If you're anything like me, your perfume priorities include finding a scent that is long-lasting, leaves a cloud of perfume wherever you walk and gets you compliments from everyone you meet.
When I'm searching for one of the best perfumes for women, a long-lasting perfume is one of my top requirements. Because what is the point of spritzing on a beautiful scent, only for it to disappear in an hour or two? I've tried hundreds of perfume brands, but there's one under-the-radar name that I consistently get complimented on every time I wear one of their scents – Narciso Rodriguez.
I've even recommended Narciso Rodriguez to a few of my fellow woman&home beauty team members, who I've roped in to help me test the brand's scented lineup. Speaking of which, these are the 7 very best perfumes they have to offer – from amber perfumes to powdery perfumes, and everything in between...
The best Narciso Rodriguez perfumes, as per our beauty team
In the two decades since the launch of the brand's debut 'For Her' fragrance, Narciso Rodriguez has thankfully continued to develop a lineup of stellar musk-based scents. Now, the brand makes home to an abundance of gorgeous scents. Whether you typically opt for powdery musk scents or floral perfumes, our top seven Narciso Rodriguez blends boast notes that are sure to suit a host of different fragrance preferences...
RRP: From £72 | Type of fragrance: Fruity chypre | Notes: Peach, bergamot, solar white flowers, vanilla and vetiver
Tested by: Sennen Prickett and Aleesha Badkar
Introducing, Narciso Rodriguez's For Her Intense Eau de Parfum, which has earned the rightful top spot in this guide. If I had to pick my signature scent, it would be this fragrance each and every time. Its notes of peach, bergamot and solar white flowers are amplified by the brand's musk signature, giving it an addictively sexy and sensual scent that works for day-to-night. However, the true delight of this perfume is its lasting power. Its musk notes have been developed using AI technology to boost its longevity, and that it does. I cannot stress the amount of compliments this scent has given me, even up to 12 hours after initially applying it onto my pulse points. I'm eeking the last drop out of my current bottle, but will be restocking it without a doubt.
RRP: From £74 | Type of fragrance: Chypre white floral | Notes: Luminous jasmine, clean accord, musc, cedarwood and vanilla
Tested by: Sennen Prickett and Naomi Jamieson
This perfume is my second most reached for Narciso scent, only just pipped to the post by my tried and tested signature scent – For Her Intense. The chypre white floral scent blend is a luminous take on the brand’s original Pure Musc Eau de Parfum, consisting of a lighter and brighter cocktail of notes. It's equally fresh, clean and soft as it is cosy and luxe. It has a vibrant opening note of jasmine, before drying down to reveal a warm, creamy and musky base of cedarwood and vanilla. Just like all the other scents in the ‘For Her’ lineup, this long-lasting perfume has gained me a plethora of compliments every single time I've worn it. Plus, it layers exceptionally well with other fragrances, whether that be other Narciso Rodriguez scents or beyond.
RRP: From £66 | Type of fragrance: Powdery, woody musk | Notes: White flowers, clove and orange blossoms, white vetiver and cotton flower
Tested by: Sennen Prickett and Aleesha Badkar
If you're someone who typically opts for linen perfumes that are reminiscent clean freshly-washed sheets, look no further than Narciso Rodriguez's newest fragrance, Radiante Eau de Parfum. This is a delicately feminine perfume that initially opens with soft powdery notes, before opening up to a heart of light florals, such as lily of the valley, cotton flower, and drying down to reveal warmer base notes of musk and woods. I must admit, while I can't smell this scent on myself hours after spritzing it on, I still get compliments on it from other people - most notably when I recently sat down in the hairdresser's chair and was immediately quizzed on my perfume.
RRP: From £63 | Type of fragrance: Floral amber | Notes: Italian bergamot oil, pink peppercorn, musk, plum and creamy oriental vanilla
Tested by: Sennen Prickett and Naomi Jamieson
Despite not typically choosing floral fragrances, I've been reaching for this scent most days. Opening floral notes of tuberose and Italian bergamot oil are given a spicy edge thanks to hints of pink peppercorn, before it develops to reveal a sensual creamy oriental vanilla base. The latter makes it much more wearable, compared to other floral scents on the market. I've also found great joy layering this on top of the For Her Musc Nude scent to enjoy all the benefits of the two floral-musk fragrances together.
