

(Image credit: Future)

Aerin Mediterranean Honeysuckle Eau de Parfum

Best delicate floral perfume

Specifications

Size: 50ml
Blend: Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Honeysuckle, grapefruit, bergamot, mandarin oil, lily of the valley, gardenia, jasmine sambac

This perfume is, without doubt, one of the most coveted in my entire collection. It is the perfume equivalent of a freshly-pressed white cotton shirt and jeans outfit. It's fresh, laid-back and exceptionally elegant. Like walking past a shrub of fragrant honeysuckle in the Mediterranean sunshine—it's a light, delicate floral that oozes sunshine and joy.

2. Byredo Rose of No Man's Land

Byredo Rose of No Man's Land Eau de Parfum floral perfume shot on the stem of a flower

Byredo

(Image credit: Future)

Byredo Rose of No Man's Land Eau de Parfum

Best traditional rose floral perfume

Specifications

Size: 50ml
Blend: Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Turkish rose petals, raspberry, pink peppercorn, white amber, papyrus wood

I might have dubbed this rose perfume 'traditional' but I say that in a modern way. It's not powdery or heady in any way, shape or form. It's traditional in the sense that it is, clearly, a rose-based scent upon first sniff, but it's also fresh, sense-clearing and a little bit fizzy on the nose.

3. Chloé Naturelle

Chloé Eau de Parfum Naturelle floral perfme sho on the stem of a seed pod

Chloe

(Image credit: Future)

Chloé Eau de Parfum Naturelle

Best green-smelling floral perfume

Specifications

Size: 50ml
Blend: Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Cedrat essence, cassis bourgeon absolute, organic rose essence, neroli essence, cedar essence, mimosa absolute

Chloé perfumes are some of my favourite out there. The thing which sets them apart from others is their distinct uniqueness—they're strong and long-lasting in the sort of way that would have people chasing you down the street asking after them. And of all the Chloé perfumes, Naturelle is, I believe, the most endearing. Although a rose-based scent, it smells less like the powdered petals and much more like the green, crunchy stems. With an added hit of neroli, it's airy and breezy in a spring-time sort of way, while the woody base notes are what keeps it lingering on the skin for hours upon hours without fading.

4. Diptyque Fleur de Peau

Diptyque Fleur de Peau Eau de Parfum floral perfume shot on a the stem of a dried flower

Fleur De Peau

(Image credit: Future)

Diptyque Fleur de Peau Eau de Parfum

Best powdery floral perfume

Specifications

Size: 75ml
Blend: Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Musk, iris, ambrette, pink peppercorn

Diptyque's Fleur de Peau champions the powdery, unique scent of iris. If you've never smelled iris before, you might consider it a Marmite sort of note—while some love it, other's hate it. Personally, iris is probably my favourite fragrance note. It's powdery, for sure, but it possesses a soapiness that makes it uniquely distinguishable from other floral scents. With added musk and ambrette, Fleur de Peau becomes a skin-like floral that has everyone asking after it.

5. Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia

Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Eau de Parfum floral perfume shot on a flower stem

Gucci

(Image credit: Future)

Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Eau de Parfum

Best sweet floral perfume

Specifications

Size: 50ml
Blend: Eau de Parfum
Key notes: White gardenia, jasmine grandiflorum absolute, pear blossom accord, brown sugar accord

Forget everything you think you know about floral perfumes being 'delicate' and 'pretty', this perfume packs a sweet, fruity punch and has a hardness to its dry down that puts it on a different playing field entirely. What's so perfect about Flora Gorgeous Gardenia is that although it's unlike other floral perfumes out there, it remains indisputably crowd-pleasing. In fact, I'm yet to come across a soul who doesn't see its appeal.

6. Mon Guerlain

Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum floral perfume shot on rose buds

Guelain

(Image credit: Future)

Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum

Best intense floral perfume

Specifications

Size: 50ml
Blend: Eau de Parfum
Key notes: French lavender, Sambac jasmine, sandalwood, vanilla Tahitensis

For those who have a more mature taste in floral fragrances, Mon Guerlain will likely be for you. It has a classic intensity to it which makes the perfume impossible to ignore. Whereas some floral perfumes dance delicately through the air, Mon Guerlain wafts through with a sense of purpose and pride. It's floral, a little bit powdery and also truly intense. Its power is unquestionably one of the reasons it's one of the most popular perfumes around.

7. Issey Miyake L'Eau D'Issey Pivione

Issey Miyake L'Eau D'Issey Pivione Eau de Toilette Intense floral perfume shot on a wheat sheaf

Issy

(Image credit: Future)

Issey Miyake L'Eau D'Issey Pivione Eau de Toilette Intense

Best water-like floral perfume

Specifications

Size: 50ml
Blend: Eau de Toilette Intense
Key notes: Peony, white raspberry, cedarwood essence

L'Eau D'Issey is a fragrance that has become adored all over the world for its water-like freshness. Not in any way salty or marine, it is instead fresh and quenching, like a glass of ice-cold water on a sweltering day. Pivione is the latest iteration of the classic, incorporating delicately floral notes of peony and juicy berries. It is fresh, crunchy, crisp and totally mouthwatering.

8. Jo Loves White Rose & Lemon Leaves

Jo Loves White Rose & Lemon Leaves Parfum floral perfume shot on some flower leaves

Jo Loves

(Image credit: Future)

Jo Loves White Rose & Lemon Leaves Parfum

Best fresh floral perfume

Specifications

Size: 100ml
Blend: Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Lemon peel, pink pepper, rose oil, geranium, petitgrain, honey, amber, cedarwood, peppered citrus fruits, patchouli, rose absolute

If you're looking for an ethereal sort of wedding scent, Jo Loves White Rose & Lemon Leaves is a great place to start. The best way I can describe this scent is like burying your nose into a freshly cut wedding bouquet of velvety roses and green stems. It's fresh, lightweight and absolutely beautiful.

9. Lancôme La Vie Est Belle

Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum floral perfume shot on a flower stem

Lancome

(Image credit: Future)

Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum

Best classic floral perfume