It's True: Wearing These Elegant Perfumes Will Prompt People to Tell You How Good You Smell

Key notes: Bergamot, mandarin, white peach, orange flower, nympheal, vetiver, akigalawood, ambrofix, musk

Parfums de Marly Valaya is a truly unique scent. Whilst so many fresh perfumes can seem two-dimensional and simplistic, Valaya is complex, multi-faceted and still beautifully delicate.

"Valaya is one of the most stunning fresh perfumes I've tried," says Who What Wear UK beauty editor Eleanor Vousden. "To me, it's the embodiment of spring, with citrusy mandarin and bergamot paired with soft, juicy white peach. It's a fruity-floral that never fails to make me feel ethereal. It's easily my most-complimented perfume ever."

Key notes: Aldehyde, rose centifolia, peony, violet, musks, sandalwood

Think of Byredo's Blanche as the scent of crisp, air-dried bed linen on silky-soft skin mixed with the delicate scent of laundry softener. It's the comfort-blanket perfume to reach for if you want to smell fresh and clean, without leaving an overpowering impression. It's the kind of scent that wears close to the skin, so only you and those closest around you will notice it. It's the perfume equivalent of a perfectly tailored white shirt.

Key notes: Aldehydes, rose, peach, vanilla, sandalwood, musk

"Ask our beauty team about their favourite fresh perfumes and they'll undoubtedly mention this one by Frédéric Malle," says Eleanor. "Imagine the fanciest of laundrettes, soapy bubbles and clean laundry, and you have this ultra-fresh scent. It has incredible projection and longevity compared to other fresh perfumes, and it makes you feel like you're bundled in clean laundry."

And I have to agree. Acne Studios par Frederic Malle has become one of my most beloved perfumes of all time. It smells like rich bubbles, sure, but this isn't a creamy perfume. Instead, it smacks you in the face with a freshness that oozes luxury. It even won our 2025 Next in Beauty Fragrance Award for Best Creative Blend.

Key notes: Italian sweet orange, Italian mandarin, Italian lemon, petit grain, cardamom, caramel, musk

Trust me: this won't be the last Acqua di Parma scent on this list. In my opinion, no brand does fresh fragrance quite like this Italian perfume house. "Spritzing this fresh perfume is akin to feeling a breeze on the Capri coastline dotted with citrussy orange trees," says Eleanor. "It's zesty, invigorating and mouthwatering all at once, delivering a fresh aquatic quality that makes you feel like you're diving into a sparkling sea. It's one of my favourite Acqua di Parma perfumes."

Key notes: Blackcurrant blossom, jasmine, hedione, mimosa, lily of the valley and musk

Like the rest of the world, I adore Maison Francis Kurkdjian's iconic Baccarat Rouge 540, which is warm, floral and a little bit spicy—but it's everywhere. This fragrance, on the other hand, flies under the radar and is miles away from the warming headiness of Rouge 540. Aqua Celestia is like ice water. It has quenching notes of lemon, mint and lime, but when combined with a bouquet of florals and musk, it becomes an intoxicating dose of fresh sea air that has you longing to jump on a plane to the lush marine coastlines of the Mediterranean with a one-way ticket.

Key notes: Coconut, lime, white bergamot, mandarin, ginger, ylang-ylang, jasmine, hibiscus, white rum, sugar cane, musk

Whenever I feel like I want to be far, far away from gloomy England, I drench myself in Virgin Island Water. Inspired by a sailing trip near Ginger Island in the Caribbean, it is fresh and uplifting, but with hints of sweetness and spiciness. It's a marine perfume blended with all of the tropical joy of an exotic holiday. It's one of the best Creed perfumes out there, which means it's one of the best perfumes, full stop.

Key notes: Lemon, spearmint, rosemary, basil, petitgrain, lavandin, mandarin leaves, cedarwood leaves, amber, white musk

"Acqua di Parma's latest launch smells like breathing in fresh morning air in Tuscany," says Eleanor. "It's fresh, herby and a little soapy. If you like bright, aromatic scents and want to feel like you've stepped foot in a luxe Italian spa, you'll love this."

Key notes: Cedar, fig tree, fig leaf, black pepper

If you've ever had the joy of experiencing a Diptyque perfume, you'll know that talking about specific notes doesn't really help in describing the overall scent. Diptyque has a way of blending notes to create something entirely new and indescribable, but I'll do my best. Figgy and exotic but far from sweet, this has an earthy but milky freshness that can't be compared to anything else out there. It's the comforting sort of perfume you just want to lose yourself in.

