We’ve taken a look inside the bathrooms and make-up bags of some of London’s most stylish women including Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss and Sienna Miller to discover the celebrity fragrances to know about. From cult classics like La Lebo’s Santal 33 and Byredo’s Gypsy Water to nice scents from boutique perfumers, these are the perfumes that London’s A-list truly love.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Byredo
Gypsy Water
In terms of celebrity fragrances we covet, those worn by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley come pretty high on the agenda. The model and founder of Rose Inc beauty is an avid fragrance fan, often documenting her latest find on her Instagram and YouTube channels. Currently at the top of her list is Gypsy Water, the most popular scent from cult brand Byredo. A gender-neutral, woody fragrance that blends base notes of pine needle, sandalwood and lemon with a hint of vanilla and bergamot, the perfume – like all Byredo products – uses raw ingredients to create a particularly intense, complex scent that, in this case, is reminiscent of woodland and campfires.
Naomi Campbell
Dior
Diorissimo
When it comes to fragrances, the supermodel likes to keep things classic and revealed that her favourite scent was Dior Diorissimo at the 2018 Fragrance Foundation Awards, telling the interviewer: “I love florals, florals that linger and that’s what lily-of-the-valley does, it lingers all night long.” The romantic perfume was first created in 1956, when Christian Dior referred to it as “the scented expression of his soul”. Lily-of-the-valley – Dior’s lucky flower – sits at the heart of the fragrance, combined with lilac, jasmine and green leaves to evoke the scent of fresh dew on a spring morning in the woods.
100ml, £107
Victoria Beckham
Vilhelm Parfumerie
Room Service
Victoria Beckham declared herself an ardent fan of Room Service by Vilhelm Parfumerie on Instagram stories, calling it “super chic” – thereby instantly transforming it into one of the most sought-after celebrity fragrances. Founder Jan Vilhelm is known for creating perfumes based on stories, and for Room Service, he imagined the floral aromas of Greta Garbo’s bath at The Carlyle hotel in New York in the ’50s. The result is a sumptuous mix of mandarin and blackberries, plus violet, black amber, sandalwood with a musky base.
Adele
Dior
Hypnotic Poison
She’s one of the most prodigiously talented artists on the planet, selling over 120 million records. And yet with the world at her feet – including, no doubt, every beauty brand – Adele is unwavering when it comes to her fragrance choice, wearing Dior’s iconic Hypnotic Poison since her mid-teens. Designed to encapsulate a bold, conquering spirit, it’s little wonder this heady, musky scent, with its notes of sambac jasmine, tonka beans and vanilla, is a long-time favourite of the singer-songwriter.
The Princess of Wales
Le Illuminium
London White Gardenia Petals
Clarence House has confirmed that for her wedding day in 2011, the Princess of Wales chose a floral perfume from British perfumer Illuminum. With top notes of bergamot, cassis and lily alongside hints of gardenia, ylang ylang and jasmine, this refreshing and delicate fragrance is certainly a summery pick, with a touch of amber to give it some weight. For every day, the Princess wears Jo Malone’s Orange Blossom. The best-selling fragrance features top notes of clementine flower, middle notes of white lilac and water lily with base notes of orris and vetiver.
Raye
Penhaligons
Empressa
British singer-songwriter Raye made history at the recent Brit Awards when she won six of the seven prizes she was nominated for, beating Blur, Adele and Harry Styles’ record of four wins at a single ceremony. While on the red carpet, she revealed she’d doused herself in her signature scent, Penhaligon’s Empressa, to mark the occasion. “It’s the same perfume I’ve been wearing since I was a teenager,” she said. The heady fragrance is a blend of bergamot, mandarin and peach, with warming notes of vanilla, amber and sandalwood.
Lily James
Liis
Rose Struck
Brit actress Lily James took to Instagram recently to reveal her favourite scents, which are made by sustainable California-based brand Liis. James’s top two choices from the independent fragrance house are Bo and Rose Struck, which she branded as “heavenly”. Bo boasts notes of tobacco leaves, redwood pine, incense, cedar and vanilla beans, while Rose Struck contains cassis, tangerine, matcha tea and damask rose.
Jane Birkin
Miller Harris
L’Air de Rien
The famously enigmatic French star once asked the perfumer Miller Harris to “create a fragrance I can bear to wear.” The result was L’Air de Rien, which literally translates as ‘The Essence of Nothing’. The scent instantly conjures Birkin’s trademark insouciance, and was designed to represent elements that are particularly close to her heart: hints of weary books, dust and loved skin. The result is a playfully androgynous scent, made up of notes of earthy moss, dry vanilla, neroli, patchouli and bourbon.
Kate Moss
Serge Lutens
Fleurs d’Oranger
The supermodel has previously revealed her favourite perfume is Serge Lutens Fleurs D’Oranger Eau de Parfum, noting that she “wouldn’t leave the house without scent on.” This spicy, citrus-based fragrance was inspired by the perfumer’s visit to Morocco in 1968, where he was taken by the smells of the orange blossom being knocked off the trees by local women. The bitter orange blossom is combined with Egyptian jasmine and white rose for an intoxicating result. Kate’s other go-to fragrances include Clarins Eau Dynamisante and Nadia Narain Lua.
