Cosmo Editors Tested Every Single Celebrity Perfume—This Unlikely One Tops Our List
Consider this the great celebrity perfume showdown.
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Do you remember your first perfume? Because I sure do. Mine was Lady Gaga Fame, a now-unavailable spicy, honeyed floral scent. One spritz quickly led to me buying Taylor Swift Wonderstruck and Justin Bieber Someday—essentially every celebrity perfume that ruled the 2010s. While those have long been discontinued (RIP—who can I talk to about bringing those masterpieces back??), it's very likely that your favorite pop star or model has a hella good scent that you can purchase today with just a few clicks.
Rihanna, Selena Gomez, and Ariana Grande all make perfumes that are just as iconic as they are. But did you know that Michelle Pfeiffer, Bella Hadid, and Drake all have their own fragrance lines too? Today's best celebrity perfumes might not be as hyped up as the ones from the early 2000s, however, they still deserve a spot in your coveted collection. Trust me, I sniffed all of them, and even though I own over 300 perfumes, I wear the following celeb scents weekly.
"The amount of people who don't even realize Victoria Beckham makes fragrance is criminal, especially since the line has zero misses. Posh Spice put her all into these scents, and no celebrity perfume can come close to touching hers. Everything about them—from the sleek flask-like bottles, to the inspiration behind every scent, and of course the juice inside—is mesmerizing. Of the four, 21:50 Reverie feels the most captivating, and even though it's a vanilla scent at its core, this completely reimagines what a vanilla perfume should smell like. Smokey tobacco swirls around deep, juicy plums for a heady opening. Then, this gets cozier as it wears with a medley of vanilla, tonka bean, and cedar wood. I picture an opulent Swiss ski resort every time I spritz this." —MARY HONKUS, CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY EDITOR
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Tobacco, plum, tonka |
| Scent family | Woodsy gourmand |
"I did a double take when I first smelled this because Drake—yes, I'm talking about the one and only Champagne Papi—had NO BUSINESS creating a scent that smells so. damn. good. It's the most unisex of all the celebrity perfumes I've tried. The citrusy fresh opening, which features clary sage and pettigrain, morphs into a spicy-floral-musky dream. When I finally get a boyfriend, I'm going to make sure this becomes his signature scent. Until then, I'm stealing spritzes for myself and incorporating the chic bottle into my decor." — MH
Sniff at a Glance
| Key notes | Citrus, jasmine sambac, vetiver |
| Scent family | Woodsy |
"If I were to give you a ~house tour~ of my perfume collection, you'd find a bottle of this on the first, second, and third floors (or shelves, same difference). Yes, I have multiple bottles—judge me, I dare you—but why wouldn't I when this is so affordable? This sugar-coated fantasy is more decadent than Sabrina's O.G. Sweet Tooth, thanks to a blend of dark chocolate, sandalwood, patchouli, and fluffy musks. It's definitely sugary, but in an extra sexy way." —MH
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Almond milk, dark chocolate, caramelized amber |
| Scent family | Gourmand |
"First off, can we talk about the bottle?! It's comparable to ancient Roman busts and belongs in an art museum. The perfume inside the bottle is just as gorgeous. This vanilla scent puts all other vanillas to shame with an expert blend of amber, warm spices, and a touch of red berries. It essentially smells—and feels—like a warm hug and instantly melts my worries away." — MH
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Red berries, vanilla, amber |
| Scent family | Ambery gourmand |
"Yes, Selena Gomez's perfume is inherently gourmand, but it's not one of those scents that will give you a headache. This is a grown-up gourmand, one that makes you feel polished, confident, and rare. (What, I had to!) Caramel and pistachio tickle my nose at the first spritz before getting warmer with a well-balanced swirl of vanilla, cocoa, and zingy ginger. The musky sandalwood dry down sticks around all day long, which is extremely impressive considering the price. Oh, and I'd be remiss not to mention the packaging. Selena kept her fans' needs top of mind with an ergonomic bottle that makes spritzing easier for those with dexterity issues. Bonus points for that little design element!" — MH
