For years, Le Labo Santal 33 haunted the noses of every Manhattanite. It seemed no matter what bar you entered or what street corner you turned, the notes of that fateful perfume would be lingering in the air. While many still keep this iconic scent in their rotation, there’s a bit more variety these days. From chic new launches to New York classics, these are the perfumes city dwellers have on repeat right now.
Merit Retrospect L’extrait de Parfum ($92)
This new launch from beloved makeup brand Merit has quickly swept the city. In the coffee table book that accompanies the fragrance, the brand explains they set out to create a fragrance with “nuance: something that went against the grain of the one-note scents.” This dynamic, sophisticated fragrance is certainly full of nuance as it evolves throughout the day with a unique combination of a dozen notes, including bergamot, pear, ambrette, rosemary, orris, violet, vanilla, musk and moss. Plus, the bottle looks like a piece you might see in The MoMA.
NOYZ 12:00 Eau de Parfum ($85)
In the city that never sleeps, it’s no surprise a scent named for the witching hour that marks the end of what was and the beginning of what could be is taking off. Following its recent launch and star-studded launch party, NOYZ's 12:00 is a New York it girl must-have. Notes of pink pepper, spun sugar, jasmine petals, blonde woods, raspberry and ambroxan create a fragrance that's equal parts sophisticated, playful and seductive, and just as perfect for noon on a slow Sunday as it is on a wild Friday at midnight.
PHLUR Vanilla Skin Eau de Parfum ($99)
Vanilla scents are inescapable right now, and this is one of the most viral iterations. It’s perfectly balanced with notes of pink pepper and a variety of woods to balance out the sweeter scents of vanilla, sugar crystals, pink apple, lily and jasmine. We’d be willing to bet that if you stopped five women on the street in New York City, at least one of them would own this fragrance.
Ellis Brooklyn Apple Love Eau De Parfum ($110)
Leave it to a Brooklyn-based fragrance brand to create an ode to the Big Apple. They describe this as “a fragrance love letter to NYC, the energy, sophistication and headiness of this iconic city.” It’s an amber gourmand that transforms the intoxicating fragrance of upstate apples into a city chic, smooth scent with notes of peach skin, plum blossom, sugar cane, vanilla and muguet.
Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum ($235)
The aforementioned Santal 33 is not a thing of the past, we just have more variety now. After years of being the dominant scent in the city, it’s somehow still not played out, solidifying its eternal classic status.Le Labo is arguably one of the most popular fragrance brands in the city, with a handful of gorgeous stores to pop into. One of our editors has even said it always smells likeLe Labo Tubereuse 40 in bulk at her subway stop, which will likely only be familiar to true New Yorkers as it’s only available in the labs there.
DedCool Milk Layering + Enhancer Fragrance ($90)
I hear about this fragrance enhancer and layering scent constantly—it’s a hot topic of conversation among New York beauty lovers. It's made to play nicely with other scents, but it’ll also get you compliments when wearing it on its own. The rave reviews are real with this one.
Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum ($97)
This fragrance launched back in the early 2000s and has been a New Yorker signature ever since. With Emily Ratajkowski as the current face of Flowerbomb, it further proves that the New York it girls are still wearing this classic scent of jasmine, rosebuds and amber.
Glossier You Eau de Parfum ($74)
It’s seemingly impossible to go a week without someone mentioning Glossier You, especially now that new iterations have launched. Designed to smell like you but enhanced with woodsy, creamy, slightly sweet notes, it’ll land a little differently on each person, which is perfect for the city dwellers who strive to be unique. It’s especially popular with the Gen Zs of New York.
Dolce & Gabbana Devotion Eau de Parfum ($132)
Although Katy Perry is the ambassador of this scent, it’s not just for California Girls. With a heart of vanilla dressed up with orange blossom and candied citrus, it’s a remarkable take on the endlessly trending vanilla perfumes. Although it’s citrus-centric, it’s also warm and creamy, making it ideal for fall and winter. It’s as if the moment the leaves change, I begin to smell it on the New York City streets.
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum ($138)
This Parisian perfume translates perfectly to New York. You’re guaranteed to get a whiff of the fresh notes of orange, patchouli and Turkish rose at least once a week while traversing the city, and it’s been this way for years.
Maison Louis Marie No. 14 Icila Eau de Parfum ($93)
This 2024 launch is a perfect fall scent for all the Autumn in New York lovers. Notes of dark plum, jasmine, vanilla flowers, patchouli and osmanthus combine to create a balanced warm and woodsy yet sweet scent.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 ($210)
While widely beloved across the globe, a lot of Baccarat Rouge 540's number one fans reside in New York City. Woody, spicy and bursting with amber, this scent features saffron, jasmine, fir resin, cedar and more notes we love spritzing on over scarves in cool weather.
