Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (2025)

If you’re anything like us, your fragrance shelf is likely your most sacred beauty stash. It’s why we (aka a bunch of fragrance-obsessed editors) sniffed and spritzed our way through hundreds of perfumes, from the best-sellers to up-and-coming indie favorites, to uncover the absolute best scents for our 2025 Holy Grail Beauty Awards.

The winners? Only 19 of the most compliment-worthy, long-lasting, and truly stunning scents. I’m talking luxury floral fragrances, hair perfumes that smell like vacation, trendy perfume oils, and the best new fragrance brand that’s so good, you’ll want to clear off a whole shelf for when you inevitably buy the entire collection. Keep scrolling to shop the full list of editor-favorite fragrances for 2025 below.

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (1)

Best Rose Perfume

Snif Rose Era Eau de Toilette

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (2)

“This scent has officially become my whole personality. I can’t stop wearing it. The combination of rosy floral and vanilla notes makes it the perfect everyday perfume.” —JOANNA MARQUINA, SOCIAL MEDIA AND GROWTH EDITOR

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Best Floral Perfume

Jo Malone London Frangipani Flower Cologne

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (3)

“I have to admit something here….I’ve used the same perfume every day since high school, so when I tell you that Jo Malone’s Frangipani Flower Cologne is my new favorite, it’s the highest of high praise. I get so many compliments when I wear this scent, probably because the bright floral notes smell just like a sunny day in a garden.” —TAMARA FUENTES, ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Best Citrus Perfume

SKYLAR Citrus Reverie Eau de Parfum

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (4)

“Its scent reminds me of eating fruit on the beach—it’s sweet but not overwhelmingly so and feels really bright and energizing on the nose. It also lasts a shockingly long time. Perfume doesn’t usually take to my skin very well, so I was impressed that I could smell this on my skin hours after the initial spritz.” —VERONICA LOPEZ, SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS EDITOR

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Best Spicy Perfume

Moroccanoil L’Originale Eau de Parfum

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (5)

“What can I say, I’m a sucker for a spa-like scent. And this one from Moroccanoil resembles the spicy yet calming fragrance of their famed shampoo, making my whole body smell like I just walked out of the hair salon.” —BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR

Best Fruity Perfume

Nette Pear Jam Eau de Parfum

“This smells so different from other fruity fragrances. It’s really rich and juicy, not overly sweet and childlike, thanks to the pear and raspberry being combined with patchouli and rose. I get so many compliments when I wear this and absolutely love how bright it smells throughout the day.” —TF

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Best Fruity Floral Perfume

Prada Infusion de Rhubarbe Eau de Parfum

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (7)

“A little tart and a little sweet, this helped me get through the depths of winter because of how joyful and playful it feels, and you best believe I’ll be wearing it long into the warm season. In fact, I’m already naming it the scent of the summer.” —MARY HONKUS, CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY EDITOR

Best Sweet Perfume

Commodity Milk+ Bold

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (8)

“This extra-bold blend of toasted marshmallow and tonka bean is sweet without being cloying thanks to its smokey edge. And it legit lasts forever and ever on my skin. Like, I just sniffed my wrists to see and the scent is still going strong from yesterday.”
—BG

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Best Woodsy Perfume

Glossier You Doux Eau de Parfum

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (9)

“The ideal blend of woody palo santo and myrrh with fresh ambroxan and violet, Glossier You Doux is like the sophisticated, cool girls’ woodsy perfume. I spray it all over my body when I wanna feel cozy and warm.” —BG

Best Fresh Perfume

Merit Retrospect L’Extrait de Parfum

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (10)

“Chock-full of juicy pear, bright bergamot, herbaceous rosemary, and a whole lot of flowery notes, this is exactly what I want to smell like when I hop out of the shower. So fresh and so clean.”
—BG

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Best Powdery Perfume

Parfums de Marly Valaya Exclusif Parfum

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (11)

“Grab this juice if you’re looking for a cozy, clean scent that makes you feel like you’re lying in a luxurious bed of freshly washed sheets. It’s pure elegance in a bottle.” —JULEE WILSON, BEAUTY EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Best Daytime Perfume

Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (12)

“I can’t even put into words how warm and spicy and beautiful this smells. I’ve literally gotten compliments on it every single day since I started wearing it late last year. It also lasts all day on both my skin and clothes, so I don’t need to worry about reapplying it after a long work day. And for a luxury perfume, it’s pretty decently priced too.” —JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR

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Sabrina Carpenter Cherry Baby Eau De Parfum

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (13)

"I love when celebrity perfumes lean into their campier aspects, and the packaging of Cherry Baby did not disappoint — it looks just like a cherry chocolate bar, which fits perfectly with Sabrina's brand and the fragrance itself. I've sampled a ton of cherry perfumes, and I know how hard they are to get just right. Cherry Baby opens with a fruity blast that reminds me of cherry jolly ranchers: mouthwateringly sweet, juicy and slightly tart, thanks to the addition of green apple. It's pretty strong upon the initial spray but the drydown is smooth and ideal for all-day wear."—LAUREN GRUBER, ASSOCIATE COMMERCE EDITOR

Best Nighttime Perfume

Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (14)

“Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille is inherently sexy without being overly sweet or cloying or in-your-face. I love a vanilla scent but don’t want to smell like a birthday cake (most of the time). This hits that layered, grown-up note perfectly and lasts all night.”
—MADELEINE FRANK REEVES, SENIOR DIRECTOR

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Best Hair Perfume

Ouai St. Barts Hair and Body Mist

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (15)

“It’s perfect, it’s delicious, I have no complaints. I watched The White Lotus recently and have been craving a tropical vacation to cure my winter blues, and this hair mist was the perfect micro-dose of summer. It’s a little coconutty, but it’s such a complex scent, so don’t worry if you aren’t into really cloying sweet fragrances—this one feels elevated, like you’re at a 5-star resort and every room smells like a hint of light musk and a little floral, with a hint of expensive sunscreen and piña colada.” —HANNAH OH, SHOPPING EDITOR

Best Body Perfume Mist

Love Shack Fancy Velvet Sun Hair & Body Perfume Mist

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (16)

“This is the perfect warm blend of beachy, floral notes thanks to coconut and ylang ylang. Whenever I spritz it on, I just feel more fresh and confident for the entire day.” —EMILY ADAR, SENIOR VISUAL EDITOR

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Best Perfume Oil

CYKLAR Sex Musk Perfume Oil

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (17)

“This ain’t your average musk—it’s bold, sensual, and unapologetically sexy. One dab and you’re walking confidence, dripping allure. It’s giving main character energy, late-night whispers, and skin that lingers in memory.” —JW

Best Scented Candle

Rukske Candles

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (18)

“When I burn these candles, my room immediately not only smells but also feels like a high-end hotel. Each scent is unique and well-rounded, but my fave, Black Oud, is like sipping wine in a chic, dimly lit lounge.” —BG

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Best Scented Body Cream

CYKLAR Vanilla Verve Nutrient-Rich Body Cream

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (19)

“I’m very picky with scents and I don’t usually go for vanilla, but I was pleasantly surprised at how wearable this is for an everyday scent. The bergamot, amber, and musk really elevate this scented lotion, and it wears like a perfume revealing notes throughout the day.” —KHADIJA HORTON, SENIOR DESIGNER

Best New Perfume Brand

NOYZ

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (20)

“It’s tough to stand out in the very crowded perfume space, but NOYZ has managed to do the seemingly impossible: create unique, affordable, and long-lasting scents housed in stunning bottles. They stand asymmetrically, and each one is distinct, with artwork that perfectly reflects the vibe of the scent. Each of the scents are also available in solid form—proving how in tune the brand is with fragrance trends too. While you can’t go wrong with any of the brand’s scents, I’m a big fan of Love Club shown here.” —JH

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (21)

Jasmine Hyman

Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.

Editor Vetted: The 19 Best-Smelling Perfumes for Summer 2025 and Beyond (2025)
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