Lavender: the comforting smell of grandma's everywhere and main note of send-you-to-sleep pillow sprays. Although lavender is commonly associated with both of those (lovely) things, it's so much more than a basic calming scent—particularly when it's incorporated into the best perfumes.
Despite having been used for years and years (we're talking thousands of years), perfumers have cleverly blended the plant into some of the most unique note combinations, giving it a modern reinvention. In fact, lavender is often associated with traditionally male fragrances, most notably due to being part of the fougere fragrance family, which includes other notes including citrus, vetiver and oakmoss. The best part? It's incredibly versatile. Without any of the heaviness of woody perfumes and a little deeper and more interesting than typically floral perfumes, lavender perfumes have a unique edge.
If you're looking to spritz your way through winter with comforting lavender, here are a top fragrances featuring the beautiful note. You'll find both traditionally women's and men's scents here, but as with all perfumes, there are no rules to who can and cannot wear them.
1. Guerlain Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum
Opening with a beautiful burst of lavender (give it time to settle before making a decision on this one!) and settling into a creamy vanilla, this is a fragrance that's easy to wear and suits many. It's one of those scents that's casual enough to work as a signature perfume but elegant enough to be worn for special occasions. Although lavender is the main note here, the other notes balance it beautifully so that its elegant and balanced.
2. Creed Bois du Portugal Eau de Parfum
If you're looking for a more traditionally masculine lavender scent then Creed's Bois du Portugal Eau de Parfum is the one. It's an ideal scent to share with your partner, giving off date night elegance. The blend of lavender, cedarwood, bergamot, sandalwood and vetiver give off confidence and elegance, it's a clean scent that wears beautifully in the winter—certainly not a snoozy lavender perfume.
3. Chloé Atelier des Fleurs Lavanda Eau de Parfum
This one is light, refreshing and clean; it's a super easy wear and works wonderfully on many. It definitely leans feminine, but because it's so fresh, it can definitely be unisex. The lavender isn't super powerful here but instead beautifully blended for a modern twist on the classic note. It's a happy, joyful fragrance that's calling to be worn as soon as soon as the weather allows just a light jacket outside. What's more, it's surprisingly long-lasting for a fresher fragrance.
4. Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau De Parfum
Anything but snoozy, YSL's Libre is the definition of a girl who knows what she wants and is out to get it. It's confident, bold and classy. Lavender comes through strong with it being both top and middle notes, blended with citrus and vanilla to make it really wearable to most. Even better, this one lasts all day so you don't need to go spritz-heavy.
5. Jo Malone London Amber and Lavender Cologne
Leave it to Jo Malone to make a timeless, classy lavender scent that feels anything but snoozy. Created in 1995, this one leans more to a traditionally masculine blend with the inclusion of bergamot, clove, lily-of-the-valley, amber and myrrh. But of course, anyone can wear it. You can definitely wear this year round, but I think it's ideal for autumn/winter when the air is cool and crisp and you want to feel pulled together. There's nothing super complicated about this fragrance, which is why it's so loved.
6. Ariana Grande Cloud Eau de Parfum
Ariana Grande knows how to create an affordable perfume that has mass appeal and this one is no different. Launched in 2018, this fruity, floral gourmand has been a huge hit. The lavender definitely doesn't hit you in the face, it's more of a creamy vanilla lavender, which is beautifully blended with whipped cream, coconut, vanilla, pear and musk notes.
If you're a fan of Baccarat Rouge 540 but want something a little more sweet and playful, then you'll most likely love this one. It's not an incredibly unique scent but a great one to have in your fragrance wardrobe and can be layered well with other perfumes.
7. Chanel Boy Chanel Eau de Parfum
An iconic and beautifully unique scent from Chanel, it draws inspiration from Gabrielle Chanel and Boy Capel's inseparable bond. This one opens with a hit of lavender alongside citrus, leading into the powdery notes and drying down to a vanilla and musk. It's undeniably beautiful with notes complementing each other perfectly.
8. Gucci The Alchemist's Garden Moonlight Serenade Eau de Toilette
Yep, you're totally allowed to buy this perfume based on the bottle design alone. But it's also worth getting for the fragrance inside—promise. It's a lavender-scented water, so the note really is the start of the show. It's well blended with sage and tonka bean, which take centre stage on the dry down. Sadly the lavender really doesn't last all that long, but it would be a lovely perfume to layer with others in the same note family. This one is particularly great if you have sensitive skin, as it's water-based instead of alcohol-based. However, this does mean that it won't last as long.