From the launch of Perfumehead at Holt Renfrew to Austin Butler’s role as the face of YSL’s latest fragrance, it’s been an exciting year for scent.
We’re nearing the end of 2023 and this year’s perfume launches have stirred up plenty of excitement. From revamped classics to niche scents inspired by memorable pop culture moments (more on that later), the world of fragrance has been in full bloom.
But what separates a good perfume from an absolute showstopper? It’s hard to say.
More often than not, a scent can unearth a fond memory or even remind you of a place you dream of visiting. Either way, trying on a new fragrance is like stepping into a time machine: it either takes you back or flings you forward.
Ready to go for a ride? Here, the best new perfumes of 2023, including scents from YSL, Tom Ford, Cartier and more. Plus, a few all-time favourite fragrances we fell in love with this year that stood the test of time.
Tom Ford Vanilla Sex
Tom Ford is closing out the 2023 year on a high note with the launch of a provocative new scent labelled Vanilla Sex. Described as “anything but ordinary and far from innocent,” this deeply addictive scent features vanilla facets like sultry vanilla absolute and soft Vanilla Tincture India, an ingredient developed exclusively for Tom Ford.
With contrasting notes of sandalwood peeking through, this alluring fragrance transcends traditional notions of what it once meant to smell like sweet vanilla.
Louis Vuitton Myriad Eau de Parfum
For the sixth fragrance in Louis Vuitton’s Les Extraits collection, perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud turned to oud (one of the oldest and most expensive fragrance materials in the world, which has been used in Asia and the Middle East for centuries). In Myriad, famously dense, complex, woody oud—which is often referred to as “black gold”—is contrasted with rose, saffron, white musk and cocoa, to pierce through its heaviness. The end result is a scent that is full of contradictions. Intense but still light. Surprising yet timeless.
Guerlain Tobacco Honey
In the world of fragrance, there are scents that are cloyingly sweet; there are uplifting perfumes that are begging to be worn at the beach, and then there are the ones that just smell rich. Guerlain’s Tobacco Honey is the latest inductee into the latter category. With notes of leather, tobacco, chocolate, wood and honey, the fragrance is elegant, robust and warm. Its thick, syrupy aroma lingers, revealing more and more about itself as day turns to night. Like stepping into a dimly lit cigar and cocktail lounge, and stepping out feeling like you’ve levelled up a tax bracket, Tobacco Honey is quiet luxury in a bottle.
Jean Paul Gaultier Divine Eau de Parfum
Released 30 years after the brand’s very first scent, Gaultier Divine is a nod to the drastic evolution of femininity through the years. Featuring the iconic cone bra on the bottle, the fragrance is sweet, salty, and audacious—blending white floral notes with whipped meringue and saltwater. The takeaway? Why compromise when you can do (and smell like) it all?
Rabanne Fame
One year after the launch of Fame, Rabanne’s Fame Parfum arrives with a dark spin on the original. The new fragrance introduces heightened levels of sensuality, seduction and glamour with an intense blend of woody-meets-floral jasmine, incense, and musk notes.
Dressed in glossy black and gold, the bottle is inspired by the fashion house’s iconic 1969 chainmail bag.
Kilian Smoking Hot
Transporting wearers to a pulsing European nightclub with a single spritz, Kilian’s new Smoking Hot perfume presents a modernized version of a smokey fragrance. Fusing Kentucky tobacco absolute with apple-flavoured shisha tobacco and boozy bourbon vanilla, you’ll be hooked on this hot new scent.
Cacharel Yes I Am Bloom Up Eau de Parfum
Cacharel’s latest addition to the Yes I Am collection smells as delightful as the lipstick-shaped vessel. One spritz delivers an explosion of sweet red berries and fresh peony with a lingering trail of sandalwood. It’s an instant fave — and affordable to boot.
Tom Ford Myrrhe Mystère
What’s woody, spicy, and seductive? Why, it’s Tom Ford’s latest fragrance launch, of course. Myrrhe Mystère leads with an addictive duo of myrrh essences rounded out by a warm blend of ultra-vanille accord and sandalwood.
It’s got the mysterious allure of a true Tom Ford fragrance, with a modern twist that elevates one of the label’s most iconic ingredients.
Le Monde Gourmand Chai Épicé
Get your spiced chai latte fix from Le Monde Gourmand’s fall-favourite Chai Épicé scent. A happy medium of sweet and spicy, this fragrance feels like fall thanks to its violet fig, muguet musk, and blonde wood notes.
