If there is one thing that both new and seasoned perfume enthusiasts enjoy, it’s iconic perfumes. These scents are so gorgeous and so unique that they have made a name for themselves in the industry, transcending time and trends. 

Looking for iconic perfumes to try out? Here are some of the best ones to start your perfume-hunting journey with. 

Chanel No. 5

No list of iconic perfumes is complete without Chanel No. 5 in it. At the time of its creation, Chanel No. 5 was something new, unique, and inimitable. Ernst Beaux, the nose behind the fragrance, used aldehydes to achieve the level of complexity present in this perfume and celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Kate Moss, and Nicole Kidman have all shared their admiration for this one-of-a-kind floral scent. To most people, Chanel No. 5 is the epitome of what women’s perfume should smell like. 

Bvlgari Eau Parfumée Au Thé Vert

Crisp, fresh elegance is what greets the nose upon first sniff of Bvlgari Eau Parfumée Au Thé Vert. This fragrance was never meant to be sold commercially but rather as a scent that would fill the Bulgari boutiques. Despite its name and notes of Darjeeling and green tea, this perfume doesn’t really smell like any specific kind of tea but rather a unisex fragrance that’s meant to smell amazing on anyone.

Givenchy L’Interdit 

Aside from gorgeous garments and dreamy frocks, Hubert de Givenchy also had a fragrance created for his muse, Audrey Hepburn. This fragrance, created by Francis Fabron, was feminine, floral, and dainty -- just like the dresses and the gowns Givenchy made for Audrey. Though created and presented to Hepburn in ‘57, Givenchy L’Interdit was only made available to the public later in the 60’s. 

Calvin Klein CK One

If you were alive in the 90s, there’s no way you haven’t had at least a single sniff of Calvin Klein’s CK One. While totally common now, unisex fragrances were quite the innovation and the breakthrough in the fragrance world back then and this iconic perfume is what started the trend. CK One is a gorgeous scent that works amazingly well during the summer, though it’s a nice refreshing fragrance to come back to for the rest of the year as well. 

Guerlain Shalimar

Nothing smells more like love than Guerlain Shalimar. This fragrance was created by Jacques Guerlain as an homage to the love shared by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife, Mumtaz Mahal -- the very same couple whose love built the Taj Mahal. Shalimar was known and introduced as the first oriental perfume in the 50s. Sweet notes of vanilla are rounded out with citrus and hints of iris, making the perfect sweet and sexy scent that women all over the world love today.