If a new perfume launches, the Cosmo beauty team has to smell it. We're fragrance-obsessed, okay? We don't care if it's a trendy vanilla perfume or a classic floral-scented fragrance; if it's an expensive scent at Sephora or a cheap perfume at Target—we will smell it, and if it's good, we will add it to our ever-growing collections.
Because of our extensive wardrobe of scents, we're seasoned experts when it comes to narrowing down the absolute best perfumes for women, men, grandmas, little brothers, BFFs, and beyond. So we finally sat down and actually sniffed 60+ perfumes all together to figure out, truly, the best perfumes, according to us. We smell perfumes every day, but this was different: What really is the best, if we had to narrow down our collections to just 21?
It would be these, dammit. Now keep scrolling to find your new favorite perfume, along with tips on how to choose the right fragrance for yourself. Yep, I want to make this as easy as possible for ya.
Why we love it: We've been patiently waiting for Miu Miu's return to beauty, and this perfume blew our expectations out of the water. Our beauty editor keeps a bottle at her desk, and the three of us catch ourselves picking up and taking a whiff whenever we feel like it. Strawberry keeps this scent ripe and juicy, while vanilla and florals add a soft, fresh vibe.
"Pretty" is how we find ourselves describing it. Cosmo editor's review: “The ad for this fragrance was all over my Netflix (yes, I pay for the cheapest option), and I instantly was drawn to the carefree, yet sophisticated vibes. The scent mirrors the campaign completely: it’s grown-up smelling but still playful and light and the floral notes feel modern and fresh.”—LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR Why we love it: Of everything in beauty editor Beth Gillette's (hi, me) overflowing fragrance collection, Thé Noir is the one she spritzes on the most.
It's also the scent she tells everyone to try at least once, since it has a subdued scent that appeals to a lot of noses. A combo of fig and bergamot add a brightness to the top of the scent, but it's softened by woodsy notes, smokey tobacco, and musk. Cosmo editor's review: "I go feral for fig notes in a perfume, so I'm not shocked that this spicy, black-tea fragrance is one of my top favorites from Le Labo.
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