While florals are often thought of as fresh, powdery and spring-like, when blended with spiced and smokier notes, these blooms can take on quite a different and very magnetic personality. Meet your daytime flower perfume's alter ego: evening florals.
When it comes to the best long-lasting perfumes, many of the top spots are ruled by floral fragrances. As an olfactory genre, they are arguably the most classic, with notes like rose and jasmine found in some of the most iconic and recognisable blends in the world; Chanel No.5 and Miss Dior, for instance. But despite their very classical and elegant reputation, and the fact that many consider them to be either very bright and soft or very mature, they're far from being one-dimensional. You can infact, find some richer and altogether darker iterations; florals that tread into amber and musk territory, so much so that they feel more apt being worn at dusk than at dawn.
Evening florals, as we like to call them (inspired by such blooms as the evening primrose and hibiscus 'evening rose'), are magnetic and effortlessly chic. Ideal for those who want to smell like a moonlit garden, as opposed to a bouquet of pink roses - especially where these nine are concerned.
9 evening floral perfumes that radiate luxury and mystery
As mentioned, floral perfumes, as a genre, are very multifaceted. Yes, you can find very dewy, powdery iterations. Some of the best rose perfumes, for instance, are very photorealistic, but you can also find those that smell like musk and spices.
Indeed, when florals like jasmine, rose, and iris are combined with notes of oud, pink pepper, clove, vanilla and musk, they take on a much moodier feel. Becoming the sorts of scents that were made to be worn alongside a pair of kitten-heeled boots and black jeans, and with a glass of red wine enroute from the bar. Of course, that's not to say that you can't still wear so-called 'evening' florals in the daytime; you most definitely can and should. We're just painting a picture here, and as for what classes as an evening floral scent, these nine definitely qualify...
RRP: from £153 for 30ml | Notes: Turkish rose, clove, raspberry, cinnamon, patchouli, frankincense, sandalwood, amber, musk and benzoin
A favourite of Digital Beauty Editor, Fiona McKim's and touted as one of the best perfumes for women, Portrait Of A Lady is all opulence and elegance. It opens with luxe notes of Turkish Rose, which meld with spicy clove and heady patchouli, followed by a sultry kick of incense. It's rich and lingering, ideal for those who like their signatures to trail them all day. And that balance of classic rose with amber and spices definitely makes this blend the epitome of an evening floral.
Who should buy it: fans of sultry rose fragrances, looking for something extremely sophisticated to invest in.
RRP: from £160 for 75ml | Notes: Musk, iris, ambrette and pink pepper
For a very wearable take on this trendy fragrance category, consider Fleur de Peau. Ranked among the best Diptyque perfumes (and a personal favourite of mine), this scent offers a beautiful balance of powdery iris and soft musks. It's delicate but lingering with those floral notes adding a breezy, lightweight quality, while pink pepper and ambrette add an intimate warmth and closeness. It's the definition of a signature scent, one that transcends the season or occasion, but its musky-floral blend definitely lends itself perfectly to the night-time, just as well as it does the day.
Who should buy it: lovers of powdery perfumes, seeking a very versatile but chic floral to wear from day to night.
RRP: from £175 for 30ml | Notes: osmanthus, magnolia, saffron, tuberose, passion fruit, agarwood, Javanese patchouli, Madagascan vanilla, incense, myrrh, ambroxan, Chinese cedarwood and musk
Rich and smoky, Queen of Silk truly does capture the essence of fine fabrics, like gossamer and silk drapes cascading from the ceiling. It's smooth and warm, with trails of incense and myrrh mingling with elegant osmanthus, magnolia and tuberose. There's an alluring spice to it, thanks to notes of saffron, as well as a muskiness that really draws you in. It's the perfect date night scent, as well as being a very confident signature for those who like to leave a lasting impression.
Who should buy it: lovers of dark, smoky florals, as well as fans of the best Creed perfumes.
RRP: £245 for 75ml | Notes: jasmine, coffee, incense and oud
'Bewitching' is a very apt name for this Penhaligon's perfume. It's definitely one for oud perfume lovers, as the note is very predominant, though it's complemented beautifully with rich notes of coffee and regal jasmine. There's a spicy, smoky quality to each spritz, thanks to its heart of incense, that really allows this blend to linger and surround you in warmth. It's rich and dark, much like the burgundy colour of its liquid, the perfect scent to accompany you to a chic jazz bar. Though with that in mind, be wary of your spray, as the tint of this fragrance might stain white shirts and so on.
