The Best New Fragrances in May

Tom Ford Beauty Eau de Soleil Blanc Eau de Toilette (Starting at $100)

Picture yourself relaxing in the sun, eyes closed, feeling the rays hit your skin. Inspired by a luxurious trip to a tropical island, Eau de Soleil Blanc is a sparkling, citrusy, solar scent that captures an endless summer.

A fresher, lighter version of the Eau de Parfum from the brand’s Private Blend collection, this EDP is perfect for spring and summertime. But, it’s not too light that it disappears. The brand’s signature coco de mer accord adds a creamy richness.

Paul Reactss x OAKCHA Strawberry Sensation ($56)

TikTok fragrance influencer Paul Fino is debuting his first original scent (his previous two were inspired by other fragrances) in collaboration with indie fragrance house OAKCHA. “If you are a strawberry girl, if you are a gourmand girl, if you are a buttercream kind of girl, listen up because this will be for you,” says Fino. “It smells like a delicious strawberry buttercream cake, but there’s also sandalwood and tonka bean notes inside that give it a little bit of depth. It doesn’t smell like an artificial strawberry. Oakcha and I worked so hard to make this perfect.”

Fino says one of his biggest issues with strawberry fragrances is that they tend to lean medicinal, so he wanted to make sure this was “the farthest thing from medicinal.” This one leans more bakery strawberry, like a yummy dessert.

Louis Vuitton eLVes Eau de Parfum (Starting at $345)

An homage to “heroines of the past and present,” this fruity-floral fragrance celebrates a modern interpretation of rose, as well as “the women who follow their intuition, looming larger than their era to blaze new trails and make a name for themselves.”

Louis Vuitton’s in-house master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, who created the juice, says, “I wanted to create a composition that was complex, spontaneous and joyful—a fragrance that shines out irresistibly. I believe in representative perfumery; one that conveys emotions, values and positive messages; one that everyone can lean into to write their own story.”

We also love that the fragrance is refillable, and the brand offers complimentary engraving of the bottle, so you can add a nice personal touch.

27 87 Hakuna Matata Eau de Parfum ($214)

Designed to “evoke the golden feeling of sun-soaked freedom,” this solar fragrance is a happy one. And if you love banana candy, you’ll want to smell it. The brand describes it as a “warm, radiant and mood-boosting” scent that “captures the carefree energy of late afternoons, glowing skin and the easy joy of the present moment.” We love the name, we love the good vibes it gives and we love the unexpected use of banana that feels playful and fresh.

Skylar Sticky Mango Eau de Parfum ($20)

If you’re part of Skylar’s Scent Club, this is one of the exclusive (limited-edition) fragrances you have access to in a convenient rollerball format. Inspired by yummy mango sticky rice, this sweet and creamy gourmand scent has that addictive quality we all love in fragrance. But, it’s not too sweet—it has a warm, tropical vibe as well.

If you’re not familiar with the brand’s Scent Club but love perfume, it’s worth exploring. For $20 per month, you get a free limited-edition rollerball (the drops are so fun) and tons of discounts.

UNIFROM Florum Perfume Oil ($75)

The latest creation from the Stockholm-based fragrance house gives us a new take on floral. Vegan, unisex and alcohol-free, this edgy floral-fruity (white floral–forward) scent took four years for brand founder Haisam Mohammed to develop. “He quietly collected references, emotions and moments that felt like the right kind of floral expression,” says the brand. “He knew exactly what he didn’t want it to smell like, and more importantly, what it should feel like. So the process, when it finally moved from thought to matter, was very intuitive.”

Belnu Chai Fleur Eau de Parfum ($170)

I’m a sucker for anything chai, and though I was not expecting to see a warm, woody, chai fragrance launch in May, I actually love it. I also love what inspired it, as founder Darcy Moore says, “it’s an ode to life’s greatest luxury: quiet time to slow down, dream and turn inward.”

“Chai Fleur is like a warm embrace on a cold evening–timelessly charming,” says master perfumer Frank Voelkl. “It begins with the cozy spices of nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom, drawing you in with their comforting warmth. As it settles, the heart reveals a blend of cistus, lavender and violet, evoking a sense of calm and serenity. Finally, the fragrance wraps you in a soothing blend of vanilla bean, cedarwood and sandalwood, leaving a lasting impression of elegance and tranquility.”

Rite of Way Outer Realm Eau de Parfum ($188)

“Over the last couple of years, I started noticing this massive shift in how people consume fragrance. Rather than sticking to a signature scent, they’re becoming what I call ‘wardrobers’ and picking what they want to wear based on who they want to be that day,” says founder Alex Brands. “I built Rite of Way to put the wearer at the center of the story. Instead of my own memories and preferences, each fragrance is designed around an archetype that can help you express different sides of yourself and transform the way your presence comes together. Our first scent, Outer Realm, is an invitation to push your limits. From citron and sea salt to incense and amber, each layer of the scent is designed to express tension and release, generating a charge of power as you step into the bright unknown.”

Designed in collaboration with fragrance aficionados Michael Nordstrand of Mythologist Studio and Joey Rosin of Hoax Parfum, Outer Realm puts the spotlight on incense, which projects from the initial spritz to the dry down. According to the brand, it’d designed to be worn “when you want a burst of power and a bit of an edge.”