There's no end of choice when it comes to fragrance these days. From fresh, green fougères to sexy, amber-y musks, you can find something for even the most discerning and picky of noses out there. But with so much choice comes indecision—with no end of classic houses and niche perfumeries, it can be hard to know what scent to invest in. Luckily, the judges of the very first Marie Claire Fragrance Awards have just made that a lot easier... Ahead, the winners of the "fragrance families" category.
Want to see the rest of the winners? Don't forget to check out our roundup of our favourite breakthrough acts, classic perfumes, and lifestyle picks.
How are fragrances tested and judged?
The Fragrance Awards have been judged by an esteemed panel of industry experts, bringing together the sharpest noses and most discerning voices in beauty—from industry-leading Marie Claire UK editors to renowned fragrance specialists: Alice de Parcq, Clémence Pellé, Nicola Bonn and Suzy Nightingale. Judges tested the scents and provided scores based on perfume family, innovation, longevity and packaging.
WINNER: Best Oud
The best oud perfumes are transfixing and long-lasting, and that's certainly the case for Mizensir's aptly named Perfect Oud. Nicola Bonn described this scent as "utterly addictive", and we wholeheartedly agree. Master perfumer Alberto Morillas has created a truly unique woody leathery creation, which has nuances of leather and incense, and is refreshed by coriander, bergamot and cade wood.
WINNER: Best Gourmand
A gourmand with inflections of the oriental, Esplendor by Granado is a fizzy confection, created by nose Gabriela Maldonado. "This is an all-year-round vanilla scent, which is stunning, smooth, and straight to the point—but I had so many compliments when I wore it," comments judge Clémence Pellé. Top notes include lily, freesia and peony, while middle notes are benzoin, rose and lily of the valley. It's grounded by the base addition of amber, vanilla and cashmeran.
WINNER: Best Citrus
Fragrance expert Clémence Pellé describes L'OBJECT's Kerylos as "a masterpiece of citruses". She adds: "I could smell straight away that it was from [French perfumer] Jean-Claude Ellena... Just beautiful ingredients, and beautiful balance." The scent, from the niche perfume house, is inspired by the Mediterranean's diverse landscapes; merging both land and sea, with balmy notes of yuzu, grapefruit, galbanum, santal and white musk.
WINNER: Best Amber
Another favourite of the Marie Claire UK team, Jo Loves' Amber Lime & Bergamot is a refreshingly zingy and modern take on an amber fragrance. A unisex scent, created by Jo Malone CBE, it is designed to be layered, and starts with a medley of bergamot and mandarin, before warming into amber, cedarwood and suede and patchouli. It's a true day-to-night scent, which will carry you through from the office to a black tie event.
WINNER: Best Floral
Described as "the scent of an everlasting summer", Marc-Antoine Barrois' excellent Tilia is the brand's first floral scent. Evoking countryside lunches, fresh apricots, greenery and the sea breeze, Tilia is named after an imaginary star, and has notes of broom, heliotrope, jasmine, sambac and a soft, smoky vetiver. As Clémence Pellé puts it: "It's a timeless, creamy scent of white florals, and it's a staple in my collection while remaining memorable."
WINNER: Best Wood
While water-based perfumes are growing in popularity, the uptick has been slow, but there's nothing better, especially in summer, than a super fine mist of gorgeous perfume. And while you may think that water-based fragrances are more likely to be diluted or have less longevity, Officine Universelle Buly's Eau Triple Lebanese Cedar is a masterclass in intensity and depth, with intense accords of cederawood, verbena, pink peppercorn and vetiver. It's like a sumptious bath of scent.
WINNER: Best Fruit
A real crowdpleaser, Clémence Pellé describes Burberry's Her Eau de Parfum as "pleasant for ladies, who want an easy, sweet scent." Opening with a burst of berries, the first gourmand perfume from the quintessentially British brand truly invigorates the senses. After delicate heart notes of violet and jasmine, the fragrance dried down into a woody amber and musk—it's gently elegant, as reflected in the delicate, pale pink bottle, but also packs a real punch.
WINNER: Best Green
Bibbi has become renowned for its attention to detail and super unique fragrances—indeed, this is the scent you need to wear if you want everyone around you to enquire after it. With invigorating notes of eucalyptus, menthe and ginger, Bibbi's Swimming Pool does what it says on the tin, namely, evokes the aroma of natural swimming pools in the south of Italy. And indeed, the rich, green basil-esque aroma engulfs you, like a body of water, after just a few spritzes.
WINNER: Best Aqueous
Formulated to encourage tranquillity, emotional flow and softness, Eau (Water) from Free Yourself weaves pink pepper, lush gardenia and white woods with blackcurrant to spectacular effect. It's also worth mentioning that this unisex scent, which was crafted in Grasse, France, utilises clean and sustainable green chemistry.
WINNER: Best Spicy
Despite so many entries in the 'Spicy' category, Clémence Pellé declared that Kingdom Scotland's Metamorphic was the "clear winner". She said: "The leather melts with the pepper. It's incredible and super sexy." It's a backstory with knowing about too—aimed as a homage to Scotland's complex geology, this scent was inspired by the country's indigenous metamorphic rock, as well as a nod to the founder's love of Islay Malt whisky—another icon of Scotland.
WINNER: Best Musky
Despite being on the more expensive end of perfumery, Clive Christian scents are a worthwhile investment, especially when it comes to an icon like Cashmere Musk, which Alice du Parq describes as an "all year and all season round skin scent that has a deep and rich quality within." Before closing with an enveloping musky cashmere, this scent opens with baies rose, bloody orange, bergamot, ginger, and a complex heart note of fleuriste fusion.
WINNER: Best Fougère
It doesn't get more summer-coded than a perfume that evokes the salty salinity of the sea, and EAUSO VERT's SALVIA SALVIA is inspired by the scorching heat of Mexico City in the afternoon. A true skin scent, this quirky perfume features top notes of lemon, Mexican green lime, sea salt and upcycled bergamont before grounding itself on the skin with labdanum, fir balsam and ambermax.