Who should buy it: fans of very smoky, oud fragrances, seeking a very sophisticated and mature iteration.
RRP: from £73 for 30ml | Notes: plum, osmanthus and vanilla
For our fruity perfume lovers out there, this bright chypre bend oscillates between being sweet and sultry. Notes of plum deliver a burst of juiciness, enhanced further by osmanthus, which also brings its own velvet-y warmth and settles softly into that sweet base of vanilla. It's a very intriguing and contradicting scent, with that bright, dewy opening clashing against its creamy, musky heart. Again, it is one that you could wear anytime, but to me, that blend of plum and vanilla makes it such a lovely evening scent. Even the bottle and tint of Roma Melancholia Donna make it seem like the perfect evening floral.
Who should buy it: those who love a fruity-floral, but with a moody twist
RRP: from £24 for 90ml | Notes: blackcurrant, pear nectar, midnight jasmine, vanilla crème, lush freesia, amber woods, caramelised patchouli
Dubbed the best evening option from among Sol de Janeiro's scents, Cheriosa 76 blend juicy, radiant notes of blackcurrant and pear with elegant white florals and creamy woods. It's warm and a little spicy, with caramelised patchouli and vanilla offering a cosiness that feels very fitting for after-dark wear. It's also a favourite for the colder months, so if you're looking for a fragrance that can double as both your evening and winter perfume, this body mist is definitely one to consider.
Who should buy it: those who want to layer their perfumes or are seeking an easy, lightweight option to spritz and go.
RRP: from £29 for 10ml | Notes: jasmine, saffron, papyrus, black cherry, red peppercorn, centifolia rose, black violet accord, narcotic musk flower, patchouli fraction and labdanum.
For an affordable but multi-faceted and long-lasting option, please turn your attention to Floral Street's Black Lotus. It blends classic florals like jasmine and centifolia rose with more rare and standout spices, like saffron and red peppercorn, as well as notes like narcotic musk and labdanum. It's rich, woody and aromatic, with a touch of sweetness that makes you want to lean in closer.
Who should buy it: those who love a woody-floral
RRP: from £116 for 50ml | Notes: clove, Damask rose and oud
Regarded as one of the best Jo Malone perfumes, this blend is very much an example of an evening floral. It showcases elegant Damask Rose, and pairs it with rich, heady notes of clove and oud to create a scent that is smoky, spicy and expensive-smelling. There's a moody and alluring sort of intensity to it that lends itself well to an evening sort of scent - and one that will definitely keep you company all night too, as it sure does linger.
Who should buy it: again, one for rose and oud lovers, as they are the predominant notes
RRP: £205 for 50ml | Notes: tuberose, leather and musks
A scent that was quite literally designed to mirror the magnificence of the swirling Milky Way, Maison Crivelli's Tubéreuse Astrale sparkles with notes of tuberose, leather and musk. It's smoky and intense; there's no subtlety here, only confidence and splendour. It's very much a blend that radiates luxury and calls for attention, with elegant rose opening into a warm base of leathery and heavy musks. I can picture this scent being walked through an opulent theatre or gallery, or on an evening stroll along the Seine.
Who should buy it: those who prefer their signatures to be very immersive and to linger long after the first spray
What notes create an 'evening' floral fragrance
Now, this is up to some interpretation, but as far as we're concerned, an evening floral is one that balances classic and powdery notes, like jasmine, rose and iris, with warmer and spicier ones, like cedarwood, oud, pink pepper, amber and musk. Fruit notes, like black cherry and plum, can also bring a moodiness to a classic floral scent. So, look for fragrances that boast a combination, like opening notes of freesia and rose, balanced with a base of incense and sandalwood, as the nine perfumes above do.
If none of the scents featured seems to match what you're looking for, we've rounded up a checklist of notes that we think affords a certain evening feel to your favourite florals:
- Incense
- Ambrette
- Pepper (pink, red, etc)
- Leather
- Musk
- Clove
- Oud
- Saffron
- Amber
- Woods (sandalwood, cedar, etc)
- Vanilla
