Best Fragrances of 2025 Overview (Ermano and Michelyn) + Part 1 Giveaways

December 27, 2025January 14, 2026

Best Fragrances of 2025 Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief and Ermano Picco Editor

For as long as ÇaFleureBon has been giving end of year Best Fragrance awards (2010), (2011), (2012), (2013), (2014), (2015), (2016) (2017), (2018), (2019) (2020), (2021) (2022) (2023) and (2024) there is always the question, “was this a good year for perfume”?

This year was the best of times and sometimes the worst. The avalanche of new releases (some sources site over 5000) was relentless, and just as I write today, I received a sample that would have made my top 10, Parfum D’Empire Madagascar Le Baume Vanille by Marc-Antoine Corticchiato. What made it difficult in 2025 were the tariffs and import duties placed on retailers and consumers. Often, unless a brand had a distributor/agent or if you missed any of the numerous trade fairs, many perfumes were difficult to find. Ermano wasn’t familiar with most of the American independent and artisan small batch brands. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend any of the exhibitions throughout the world (including in NYC), so I know there must be quite a few that I missed (Ermano smelled nearly 1000 and I got my nose on approximately 400). –Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

Best Fragrances of 2025 Best Trends: Small-Batch perfumery, Savory and Vegetal Gourmands, Alcohol-Free Perfumes

Gourmands are not going anywhere, but the toothachingly sweet, ubiquitous vanilla and fruity perfumes are headed in new directions. Green and vegetal notes such as rhubarb, tomato leaf, basil, and green almond. Examples are Atelier Matieri Vanilla Carbonne which is vanilla stripped of sweetness and rebuilt around heat, smoke, and texture. Prada Infusion de Rhubarbe which is vegetal and tart (Ida’s 2021 article Fragrance For Foodies: Delicious Perfumes That Don’t Smell like Pastry was ahead of its time). Florals, especially tuberose, jasmine and narcissus are a nod to the past but reinvented for a modern audience. A number of artisanal and natural perfumes were also standouts. This year, small‑batch perfumery felt like scent’s farm‑to‑table: materials that differ year to year, harvest to harvest and are olfactive expressions of terroir. –Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

In 2025, alcohol-free perfumes finally stepped beyond the wellness-driven “body mist” segment into the realm of proper perfumery. Advances in encapsulation, emulsions, and alternative carriers allowed perfumers to construct fragrances with real depth and evolution—without the lift from ethanol. Even mass market brands now offer alcohol-free proposals redefining the fragrance experience: textured, long-lasting, yet more intimate. In a way, this echoes fashion’s idea of “quiet luxury”. A telling example is Libre Eau Nu, an alcohol-free take on Saint-Laurent bestseller which I really enjoyed last summer. –Ermano Picco, Editor

Best Fragrances of 2025 Worst Trends: Fragrance Primers, Tariffs, Perfumer Undisclosed

The rise of fragrance primers is rooted in what is in my opinion is a fundamentally flawed premise: the belief by many that a perfume’s longevity is its most important feature, and that it can be “fixed” like makeup to extend it indefinitely. This misconception treats fragrance as a flat layer of pigment rather than as a living olfactory architecture. A well-made perfume already contains its own balance of volatility and persistence. –Ermano Picco

I mentioned tariffs. This puts many European and Canadian fragrances out of reach of Americans. And that works both ways. Another trend that is disturbing is the growing number of designer and luxury brands not disclosing perfumers. Michel Roudnitska wrote about this in 2010 “Recognition and acknowledgment of the true perfumers who are behind the brand and the establishment of “copyright” for the composer of perfume (as in all other arts).”-Michelyn Camen

Moe Khalaf of Kajal Perfumes courtesy of Kajal

Best Fragrances of 2025 Best Creative Director: Moe Khalaf of Kajal Perfumes and Victor Wong of Zoologist Perfumes

