The 28 Best Perfumes of All Time

For many people, a spritz of perfume is the best finishing touch to any outfit. Fragrance can be a powerful tool that can not only impact your mood each day but also aid in the exploration of identity and even be a source of comfort during a tough time. While not an accessory in the traditional sense, scent can be just as sentimental as a family heirloom or as edgy as your favorite leather jacket - and that's where the fun lies. You can change up the scent you wear as frequently as you change your clothes. Experimenting with fragrances offers an unusual freedom: you can mix, match, and layer different notes until you find a combination that is so personal that someone can smell it and recall with vivid clarity one obscure interaction they had with you years ago. However, we can admit, there are a lot of options to choose from. Throw in the many different scent families available, and finding a signature fragrance can feel like a full-time job.What Makes a Great Perfume?The best thing about perfumes is also what makes the category such a confusing one: it's entirely subjective. You can love a gourmand fragrance and recommend it to a friend, only to discover they despise everything you love about it. Still, there are a few qualities that all great fragrances share. When shopping for your next perfume, consider the following:Is it easily identifiable as a member of the fragrance family that you are looking to stay within? For example, if you're looking for a citrus perfume, you should be able to close your eyes, smell it, and immediately tell what it is.Do the perfume's heart and base notes complement the initial top notes? Fragrance can tell a story, and more often than not, the heart and base notes are what you will notice the most. That's why it's important to walk around with a fragrance on before committing - it helps you determine if it works with your body chemistry.Does the fragrance have the sillage that you are looking for? Sillage is just another word for a scent trail. So, when picking a new perfume, you need to determine if you want all heads to turn or if you'd rather something a bit closer to the skin.Different Types of Perfumes:Floral PerfumesWoody PerfumesCitrus PerfumesJasmin PerfumesSpicy PerfumesLeather PerfumesOud PerfumesGourmand PerfumesIf you're trying to get into fragrances but feeling completely overwhelmed by all of the options, we put together the best perfumes to buy to get your collection started. All perfumes have been tested by PS editors who gleefully shared their recommendations based on everything from particularly unique, but incredible-smelling scent profiles to notable lasting power and sillage. Editors love scents across the spectrum, so whether you're looking for light, airy florals or deep woody notes, find the best perfume for you ahead.