BEAUTY

These French Fragrances Belong In Every Woman’s Perfume Wardrobe

French-girl cool, bottled

The French have a reputation for being effortlessly chic. They make tousled bed-hair and bare skin look expensive, and their confidence is intoxicating. Well, a French perfume is all that, bottled.


With popular French perfume names like CHANEL and Yves Saint Laurent sitting alongside niche French perfume brands like Diptyque and L’Artisan Parfumeur, they have all style personalities covered. This is our list of top picks for the best French perfumes. Ladies, your fragrance wardrobe is not complete without at least one, if not all, of these.

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6. Kenzo Flower

Powdery, warm and downright pretty, this one’s for the lady who likes her fragrance to accentuate, not compete with, her natural beauty. The contemporary floral oriental features a bouquet of wild Hawthorne, Bulgarian rose, Parma violet and cassia, wrapped up in vanilla and musk.

Cost: $132 (50mL)

Kenzo Flower
Kenzo Flower, $132 (50mL); at myer.com.au

5. Louis Vuitton Le Jour Se Léve

You may need to save your pennies to splash out on one of these designer fragrances, but it’s worth it. Rise and shine with this sundrenched fruity citrus fragrance. Sambac jasmine, magnolia, vanilla and white musk add a sophistication you’d expect from Louis Vuitton. And that bottle. Pure luxury.

Louis Vuitton Le Jour Se Léve
Louis Vuitton Le Jour Se Léve, $350 (100mL); at louisvuitton.com

4. L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse Aux Papillons Eau de Toilette

Known for creating highly original fragrances – the brand’s story begins with a banana scent that has recently been reimagined as Bana Banana – expect the unexpected. There’s a great memory behind every spritz, which further adds to the attention to detail of these vintage boutique fragrances. La Chasse Aux Papillons tells the tale of a childhood spent chasing butterflies in a garden dabbled with aromatic white

L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse Aux Papillons Eau de Toilette
L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse Aux Papillons Eau de Toilette, $172.75; at global.artisanparfumery.com

3. Diptyque Eau des Sens Eau de Toilette

Heady, sophisticated and unmissable, a Diptyque fragrance is a rite of passage into the decadent world of Parisian perfumes. Pick any fragrance in the range and you won’t be disappointed. Toeing the line between a women’s fragrance and a men’s cologne, Eau des Sens is a clean and fresh citrus aromatic. Sheer but long-lasting, orange blossom and bitter orange make way for a juniper berry heart before drying down to a floral base of patchouli and angelica.

Diptyque Eau des Sens Eau de Toilette
Diptyque Eau des Sens Eau de Toilette, $132 (50mL); at mecca.com.au

2. Yves Saint Laurent Opium Eau de Parfum

Scandalous yet seductive, Opium has a long history of being the signature fragrance of choice for women around the world. It’s dark and moody, with layers of incense, amber, patchouli and myrrh. Warm citrus notes and comforting vanilla pull it back from the edge of being too overbearing so you can wear it anywhere, any time.

Yves Saint Laurent Opium Eau de Parfum
Yves Saint Laurent Opium Eau de Parfum, $155 (50mL); at davidjones.com

1. CHANEL Gabrielle Eau de Parfum

This fragrance was created as an ode to its iconic founder, Gabrielle Chanel and it is something truly special. You can only imagine how much thought and passion went into getting it just right. The result? A floral celebration that is radiant and sparkling with a rebellious side, just like Coco herself. The scent is based on four white flowers: jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom, and Grasse tuberose. Of course, mention must also go to the all-time classic, CHANEL No. 5, which will always hold a place in our hearts.

CHANEL Gabrielle Eau de Parfum
CHANEL Gabrielle Eau de Parfum, $175 (50mL); at davidjones.com

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