beauty

These 13 fragrances have garnered 'cult status' for a reason.

Some of us have signature scents, others like to alternate and some of us can't breathe near certain perfumes without thinking of someone in particular. Ultimately, perfumes for a lot of us are memories.

So with that in mind, shopping for a new fragrance can be overwhelming. There are so many options! So many notes! So many different brands! And so many funky as hell perfume bottles!

Watch: How to make perfume last all day. Post continues below.


Video via Mamamia.

To help the cause, You Beauty's Kelly McCarren has taken a trip down memory lane unpacking some of the world's most adored fragrances. From the designer to the celebrity, Kelly reveals the stories behind our favourites scents, and why they are so damn popular. 

So without further ado, let's get into it!

Tom Ford Black Orchid, $140.

Image: MECCA/Tom Ford.

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"I am obsessed with the entire Tom Ford Orchid collection. It's a timeless scent, and it is not for the faint-hearted," Kelly said on You Beauty.

With notes of black truffle, black plum, patchouli and, of course, black orchid, this concoction is both modern and timeless. 

The black glass fluted bottle is also super glamorous. 

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, $112.

Image: Myer/Viktor & Rolf.

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Originally launched in 2005, this was the fragrance back in the day. The floral notes come from rose, jasmine and orchid: so it is certainly a flower bomb. 

"This perfume literally smells like a bouquet of flowers packed in liquid form in a classy glass bottle. It's very feminine."

DIOR J'adore Eau De Parfum, $85.

Image: DIOR/Sephora.

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The J'adore fragrance is beautiful, and we 'love' it for a reason (see what we did there?).

"I do have slight PTSD from this scent, because my mother used to drown herself in this scent. It's actually beautiful though, and a little goes a long way," Kelly said on the podcast. 

J'adore definitely has fruity and exotic notes: rose, jasmine, orange blossom, lily of the valley, pear, melon and mandarin. Delicious.

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium, $105.

Image: Adore Beauty/ Yves Saint Laurent.

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Black Opium was launched in 2014, and without question is a sexy and rebellious scent.

"The fragrance is absolutely gorgeous! The heart note is composed of a lot of coffee, and the rest is composed of floral and fruity notes," Kelly shared.

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt, $106.

 Image: Jo Malone.

The actual smell of this very popular perfume matches the title perfectly, being it is a great blend of sea salt and wood sage. 
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"With one spray you'll instantly be transported to summer holidays: luxe ones. It's actually quite a popular wedding fragrance too!"

Britney Spears Curious, $39.

Image: Priceline Au/Britney Spears.

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"This smells like high school girls to me," Kelly laughed.

"Although traditionally it's a very young fragrance, I couldn't not include it. It started Britney's perfume collection, which has over 23 perfumes now."

The scent itself includes magnolia pear and lotus, musk and vanilla. 

Marc Jacobs Daisy, $96.

Image: Myer/Marc Jacobs.

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Another cult option is Daisy by Marc Jacobs.

It's very youthful and infused with white jasmine notes, sandalwood, jasmine and berries. 

"It's a light, floral and fresh scent and has been a favourite for many moons. Not to mention, it's extra perfect for the spring and summery months. It's a great entry fragrance," Kelly said. 

Chanel No.5, $123.

Image: Chanel.

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There's no way in hell you haven't heard about this particular fragrance. It's one of the most famous perfumes on the planet, known for its luxury and pretty iconic ad campaigns.

It was created in 1921, and has been a classic ever since. "One of the top notes, Aldehydes, is what gives the scent a floral-type fragrance. There are at least 80 ingredients that compose it," Kelly noted. 

Maison Margiela By The Fireplace, $90.

Image: MECCA/Maison Margiela.

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This is another iconic option you would have seen at MECCA, known for its apothecary jar. 

The unisex woody fragrance is built with chestnut, juniper, cloves, pink pepper, vanilla and red berries. 

So considering this fragrance is marketed as "inspired by nights spent by a simmering fireplace", the notes appear to match this perfectly!

Byredo Gypsy Water, $217.

Image: MECCA/BYREDO.

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As you can see, this is a pretty pricey fragrance. But sometimes we all need a big boujee luxury. 

"The key notes are bergamot, juniper berries, lemon, incense, pepper, pine needle, sandalwood and vanilla. Gypsy Water is definitely the best seller from BYREDO," Kelly noted. 

Guerlain Shalimar, $89.90.

Image: Westfield/Guerlain.

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The fragrance was created in 1925, and the word Shalimar is today understood as an abode of light.

As Jacques Guerlain said himself: "Wearing Shalimar means letting your senses take over."

The scent includes cedar, iris, citrus lemon, rose, vanilla, tonka bean and musk.

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue, $111.

Image: Myer/Dolce & Gabbana.

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Without a doubt, this is one of the most universally popular fragrances. 

"The perfume's ability to blend fresh, fruity and floral notes is pretty special. It's possibly the best rose perfume of all time," Kelly said. 

Le Labo Santal 33, $130.

Image: Le Labo.

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As so eloquently put by Kelly: "This perfume smells like a rich person to me." Probably because it's incredibly expensive - but you've got to love the apothecary packaging.

The prominent notes in this one include cardamom, iris, violet, Australian sandalwood, leather and cedarwood, making it the perfect unisex fragrance. 

Needless to say, after compiling this list, we've now added plenty of these fragrances to our wishlist (and shopping cart)...

What's your signature scent? Let us know in the comments below!

You can listen to the aforementioned episode of You Beauty right here:


Feature Image: Mamamia.