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In my humble opinion, there's a direct correlation between the perfume you wear and how confident you feel. The right fragrance has a way of making you stand a little taller, hold eye contact a little longer, and flip your hair like you're in the final scene of a rom-com. It has the power to shift your entire mood, which is why I firmly believe everyone should have a confidence-boosting signature scent in their fragrance wardrobe.
Whether you're devoted to fresh florals, can't resist a sweet gourmand, or gravitate toward rich, woody fragrances, there's a scent that can make you feel like the best version of yourself.
To put together the list below, I asked my fellow Cosmo editors which perfumes made them feel the most confident, and the answers came with stories of second dates and endless compliments. Ahead, the confidence-boosting perfumes that truly live up to the hype.
Confidence-boosting scents
Beauty writer Lia is a big fan of this scent for a lil confidence boost. "It's always a crowd-pleaser," she says, "so know it'll go down well no matter the event, plus, a boy once said I smelt really good while wearing it!" Swoon.
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Caramel, vanilla, sandalwood |
| Scent family | Gourmand |
You can count on Le Labo to make you feel uber-confident, and this scent can skew toward musk or florals depending on the wearer. It's the scent that features director Harriet wears every day, because, "Every day is a 'that girl' day!"
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Musk, ambergrisk, ambrette, moss, jasmine |
| Scent family | Musk |
This scent is the one that beauty assistant Urmi swears by for a successful date or night out with the girls. "It's smoky, nutty and sexy," she says.
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Almond, Jasmine Sambac, Vanilla |
| Scent family | Amber |
Want a floral scent that's not super girly? Byredo Rose of No Man's Land is senior fashion editor Rebecca's absolute fave: "I detest anything too floral or feminine, and it feels like it has that right balance," she says.
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Turkey red rose and pink pepper, raspberry bloom, papyrus and amber. |
| Scent family | Floral |
When I want to feel soft but confident, this is my day-date scent. It smells like a warm, snuggly cuddle, which is what I want whoever is on a date with me to think life with me will be like, but it's also just pure nude, warm, soft skin, which I also want them to think of. So, all in all, a perfect (high success rate) day-date scent.
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Musk, jasmine, bergamot, neroli, orange blossom, white musk, sandalwood |
| Scent family | Warm and spicy |
Keeks Reid is the Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. While she loves all things beauty, Keeks is a hair fanatic through and through. She started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as editorial assistant at Blackhair and Hair magazines working her way to Acting Editor of Blackhair magazine at 23 years old. She spent much of her career working in trade hairdressing media at Hairdressers Journal, Salon International and the British Hairdressing Awards. Which is why she is a regular contributor to Cosmo's Curl Up franchise. Now, alongside her Cosmo work, she presents, creates content on social media and works with a range of beauty companies; from magazines and websites to beauty brands and salons.
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