After enduring many years of fragrance trends leaning towards lightweight scents, I'm welcoming the return of intense perfumes with open arms. I've been working in the beauty industry for many years and have a particular talent for spotting special scents and emerging fragrance trends. Over the past few years, lists of the best perfumes have heavily featured fresh perfumes, skin scents and light floral fragrances—yes, soft perfumes have really marked their territory.
However, as prices of perfumes started to hike and niche fragrances became more and more popular, I have had a feeling that the lightweight perfume trend was set to be short lived. Why? Because no one wants to spend £150+ on a scent that simply doesn't last (or, in some cases, smell like anything at all). And now, as we find ourselves in the midst of autumn and the temperature starts to drop outside, it seems our tastes are finally starting to sway—yes, intense perfumes with boosted sillage, impressive longevity and more concentrated formulas are back.
And just because they're intense doesn't necessarily mean they have to be overly powerful or headache-inducing. Intense perfumes can come in many forms—from sweet perfumes and citrus scents to more classic woody concoctions and spicy fragrances. So what's the real difference and how can you guarantee any perfume you shop ahead of gifting season will pack a punch and last on the skin? I've reached out to some of the world's top perfumers for their insights...
Absolu, Esprit, Extrait and Parfum
First and foremost, let's get the technical bits out of the way. The key to creating a great intense perfume is all in the blend. The higher the concentration of aromatic compound or perfume oil, the more intensity and longevity a fragrance should have. While colognes and eau de toilettes possess some of the lowest concentrations, eau de parfums contain around 15-20% aromatic compound or perfume oil. However, that's not to say eau de parfums can't struggle with longevity and intensity, too (certain base notes have to be utilises to maximise punch). In this case, look for eau de parfums with the word 'absolu' or 'absolute' in their names, as these scents usually deliver punchier, longer-lasting takes on classic perfumes.
"Eau de toilettes tend to be fresh, and it can be very difficult to achieve [that freshness] with the same level of longevity and sillage as an eau de parfum. With an absolu, we use more oud, more vanilla, more ambery notes so that, in the end, you get a fragrance that is super strong, super moreish and has a big sillage," says world-renowned perfumer, Fanny Bal.
If you want real intensity from your fragrance, you should look for the following words on your perfume bottle: Esprit de parfum, parfum (not to be confused with eau de parfum) and extrait. These fragrances will typically contain 15-40% aromatic compounds. And the good news is, while such blends were historically hard to come by, in recent months, we've seen a huge number of wearable parfums, extraits and absolus launch.
Unparalleled longevity
As touched on, one of the key elements of an intense perfume sits in its longevity. In my opinion, it is this attribute that has led to a surge in absolus and extraits in recent months. With the price of fragrances increasing, I know all too well what it feels like to be let down by the performance of an expensive perfume you've just dropped £200 on.
"People want more," says Fanny. "Some perfumes are getting expensive, and people want to see longevity. When you have a name like 'Absolu', you can't launch something light—you have to think about longevity. For this, as a perfumer, you work harder on the heart and base notes, which gives a different profile in a more intense base—that's where the longevity comes from."
High intensity and power
With skin scents reigning supreme in recent years, we're starting to see a shift towards punchier power perfumes that make an impact. But, with that in mind, it's worth remembering that intense perfumes don't have to be offensive. Rather, in a world of barely-there perfumes, we're seeing a return to powerful and intense softness.
Perfumer, Aurélien Guichard explains: "Throughout my whole career, I've always tried to reach a balance of sensuality and softness but also power and longevity. To me, that is a sign of real quality. If you wear a perfume that doesn't make people react, it doesn't really have any meaning to me. The perfumes of the eighties set the standard, but sometimes they were a bit too French or a bit too opulent. In England, my friends laugh that in France, back in the day, we wore perfumes that were overly powerful. To me, the whole challenge of today is to express modernity with this sense of richness—all without being overwhelming."
And this is something that is evident to see in newer intense creations—scents that demand to be noticed but never offend or impede. "A good sillage can say a lot about someone's personality," says Thibaud Crivelli, Founder of Maison Crivelli. "The way to make a great perfume that lasts all day and makes you feel and be seen like no other, is through a highly concentrated fragrance. It comes with a cost, but this is an investment that, I believe, today's consumers are willing to make. For Maison Crivelli, extraits represent 70% of our sales."
Ungendered uniqueness
Another element of intense fragrances that really draws me in is that they tend to move away from the archaic notion of gendered scents. "They are less gendered," says Aurélien. "There's something more conceptual about the ingredients. More and more, people are looking for a certain texture to the ingredients in a fragrance that can be applied to both men and women."
And this, I believe, is because in more intense blends the focus goes into the middle and base notes—ambers, woods and spices. When these notes are tinkered with and put in the spotlight, a fragrance adopts a truly unique and fluid wearability that appeals to all.
And this is something Fanny notes in relation to her work on Givenchy L'Interdit Absolu: "When Givenchy sent me the brief, they showed me the bottle, which was going to be black, and they asked me to put a more 'masculine' facet into the perfume. When the house launched L'Interdit Rouge, they found men were wearing it. The Absolu delivers a more 'masculine' take, but remains different to other genderless classics. It's a powerful fragrance with a real signature and singularity—it's not light."
