As a scent-loving beauty editor, there are few things that rile me more than fragrances that dissipate into nothing after just a few minutes. The best perfumes, in my opinion, are the ones that linger on the skin all day without feeling overbearing (that's probably why I'm such a fan on fresh perfumes). The very best perfumes, if you're asking me, are long-lasting perfumes.
But the problem with perfume shopping is that you don't know what perfumes are going to last and which ones aren't until it's too late. I'd like to be able to tell you that spending more on an expensive perfume will guarantee long-lasting results, but that just isn't true. In fact, some of the most expensive and luxury fragrances I own have been pushed to the back of my shelves over the years as a result of their tendency to fade in record timing.
And I'm sort of sick of it. Where is the justice in spending three figures on a perfume that doesn't do its basic job of making you smell good? I'm all too aware of the fact that some of the most popular fragrances out there fade in record timing—and I hate the idea of anyone spending their hard-earned cash on a perfume that just doesn't last.
The trick to finding a scent that really lasts is to take a look at the base notes (its these notes that determine the 'dry down' and, ultimately, how the fragrance will sit on the skin in the long-term). Long-lasting perfumes typically rely on woody and musky base notes to give them their longevity. And this is why the perfumes we tend to consider strong and overpowering (hello, woody notes) are the ones that last the longest.
However, the above isn't to say that all long-lasting perfumes have to smell strong. In fact, some of the most exquisite long-lasting perfumes, in my opinion, are the ones that are blended in a way that makes them beautifully wearable, just with a lingering warmth on the skin.
Luckily, as a beauty editor with an affinity for all things scent, I've tried out hundreds of perfumes over the years and given them a real wear-time test. I'm also famed amongst those who know me as being brutally honest (I'm not proud of it, it's just fact), and I'm not about to let you waste any money on a perfume that doesn't deliver longevity. If a perfume is prone to fading quickly, I'll always tell you.
So, after years of being schooled on perfume by some of the biggest fragrance houses in the world and nearly a decade of testing every perfume that's come my way, here are the 12 most impressively wearable and long-lasting perfumes I've ever tried—for every budget.
Long-lasting perfumes under £50
1. Zara Emotions Ebony Wood
I've said it once but I'll say it again, this perfume is exceptional value for money. It's rich, woody and warming without being in the slightest bit overbearing. It actually possesses the sort of freshness you might not typically associate with woody scents—making it just as perfect for day-time wear as it does evening. The most impressive thing is the way that the freshness lasts all day. While some wood fragrances risk turning smoky and stale, Ebony Wood smells light and fresh many hours after the first spritz.
2. Glossier You
I can't not include this perfume. The creamy, musky, skin-like aroma of Glossier You is enough to pique anyone's interest. In fact, I've only met one person that claims they don't like this smell—and even then she unknowingly complimented me on my perfume a couple of weeks later. While so many fresh, skin-like scents out there are prone to fading quickly (lighter notes tend to by their very nature), You's ambrette seeds note melts into the skin in a way that basically makes the fragrance become one with your being.
3. Caudalie Thé Des Vignes
Before you buy this based on my recommendation, you should know that this perfume is the lightest on the list and doesn't really possess that lingering warmth that all of the others do. It's skin-like but uplifting and invigorating—like freshly showered holiday skin. I'm on my second bottle of the stuff, and if that isn't a testament to its greatest I don't know what is.
Long-lasting perfumes under £80
4. Dior Miss Dior
This perfume is one of the most universally appealing women's perfumes out there. It's floral, for sure, but has a sweet depth to it that results in a final blend that doesn't feel light, soft or powdery. Instead, it dances over the skin all day long in a way that oozes luxury.
5. Yves Saint Laurent Libre
As someone who isn't a particular fan of what might be deemed 'mainstream' fragrances, you might find this entry on the list a surprising one. You see, YSL Libre is a very popular perfume—but for good reason. It's sweet and spicy with a floral hit to it that just smells expensive. Would I consider it a go-to day perfume? Probably not. But if you're heading out for the evening and don't have space in your clutch, one spritz before you leave will do the job.
6. Chanel Chance Eau Fraîche
As a beauty editor, I forget about this perfume a lot. Whenever I smell it, I'm reminded of its long-lasting beauty. Know that all Chanel perfumes possess a sort of longevity that very few others do—it's part of the magic. And while other perfumes in the brand's offering have almost unbelievable staying power (Coco, Coco Mademoiselle, No.5—I'm looking at you), what makes Chance Eau Fraîche so special is that it doesn't smell like the sort of perfume that would last all day—but it does. It's zesty, fresh and totally unique. It's the sort of perfume you want to reach for on a spring day to help put a pep in your step.
7. Gucci Bloom
This perfume is floral—let me put that out there now. While I'm not typically one for strong florals like Bloom, I can't deny its long-lasting powers. I have several friends who all swear by Gucci Bloom, and the bottles seem to last forever. Totally unique and instantly recognisable, it's a feat.
Long-lasting perfumes over £100
8. Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady
If you've never had the joy of smelling Portrait of a Lady, let me fill you in. It smells every bit as luxurious and expensive as its price tag. Floral but smoky and a little bit creamy—it's an absolute feast for the senses. It's predominantly rosy, but it has a sweet wearability to it that makes you want to douse yourself in the entire bottle as soon as you smell it.
9. Diptyque Orphéon
Diptyque's Orphéon is probably my favourite perfume of all time. It's powdery and totally comforting—like shoving your nose into a brand-new compact filled with velvety bronzer. And while it's no doubt my everyday go-to, it wasn't until a fellow Marie Claire editor asked after my perfume last week that I realised just how long wearing it is. I spritzed it on at 8.30am, before leaving the house, and was complimented on it a whole seven hours later. If you're after a unique scent that lingers subtly all day long, Orphéon will be for you.
10. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540
If you haven't smelled Baccarat Rouge 540 yet, I'm sorry but I can't help you. It's 2023 and by now I'd like to think you've at least swung by a perfume counter to give it a whiff. And to be honest, I wouldn't blame you if that's the only setting in which you've smelled it. At £235 a bottle, it's painfully expensive. But once you've smelled it, you sorta, kinda get it?! It's sweet, warm, creamy and a little bit floral all at once, and it's unlike anything you've ever smelled before. While the price tag is hefty, you can rest safe knowing a couple of sprays is all you need.
11. Sunspel Oak Wood
I'm throwing in a wild card with this one. Sunspel might not be a brand famed for its fragrance, but trust me when I say this fragrance is exceptional. It's totally genderless, woody, earthy and fresh. It's so good, in fact, that I had the entire Marie Claire office gathered around me in some sort of pow wow a couple of weeks ago, waiting to get a spritz for themselves. If you like under-the-radar scents, this Sunspel one will likely take your fancy.
12. Jo Malone London Vetiver & Golden Vanilla
I am perhaps one of Jo Malone London's biggest fans. I'm not sure the brand has ever released a perfume I hate. Having said that, I'm all too aware that the brand's iconic colognes don't have great staying power. And it's not their fault—colognes (which are fragrances created with citrus oils) are short-lived blends by nature. This fragrance, however, sits within Jo Malone's Cologne Intense range. And its longevity is impressive, to say the least. If you don't typically like warm, sweet, vanilla perfumes, you might not be drawn to this at first. However, the earthy vetiver dry-down and creamy, skin-like sweetness actually makes for one of the most palatable, beautiful and long-lasting colognes I've ever encountered.