I have awarded Moe Khalaf Best Creative Director for two consecutive years, and that is a first. Seldom have I met anyone in the industry as humble, kind, respectful, and generous as Moe Khalaf of Kajal Perfumes. His extraordinary attention to detail, from the perfumers he selects to the bottles, the caps and themes are very much his. He also allows the perfumers space for input, creating collaborations built on trust and genuine respect for the art. This year I was wowed by RUBY, KOLADA, but it was TOPAZ, the perfume he created with Vincent Ricord of Techiflor to capture the radiance and light of their friendship that won my heart and nose. –Michelyn Camen @kajalperfumes @vincentricordperfumer

courtesy of Zoologist Perfumes

In a year when perfumery often seemed determined to play it safe, Victor Wong embraces bold creativity by collaborating with perfumers whose vision aligned with his. In 2025, Wong explored the deceptive beauty of the Orchid Mantis composed by Japanese independent perfumer Tomoo Inaba. Then, he pushed further with Portuguese Man O’ War, an audacious fantasy entrusted to Antoine Lie – Ermano Picco @zoologistperfumes

Best Fragrances of 2025: Best Fragrance you never heard of: Ānti Perfumes Rosa Antiqua and Danner & Flemming Altesse

Among the year’s most compelling discoveries is Ānti Perfumes, a house I had not encountered before, whose creations are rooted in the history of perfumery. Rosa Antiqua draws inspiration from the ancient area of Pompeii and Paestum, a sort of Grasse of antiquity, once famous for its ever-blooming roses. –Ermano Picco @anti.perfumes

For me, it was from Bavarian brand Danner & Flemming’s trio of extraordinary irises. I fell for Altesse composed by Antoine Lie, who overdoses rare Bavarian Iris pallida. It is sparkling, elegant, and powdery, with a high percentage of natural floral absolutes. Iris has not excited me this much since L’Artisan Parfumeur limited edition Iris Pallidia 2007 by Ann Flipo. That is the good news. The not so good news? It is also limited edition, created in small batches, so each year’s harvest is different. Please read more about their “from soil to scent” collection. -Michelyn Camen @dannerandfleming

Bertrand Duchaufour courtesy of L’Entropiste

Best Fragrances Of 2025 Best Perfumer: Bertrand Duchaufour and Margaux LE PAIH GUÉRIN of FLAIR PARIS

With L’Entropiste, Bertrand Duchaufour delivered one of the year’s clearest statements of authorship, embracing his role as “Master of Disorder.” He walks a razor line between accessibility and radicality, crafting work that remains commercially inviting without losing its edge. His compositions are always lessons in technique, emotion, and balance—proof that mastery lives in the details. That same versatility shines in Neela Vermeire Creations Eshal, a radiant, symphonic tuberose. Its optimistic, classical green floral structure—enriched by the opulence of overdosed naturals—stays resolutely modern through Duchaufour’s flawless sense of proportion. –Ermano Picco @bertrand.duchaufour @lentropiste @neelavermeirecreations

Margaux LE PAIH GUÉRIN of Flair Paris

Margaux LE PAIH GUÉRIN of Flair soared from my Rising Star of 2024 to my Perfumer of the Year 2025. She signed 30 fragrances for independent brands (including Born To Stand Out, Weiner Blut, Sora Dora and Astrophil & Stella), a body of work that demonstrates remarkable artistic range, moving with ease from avant-garde compositions to neo-gourmands and modern florals. Notably, Margaux composed two fragrances for Badar- Rouge Éclat with Amélie Bourgeois, a plush, sun‑warmed perfume centering around medjool dates, lifted by a soft apricot‑floral glow and Sandal Rice. She created Sarah Baker’s Velvet Vendetta, vanilla reimagined, untamed and edged with gunsmoke. – Michelyn Camen @margaux.lepaih.guerin @flair.paris

Best Fragrances of 2025 Natural Perfume: Hiram Green Ultra and Wit & West Caldera Flower

Hiram Green ULTRA stood out for me in this category. From the opening, the unmistakable barnyard allure of narcissus absolute shines, carrying leathery nuances that defy expectations of a crisper, galbanum-laden typical greenness. Here the resin is poured sparingly to let the flower speak. The sappy facet is there but restrained, allowing the yellow cresolic warmth of narcissus to blaze fiercely. This radiant echo of 1980s confidence and neon optimism shading into the darker mythic undertone of Narcissus himself is a reminder that natural perfumery can be all the way unexpectedly creative. –Ermano Picco @hiram_green