The best intense perfumes, handpicked by an expert editor
And because I have been feeling somewhat let down (and, dare I say it, bored) of lightweight, fresh aromas that don't deliver on impact, I have spent the past few months rekindling my love for intense perfumes. I have tried some of the old classics that we saw set the precedent in the eighties, as well as a number of the newer intense scents on the market. As far as I am concerned, these are the most modern, beautiful and genuinely impressive intense perfumes out there right now—trust me, they will make you feel like you can take on the world.
1. Merit Retrospect
Fanny Bal's latest creation, Merit Retrospect, has taken the beauty world by storm. While skin scents and powdery perfumes have taken the lead in recent times, Merit's debut fragrance champions a more complex, endearing aroma. As an extrait, it's needless to say it packs a punch, but it also possesses a softness that makes you feel as though it has always belonged on your skin. While the initial hit feels sweet and fruity, after a short while, the powdered florals and clean-smelling earthiness creeps through, and it's that which sits on your skin all day long.
2. Dior La Collection Privée Christian Dior Lucky Esprit de Parfum
Francis Kurkdjian recently gave some of Dior's most loved La Collection Privée fragrances a supercharge by blending a new line of Esprit de Parfums. This one, in particular, has me obsessed. If you're scared of intense perfumes because you typically prefer lightweight, sweet scents, then this one is for you. It has an airy floral-ness, reminiscent of throwing open the windows on the first day of spring, but the base notes give it a sweet punch that announces you when you walk into a room.
3. Byredo Mojave Ghost Absolu
I'm going to be brutally honest—I have a real bee in bonnet with a number of Byredo scents. I truly believe that Byredo has created some of the most beautifully wearable and unique aromas of our time, but the sillage and longevity is lacking in too many of my favourites—one of which is Mojave Ghost. As a scent, Mojave Ghost is powdered, dry, wispy and warm—like a light breeze flowing through the desert—but the eau de parfum certainly struggles with punch and longevity. So, imagine my joy when the brand launched this Absolu de Parfum a couple of weeks ago. It possesses all of the same beautiful characters as the EDP, but with an added depth that really sings.
4. Givenchy L'Interdit Absolu
This is the fragrance Fanny discussed working on earlier—a punchier take on the original L'Interdit that can appeal to everyone, no matter their gender. It is, in my opinion, one of the very best commercial fragrance launches of the year. It is smoky and floral with an almighty punch of seduction. It's the perfume I would have rattling around in my bag after a fabulous night out in Paris, as I wander back down the Champs-Élysées with my stilettos swinging in my hand.
5. Matiere Premiere Radical Rose
Aurélien Guichard's Matiere Premiere is renowned for its unique, compliment-worthy scents, and the Radical Rose Extrait is, in my opinion, the best of them all. It delivers an intoxicating concoction of rose—one that is dark, endearing, a little spicy and, actually, surprisingly fresh.
6. Maison Crivelli Tubéreuse Astrale
I have written at length about the beauty of Maison Crivelli Tubereuse Astrale before, and it is a classic example of how intense perfumes don't need to nauseating. An extrait blend, it's needless to say it boasts more than impressive longevity (sometimes I still catch whiffs of it on myself post-shower), but the scent itself is also mighty impressive. It's one for those who love deep, sweet fragrances—like velvety tuberose petals and aged leather that have been drenched in cream soda.
7. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait
I'll admit, the longevity and sillage of Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 never really needed amplifying—it is beauty enough. However, this extrait bundles up all of the warming, creamy joy of the Eau de Parfum and amplifies it—just in case, you know, you wanted to smell even more luxurous.
8. Akro Glow
When Olivier Cresp first handed me a sample vial of this fragrance way back in March, long before it launched, my off-the-cuff response was: "That is a perfume." To me, it smells like a hug of comfort that radiates pure elation. It's the sort of perfume you'll find yourself wanting to spritz onto your neck on days when you need a metaphorical comfort blanket, but is also the sort of scent you want to douse yourself in before a cracking night out—totally moreish and endearing.
9. Dior Miss Dior Parfum
Miss Dior Parfum can easily be mistaken for the similar looking (but very different smelling) Miss Dior Eau de Parfum when out shopping. But while the now iconic Miss Dior Eau de Parfum embodies a lightweight, fruity-floral heart, the Parfum is deeper, more sensual and distinctly more powerful. One spray of this makes you feel like you can get whatever you want.
10. Fornasetti Immaginazione
I can sense you wincing at this price as you read my words, and I too may have done if I didn't half expect it from Fornasetti. Are Fornasetti fragrances outlandishly expensive? Certainly. Do you need to spend £480 to get a great perfume that lasts all day and makes you feel something? Absolute not. However, taking the view that this is simply a list of the best intense perfumes in existence, it would be wrong for me to leave this one off. Immaginazione is like taking a stroll through a herb-boarded garden in Italian—green, herby, woody and distinctly opulent.
11. Burberry Hero Parfum
Remember what we said about intense perfumes breaking down the barriers between 'gendered' fragrances? Well, this Parfum from Burberry proves it. While Hero (in both EDT and EDP form) is no doubt Burberry's iconic men's fragrance, the Absolu takes on a more mineral, elemental role, with added spice and intensity. These powerful facets mean I get every bit as much empowerment from it as my husband does.