Key notes: Orris, white lilac, balsamic vetiver, orange blossom, water lily and clementine flower

You rarely come across a perfume that smells as good as it looks. I'm a big fan of citrus scents, so I was instantly drawn to this Jo Malone London perfume. Like fresh orange blossom but with a sun-lit warmth that makes it milky and velvety, it's the most delicious citrus I've found in some time. It's one of the best orange blossom perfumes around.

Key notes: Pink pepper, iris, ambrette, ambrox 

"We can't talk about fresh perfumes without mentioning Glossier You," says Eleanor. "It now has multiple flanking fragrances that are all beautiful, but I regard the original You as the best Glossier perfume. It's creamy, skin-like and fresh, making it effortless and easy to wear for any occasion. I can always tell when someone is wearing this fragrance because it's so long-lasting." Glossier You defines what a fresh skin scent should be.

Key notes: Pear, bamboo accord, white peony and musk

I shouldn't like a single thing about this, but I do. First of all, the aesthetic is not something I usually champion when it comes to perfume bottles. Second, it's a floral perfume in every single sense of the word, like a strong bouquet of every flower you've ever come across. However, it has a richness to it that leaves you smelling, well, rich. It's sure to be my go-to for long party-filled nights (hopefully) spent out on the town.

Key notes: Apple, pink grapefruit, white floral

This Zara perfume is freshness in a bottle. Its name couldn't be more apt. Crisp and crunchy, it has a light, fragrant payoff that will keep you coming back for more, and the price is rather attractive too. 

Key notes: Lily of the valley, pear, aldehydes, patchouli

You've just pulled your white linens out of the wash, and you're hanging them on the line to dry in the spring breeze. Lazy Sunday Morning smells like putting on that freshly laundered white shirt and letting the cool fabric brush against your skin. Experiencing its aroma for the first time is nothing short of a joy.

Key notes: Citron, jasmine and teak wood

Okay, I know this isn't a unique perfume, but Chance Eau Fraîche is totally unrivalled when it comes to luxe freshness. It's botanical and rich and makes me go all fuzzy whenever I smell it on someone. It showcases the brilliance of fragrance in a way that only Chanel perfume can. It's green and crunchy, sure, but it has that iconic Chanel sparkle that ribbons its way through like a trail of diamonds.

Key notes: Bergamot, warm amber, tiare flower, vanilla, coconut

Again, a popular choice, but Bronze Goddess can't be ignored when it comes to the most beautiful fresh perfumes around. It smells like liquid gold glimmering under tropical sunshine. To me, it's reminiscent of summer holidays in Greece and carefree relaxation. Plus, the skin scent element means its freshness becomes one with you, making it all the more convincing.

Key notes: Vetiver, patchouli, cedarwood, geranium, grapefruit

I don't particularly like giving fragrances genders, but I can't ignore the fact that certain notes are more prominent in male colognes. So, for the sake of painting a picture (which we're going to have to rely on until smell-o-vision exists), it's worth knowing that this scent leans more masculine. This is something that, luckily for me, I'm very much into. It packs a punch, but it remains light and uplifting whilst it works. To me, it smells like my husband's freshly-showered skin and just-pressed shirt just before we step out for the night.

Key notes: Pink pepper, rose, cedarwood, vanilla

I have long adored hair perfumes for their lightweight finishes (and lighter price tags, for that matter). Exalt by one of my favourite French perfume houses, Ex Nihilo, is a clean-smelling feat. With rose and vanilla, it just smells fresh. For days when I don't much fancy making a statement, a light misting of this through my lengths has me wafting a sense of expensive freshness all day long.

Key notes: Green pear, ambroxan, musk

If you don't like the fresh, fruity scent of pear, you probably won't like this. At first, I was a little worried it might smell a bit fruity and cheap, but wow, was I wrong. Yes, it's pear-like on first sniff, but it delivers a lingering scent on the skin all day long that leaves you smelling like you've just stepped out of the shower after a sun-soaked day at the beach.

Key notes: Magnolia, cedarwood, vetiver, musk

I've long been the first person to admit that Byredo's fresh fragrances aren't always the most long-lasting. However, Mojave Ghost is probably my favourite fresh perfume of all time. The musky yet creamy cedarwood base, combined with the deep, earthy powdered notes of vetiver, makes what is, potentially, the coolest scent ever created. But the eau de parfum just doesn't last. So, when the brand launched this absolu blend, I was smitten straight away. It's slightly punchier, sure, but it's a whole lot longer-lasting. To me, Mojave Ghost smells like driving through the Californian desert at dusk—the air is cooler, your skin is tight, and the scent of the warm earth mingles with fresh desert flowers in the air.