This decision was particularly difficult; ULTRA smells exactly the way you describe it, but I chose Wit & West Caldera Flower. Perfumer Whitney Swales was inspired by Caldera, the river that flows through the Baru National Park in Chiriqui, Panama. Caldera Flower is a study in both place and natural materials. It opens with bergamot and ginger before blossoming into a tropical bouquet of gardenia, magnolia, neroli, and ylang‑ylang. Ms. Swales deftly combines the finest floral absolutes with hand‑tinctured vanilla and surrounds them with ambrette. Small batch perfumery at its best.-Michelyn Camen @witandwest

Best Fragrances of 2025 Best Fragrances of 2025 Best Discovery: Sultan Pasha Iris de Soir Extrait de Parfum

Sultan Pasha’s extrait de parfum Iris de Soir is among the year’s most transporting discoveries. From the very first sniff, it plunges you into the glamour of the 1950s, bridging the perfect-pitch complexion of Jacques Fath Iris Gris with the cheerful next-door liveliness of Elena Rubinstein’s Apple Blossom, evoking a morning walk through lilac-lined avenues in bloom. More than a mere quotation, Irisoir makes you feel simply flawless, proving Sultan Pasha’s deep understanding of perfume history and rare ability to translate the allure of certain eras and classical forms into a modern language. -Ermano Picco @sultanpashaperfumes

Best Fragrances of 2025 Best Indie House: Statik Olfactive

Founder and creative director Florida based Chris Martin launched Statik Olfactive in 2023. From the start, the brand chose to honor each perfumer’s name, story, and creative identity. Storytelling and fine ingredients guide their approach, allowing indie perfumers the freedom to compose fragrances that are personal, immersive, and true to the artist. This year, Scarlett Lady (Darren Alan), Crème de Menthe Café and Home For The Holidays (Hez Binkowitz) reflected and reinforced the brand’s ethos. –Michelyn Camen

Best Fragrances of 2025 Rising Star: Grégoire Balleydier of Firmenich and David Chieze of LUZI

Perfumer Grégoire Balleydier of Firmenich

Among the new voices to step forward in 2025, Firmenich perfumer Grégoire Balleydier impressed me with his creation Gravitas Capitale for Première Peau. Trained under Firmenich Master Perfumers such as Nathalie Lorson and Frank Voelkl, and having worked between New York and Europe, Balleydier has learned how to balance classic accords with a sharp, contemporary sensibility. I look forward for more to come from his talent. –Ermano Picco @gregballydier

David Chieze of Luzi

David Chieze of Luzi is my choice for the Best Fragrances of 2025 Rising Star. Before becoming a perfumer he was working at L’Artisan Parfumeur when he met Bertrand Duchaufour, an encounter that was pivotal to his path to perfumery. His journey then led him to Mark Buxton’s dynamic, unconventional atelier at Luzi. He is developing his own signature, shaped by his senses: visuals, tastes, sounds, smells and guided by his intuition. Especially impressive this year is his work for Electimuss London’s Astrum Nova and Thomas de Monaco’s Jade Amour, an olfactory interpretation of the Liane de Jade, a scentless yet strikingly beautiful flower he once encountered in his studies.-Michelyn Camen @davkze

Best Fragrances of 2025 MVPP (Most Valuable Perfume Person): Osmothèque Versailles

Anne-Cécile Pouant

In 2025, the Most Valuable Perfume Person is best embodied by an institution, the Osmothèque Versailles and by the people guiding it. This time let us mention Anne-Cécile Pouant: under her direction the Osmothèque reaffirmed its role as the unique living conservatory of perfumery. Beyond its international educational outreach that also in 2025 saw its presence from Milano to Shanghai, the Osmothèque successfully completed its move to a new, more spacious location in Versailles, enabling broader public access and deeper cultural transmission. Bravo to all the team!-Ermano Picco and Michelyn Camen @osmothechparf

Please read Ida’s virtual tour of the Osmothèque here.