RRP: From £63 | Type of fragrance: Floriental | Notes: Jasmine, rose and tonka bean
Tested by: Sennen Prickett and Aleesha Badkar
Musc Nude is a true floriental fragrance, with top notes of damask rose oil and orange flower combining with its musky heart. The aroma also boasts a richer base of tonka bean, cedarwood and patchouli that mimics the natural warmth of the skin. The result? A musky white floral that not only oozes feminine sophistication when worn on its own, but also layers effortlessly well with the array of other fragrances in your collection.
RRP: From £70 | Type of fragrance: Woody amber | Notes: Frangipani, musk, amber, cedarwood, vanilla and casherman
Tested by: Sennen Prickett and Aleesha Badkar
I couldn't agree more with the brand's description of this scent, "a luminous fragrance that reveals the vibrant warmth of a sun-kissed skin." This perfume is a lot warmer than the other Narciso offerings, thanks to its notes of ylang-ylang, amber and cedar creating a sensual radiance and confidence. Its accord of frangipani gives the scent a slight gourmand edge, whilst remaining mature and sophisticated. Personally, I find myself reaching for this bottle in the evening as it has a sense of comforting magnetism to it.
RRP: From £70 | Type of fragrance: Fruity floral | Notes: Rose, peach, amber and sandalwood
Tested by: Sennen Prickett, Aleesha Badkar and Laura Honey
Laura: "This is a truly timeless perfume, perfect for women who love a delicately feminine fragrance. The powdery rose opens brightly on first spritz, with soft, ripe, fruity notes. Then, after a while, it melts into a creamy, musky, and sophisticated accord that sits silkily on the skin. Graceful and elegant, it’s a portrait of femininity."
How we tested the best Narciso Rodriguez perfumes
In order to curate a thorough edit of the very best Narciso Rodriguez scents, our trio of experts tried and tested a lineup of the brand's fragrance offering, from cult classics to newer launches, each for multiple days to get a sense for each fragrance. During this process, there were a few factors we took into consideration when testing each fragrance...
- Olfactory notes
- How it smelt upon initial spritz
- How long it lasted on the skin
- Projection
- Whether it was suited to a specific season, or all year round
- Price
How to choose the best Narciso Rodriguez perfume
Choosing a fragrance that is best suited to you has always been a tricky task, however we've put together a few helpful pointers for you to get a head start.
- Consider the types of fragrances you already like: If you already have a list of perfumes that you like, it's worth taking a look at their olfactory families to understand which scents you're a fan of. Knowing whether you prefer musky, fruity or floral fragrances is a great starting point before you begin browsing.
- Intensity: Fragrances arrive in an array of forms of intensity, including eau de parfum vs eau de toilette and cologne to solid perfumes, and it's key to understand the difference in meaning between them all - and how this may affect the longevity of a scent.
- Test the fragrances in real life: If you possibly can, it's wise to test the fragrances in real life before purchasing - blind purchasing can always pose a risk, unless you already know what the perfume smells like. Fragrances can also differ wearer to wearer, especially when spritzed onto the skin.
Your most asked Narciso Rodriguez perfume questions, answered
Which is the best Narciso Rodriguez perfume?
Now, as previously mentioned, the answer to this question is heavily dependent on your personal fragrance preferences. Inspired by rare Egyptian musc oil, Narciso Rodriguez is known for producing musky fragrances. That said, the brand has ventured down other scent avenues, creating everything from floral perfumes and amber blends - all boasting the brand's widely-loved hint of musk. Personally, one scent comes out on top for both our Digital Beauty Writer and Beauty Ecommerce Editor, the brand's For Her Intense Eau de Parfum.
Which celebrities wear Narciso Rodriguez perfumes?
If you needed anymore convincing, our beauty team aren't the only ones raving about Narciso Rodriguez. The designer is actually the creator a plethora of A-lister approved fragrances. In fact, it's rumoured that the likes of Salma Hayek, Sarah Jessica Parker and Michelle Obama are all fans of the brand's perfume assortment.
Is Narciso Rodriguez a good perfume brand?
Take it from us, Narciso Rodriguez is a true favourite amongst our beauty team. Although not as widely known as perhaps the best Dior perfumes, it the only fragrance brand that our Digital Beauty Writer, Sennen Prickett, gets complimented on after dousing herself in any of their perfumes. So, if you're looking for a fragrance that boasts long-lasting wear and is guaranteed to get you compliments, this is the brand you need to be shopping.
