As we move into the month of February, one date sticks out in everyone’s mind: Valentine’s Day. To celebrate February 14th in style, I’ve found the best Valentine’s Day-inspired scents to help you feel the love this year.
As Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, romance and companionship, you can expect to find feminine floral notes and deep sensual scents. For extra passion and desire, some perfumes will (hopefully) have an aphrodisiac effect, thanks to their powerful aromas of chocolate, vanilla, nuts and more.
Whether you’re looking for a gift for your other half, something to spritz yourself with before a date or a fun scent for your Galentine’s celebrations, here are the best 12 Valentine’s Day fragrances to try this year.
P.S. If you want to find something specific, check out our guides to the best women’s perfumes and the best men’s colognes.
Best Valentine’s Fragrances for Women
Tom Ford’s latest perfume is sensual and sexy, as the name implies. Unsurprisingly, Vanilla Sex has vanilla at its centre, which is supported by notes of sandalwood, almond and tonka bean for a warming and sweet scent. It’s not a cheap perfume by any means, but it’ll make a great gift for a loved one.
Tom Ford Vanilla Sex is available to buy at Selfridges for £290.
Surely the perfect perfume for your next date night has to be a perfume that’s specifically recommended for a date! Maison Margiela Replica On a Date is sweet, light and meant to evoke memories of late summer nights. It has notes of patchouli, pink pepper, bergamot and blackcurrant for a fruity and floral perfume.
Maison Margiela Replica On a Date is available to buy at John Lewis for £60.
A beautifully feminine scent, the Jean Paul Gaultier Gaultier Divine pays homage to the female form with its body-shaped bottle. Launched late last year, this fragrance combines lilies, meringue and salt for a bright yet surprising scent that will certainly keep things interesting.
Jean Paul Gaultier Gaultier Divine is available to buy at The Perfume Shop for £66.
Burberry’s newest fragrance, Her Petals is fresh and fragrant with its mix of fruity and floral notes. The scent is made up of amber, violet, jasmine and raspberry, and has a woody base for added depth. This perfume comes in a limited edition glass bottle with floating pink petals, making it a perfect gift for your partner.
Burberry Her Petals is available to buy at The Perfume Shop for £130.
Another floral scent, the new fragrance from Givenchy is the Irresistible Very Floral. The heart note of the scent is a combination of rose, iris, white flowers and Sambac jasmine absolute, so if your lover enjoys floral perfumes, this is a great choice.
Givenchy Irresistible Very Floral is available to buy at The Perfume Shop for £67.
Just look at that bottle! The Moschino Toy 2 Pearl is so fun to look at with its teddy bear bottle, but it also smells great, too. The key notes to this fragrance include lemon, jasmine, oregano, freesia, vetiver and musk, for a perfume that’s citrusy, sweet and soft.
Moschino Toy 2 Pearl is available to buy at The Perfume Shop for £45.
Best Valentine’s Fragrances for Men
Sultry and seductive, the Paco Rabanne Phantom is extremely aromatic with its combination of bergamot, lavender, rhubarb, cardamom, cedarwood and vanilla. The newest addition to the brand comes in a robot-esque bottle which is fun to display.
Paco Rabanne Phantom is available to buy at The Perfume Shop for £66.
The newest scent from HUGO BOSS is the Boss The Scent Elixir. This scent fits into three fragrance families: woody, ambery and leathery. It has notes of pimento, sandalwood and lavandin absolute, plus there are ‘for him’ and ‘for her’ options so you can match and complement your Valentine.
HUGO BOSS Boss The Scent Elixir is available to buy at The Perfume Shop for £89.
Exclusive to Harrods, the Creed Millesime 1849 comes in a sleek and luxurious green bottle that’ll stand out on your cologne shelf. The scent will also draw attention, with its notes of cedar, thyme, citrus, rose, ylang ylang, lemon and grapefruit, so if you look citrus, this is the one for you.
Creed Millesime 1849 is available to buy at Harrods for £295.
As oud is an intensely fragrant ingredient, the Tom Ford Oud Minerale is sure to make a statement this Valentine’s Day. To compliment its oud notes, the fragrance has pink pepper, salt, amber, seaweed and agarwood, making it an intriguing scent to wear.
Tom Ford Oud Minerale is available to buy at The Perfume Shop for £106.
Another oud scent, the Versace Oud Noir features the classic Versace patterns and icons on its black and gold bottle. The scent has notes of leather, oud, bitter orange, black pepper and cardamom, making it warm, spicy and exotic.
Versace Oud Noir is available to buy at Boots for £118.
Burberry Hero is Italian fashion designer Riccardo Tisci’s first scent for Burberry and it certainly leaves its mark. Part of the woody fragrance family, this fragrance has notes of black pepper, juniper, cedarwood and bergamot, and it comes in a classic and understated bottle.
Burberry Hero is available to buy at Boots for £69.