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Caramel, vanilla, sandalwood |
| Scent family | Gourmand |
"I seriously don't understand how Ariana Grande has the time to continuously churn out fire scents, but I'm not complaining. The newest cherry perfume is the crown jewel of the collection, IMHO. The deep-dark cherry note adds a sultry juiciness that makes this super flirty, while a mix of marshmallow, honeysuckle, and jasmine keeps things vibrant and playful. I was addicted after one spritz, and I plan on wearing it on my next first date because it gives off total love potion vibes." — MH
Sniff at a Glance
| Key notes | Black cherry, marshmallow meringue, amber |
| Scent family | Fruity amber |
"All of the Orabella scents are great, but Salted Muse will always be my favorite. It's not super sweet or fruity the way so many celebrity perfumes are; instead, its fresh, clean, and a little spicy. I feel like I smell expensive when I wear it, and it's earned compliments from a wide range of people. Men find it sexy on date night, but it's also a scent my mom wouldn't mind smelling at brunch."—SARAH MABERRY, LUXURY AND FASHION COMMERCE EDITOR
Sniff at a Glance
| Key notes | Sea salt, olive tree, fig, sandalwood, amber |
| Scent family | Woodsy marine |
"Rihanna is known for smelling ~incredible~ so it's no surprise that the Fenty perfume gives off boss bitch energy. Although it's rose heavy, this isn't your grandma's rose perfume. This is warm, spicy, and jammy with a bouquet of Bulgarian rose (aka the most complex of all roses in perfumery), geranium, and magnolia. I love how tangerine gives this an unexpected brightness before settling in a heady blend of patchouli and musk. This is a total statement-maker." — MH
Sniff at a Glance
| Key notes | Magnolia, musk, Bulgarian rose |
| Scent family | Musky floral |
"Paris Hilton has been making perfumes since the early aughts—2004 to be exact. Can you say sliving? She's come out with 30 (!) scents to date, and her latest just might be the most iconic. This smells clean, fresh, and radiant, with hints of raspberry, pear, and peach, as well as delicate garden-fresh florals. This combo feels incredibly nostalgic, kind of like I'm back in my small hometown shooting the sh*t at the mall with friends." — MH
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Pear blossom, peony, amber |
| Scent family | Fruity floral |
"I have been a Directioner—and more importantly, a Harrie—since 2011. But I didn't know if Mr. Styles had it in him to make scents that'd rival all my go-to niche perfumes. In a shocking turn of events, I actually find a lot of his fragrances, under his brand Pleasing, to smell extremely unique. This citrus-forward scent was perfect for summer—I kept it at my desk at the office and spritzed whenever I wanted to feel like I was writing in a garden instead of a cubicle. And it always led to compliments. When I spritz this, Cosmo staffers flock to my desk to ask what I sprayed."—BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Blood orange, ginger, clary sage, amber |
| Scent family | Citrus |
"This isn't too heavy or intense—but it definitely feels like the nighttime perfume. I love the slight sweetness, but really appreciate how it's paired with a lil spice too. The longevity and sillage are equally effective for me, which is really impressive for a perfume under $100."—BG
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Pear accord, lavender essence, amber accord |
| Scent family | Floral amber |
"This smells like eternal summer. When I get kinda sad about the dwindling days of warm weather and salty air, I just spritz on this watery, fresh perfume. It evokes the feeling of spending all day in the ocean and coming home and taking the best everything shower of your life. IDK where Jake's house is, but I want an invite."—BG
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Neroli, watery notes, musk, honey |
| Scent family | Aquatic |
Why trust ‘Cosmopolitan’?
Mary Honkus is a beauty contributor for Cosmopolitan with over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing beauty stories, including a deep dive into the 8-step fragrance routine trend, and a full explainer on the most expensive note in perfumery. She is an authority in all beauty categories, but has a sweet spot for fragrance with a collection of over 300 scents.
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