This French Brand Is Responsible for 90% of My Perfume Compliments
From Vanilla Powder to lesser-known gems, these are the perfumes you have to try from every insider's go-to fragrance house.
When it comes to perfumes, I can hand on heart tell you that the majority of the compliments I get on my scents are of the French perfume variety. But more specifically, there is one fragrance house that consistently gets me complimented every week, and that's Matiere Premiere. You may have already heard of some of its fragrances (namely Vanilla Powder, which has gone on to become a viral success thanks to its heavenly gourmand scent); however, it has many more incredible scents in its collection that you should know about.
Co-founded by master perfumer Aurélien Guichard, Matiere Premiere—which translates to "raw material"—focuses on specific ingredients to create an overdose of the natural material, whether it be vanilla, tuberose or woods. Each is selected as the standout ingredient for every scent, and is dialled up to showcase its beauty. The result? Incredibly stunning perfumes. Guichard himself is a seventh-generation perfumer, and he is also the only perfumer in the world who plants, grows, and harvests his own natural ingredients used to create Matiere Premiere fragrances, making them even more special.
I discovered the brand a few years ago, and having now worn almost all of the perfumes from the house (it does some very good discovery sets, FYI), I've found the all-time favourites that I simply have to share. Each and every one is as stunning as the next, but if you want to find the best Matiere Premiere perfume for you, the ones below are a great place to start.
Best Matiere Premiere Perfumes
- Best Overall: Vanilla Powder Extrait de Parfum (£250)
- Best Musk: Parisian Musc Eau de Parfum (£270)
- Best Floral: French Flower Eau de Parfum (£170)
- Best Woody: Bois D'Ébène Eau de Parfum (£170)
- Best Extrait: Encens Suave Extrait de Parfum (£250)
1. Vanilla Powder Extrait de Parfum
Key notes: Vanilla absolute, palo santo oil, coconut powder, white musks, tonka bean absolute
Of the 100+ fragrances in my collection, this is easily in my top three most-complimented perfumes ever. Vanilla Powder is the fragrance houses' bestselling scent, and it comes in both eau de parfum and extrait de parfum. I adore both, but the extrait has a smoother, tonka bean creaminess to it that makes it all the more salivating, IMO. Rather than a syrupy vanilla dessert, it's a smouldering scent that feels like you've stepped into a fluffy cloud of toasted vanilla powder. Honestly, every single time I wear it, someone asks me what I'm wearing—the silage and lasting power is off the charts, enveloping you in a gourmand halo wherever you go. It's one of the best-smelling vanilla perfumes ever, and I'll be topping up when I run out.
2. Parisian Musc Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Ambrette seed, cedar, ambroxan, musk, fig leaf
This musky perfume smells like opening up your French balconette windows on a Parisian spring day, letting in a gentle breeze that gently rustles a vase of fluffy white flowers, whilst rays of sunlight illuminate your dishevelled white bed linen. It's both a breath of fresh air whilst simultaneously creamy and milky, with a twist of green fig leaf that has you sniffing your wrists again and again with its addictive skin-like scent. I reach for this on days when I crave a musky yet clean-smelling perfume. I have also tried both the Hand and Body Lotion (£60) and the Hair Perfume (£67) in this scent, and when worn together, it never fails to win compliments.
3. French Flower Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Tuberose, ginger, Chinese tea leaf essence, green pear accord
This one is so breathtaking, I'm almost inclined to gatekeep it entirely. If you love creamy white floral perfumes, then I implore you to try it. Imagine luxuriating in a bed of heady, velvet-soft white petals that smell so heavenly they're almost intoxicating. The creamy tuberose is the standout. Coined "queen of the night", this sensual flower blooms at nighttime in Grasse, France, and is harvested by Matiere Premiere itself to capture the hypnotic and alluring scent.
4. Metal Lavender Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Lavender, lavandin essence, cashmeran, musk
Metal Lavender is the new perfume addition to Matiere Premiere. But don't mistake it for your grandmother's soap or your pillow spray. This is an elevated and modern take on lavender that reinvigorates lavender's "dated" connotations. Woven in with French lavender is a metallic twang of cool, silver metal that breathes in an unexpected twist into this floral scent. It combines two different types of lavender, one sweet from Provence, as well as lavandin essence, which provides a metallic quality.
5. Bois D’ Ébène Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Cabreuva wood, patchouli, amber accord, juniper berry
For lovers of woody perfumes, this woody amber is deserving of your attention. It's a smooth and dry scent inspired by ebony woods, and it never fails to shroud me in a comforting and grounding halo. I love to reach for this one going into the autumn and winter perfumes, as it clings to knitwear beautifully. It's not as heady as some woody perfumes, which makes it very wearable for day-to-day. It has a subtle spiciness to it, which I love.
6. Encens Suave Extrait de Parfum
Key notes: Incense, labdanum absolute, benzoin absolute, coffee vanilla absolute
Next to the Vanilla Powder Extrait de Parfum, this is a firm favourite. I have to be honest, I'm not usually drawn to incense perfumes, and on the first spritz, I wasn't mad about this one. But, half an hour later, that all changed—I couldn't stop inhaling the scent. After the initial incense opening, it dries down and unveils a hypnotic cocktail of coffee, vanilla and smouldering benzoin that unfurls on the skin, scenting you with a deliciously resinous glow. It's smoky, warm and seriously long-lasting, too.
Shop Discovery Sets:
This discovery set allows you to compose three (or six) of your favourites in 6ml-sized vials.
Discover the hero scents in 1.5ml formats to find your favourite.
Mix and match four 1.5ml vials for only £18.
This one allows you to spritz the extraits and discover your next signature scent.
Why Trust Us
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including some skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
