Have you ever wondered how Who What Wear's stateside beauty editors decide which fragrance they'd like to wear from the hundreds, if not thousands, of scents at their disposal? Our selection is majorly influenced by whichever season of life and the calendar year we're in. While we can't spill the details on every fragrance we're loving or retiring, our beauty team compiled a list of our cold- and warm-weather go-tos to inspire a revamp of your perfume profile. Sure, we have our signature scents that we'll never go without, but there are just as many that we may have a more tumultuous relationship with.
Whatever your fragrance collection looks like or phase you're in, take this as a sign to edit and refine your perfume lineup to better reflect your vibe. Keep scrolling for our edit of beauty editor–approved winter scents and their spring counterparts. There's even a fruity perfume below that made one editor question their heavy preference for floral and clean fragrances!
1. Glossier You Eau de Parfum vs. By Rosie Jane Rosie Eau de Parfum
"The Glossier You Eau de Parfum has been in constant rotation for me since this past September when I began wearing it as my go-to workout fragrance. It combines a creamy skin musk with pink peppercorn and sparkling ambrette, making it a perfume that's warm, soft, and familiar. It's perfect for when I'm out and about. Moving into spring, however, I'm looking to wear fragrances that combine nude musks with rose such as By Rosie Jane's Rosie, which is inspired by meditation and naked skin. Clearly, I'm going through a clean and warm scent profile phase." — Maya Thomas, assistant beauty editor
Fragrance Family: warm and spicy
Key Notes: pink pepper, iris, ambrette seeds, and ambrox
The ultimate personal fragrance, Glossier's You melts into the skin and smells a little different on everyone. I get nonstop compliments and questions about what perfume I'm wearing whenever I wear this while running errands and during Pilates sessions.
Fragrance Family: warm and spicy
Key Notes: nude musk, sweet rose, and vanilla
Your hunt for the perfect clean skin fragrance ends here. Wearing this one smells as if you've just stepped out of an everything shower, offering the same exact feeling you get when you're finally "so fresh and so clean."
2. Tom Ford White Suede vs. Jo Malone Peony and Blush Suede
"I can't even begin to explain how much I love suede fragrances year-round, but I'm all for playing around with difference note pairings in my perfumes once the warmer months hit. Tom Ford's White Suede screams fall and winter to me since it's a musk-derived composition that combines leather and suede with sensual rose and amber. For spring, I'll be trading it up for Jo Malone's Peony and Blush Suede, which offers delicate rose, honey, and green accents that mingle with soft suede." — Thomas
Fragrance Family: warm and spicy
Key Notes: suede, saffron, thyme, rose, amber, and musk
White Suede is a unique perfume that strikes the balance between bold and elegant using notes of velvety rose, warm amber, musk, and a hint of leather. It's a warm fragrance that I wear throughout the fall and winter months without fail.
Fragrance Family: classic floral
Key Notes: red apple, peony, and suede
Have you ever wanted to capture how you feel in your favorite lightweight cashmere sweater in a bottle? Its juicy red apple and booming peony transport me to a spring garden with every spritz.
3. YSL Libre Eau de Parfum vs. Burberry Her Eau de Parfum
"My love affair with Yves Saint Laurent's Libre extends back years, but I'm still just as obsessed with it now as I was back then. It's truly the cool girl of fragrances, using an effortlessly elegant blend of French lavender essence, Moroccan orange blossom, and musk. While I'll definitely continue wearing it for special occasions well into the spring and summer months, my everyday fragrance will be Burberry's Her, which is light, floral, and fruity and created by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian." — Thomas
Fragrance Family: warm floral
Key Notes: lavender, orange blossom, and musk accord
As a dedicated Gossip Girl fan, this is the fragrance I would imagine golden girl Serena van der Woodsen wearing during her late-night escapades. Bold and floral, YSL's Libre is the perfect sensual, long-lasting fragrance.
Fragrance Family: fruity floral
Key Notes: dark berries, jasmine, musk, amber, and white woods
I'm not normally one for fruity fragrances, but I love any notes paired with powdery fresh florals that elevate them. Burberry's Her opens with a burst of juicy berries before shifting into layers of delicate jasmine and violet and ending with white wood accord.
4. Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace Eau de Toilette vs. Lake & Skye 11 11 Azure Eau de Parfum
"I'm not kidding when I say Lake & Skye's 11 11 Azure smells better than the ocean breeze. With notes of water accord, hyacinth, bergamot, and blue amber, it's fresh and aquatic. It's a breath of fresh air as far as fragrances go. That's why I'm considering it the spring/summer counterpart of one of my fave winter fragrances, Maison Margiela's Replica By the Fireplace." — Kaitlyn McLintock, associate beauty editor
Fragrance Family: warm and spicy
Key Notes: clove oil, chestnut accord, vanilla accord, gaiac wood, and cashmeran
Maison Margiela's Replica By the Fireplace exudes the coziest fall vibes, and we're all for them. The enveloping unisex cologne is a blend of aromatic chestnuts, smoky clove oil, and sweet vanilla for a scent that smells like reading a book in front of a crackling fire.
Fragrance Family: floral marine
Key Notes: water accord, hyacinth, bergamot, lotus blossom, jasmine, and musk
Floral marine scents are always a yes in the eyes of Who What Wear's beauty team. Inspired by the energy and power of the ocean, 11 11 Azure offers notes of water accord, lotus blossom, blue amber, and musk for a fragrance as unforgettable as its unique name.
5. Tom Ford Private Blend Ébène Fumé Eau de Parfum vs. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum
"Call it a renaissance, but I've returned to a classic perfume: Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle. To me, it's the perfect spring fragrance. It's light, floral, and traditionally feminine. I plan on spritzing it through spring instead of the other designer perfume I've been obsessed with this winter—Tom Ford Ébène Fumé, which is much heavier and woodier." — McLintock
Fragrance Family: earthy and woody
Key Notes: palo santo wood accord, ebony wood accord, black pepper, and leather
Ébène Fumé is definitely one of the most luxurious-smelling fragrances on this list. It combines mystical palo santo smoke with roses, ebony wood accord, spicy black pepper, and smooth leather, making this scent beyond intoxicating.
Fragrance Family: warm floral
Key Notes: orange, jasmine, rose absolute, patchouli, and vetiver
This sparkling amber perfume was inspired by the daring young Coco Chanel. A modern composition with a strong French fragrance profile, it blends vibrant orange with transparent accords of Grasse jasmine, May rose, and patchouli.
6. Phlur Missing Person Eau de Parfum vs. Phlur Phloria Eau de Parfum
"Listen, I'll never stop wearing my all-time favorite Phlur fragrance, which is Missing Person, but lately, I've been passing it over for this little blue bottle. The notes of bergamot, golden gardenia, and sandalwood are floral and warm and remind me of sun-soaked skin. Every time I smell it, it brings me into a sunshiny state of mind." — McLintock
Fragrance Family: floral musk
Key Notes: bergamot nectar, jasmine, neroli blossom, sandalwood, and white musk
Evoking the lingering scent of your lover's skin, Phlur's Missing Person Eau de Parfum is a delicate fragrance that's brought to life by comforting white musk, sheer florals, and transparent woods. We love how cozy, warm, and familiar this one is.
Fragrance Family: white floral
Key Notes: citrus, bergamot, jasmine, gardenia, white florals, and sandalwood
A youthful, modern take on a fine fragrance classic, Phlur's Phloria is illuminated by sparkling citrus, white florals, and warm woods. Contained in a teal glass bottle, this sun-soaked perfume is a must for springtime.
7. Ellis Brooklyn Après Eau de Parfum vs. Perfumehead Somewhere Extrait de Parfum
"I love it when fragrances instantly transport you to a specific memory or locale. That's why I love Ellis Brooklyn Après so much. One sniff takes me to the slopes of Aspen or a cozy Swiss chalet. While that's perfect for winter, I want something fresher and warmer come spring, so I'm turning to Perfumehead's Somewhere Extrait de Parfum. Notes of bergamot, neroli, red mandarin, cumin, jasmine, and vetiver immediately whisk me away 'somewhere' on vacation. It smells warm and summery." — McLintock
Fragrance Family: earthy and woody
Key Notes: saffron, juniper berries, violet, suede, bourbon, vanilla, and cedarwood
We many not all be able to migrate to Aspen for the winter season, but Après takes us there with a single spritz. Combining wood notes with rich bourbon, praline, and vanilla, it's altogether boozy and woodsy while offering strong longevity.
Fragrance Family: green floral
Key Notes: jasmine, cumin, orris butter, musk, bergamot, neroli, and red mandarin
Brimming with decadent notes of jasmine, cumin, and orris butter, this warm fragrance offers diffused florals underscored with green and woody notes. The fragrance is crafted from prized natural ingredients and is an extrait de parfum, meaning it has a high concentration of absolute oils.
