When spring hits, you know it - and not just because the calendar says so. The sudden pops of colour among the hedgerows are a giveaway, but more than anything, it's the smell of the air. And for those wishing to douse themselves in that sunny freshness, these are the 9 spring perfumes to invest in...
While some of us prefer to select long-lasting perfumes that we can wear every day, rain or shine, others love to rotate their scents to mirror the seasons. A warm, smoky number may feel too heavy for a balmy, summer day, for instance, but is exactly what your soul (and nose) craves in the depths of winter. Spring, in our opinion, offers the most versatility and opportunity to experiment with new scents. Its bright and fresh days offer such a contrast to winter's greyness, and so many olfactory genres are synonymous with the season.
So, if you're keen to swap your musky blends for a soft, floral fragrance or perhaps are being tempted by the renaissance of fruity perfumes, these are the nine spring perfumes to consider for a fresh and very chic start to the season.
9 fresh and floral spring perfumes to spritz all season long
Whether clean, laundry-like scents resonate as spring-smelling to you, or juicier, strawberry perfumes are more your speed, we've rounded up nine popular and niche options with which to scent the season.
RRP: £160 for 75ml | Notes: musk, iris, ambrette and pink peppercorn
While we would argue that you can wear this scent year-round (something our Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson does indeed do), there is a definite spring-like quality to Fleur de Peau's powdery blend. There's a cottony freshness to it, but it's also irresistibly musky, with delicate hints of iris trailing amongst the warmer notes of pink pepper and ambrette. Naomi describes the scent as "hazy spring sunshine warming your freshly washed clothes and skin," but adds that it is very versatile, working for both day and night - hence why it's deemed to be one of the best Diptyque perfumes.
RRP: £62 for 30ml | Notes: Lily Of The Valley, pear, aldehydes, ambrette seeds, iris, rose absolute, orange flower. white musks and patchouli
Sticking with the powdery theme, Maison Margiela's Replica perfume, Lazy Sunday perfectly captures a bright spring morning within its notes. Picture sheer white curtains billowing through an open window as you snuggle up in freshly laundered sheets - that is this scent to a T. It is cool, fresh and airy, with a chic, aftershave-y quality that isn't in any way harsh or headache-inducing.
RRP: £140 for 100ml | Notes: bluebell, wild strawberry, warm amber accord and violet leaf absolute
If you're intrigued by strawberry perfumes, which are topping the list of 2025 perfume trends, we recommend this juicy floral number from Molton Brown as your new spring signature. It is dewy and truly echoes the delicate but distinctive scent of freshly picked and washed wild strawberries. There's no trace of that sickly sweetness that very artificial strawberry-smelling scents can bring. The bluebell also does well to ground this scent, adding a greenness to it that is perfect for spring. In fact, Digital Beauty Writer, Sennen Prickett has cited it as her spring pick of the best perfumes for women.
RRP: £125 for 75ml | Notes: mandarin, pink pepper, black pepper, pistachio, iris, carrot, tonka, frankincense and amber
If you're looking to invest in just one scent to cover both spring and summer, we'd like to introduce you to Granado's Tropicália. It's the epitome of a solar perfume, with its sunny blend of mandarin, pink pepper, pistachio, iris and amber. It's deliciously creamy and fresh; we'd describe it as having a suncream-y quality but in a very luxe way. Longevity-wise, it really lingers and clings to both your skin and clothes.
RRP: £175 for 100ml | Notes: hazelnut leaf, rose centifolia and vetiver
Floral fragrances and in particular, rose perfumes are very synonymous with the spring/summer seasons and Penhaligon's Elisabethan Rose is a beautiful, lightweight iteration. Sometimes rose notes can get a bad rap for being overpowering and heady but this scent manages to be distinctively rosy but delicately so. It's fresh and elegant, with notes of green vetiver and hazelnut leaf offering an airiness to that classic rose hit.
RRP: from £55 for 30ml | Notes: red apple, peony and suede
Being that this is one of the best Jo Malone perfumes on the market, it's a very reliable and sophisticated pick for your spring signature. It pairs traditional florals, like peony and rose with fresh, green notes and a soft, suede base, which all marry together to create a very chic and versatile scent. It is crisp and juicy, but the delicately floral hints are what really lend this perfume to spring wear.
RRP: £70 for 50ml | Notes: mineral salt accord, apricot skin, osmanthus, ylang-ylang, cashmeran and ambrox
This new launch from Glossier couldn't have come at a better time. If you're already a fan of the brand's iconic skin-scent 'You,' Fleur might just become your spring go-to. Touted to enhance the natural scent of your skin (like the original), this blend boasts a salty opening, which then melds with sweet and fluffy apricot, followed by delicate floral hints of osmanthus and ylang-ylang. It's creamy and warm, with notes of cashmeran and, of course, that signature ambrox base. It's the perfect daily signature but is especially ideal if you love the original You but are looking for its springtime counterpart.
RRP: £165 for 87ml | Notes: tangerine, red pepper, ginger, ylang-ylang, rock rose, raspberry, caramel, leather and amber
If the surge of berry perfumes has struck all the right notes with you, but you're looking for more of a niche and unique iteration, 27 87's elixir de bombe is a very chic option. It's sweet, juicy, and ideal if you're a lover of rich gourmand blends. It layers hints of raspberry and tangy tangerine with spicy pepper and ginger, which then give way to a sweet base of caramel. To us, the ginger is very detectable and adds an invigorating element to the scent, while those raspberry and caramel facets bring a moreish, edible quality. What's more, this perfume is also vegan and cruelty-free.
RRP: £65 for 50ml | Notes: neroli, elderflower, yellow mandarin, orange blossom, blonde woods, vanilla infusion, amyris sandalwood and ambrette seed absolute
For our French perfume lovers, we have a very chic and underrated blend for you to invest in this spring: L'Occitane's Neroli & Orchidee fragrance. Fresh, floral and delicately creamy, this scent is exactly what we envision when we think of an everyday, springtime signature. It is lightweight and makes you smell like you've applied a vanilla-floral body lotion to your skin rather than an obvious perfume. This subtlety makes it wearable, especially in the warmer months when you don't want anything too heavy or cloying.
What makes a spring perfume?
Like with most fragrance-related topics, the answer is subjective. We all have different interpretations of 'spring' scents.
That said, there are some fragrance genres that are synonymous with the season, such as delicate florals and fresh, green blends. Very lightweight, laundry-like scents can also fit into the spring category, as can juicy fruit fragrances - especially for those seeking a signature that will transition perfectly into summer too.
To us, a spring-like perfume is fresh and powdery, with hints of soft florals or crisp citrus notes.