Kayali Oudgasm Café Oud
Contributing to the 2023 resurgence of rosy fragrances, Kayali’s Oudgasm Café Oud features a splash of rose at its heart in between autumnal notes of creamy cappuccino and woody oud. This scent lives in the perfumery’s new Oudgasm Collection, which was inspired by brand founder Mona Kattan’s deep love for opulent oud.
Byredo Rouge Chaotique
It’s shaping up to be a red year indeed. And this autumn, Byredo has hopped on the colour trend with the launch of Rouge Chaotique. Noted with intoxicating bursts of intense saffron, sweet plum and praline, this fragrance marks Byredo’s first oud gourmand scent to join the perfumery’s Night Veils collection.
Golf le Fleur French Waltz
Rapper Tyler the Creator enters the world of fragrance and beauty with the launch of Golf le Fleur, a collection of fragrance, nail polish and accessories, at Thirteen Line. Evocative of summer days filled with lake swims and flowers picked from the garden, this Le Fleur fragrance from the new the line features key mandarin, magnolia, jasmine, and sandalwood notes.
Cartier Pasha de Cartier Parfum
Artfully adorned with silver arabesque motifs and the signature blue hue you may recognize from the cabochon residing within the iconic Pasha de Cartier watch, this limited-edition Pasha de Cartier Parfum bottle is peak luxury. Inside, notes of warm sandalwood and sensual amber combine to create a truly high-end fragrance.
Juicy Viva La Juicy Sucré
All it takes is a glance at the bottle to understand that this fragrance is for the die-hard gourmand fans, if the name didn’t give it away immediately. Juicy Couture’s latest, Viva La Juicy Sucré is everything sweet rolled into one: think juicy mandarin, peach nectar, and fresh gardenia, topped with a layer of vanilla icing, a generous dollop of whipped cream and a pinch of cocoa powder. Hungry yet?
Chanel Chance Eau Fraîche Eau de Parfum
If you’re a fan of Chanel’s OG Chance fragrance, you’ll adore this summery twist on the scent. Made with a blend of zesty citrus, teak wood and jasmine, it’s comforting and fresh all at once.
Florence by Mills Wildly Me
Millie Bobby Brown is entering the celebrity fragrance world with an earthy new scent, and it’s a fitting addition to Brown’s ultra-popular clean beauty line, Florence By Mills. Wildly Me combines fresh bergamot and sage with woody sandalwood and tons of fragrant purple blooms like wisteria, violet and iris. Put it this way: if the song “Lavender Haze” was a scent, this would be it.
Aerin Rose de Grasse Rouge Eau de Parfum
When it comes to rose perfumes, no brand does it quite like Aerin. Rose de Grasse Rouge — the newest addition to the beauty brand’s rose premier collection — blends classic red roses with rose water and honeycomb, resulting in a romantic and timeless scent.
YSL MYSLF Eau de Parfum
This is not a drill: YSL’s new eau de parfum, MYSLF, is fronted by none other than Austin Butler. So if you ever wanted to know what the star smells like, imagine a combination of Calabrian Bergamot, sweet orange blossom and a touch of musky patchouli. A little fresh, a little earthy, and very, very sexy.
Perfumehead at Holt Renfrew
Have you met Perfumehead yet? If not, allow us to introduce you. Launched in the fall of 2022, this Los Angeles-based niche fragrance brand has gained quite the reputation for its cinematic approach to scent. Think fragrances inspired by David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive, or Britney and Justin’s unforgettable double denim moment at the AMAs (that’s the coriander, cumin and tonka-infused Canadian Tuxedo, for those wondering).
Founder Daniel Patrick Giles — who began his career at Holt Renfrew — built each of the seven extraits de parfum in Perfumehead’s collection as scents you can layer, inspired by the “osmocosm”—“osmo” meaning scent and “cosmo” as in universe. And in a delightful full circle moment, the brand is now exclusively available in Canada at Holts.
Paco Rabanne Lady Million Royal Eau de Parfum
Can’t decide between floral or fruity scents? You can have both with Paco Rabanne Lady Million Royal, which smells like a bed of white flowers surrounded by sweet pomegranate. Very dreamy.
Tom Ford Café Rose
We can successfully conclude that rose fragrances have made a major comeback this year. We love Tom Ford’s take on the trend, which infuses Turkish and Bulgarian rose with the addictive scent of coffee. It’s warm, mysterious and seriously long-lasting.
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Summer Vibes Eau de Toilette
Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue has been a beloved scent since it first came on the scene in 2001, and its latest reinterpretation is shaping up to be just as appealing. With a mix of bergamot, peach and cedar, it has that same woody-fruity essence, but with a little more zest.
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