Wondering which perfume notes to look out for when selecting a long-lasting signature? Our woman&home beauty team have shared the specific aromas that always earn them compliments - and have been proven to linger...
When selecting from the lineup of our vetted best long-lasting perfumes, it can be helpful to know which notes are actually known to endure - even after the initial concentrated aroma has dispersed. Typically, it's the base notes that are designed to linger, but it's really only with a spritz to our skin that we can tell which scents seem to cling and react with our unique chemistry. This then leads us to the other point to consider: which of these said notes seems to garner the most compliments, so that you might build your collection of the best perfumes for women around it.
Our team of perfume-obsessed beauty experts has shared which long-lasting notes they've noticed receive the most attention - to help inspire or inform your choice...
The lingering perfume notes our team swear by for compliments
Our signature scents, whether you favour floral fragrances or more gourmand milk perfumes, are a very personal thing and often come down to personal preference. That being said though, if you're looking for tried and tested perfumes that are proven to be universally appreciated - and most importantly long-lasting - you've come to the right place.
1. Saffron
Woman&home's Beauty Editor, Aleesha Badkar swears by saffron-centric blends and cites Maison Francis Kurkdijian's Baccarat Rouge 540 as her all-time favourite. "I love the richness of saffron and have really found that it lingers on my skin. It's a slightly sweet but fragrant scent, that others are always quick to compliment."
2. Musks
Beauty Editor, Stephanie Maylor notes that: "Anything with a musky base note seems to linger well on me. It's a common thread between two of my forever favourites - Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and Le Labo Santal 33. I still enjoy wafts of their spicy, ambery scents well into the day, long after that first spritz."
3. Jasmine
Senior Writer, Amelia Yeomans says: "One of my all-time favourite perfume notes is jasmine and it is easily the one that gets complimented the most out of the countless perfumes I wear regularly. It just seems to cling to me and last pretty much all day no matter what particular perfume it is that I'm wearing."
Gucci Bloom is one of her top picks, and the one people always seem to comment on, "I think because it is so unmistakably jasmine-y but it isn't at all artificial or overpowering. Another one of my most complimented and long-lasting perfumes with jasmine is Do Son by Diptyque. I bang on about this perfume any chance I get, but it really is beautiful and sticks to me for hours - and is always noticed by other people."
4. Woods
It's warm, woody notes for Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson - particularly sandalwood and blonde woods, the latter of which feature in her favourite Diptyque L'eau Papier perfume. "I always find that wood notes cling to my skin the longest and always seem to be the ones that others notice. I often get told I smell 'warm and soft' which, I think I can safely assume is the aromatic and earthy aromas at work."
The w&h team's proven compliment-bringers
RRP: £235 for 70ml | Notes: jasmine, saffron, amberwood, fir resin and cedar
Saffron is the note woman&home's Digital Beauty Editor, Aleesha Badkar, says lingers on her skin the longest - and earns the most compliments. The scent is woody and floral, with a opening of spice.
RRP: £71 for 35ml | Notes: orange, jasmine, rose, patchouli and vetiver
Musky and chic, this is a staple of woman&home Beauty Editor, Stephanie Maylor. It's truly iconic and never fails to garner compliments.
RRP: £168 for 50ml | Notes: cardamom, iris, violet, ambrox, Australian sandalwood, papyrus and cedarwood
This is a favourite of the whole woman&home beauty team - in fact, we've named its blend of leathery notes, wood and musky florals one of the best long-lasting fragrances on the market.
RRP: £129 for 100ml | Notes: blonde wood accord, white musk, mimosa and rice steam
Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson, says she's been stopped by strangers when wearing this perfume and for an eau de toilette, its irresistible blend of florals and woods really clings to her skin.
RRP: £68 for 30ml | Notes: Rangoon Creeper, jasmine and tuberose
Woman&home's Senior Writer, Amelia Yeomans, says this is one of her favourite jasmine-centric perfumes and says it's a proven compliment-bringer.
RRP: £95 for 50ml | Notes: tuberose, orange blossom, jasmine and amberwood
Named as one of the best Diptyque perfumes, Amelia says she can't stop recommending this long-lasting jasmine number to anyone who will listen - and we can confirm, that she smells great!
