There’s nothing like the smell of an old favourite perfume to take you on a trip down memory lane.
And it seems many of us have been stepping back in time as classic fragrances from the Noughties and 2010s have become bestsellers.
With lockdown making it tricky to test out any new releases, beauty shoppers have been reverting back to classics from over the past two decades – and they’re sure to appear under more than a couple of Christmas trees.
Among some of the bestsellers at UK-based online beauty retailer Escentual.com include: 2005 hit Alien by Thierry Mugler and Carolina Herrara’s Good Girl, which launched in 2016.
BVLGARI – EAU PARFUMEE AU THE BLANC
Launched: 2003
Price: £57.80 (75ml)
A delicate and elegant fragrance for men and women, Bvlgari Eau de Cologne launched in 2003 and costs £57.80 (75ml)
A delicate and elegant fragrance for men and women. Reminiscent of a rare white Himalayan Tea, this floral woody fragrance opens gracefully with a breath of fresh artemisia.
Deep aromatic notes of spicy pepper awaken the core heart of beautifully rare white tea, which soothes and stimulates the smokey, rich scent of ambrette.
Deep in the base lies seductive notes of musk and woody amber, settling your senses with every spritz
Top Notes: Artemisia, Pepper
Heart Notes: White Tea Accord, Pepper
Base Notes: Musk, Woody Amber
THIERRY MUGLER – ALIEN
Launched: 2005
Price: £48.45 (30ml)
Thierry Mugler’s Alien, which launched in 2005, costs £48.45 for 30ml (pictured)
A radiant woody-floral fragrance for women with a unique aroma which builds a sense of passion from the first moment.
Encompassing top notes of jasmine sambac with heart notes of spicy cashmeran wood and enchanting base notes of white amber.
It is a warm, floral scent that is inspired by natural aromas, and a sophisticated fragrance that will last on the skin.
The tall, amethyst-inspired bottle has a refill feature, so it’s easy to replenish your favourite Eau de Parfum using the Alien Refill Bottle.
Top Notes: Jasmine Sambac
Heart Notes: Cashmerian Wood
Base Notes: White Amber
PACO RABANNE – 1 MILLION
Launched: 2008
Price: £45.90
Paco Rabanne 1 Million Parfum Spray (pictured), which took the nation by storm in 2009, retails at £45.90
Intense and impactful, Paco Rabanne 1 Million Parfum for men is stronger and more handsome than ever with its exaggerated leathery scent.
Fans of the original 1 Million fragrance will be aware of its ruggedly handsome scent. When it launched back in 2008, Million was known as ‘the fragrance to be wearing’.
1 Million Parfum opens with salty tuberose, a white floral note that offers a sophistication to the fragrance, while adding a sense of opulence. This note sits alongside a soft, woody cashmeran accord and dry, musky ambroxide.
Top Notes: Salty Tuberose, Ambroxide, Cashmeran Accord.
Heart Notes: Leathery Opulence.
Base Notes: Solar Leather Accord, Rockrose Resin.
ELIE SAAB – LE PARFUM
Launched: 2011
Price: £38.25
Elie Saab Le Parfum Eau de Parfum Spray, which hit the shelves in 2011, costs £38.25
The top note opens on a sun-kissed, radiant orange blossom, as an ode to light.
The middle note develops into a jasmine absolute, a legendary flower in perfumery, imparting voluptuousness and elegance to the fragrance. It combines with a pure, modern patchouli heart.
The base note unfolds into a cedar woody accord adding character and a lingering trail, while the honey rose envelops the composition in a beautifully addictive note.
Top Notes: Orange Blossom
Heart Notes: Jasmine absolute, Patchouli heart
Base Notes: Cedar accord, Honey Rose
JIMMY CHOO – FLASH
Launched: 2013
Price: £42.50
Jimmy Choo Flash Eau de Parfum was first released in 2013, and costs£42.50
Sparkles of Pink Pepper, Tangerine and Strawberry introduce a flash of White Flowers and Tuberose to this Eau De Parfum fragrance.
Intoxicating and dangerously sexy, the scent parades on a catwalk of addictive Powdery Woods.
Top Notes: Pink Pepper, Tangerine, Strawberry.
Heart Notes: White Flowers, Tuberose.
Base Notes: Powdery Woods.
CAROLINA HERRERA – GOOD GIRL
Launched: 2016
Price: £43.35 (30ml)
A sweet oriental white floral women’s fragrance with creamy facets. The juice pairs bright, feminine notes of jasmine and tuberose with rich, with an intoxicating base of tonka bean, coffee and cocoa.
Notes: Jasmine Sambac, Tuberose, Cocoa, Tonka, Almond, Coffee
CALVIN KLEIN – DEEP EUPHORIA
Launched: 2016
Price: £33.15
Calvin Klein Deep Euphoria Eau de Parfum Spray £33.15
Between fantasy and reality lies Calvin Klein Deep Euphoria Eau de Parfum, an empowering fragrance for women with floral facets.
The floral-chypre Deep Euphoria perfume has a fresh opening as notes of cascalone, mandarin leaf and white pepper bound toward a floral bouquet of black rose, peony, geranium and jasmine sambac.
Finally, there’s a nod of musk and patchouli wrap around woody notes in the base, for a seductively smooth signature.
Top Notes: Cascalone, Mandarin Leaf, White Pepper
Heart Notes: Black Rose, Peony, Geranium, Jasmine Sambac
Base Notes: Musk, Patchouli, Woody Notes
MICHAEL KORS – TWILIGHT SHIMMER
Launched: 2018
Price: £29.95 (50ml)
Michael Kors’ Twilight Shimmer is one of the brand’s most underrated scents. It launched in 2018 and costs £29.95 (50ml)
One of Michael Kors’ most underrated scents, this limited edition creamy-floral fragrance sparkles with sophistication.
Twilight Shimmer isn’t what you’d deem a traditional oriental fragrance to be. As soon as you spray it on the skin, the jammy side of plum adds a sticky fruitiness to the whole concoction; unveiling a softer side to the dark woods in the core.
Warm and inviting, as this Eau de Parfum envelops on the skin and dries down, you start to experience a rich nutty, kind of milky scent that’s deliciously feminine and elegant.
Top Notes: Plum, Clary Sage, Mandarin
Heart Notes: Oud Laos Firbest, Patchouli, Papyrus
Base Notes: Praline, Ambrarome, Helvetolide Musk