There is no single objective “best fragrance” of 2025: the Fragrance Foundation named winners in distinct award categories, while Marie Claire published its own editorial picks. Standouts include Kayali Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar | 42 and Kilian Paris Sunkissed Goddess among the Foundation’s women’s winners, plus Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum Intense and Prada Paradigme Eau de Parfum among Marie Claire’s selections. Treat these as starting points for comparison, not guarantees that a scent will suit you.
How to read the 2025 fragrance picks
The Fragrance Foundation’s awards and Marie Claire’s editorial choices answer different questions. Foundation awards identify category winners; Marie Claire’s lists are editorial recommendations. Neither creates a universal ranking across every perfume. The Foundation archive lists category results at The Fragrance Foundation’s awards archive.
Marie Claire says its awards winners were selected after hands-on testing by multiple editors, with entries delivered to its office. Its new-perfume guide describes testing by Brooke Knappenberger, who considered customer reviews, notes, staying power, and how scents developed over the day. These are the publication’s descriptions of its process, not evidence of independent laboratory testing. See Marie Claire’s 2025 fragrance awards and its new-perfume guide.
Fragrance Foundation’s 2025 category winners
The Foundation’s winners are best understood within their named categories. “Prestige,” “Luxury,” “Universal,” and “Popular” are award groupings, not a shared scale that ranks all entries against one another.
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| Award category | 2025 winner |
|---|---|
| Women’s Prestige | Kayali Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar | 42 |
| Women’s Luxury | Kilian Paris Sunkissed Goddess |
| Men’s Prestige | Ralph Lauren Polo ’67 EDT |
| Men’s Luxury | Tom Ford Bois Pacifique |
| Universal Prestige | Maison Margiela Replica Afternoon Delight |
| Universal Luxury | Byredo Desert Dawn |
| Ultra Luxury | Tom Ford Black Lacquer |
| Popular | Vacation® “AFTER SUN” |
| Consumer Choice – Prestige | Burberry Her Intense |
| Consumer Choice – Popular | Bath & Body Works Platinum |
| Perfume Extraordinaire | Balmain Beauty Ébène |
| Innovative Fragrance Product | D.S. & Durga Murder Mystery Set |
| Indie Fragrance | Veronique Gabai Délices des Bois |
These are category results from the Foundation’s archive, not proof that one winner is better for every wearer or occasion.
Marie Claire’s editorial selections
Marie Claire’s 2025 selections offer another way to narrow a search, with separate editorial categories and scent descriptions attributed to the publication.
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| Marie Claire category | Selection | Publication’s description |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Women’s Fragrance—Prestige | Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum Intense | Butterfly lily, white florals, oakwood, leather, and patchouli |
| Best Overall Women’s Fragrance—Luxury | Dior Miss Dior Essence | Rose, peony, iris, lily of the valley, and musk |
| Best Overall Men’s Fragrance—Prestige | Prada Paradigme Eau de Parfum | Bright geranium and bergamot against woody notes |
| Best New Fragrance—Prestige | Nette Lemon Puff | Lemon, vanilla, toasted meringue, and butter |
Marie Claire’s descriptions are helpful comparison cues, not a promise that the fragrance will smell identical on every person. Its categories and choices are editorial selections, not Fragrance Foundation awards.
How to choose a fragrance that fits you
Start with the scent profile
Use the listed notes as a first filter. For example, someone drawn to citrus and gourmand notes may want to investigate Nette Lemon Puff; someone interested in woods and leather could begin with Marie Claire’s description of Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum Intense. Notes indicate ingredients or facets highlighted in a description, but they do not determine exactly how the whole composition will register to you.
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If you want a category winner, compare products within the Foundation’s named group rather than treating all winners as direct substitutes. If you prefer recommendations based on an editorial selection process, use Marie Claire’s category labels and descriptions as a separate shortlist. The sources do not establish a controlled, head-to-head wear test across all these fragrances.
Think about wear and occasion
Staying power and how a scent changes over time matter as much as its opening notes. Marie Claire says those qualities informed its new-perfume guide, but its descriptions are not a standardized comparison of every item here. If possible, try a sample or decant and notice how the fragrance develops on your skin before committing to a full bottle.
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Check the price tier and availability
The award labels distinguish categories such as Prestige, Luxury, and Popular, but the cited award archive does not establish current retail prices or stock. Check the specific product and seller for current pricing, availability, and bottle size; those details can change and are not comparable from the award results alone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Sampling can lower the risk of a blind buy
A fragrance’s listed notes and someone else’s review cannot tell you with certainty how it will wear for you. Samples, decants, or discovery sets let you test a scent over time before choosing a full-size bottle. Marie Claire’s new-perfume guide notes an online-only fragrance, a situation in which many shoppers may have to buy without smelling it in person. The guide does not establish that every listed perfume is online-only, or verify a particular sample seller’s availability.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