8. Phlur Father Figure Eau de Parfum vs. Phlur Strawberry Letter Eau de Parfum
"I wouldn't say Father Figure is a winter fragrance (I've worn it nearly every day since it launched last summer), but I have been gravitating toward Phlur's latest, Strawberry Letter, in anticipation of spring. I don't know what it is, but I'm slowly turning into a fruity fragrance gal, and this one is my latest fixation. I heard someone liken the scent to a strawberry croissant, to which I agree wholeheartedly." — Erin Jahns, beauty director
Fragrance Family: earthy and woody
Key Notes: fig, cassis, sandalwood, orris root, Madagascar vanilla, patchouli, and musk
Father Figure is an intimate green fragrance rooted in juicy fig, dewy cassis, creamy sandalwood, orris root, and Madagascar vanilla. It also features skin musks and sheer patchouli, making it another must-have "your skin but better" perfume on our radar.
Fragrance Family: fruity amber
Key Notes: strawberries, plum nectar, florals, amber, and tonka bean
If you don't gravitate toward traditional fruity fragrances, you'll want to try Phlur's Strawberry Letter before it sells out again. This fruity and crispy gourmand perfume uses a combination of pulpy red strawberries, plum nectar, and amber for a playful and sensual scent that's undeniably cool.
9. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum vs. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Féminin Pluriel Eau de Parfum
"Baccarat is such a classic and flexible scent, but I find it's a little heavy for summer. I've recently fallen back in love with another old favorite from Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Féminin Pluriel. This fragrance has a timeless quality to it, but with a lighter touch. I hadn't worn it for a couple of years up until recently, and I couldn't get over how many compliments I raked in. It's based on the accord of four different flowers—iris, jasmine, rose, and orange blossom—so it really is the loveliest change-up for spring." — Jahns
Fragrance Family: amber floral
Key Notes: jasmine, saffron, cedarwood, and ambergris
This sophisticated scent smells like wealth and success, which makes sense if you take a peek at the hefty price tag. Its floral and woody fragrance is crafted from a blend of luminous jasmine and saffron paired with deep amber and warm cedarwood.
Fragrance Family: fruity floral
Key Notes: iris, violet, rose, jasmine, orange blossom, vetiver, and patchouli
Inspired by a grand bouquet, Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Féminin Pluriel is another fruity and floral perfume that we love for spring. Composed of multiple facets that are designed to evolve with freedom and sensuality, it's undeniably chic.
10. YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfum vs. Byredo Bal d'Afrique Eau de Parfum
"I do really love YSL's Black Opium for winter because it's got such rich coffee and vanilla notes. [But] words can't even describe how much I love Byredo's Bal d'Afrique. It smells really clean and fresh, but the base notes of vetiver violet, vetiver, and Moroccan cedarwood really help ground the fragrance. You know a fragrance is good when it transports you somewhere else, and this one truly does take you to the vibrant plains of Africa. It feels like such a gorgeous scent to wear for spring and well into summer." — Shawna Hudson, associate beauty editor
Fragrance Family: warm and spicy
Key Notes: coffee, white flowers, and vanilla
Let's get spicy. YSL's classic Black Opium Eau de Parfum is as warm and spicy as it gets with an intoxicating combination of adrenaline-rich coffee, captivating white flowers, and sensual vanilla. You'll want to snag this one for your next date night.
Fragrance Family: amber woody
Key Notes: bergamot, neroli, marigold, violet, cyclamen, vetiver, and cedarwood
Model Jasmine Tookes revealed that she wears this Byredo scent whenever she gets a chance. Perfumer Ben Gorham created this fragrance as a love letter to Africa's unparalleled influence on Paris's dance, art, and music in the late '20s.
11. D.S. & Durga Radio Bombay Eau de Parfum vs. Boy Smells Flor de la Virgen Eau de Parfum
"I don't usually gravitate toward woodier scents, but [D.S. & Durga's Radio Bombay] is incredible and one of the only exceptions for me! Flor de la Virgen is my favorite offering from Boy Smells. It's warm, floral, and perfect for spring. Now that the days are getting longer, I've found myself busting it out more and more for dinners and events." — Hudson
Fragrance Family: amber woody
Key Notes: cedar, sandalwood, iris, boronia, balsam fir absolute, and ambergris
This is our top pick for the most mystical fragrance. Offering a blend of radiant cedarwood, copper, balsam fir absolute, and coconut musc, D.S. & Durga's Radio Bombay is edgy, fresh, and unique. Plus, it works well as an everyday and special-occasion scent based on your preferences.
Fragrance Family: warm florals
Key Notes: pomelo, saffron, lemon rind, ivy leaves, jasmine petals, and clear musk
Sicilian pomelo and old-world jasmine petals meet in a bed of saffron and musk through Boy Smells' Flor de la Virgen. Well-balanced yet decadent, this unisex scent is a fresh take on a classic floral fragrance, and we can't get enough of it this spring.
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