Penhaligon’s Lavandula is the best lavender perfume. It is closely followed by Tom Ford’s Extreme Lavender in the quality of the formulation. Otherwise, Montale’s Aoud Lavander is the type of lavender scent you can try on a budget without sacrificing longevity.
One of the main attributes of lavender is just how calming and alluring it smells. Almost unlike any other note in perfumery, it can be an excellent choice both by itself in pure perfumes and complex lavender based perfume compositions.
Lavender perfume oil is used both in perfumes for ladies and in lavender colognes for men. But it’s also true most of these can be seen as unisex perfumes accordingly.
What does lavender smell like?
Lavender smells floral, minty, herbal, aromatic, woody, and a bit sweet. Sage undertones are also found in the smell of some types of lavender. This combination has a calming effect on those who smell it.
Since there are so many types of lavender, it’s no wonder so many describe its smell so differently. From patchouli to herbal undertones, there are plenty of smell varieties to discover. But in general, the smell of lavender is mainly dominated by minty, herbal, and floral undertones. This makes it highly aromatic and perfect in perfumes.
You can make lavender at home with coconut oil
You can make a very simple homemade lavender perfume yourself by making lavender essential oil. You can use coconut oil as a carrier oil when you decide to make it yourself.
Dried harvested lavender is covered in coconut oil and left to infuse. You then strain through a clean cloth to create your homemade lavender essential oil.
This oil can then be used in layering with different perfumes that smell like lavender, mainly to add longevity. Alternatively, you can use it on its own for a purely lavender perfume.
Lavender notes work best with herbal and sweet scents
The lavender note combinations that work the best tend to be herbal-aromatic. You can consider sage and mint as a priority when creating or when looking for a good lavender perfume.
Vanilla, honey, tonka bean, and amber are valuable alternatives as well. These tend to add to the sweetness of a lavender perfume without reducing its relaxing lavender perfume effects.
Given lavender is also a bit oriental through its aromatic scent, it also mixes well with oriental notes such as myrrh, oud, and cinnamon.
7 best lavender perfumes you can buy today
If you don’t want to spend days researching the best perfume that smells like lavender, you can always go for a proven composition that can do wonders both for men and for women. These are the favorite lavender scents you can buy today.
1. Penhaligon’s Lavandula
Penhaligon’s was always good at creating simple perfumes that aren’t boring. This ethos is seen in the brand’s Lavandula lavender perfume for ladies which just seems to be the best interpretation of lavender scented perfume.
The lavender note here isn’t linear but back by some sweetness. It’s often seen as a lavender vanilla perfume.
But lavender is the king here, as its name suggests.
The opening is dominated by the pure lavender essential oil. It can be interpreted as a pure lavender perfume in the opening.
Basil, pepper, and cinnamon are some of the opening notes that accentuate the floral spicy nature of lavender.
Pure lavender, clary sage, and lily of the valley are its mid accords.
Musk, vanilla, tonka bean, and amber are its base accords certainly distinguishable at times. These sweet ambery notes make it smell like a lavender musk perfume or like a lavender honey perfume at times, in the drydown.
While intense in the opening, this perfume dries down to a pleasant soapy scent that lasts.
Lavandery by nature, this perfume is also a bit spicy, musky, and a bit sweet. It seems to do it all and in this category, it might be hard to match.
Pros
- A masterful spicy-sweet lavender interpretation
- It lasts at least 6 hours on the skin
- The warm and comforting effect
Cons
- Not revolutionary
2. Tom Ford Lavender Extreme
One of the longest-lasting natural lavender perfumes for ladies and men (since it’s a unisex perfume) you can think about comes from Tom Ford in this eau de parfum called Lavender Extreme.
You won’t believe just how long-lasting and how luxurious it smells on your skin. If you’d like to wear it to work, it will project for the entire day. Sometimes you can even smell it on your skin the following day.
The main key here was using multiple lavender essential oils in different concentrations. Among them, lavender absolute gives it its lasting power.
The opening of this perfume is dominated by violet and citrus.
Lavender, cinnamon, geranium, and rose are its floral spicy mid accords.
Tonka bean and coumarin are its base notes. The tonka bean note is prominent as well, giving this perfume a generally cozy effect.
The best part about all of these notes is that they make for a versatile lavender perfume. You can wear it in the summer, in the winter, and in-between.
Pros
- Extreme lavender projection in the opening
- Generally luxurious lavender scent
- It has potential as a signature scent
Cons
- The tonka bean note can be a bit too intense in the drydown
3. Jo Malone Amber And Lavender
This lavender cologne for men by Jo Malone is one of the best modern interpretations of classic lavender scents. It is also one of the men’s colognes women like to wear for some reason. Strong, impactful, and made out from clearly distinguishable notes, this cologne is worth its price.
