These Modern Classics Will Stand the Test of Time, According to Our Marie Claire UK Fragrance Awards Judges

Featuring our verdict on the best EDP to buy now

Marie Claire Fragrance Awards 2026: Modern Classics
(Image credit: Eglė Tolušytė)

What makes a perfume a modern classic? That’s what we set out to answer in the second annual Marie Claire UK Fragrance Awards. With so much choice on the market and seemingly endless new releases, it can be difficult to separate the good from the truly great.

Together with our judges, we spritzed hundreds of scents to narrow down the ones really worth splurging on—from the best British fragrance to the EDPs moving the needle in fragrance circles. Read on to discover our winners.

How are the products tested and judged?

The Fragrance Awards have been judged by a 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: Nicola Bonn, Mowa Osifeso, Suzy Nightingale, Thomas Dunckley, and Clémence Pellé. Judges tested the scents and provided scores based on perfume family, innovation, longevity and packaging.

WINNER: BEST EDT (EAU DE TOILETTE)

WINNER: BEST EDP (EAU DE PARFUM)

WINNER: BEST EDE (EAU DE EXTRAIT)

WINNER: BEST WOMEN’S DESIGNER FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST MEN’S DESIGNER FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST WOMEN’S LUXURY

WINNER: BEST HIGHSTREET FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST OVERALL WOMEN’S FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST OVERALL MEN’S FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST OVERALL COLLECTION

WINNER: BEST BRITISH FRAGRANCE

WINNER: MOST NOSTALGIC FRAGRANCE

Nessa Humayun
Beauty Editor

Nessa Humayun is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire UK. With over eight years of editorial experience across lifestyle sectors, Nessa was previously the Editorial Lead of HUNGER Magazine, and has bylines in British Vogue, Dazed, and Cosmopolitan. A self-confessed human guinea pig, Nessa covers everything from product must-haves to long-reads about the industry writ large. Her beauty ethos is all about using products that work hard, so you don't have to.