Best Fragrances Of 2025: Best Collaboration: Missouri Botanical Gardens Smelling the Bouquet

The Missouri Botanical Gardens Smelling the Bouquet exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to explore more than two dozen scents, including interpretive fragrances inspired by the Garden’s living collections and botanical compounds long valued in perfumery. St. Louis–based artisan perfumers Shawn Maher (BluBop, Ixora, Witch Hazel, and Wooly Lavender) and Weston Adam, (whose perfumes were presented as interactive scent stations within the exhibition). They created these interpretations using headspace technology and supplied the accompanying materials displayed throughout the galleries. –Michelyn Camen @mobotgardens

Best Fragrances of 2025: Best (fragrance) Book: Symbolorum: The Secret Wisdom of Emblems by Mandy Aftel and Manuel d’éveil olfactif pour petits et grands by Nez

On the surface Symbolorum: The Secret Wisdom of Emblems by natural perfumer Mandy Aftel may not seem like a fragrance book, because it isn’t about perfumes, but it still speaks to the same symbolic and sensory creativity that are hallmarks of Mandy Aftel’s botanical fragrances. Reviving the 17th‑century emblem tradition, the book draws on bestiaries, fables, and philosophy that informed early aromatics and distillation. She painstakingly hand‑colored every illustration, with the same beauty and artistry she brings to her natural fragrances. –Michelyn Camen @aftelierperfume

The best perfume book this year I think was a much needed one. Written namely for children, but useful for everyone, Manuel d’éveil olfactif pour petits et grands by Nez underlines that In an age dominated by images, educating young noses is indeed a genuine cultural contribution. –Ermano Picco @nezlarevue

Best Fragrances of 2025 Hardest Working Person in Perfume: Meo Fusciuni (Guiseppe Imprezzabile)

If there is someone who seemed to be everywhere in 2025, it is Meo Fusciuni. This year alone, he launched the sparkling yuzu themed Isola, remastered the first chapter of his Rites de passage #1 Nota di viaggio, and simultaneously presented a biopic film about his life, creative process, and poetic relationship with scent.

Moreover, he also released the book “Ovunque” (Everywhere) and attended numerous industry events, engaging with audiences with generosity and openness. Behind the scenes, 2025 also marked a major personal shift: the relocation of his headquarters from the Parma area to the more rugged, untamed landscape of Sarzana, a move that mirrors the nomadic and introspective spirit of his work. He also composed Ponte Etereo with Tracy Tsefalas the owner of Fumerie Parfumerie in Seattle, an emotional homage to their friendship and a scent meant to build “a long bridge across the world.” –Ermano Picco and Michelyn Camen @meofusciuni_parfums

Best Fragrances of 2025 Best Home Fragrance: SERPENS and LUSH 29 High Street

SERPENS is a collaboration with perfumer Isabelle Doyen and multimedia artist Sheila Concari. It is more than a candle, it’s a sensory and olfactory art inspired by Lupus Homini Serpens, the multimedia creation by Sheila Concari and Nikolaï Saoulski. Made with 100% natural vegetal wax and an eco‑friendly wick, it burns cleanly, releasing a fragrance of cold herbs, animalic jasmine, and mossy incense that seductively slinks through the room. –Michelyn Camen @nikolaisaoulsiki @sheila.Conacari

Lush 29 High Street candle takes the unmistakable signature smell of Lush boutiques, the result of all its products mingling together, and brings it to the next level as a home fragrance. The result is a natural wax candle diffusing a pretty, slightly nostalgic floral bouquet, with soapy violet accents and a clean musky halo that feels particularly right as a room scent. Ermano Picco

Most Disappointing Perfume: The most disappointing fragrances of 2025 were not outright failures, but those crafted for instant engagement. Though technically well executed, their problem lies in a totally derivative nature. These perfumes belong to a growing family best described as “like that one, but a little stickier” (or louder). Not explicit dupes yet clearly tied to a successful olfactory matrix they safely cling to, rather than reinterpreting or evolving. In a market flooded with thousands of launches per year, this hesitation becomes stagnation. For 2026, the wish is simple; the shift has to start with the brief. More creativity, more storytelling, because if the brief has no story, the perfume won’t either. We want to smell authenticity. -Ermano Picco and Michelyn Camen

Best Fragrances of 2025 Best Designer Fragrance: Acqua di Parma Buongiorno Eau de Parfum Acqua di Parma

With Buongiorno Eau de Parfum, Acqua di Parma delivered one of the most convincing designer fragrances of 2025. Composed by Alexis Dadier, its strength lies in a form of clever simplicity, achieved using as the centerpiece of the composition a co-distillation of petitgrain bigaradier and basil from Robertet. This high-tech process enhances the floral facets of the former and the sweet, citrusy brightness of the latter, resulting in a a radiance that effortlessly accompanies you throughout the day. –Ermano Picco

Best Fragrances of 2025 Best Perfume You Want to Drink Or Eat: Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti and Atelier Materi Black Oregano

Cuccio’s is a family-owned artisanal Italian bakery near where I grew up in Brooklyn. Darren Alan Perfumes Biscotti smells like walking into Cuccio’s in the morning, when all the aromas of freshly baked goods are wafting through the air.