Its Lavender mint bergamot opening combination works wonders.
Clove, lily of the valley, and cinnamon are its spicy floral mid accords.
Amber, patchouli, and myrrh are its base accords.
For some reason, the combination of amber and lavender doesn’t go well with all men. The added citrus and mint opening don’t make this lavender cologne particularly avant-garde either. This is why the lavender amber perfume might be the right choice for men over 35 or for those who like a classic cologne but who need some type of a modern twist to it to keep it relevant.
Pros
- It lasts 6+ hours
- Intense individual notes
- Mainly made for elegant outfits
Cons
- Not ideal for young guys
4. Yves Saint Laurent Libre
Libre is marketed as a lavender perfume that is unisex. But it leans towards the masculine side to the intense lavender note. Released in 2019, it still impresses people with just how well it was received in stores.
Since it helped the lavender note come back into style, it has its merits. Women who wear it are typically interested in using it with formal outfits. It’s the type of boss lady that would wear it as it seems. Men who wear it also get plenty of compliments from women.
Lavender, mandarin orange, black currant, and petitgrain are its opening notes.
Orange blossom and jasmine are its mid accords.
Madagascar vanilla, salty ambergris, musk, and cedar are its base accords.
Linear and highly floral, this perfume is very relaxing and easy to wear. You could consider it for office or to any other type of going out event.
But there’s a certain elegance to this pure lavender perfume that stops it from being worn at sporty events or with casual outfits.
Pros
- Intense lavender note
- Very soft and elegant formulation
- A bit of a classic feel to it
Cons
- Mainly a men’s lavender perfume even in a women’s perfume bottle
5. Montale Aoud Lavender
While Montale lists oud before lavender in this perfume, you’d expect this to be the case with how it smells. But lavender is the main player here and it shines both in the opening and in the drydown. If we’d test just how long a lavender perfume lasts, this could easily be the first on our list as it tends to remain on your skin with food projection for a full day. Well done Montale… again.
The Lavender in the opening is backed by a bit of saffron, bergamot, and lemon. It’s the type of opening with natural lavender intensity.
Later on, patchouli and floral supporting notes are present with an even more intense lavender note.
Aoud, sandalwood, powdery notes, and white musk are its base accords.
A bit more flowery than herbal, this lavender citrus perfume works both for ladies and men.
Since it has a strong oriental perfume appeal, you’d be best wearing it outdoors or you can simply limit the number of sprays on yourself when wearing it indoors.
Pros
- Very long-lasting
- A pure natural lavender opening note
- Intense projection
Cons
- None
6. L’Occitane Terre de Lumiere
If you need a French lavender perfume that lasts unlike the typical lavender eau de toilette, L’Occitane is the answer.
This perfume is marketed as an oriental vanilla scent for women. To an extent, this is how it smells like. But it can also be marketed as a honey lavender perfume with supporting tonka bean and pink pepper notes.
Since the honey note is dominant, it’s hard not to like this perfume. Given so many other perfumes that smell like honey are a bit nauseating, you will be pleasantly surprised just how agreeable this perfume is.
Ambrette, pink pepper, and bergamot are its spicy opening accords.
Honey and lavender make up for the heart notes of the perfume.
Bitter almond, tonka bean, acacia, and musk are its base accords that do wonderfully well in a long-lasting lavender perfume.
Pros
- A welcomed new twist on the best lavender fragrance
- Honey honey honey
- A 10 out of 10 in all lavender perfume reviews
Cons
- The tonka bean note could be more intense
7. French Lavender & Honey Bath and Body Works
This lavender jasmine perfume is ideal to smell feminine. If you like to embrace all of your soft, floral, fruity, and sweet scents into one bottle, it can be the perfume that makes you smell welcoming.
Fruits dominate this lavender cologne so it might not work for men of any age. But women like it from the opening.
Melon, blackberry, mandarin orange, and violet leaf notes open this lavender based perfume.
Lavender, nectarine, jasmine, and lily of the valley are its heart notes.
Honey, musk, and oak make this best lavender perfume last for hours.
The main problem with this perfume is that it tuned up all of these notes leaving the lavender a bit behind. But if you don’t necessarily want a pure lavender perfume and only a hint of this amazing sexy note, it might just be the perfume for your everyday wear.
Pros
- Complex formulation
- Excellent honey and nectarine combination
- Suitable for women of all ages
Cons
- Not the most intense lavender note
| Main types of lavender used in perfumes | Scent |
| English lavender | Aromatic |
| French lavender | Aromatic with rosemary undertones |
| Portuguese lavender | Strong pungent aromatic scent |
Final words
A lavender fragrance can be very interesting to follow and analyze. You can spend days and even months discovering nuances of the same perfume so your investment is rarely in vain in this category of perfumes. The best part is most tend to be a bit more affordable than you’d expect if you know where to look.