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For some, Valentine's Day means chocolates, roses, or candlelit dinners. For us, it’s these love-inducing perfumes.
Whether your February 14 plans involve a night out with your Galentine’s, a sultry first date, or a cozy evening with a long-time partner, scent plays a powerful role in setting the mood. A romance-inducing fragrance can spark attraction, create lasting memories, and essentially do the flirting for you—because is there anything more alluring than hearing, “You smell incredible”?
So, naturally, Cosmo beauty editors did what we do best: we sniffed, spritzed, and tested hundreds (yes, literal hundreds) of perfumes to find the most romantic scents of all time. From iconic luxury fragrances to buzzy niche perfumes, we evaluated each pick based on its notes, longevity, and—most importantly—its ability to evoke feelings of love.
Ahead, the most romantic perfumes of all time—or, as we like to call them, love potions you’ll want to wear well beyond Valentine’s Day.
One Cosmo editor says: “This musky fragrance sits close to the skin for a subtly sexy effect. It’s warm, cozy, and slightly mysterious, which, in my experience, is the ideal recipe for
romantic attraction.”—JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR
Features at a Glance
| Key Notes | Pink pepper, bergamot, waterlily, vanilla bean, ambroxan, cedarwood |
| Scent type | Musky gourmand |
One Cosmo editor says: “‘You smell good’ is the best compliment you can get from a partner, and I’ve been told it countless times when wearing this spicy perfume with saffron, hazelnut, and jasmine.”—BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Frankincense, hazelnut, saffron, rose, jasmine, ambergis, vanilla |
| Scent type | Spicy and Woody |
One Cosmo editor says: “If I’m on a first date, it’s highly likely I’ve doused myself in this fruity perfume. Raspberry, bourbon, vanilla, and orange blossom come together and smell perfectly flirty.”—BG
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Raspberry, coconut, orange blossom, lavender, vanilla |
| Scent type | Fruity floral |
One Cosmo editor says: “Delina captivates everyone who smells it. With powdery rose, comforting musk, and a hint of spice, it oozes femininity, but not in a cutesy way.” —LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Bergamot, lychee, rhubarb, rose, nutmeg, cashmeran, vetiver |
| Scent type | Powdery floral |
One Cosmo editor says: “You won’t find me on a date without this in my bag. It projects confidence and basically does the flirting for you. The white floral notes are fresh and playful, while the spiciness emanates power.”—JH
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | White flowers, rose, magnolia, pink pepper, ambrox, cedarwood |
| Scent type | Spicy floral |
One Cosmo editor says: “You know when you first start seeing someone and you can’t get enough? That’s Afterglow. There’s an addictive quality to it. The juiciness hits you in waves—like biting into a ripe piece of fruit.” —LB
Features at a Glance
| Key notes | Citrus, coconut, milk, amber, vanilla, sandalwood |
| Scent type | Warm and fruity |
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan who covers all things fragrance. For this story, she, along with beauty director Lauren Balsamo and beauty editor Beth Gillette, spritzed and sniffed hundreds of perfumes to narrow down the most romantic scents.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
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