One of my strongest childhood scent memories, bottled by an artisan perfumer from Pittsburgh. Ermano, I wish you could smell it; it would probably smell like home to you. @darren_alan_perfumes

Composed by Céline Perdriel, Atelier Materi Black Oregano is one of those fragrances that instantly trigger a gustatory response: from the very first encounter, it made my mouth water, recalling the memory of a luscious piece of artisanal extra-dark chocolate infused with rosemary that I tasted years ago. It may sound unexpected, even slightly odd, but this is precisely where Black Oregano succeeds, making it my choice for this category. Ermano Picco @ateliermateri @celine.perdriel.perfumer

Best Fragrances of 2025 Biggest Buzz: The biggest buzz of 2025 came from the financial pages. Kering’s unexpected decision to sell its entire fragrance division to L’Oréal, including prestige assets such as Creed and Gucci, sent a ripple through the industry. More than a surprise, the move underscored how fragrance has become a strategic asset among luxury and beauty giants. For Kering, it marked a recalibration of priorities; for L’Oréal, a decisive reinforcement of its position in high-end perfumery, with everything that this involves. Spoiler alert: the future may well hold further unexpected moves on the ever-shifting chessboard of perfumery – Ermano Picco and Michelyn Camen

Best Fragrances of 2025 Hall of Fame: Master Perfumer Jean Kerléo and Independent Perfumer David Falsberg of Phoenicia Perfumes

My Hall of Fame 2025 is dedicated to Master Perfumer Jean Kerléo, who passed away last July at the age of 93. He began his career at Helena Rubinstein before going on to lead the house of Jean Patou, where he created enduring masterpieces such as 1000 — among the first fragrances to feature the precious osmanthus absolute — and the stunningly woody Patou pour Homme. A true visionary, Kerléo anticipated the irreversible loss of perfumery heritage. In response he established the Osmothèque in Versailles, ensuring that the memory of perfumery would be preserved, studied, and transmitted. His legacy on perfumery and perfume culture will last forever. –Ermano Picco

David Falsberg of Phoenicia Perfumes was a self-taught perfumer, author and olfactive artist who passed away on December 13th, 2025, at the age of 71. He contracted Stevens Johnson Syndrome, and his skin burned off, and was in a coma for 4 months and lost much of his vision. While sightless his sense of smell sharpened and that led to him creating the Phoenicia Perfumes line. David Falsberg of Phoenicia Perfumes was a maverick who refused to be bound by the conventions of the fragrance industry. He didn’t study fragrance; he felt it. Scent became his way of expressing raw emotions and painful memories in a positive, often self-deprecating, and inspiring way. Each perfume was infused with meaning. He touched so many lives and until his final days, answered every PM many from perfumers throughout the world, on Instagram. For me his perfume Gone But Not is how I feel about David and his contributions to American indie perfumery. That is why he is my choice for Best Fragrances of 2025 Hall of Fame. –Michelyn Camen @phoenicia_perfumes

For Our Best Fragrances of 2025 Giveaways

Thanks to KAJAL we have a 100 ml Bottle of KAJAL Topaz for a registered CaFleureBon reader in the USA, UK or EU (if you are not sure if you are registered click here (you must register on our site or your entry will be invalid). @KAJALperfumes

To support Margaux LE PAIGH GUÉRIN as Michelyn’s Perfumer of The Year, thanks to Sarah Baker we have a bottle of Velvet Vendetta for one registered reader from the US, EU & UK. You must register or your entry will not count. @houseofsarahbaker

Let us know what you think of our Best Fragrance of 2025 Part 1. What sparked your interest, (please leave a quality comment). Which do you want to win of the two above offered, leave that in your comment as well. Draw closes 12/30/2025

Ermano and Michelyn will be back tomorrow with our top ten fragrances of 2025. Over the next week, Ida, J Wearescentient, Nicoleta, Hernando, Sandi, Steven and Olya will award their top ten best fragrances of 2025. There will be MANY DRAWS.

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