My love of perfume knows no bounds. I have a whole unit in my bathroom dedicated to my favourite fragrances, and I'm not picky about whether it's a £13 body mist or a £100 summer scent—if it smells good, it smells good. But while there's something satisfying about discovering an affordable perfume that will still turn heads, there's something to be said about stepping out in a fancier fragrance that has attained cult insider status. Much like Le Labo's Santal 33 (£180)—the scent all fashion people smell like—there are some perfumes in my collection that have a certain gravitas thanks to their fan base. And there's one in particular that someone will always stop to ask me about whenever I wear it…
Dubbed as having "a larger cult following than Soulcycle" by InStyle and with a loyal following of beauty editors and celebrities—seriously, ask basically any beauty journalist and I can almost guarantee that this will be one of their favourites—Byredo Gypsy Water (£165) is a perfume with a major following. And I'm not afraid to admit that I'm part of the fan club.
Celebrities like Sienna Miller, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Kate Bosworth all wear Byredo Gypsy Water as their signature scent, so trust me, you'll be in good company if you choose to adopt it as your perfume of choice. "In terms of fragrance, I'm really loyal to Byredo Gypsy Water," Bosworth told Into the Gloss. "I'm dying to meet [Byredo founder Ben Gorham] because I'm really such a massive fan. His scents are beautiful and complex and sexy and innocent. There are such incredible layers to what he does. I'm a loyalist with my scents."
And Rosie HW was similarly sure about her loyalty to this cult perfume. "My signature fragrance. … I love Byredo fragrances," Huntington-Whiteley told Marie Claire. "I've been wearing Gypsy Water for a long time."
Despite its A-list status, there's something incredibly unique about Byredo Gypsy Water. Unlike other popular perfumes that are immediately recognisable (like when everyone smelt like CK One in the '90s), Byredo's fragrances are renowned for their complex and innovative mix of notes—they have that amazing ability to smell slightly different on everyone. Hence the fact that whenever I step out in Gypsy Water, someone will always ask me what I'm wearing.
Byredo describes Gypsy Water as evoking a "dream of a colourful lifestyle made of innate nomadism … the fever of nights spent in the forest." Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what any of that is supposed to smell like, but to me, this perfume is fresh (thanks to lemon and juniper berries) and woody (with pine and warm and sweet with mouthwatering vanilla notes). Genuinely, I've never smelt anything like it, and I have yet to find anything that comes even close to being a decent dupe.
Keep scrolling to shop Byredo Gypsy Water for yourself and other celebrity-favourite perfumes.
Trust me—people will stop you in the street to find out what you're wearing when you spritz this on before you leave the house.
A spicy, androgynous scent with celebrity fans ranging from Alexa Chung to Justin Bieber.
Meghan Markle previously revealed on her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The TIG, that this fresh, floral scent was her go-to everyday perfume.
It's not just Gypsy Water that has cult status, Byredo has legions of celebrity fans—including Victoria Beckham. "Anything by Byredo, especially Bal D'Afrique or Blanche," she revealed were her signature scents to InStyle.
A modern take on a classic rose fragrance with hints of sweet lychee and raspberry that Beyoncé adores.
Ashley Olsen is a fan of this little-known unisex fragrance from Dior. Its creator, François Demachy, describes it as being as versatile as "a white shirt worn by anyone who chooses to wear it."
A lightweight, fresh floral fragrance that Emma Stone is known to spray on her pillow when she travels to help her fall asleep.
Next up, these affordable perfumes are just as good as my favourite expensive ones.
