In 2023 we have gone perfume crazy. The Wikiparfum community has grown and become more dynamic at almost as fast a pace as the number of launches that have been arriving in perfumery this year. It is very difficult to highlight just a few new products, but our perfume experts have made the selection for you. Discover the 10 perfumes that have taken the world by storm in 2023.
They have almost nothing in common - soft or intense, minimalist or ultra-sophisticated - but the most striking novelties of 2023 share several things in common: they are the result of the union of creativity with the most select ingredients of the perfumer's palette and offer us unique olfactory experiences. They are not to be missed.
Top 5 women's perfumes of 2023
Good Girl Blush, Carolina Herrera
Vanilla is the star ingredient of the new Good Girl variety. Perfumers Quentin Bisch, Shyamala Maisondieu and Christophe Raynaud play with olfactory contrasts by using complementary notes of each ingredient:
"We had already worked with the gourmand side of vanilla in previous variations of Good Girl, so using a new extraction of powdery nuances was the perfect way to articulate the image of the blush", explain the perfumers.
What differences will you find from the olfactory score of the original version? The intensity of the ylang ylang, which replaces the jasmine in the original fragrance, has been enhanced, and molecules blended with recycled rose water have been used to maximise the floral soul of the perfume and the skin longevity of the peony.
"Vanilla came to mind instantly. The heel is the pillar of the shoe and I imagined vanilla as the pillar of the fragrance", explains Quentin Bisch.
Free L'Absolu Platine, YSL
The boldest expression yet of Libre by YSL has conquered us in 2023.
Anne Flipo and Carlos Benaïm have devised the new fragrance composition as an absolute chill that contrasts icy notes with fiery ones. The secret ingredient on which the perfume pivots is a fresh white lavender accord that offers a bold floral aromatic interpretation.
A hint of aldehydes adds an icy effect to the floral and fruity accords of the perfume, producing a delicious chill. Warm contrast comes with the power of ambergris, which creates a sensual and addictive trail.
"Among the variations we have composed around Libre, the time had come for lavender to have its own work. By contrast, in a mirror effect, masculine becomes ultra-feminine and orange blossom has never been so sensual", explains Anne Flipo.
Devotion, Dolce & Gabbana
Freshness and sweetness meet in Dolce & Gabbana's first luminous and gourmand fragrance.
The perfume has been crafted by Olivier Cresp with high quality ingredients that express the DNA of Italianness through orange blossom and candied citrus that give the composition an aftertaste of panettone, with just the right touch of sweetness to make it not cloying at all.
Devotion is long-lasting, thanks to a vanilla note that feels light and subtle, but which ensures that the perfume lingers on the skin for a long time.
Paradoxe Intense, Prada
Paradoxe Intense amplifies the olfactory expression of the original fragrance with ingredients that we normally associate with lighter essences, which are here introduced at their most potent.
Nadège Le Garlantezec, Shyamala Maisondieu and Antoine Maisondieu combine creativity, nature and avant-garde in a floral bouquet taken to the extreme.
Notes of neroli give a luminous top note, underscored by bergamot. This initial freshness gives way to an addictive floral heart with a super-infusion of jasmine and an enveloping mousse accord. In the base, natural musks infused with vanilla reveal the full power of the fragrance.
Top 5 men's perfumes of 2023
Bad Boy Extreme, Carolina Herrera
The cold-warm contrasts are back in the spotlight in one of the top fragrances of 2023. The new version of Bad Boy combines ginger and vetiver in a very pleasant sensory play that ends with a seductive base of cocoa and patchouli.
The fragrance is the result of technological advances that have made it possible to distil ginger using sustainable procedures. The technique is called Flash Distillation and allows a more authentic essence of the ingredient to be obtained with a much lower carbon footprint than traditional methods.
The intensity in the scent's trail is achieved with the woody notes of patchouli. Quentin Bisch, Louise Turner and Yann Vasnier have worked with an innovative fermentation process that brings out some particularly surprising olfactory components.
"We have managed to capture the fresh and sparkling essence that ginger has in its natural state, and that allows us to play with an unprecedented citrus freshness," reveals Quentin Bisch.
MYSLF, YSL
True to the disruptive style of Yves Saint Laurent, the brand has unveiled a perfume for men in 2023 that initiates a new olfactory style that identifies with modern masculinity by combining floral and woody notes.
A woman and two male perfumers, Daniela Andrier, Christophe Raynaud and Antoine Maisondieu, were in charge of the project, which had the challenge of creating a fragrance with a lot of projection, but without being aggressive.
The composition is a finely tuned combination of fresh and carnal Tunisian orange blossom, sprinkled with a sparkling freshness based on bergamot. The perfumers have worked on the different facets of this flower, which goes from tender and powdery to carnal and fiery. Patchouli and Ambrofix (obtained from sugar cane) create a warm, soft and long-lasting ambery woody accord.
"Orange blossom is the only raw material available to perfumers that can express, depending on how it is made, every stage of life and every gender: a newborn, a bride, a man…", says perfumer Daniela Andrier.
Explorer Platinum, Montblanc
Inspired by the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere watch, the brand's new fragrance takes us to the top of a mountain where we can feel the cold of the high peaks. Violet leaves, clary sage and cedar notes evoke sensations of nature and adventure.
This is a fresh fragrance with elegant and highly magnetic nuances, enveloped in the intensity of cedar wood and an ambery accord.
Boss Bottled Elixir, Hugo Boss
In 2023, Boss Bottled celebrated its 25th anniversary. Hugo Boss' most iconic men's fragrance and a true best seller since its launch celebrated this milestone with a new, more sophisticated version, Boss Bottled Elixir.
This is the most concentrated variety to date of all the existing versions of the original composition.
The new Elixir captivates with a high concentration of premium ingredients. The top notes combine essences of frankincense and cardamom, which give off a warm and vibrant impression, while vetiver and patchouli leave an earthy and captivating stamp in the heart. The fragrance evolves towards a base of cedar essence and labdanum absolute, which brings a strong, woody charisma and a burst of bold masculinity.
This new fragrance is the brainchild of Annick Menardo, creator of the iconic Boss Bottled fragrance, in close collaboration with Suzy le Helley.
Boss Bottled Elixir, Boss Bottled's most concentrated composition to date, expresses the many facets of the contemporary man.
Luna Rossa Ocean Eau de Parfum, Prada
The history of Prada Luna Rossa is linked to the America's Cup, the oldest trophy and the pinnacle of the sailing world. The perfume collection expresses the sensations of competition, innovation and the power of the ocean through invigorating scents.
The new Luna Rossa Ocean variety is presented as a fresh and sensual perfume, a woody ambery fougère score.
The top notes introduce grapefruit, sublimated by the presence of fresh and spicy juniper berries and the essence of spicy elemi, which creates an aromatic wave. At the heart, a Haitian vetiver is enhanced by patchouli with smoky nuances. The final vanilla accord rounds off the fragrance with a warm, ambery trail.
A cutting-edge molecule, AmberXtreme, is included in the formula, enhancing the intensity and diffusing power of the ingredient and increasing the fragrance's potency.
Already have a new favourite fragrance? We invite you to continue exploring the universe of perfume and to create your olfactory profile on Wikiparfum.