The love of a familiar scent can’t be underestimated. The moments spent with someone close to us are attached to smells. Our feelings and memories are closely intertwined because they’re directly linked by the body’s limbic system, so it’s no wonder that wearing a partner’s favorite sweatshirt can excite feelings of love and comfort. Smell has a much bigger part to play in matters of the heart than we give it credit for. Of course, the perfumes we wear can enhance this effect. A scent that comfortably sits on the skin and complements our personality and the way we dress says a lot more about us as people than one might previously have thought. While notes of rose and vanilla have long been considered love’s ‘notes’ in the olfactory world, the truth is, the scents that we enjoy most tend to be the ones that come off as love to others.
So, which perfumes spell love to us this year? We’ve gathered a few of our favorite perfumes that will be perfect for this Valentine’s Day.
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- Tom Ford Rose Prick Eau de Parfum
Tom Ford Rose Prick Eau de Parfum, $240 for 1oz.; available at Nordstrom.
If you don’t immediately fall in love with the powdery pink bottle, you’ll fall for the scent inside. It oozes sensuality, smelling of turmeric tonka bean and a trilogy of roses; a musky finish but with a “prick” of rose notes.
2. Estée Lauder Beautiful Magnolia
Estée Lauder Beautiful Magnolia, $99 for 1.7oz; available at Estée Lauder.
Love smells differently to everyone, but for Estée Lauder it smells like Beautiful Magnolia, a perfume that was created specially for Valentine’s Day. So what does it smell like? It brings together a lovely blend of magnolia, gardenia, warm woods and musk.
3. Gucci Guilty EDT Pour Femme Eau de Toilette
Gucci Guilty, $122 for 90ml; available at Gucci.
Fresh and sexy, Gucci’s Guilty line is inspired by love. With notes of raspberry, mandarin, pink pepper, lilac, peach, and patchouli, it’s a scent that evokes summer.
4. Miller Harris Eau de Parfum
Miller Harris Eau de Parfum, $140 for 1.69oz; available at Anthropologie
For those who love a subtle scent, this is for you. Inspired by the herbal scents of various teas (such as jasmine, green and black) it’s a fruity scent that will appeal to many.
5. Jo Malone Vetiver & Golden Vanilla Cologne Intense
Jo Malone Vetiver & Golden Vanilla Cologne Intense, $160 for 50ml; available at Jo Malone.
With vanilla from Madagascar’s coastline and grapefruit tea, vetiver bourbon and cardamom, this is a perfume that warms with the skin and delivers a certain attractiveness to an evening ensemble. It’s sensual, but not too obvious.
6. Burberry Her Elixir Eau de Parfum Intense
Burberry Her Elixir Eau de Parfum Intense, $148 for 3.4oz; available at Sephora
With a heady finish thanks to notes of dark red berries, jasmine, amber, and vanilla, this Burberry scent is the opposite of light, just like the mystery of a love affair in a bottle.
7. YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfum Neon
YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfum Neon, $110 for 1.6oz; available at Sephora
For new seduction tactics, YSL’s bestselling scent is as provocative as they come, making it an essential for date night. Expect notes of coffee, white flowers, and vanilla that will smell as good on you as you’d imagine.
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