Emma Corrin
Aesop
Marrakech Intense
There’s one thing you’ll always find in Emma Corrin’s bag: a bottle of Aesop Marrakech Intense. The actor revealed that it’s their fragrance of choice due to its famed spicy notes. Inspired by the intoxicating smells and sights of its namesake Moroccan city, the perfume uses evocative aromas of spices used in local dishes, as well as drawing on the vibrant colours found in its souks and the surrounding desert. Clove and cardamom are combined with sandalwood to create the rich woody, floral fragrance.
Cynthia Erivo
Jo Malone
Myrrh & Tonka
Multi-hyphenate Cynthia Erivo has been nominated for an Oscar, twice, and won an Emmy, Grammy and Tony for her show-stopping performances. Indeed, it was when talking about her revered role as Aretha Franklin in Genius: Aretha, that she referenced her favourite fragrance, Jo Malone Myrrh and Tonka Cologne Intense, explaining that she likened the sweet, smoky scent to her musical heroine. With a top note of lavender, mingling with Omumbiri Myrrh and rounded off with accents of almond and vanilla, the blend exudes warmth and sensuality.
The Duchess of Sussex
Oribe
Côte d’Azur
Thanks to her now defunct blog The Tig, where she often wrote about her beauty routine, we have some insight into Meghan Markle’s everyday fragrance preferences. One of her favourites for daytime wear is Oribe’s Côte d’Azur, a zesty floral blend of bergamot, jasmine and sandalwood. Bergamot is clearly a favourite of Meghan’s — while she wore a custom-made perfume by British fragrance house Floris on her wedding day, we do know that it was inspired by the brand’s Bergamotto di Positano perfume, a rich, warm, unisex scent that mixes the citrusy plant with notes of ginger, amber and vanilla to conjure memories of Mediterranean sea breeze.
Alexa Chung
Le Labo
Santal 33
The cult of Santal 33 doesn’t look like fading any time soon – it’s famously known as “that perfume you smell everywhere” and as such boasts legions of fans, including London cool-girl Alexa Chung. Niche New-York based fragrance brand Le Labo’s classic unisex perfume is a heady mix of spices and musks. Inspired by the American West and the masculinity of the great American cowboy, this is a sensual blend of cardamom, iris and violet, with spicy, leathery notes. No wonder it’s one of the most popular celebrity fragrances.
L’oreal Paris
Kate Winslet
Issey Miyake
L’Eau D’Issey
Kate Winslet has been wearing the same signature fragrance for decades: L’Eau D’Issey by Issey Miyake. The iconic 90s scent was the first fragrance to be developed by Issey Miyake and was designed to be “as clear as spring water”. Combining lily, lotus and rose enhanced by the freshness of water, it remains a timeless classic. Winslet has previously said, “Every time I buy it, it feels like a real treat. I love it! I’ve been wearing it for so long that when my kids smell it on a scarf or jacket of mine, they’ll go, ‘Oh, it’s the mummy smell!’”
Sienna Miller
Jo Malone
Lime Basil & Mandarin
The London actress is known for preferring unisex fragrances, and her everyday go-to is Lime Basil & Mandarin by Jo Malone. Bright and sharp, the citrusy blend is reminiscent of Caribbean holidays, combining the peppery notes of basil with the muskiness of aromatic white thyme and a warmth from base notes of amberwood.
Laura Bailey
Chanel
No 19
The model detailed her love for Chanel No. 19 in an essay for British Vogue, “despite ongoing flirtations with Boy and Gabrielle,” also by Chanel. The bold blend of geranium and iris notes, which was the last fragrance Gabrielle Chanel ever launched or wore and is numbered after the date of her birth, was created at the height of second wave feminism, and to Laura represents “the fragrance of freedom, of optimism, of strength.”
Maya Jama
Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce Garden
Along with Adele, Maya Jama is a big fan of Dior’s Poison, but there’s another favourite fragrance she turns to when she’s in the mood for something a little lighter. Dolce Garden by Dolce & Gabbana is the presenter’s other go-to scent – described as joyful and ultra-feminine, it’s the perfect summer spritz. Inspired the gardens of Sicily, the fragrance’s top notes include magnolia, neroli and mandarin, designed to evoke the heat of the Mediterranean sun.
Gemma Arterton
Acqua di Parma
Colonia
Colonia, the original cologne from the famed Italian brand Acqua di Parma, is Gemma Arteton’s signature fragrance. The timeless scent, created in 1916, is a unique blend of Sicilian citrus fruits; lemon, orange and bergamot, alongside aromatic herbs of rosemary and cloves. Arterton has previously said, “I love it because it’s really fresh and citrusy, but not sharp or heavy. It reminds me of fresh laundry. People know I love it so much that every Christmas I get gifted the matching candle.”
Noble Panacea
Jodie Comer
Le Labo
Santal 33
Further cementing the cult status of Le Labo’s perennially popular scent, British actress Jodie Comer admitted that she rarely leaves the house without a couple of spritzes of Santal 33 first. “I feel like everyone in the universe wears it now. But it smells different on each person – or so I want to think!” she once quipped. The unisex scent combines cardamom, iris and violet and is instantly recognisable – Comer started wearing it after smelling it on a fellow actor in a lift once.
