Powdery feminine fragrances have been experiencing an exciting revival in popularity of late. The best powdery perfumes for women are classic, sophisticated and downright sexy; and destined to be a signature scent for fragrance lovers of all ages.
Shows such as Mad Men have led to a revival in retro fashions, styles, and beauty products. Of course, that doesn’t mean that everyone knows just what a ‘powdery’ perfume is.
What Makes a Perfume ‘Powdery’?
The most iconic and famous of powdery perfumes is undoubtedly Chanel No 5. This dry, sweet, and floral scent is a perfect representation of how a classically ‘powdery’ fragrance should smell. Still, it represents just one possible iteration of the style. Generally speaking, power perfumes come in two categories: talcum powder or face powder.
– Talcum Powder
Those falling into the ‘talcum powder’ category can also be called ‘baby powder’ perfumes and are often sweet. They rely on notes such as vanilla and lavender and tend to be cleaner and fresher in scent than ‘face powder’ perfumes. Many people find these fragrances to be a little nostalgic and say that they feel calmed or even soothed by them.
– Face Powder
By contrast, ‘face powder’ perfumes tend to be a bit more subtle and delicate relying on muskier notes and rare ingredients like ambergris. As a result, they tend to feel more grown-up and seductive than talcum powder perfumes.
10 Stunning Powdery Perfumes Reviewed
With retro styles and scents very much back in fashion, powdery perfumes are on the rise again. Most big perfume houses right now have a selection of powdery scents to suit every nose. Coming up are ten of the best powdery perfumes for women right now. Enjoy!
1. Juliette Has a Gun Citizen Queen Eau de Parfum
Review
A passion project of Romano Ricci’s, Juliette Has a Gun is a fresh and innovative brand. Showing subtle similarities to Nina Ricci ‘s brand, this new brand of contemporary fragrances has launched 25 fragrances since their opening in 2005.
They also worked with some of the most promising perfumers in the world.
Citizen Queen Eau de Parfum is the third fragrance from Juliette Has a Gun, and has a pleasingly androgynous array of notes. Nonetheless, it is a feminine, powdery perfume which tempers the heady notes with a floral bouquet. The effect is stunning and intricate.
Unlike many powdery floral fragrances, Citizen Queen could not be called ‘clean’ or ‘delicate’; this is a bold, vibrant scent which evolves as it fades. The many notes do not truly blend, but rather exist in harmony before giving way to each other as the hours pass. Incredibly durable with a heavy sillage, this is a bold cold weather perfume which will stay with you all day.
Top Notes:
Leather, Aldehydes, Bergamot
Mid Notes:
Powdery Notes, Rose, Tuberose, Immortelle, Orange Blossom, Iris
Base Notes:
Vanilla, Ambroxan, Resins, Musk, Labdanum
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harvey Nichols:
2. Chanel Les Exclusifs de Chanel Misia Eau de Parfum
Review
Founded in 1910 by Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, an iconic French fashion house Chanel was the epicentre of the fashion and beauty revolution.
Since then, they have remained at the heart of luxury fashion and beauty. And the fragrance line benefitted from some of the most talented noses in the world.
Les Exclusifs de Chanel Misia Eau de Parfum is a stunning springtime perfume, beautifully transiting from daytime to nighttime. An unreservedly feminine fragrance named after Misia Sert, a talented pianist and friend of Coco Chanel.
The first scent blended for Chanel by Oliver Polge, Misia Eau de Parfum is a sweet and evocative mixture which represents his talent for creating a story with perfume.
Iris features heavily, and the powdery notes which run throughout every stage of its evolution feel intimate and warm; This brings to mind the dressing table of a mature, sophisticated woman. Fairly durable with a moderate sillage, this is a somewhat delicate fragrance.
Top Notes:
Aldehydes, Lychee
Mid Notes:
Rose, Raspberry, Peach
Base Notes:
Vanilla, Powdery notes, Orris, Benzoin, Tonka Bean, Mimosa, Iris, Violet
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partners:
3. Guerlain Insolence Eau de Parfum
Review
Legendary perfume house Guerlain is known for producing unique and opulent scents. Founded in 1828 by Pascal Guerlain, this was a family business until 1994 when acquired by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey (LVMH). Since then it has continued to produce perfumes which live up to the Guerlain family standard.
Insolence Eau de Parfum is a fresh and clean powdery fragrance launched in 2017. Almost aggressively feminine in look and scent, this perfume is a celebration of classically sweet, powdery, ‘female’ perfume notes. With a shockingly short and simple list of ingredients, this perfume relies on the masterful blending of these notes to best effect.
Perfect for breezy spring days, this light, delicate scent stays on for several hours but has a very light sillage. Understated, subtle even, it has an unexpectedly sharp note of red berries that save it from being uninspiring.
Top Notes:
Red Berries, Iris
Mid Notes:
Violet
Base Notes:
Powdery Notes
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partnership:
4. Dior Dioramour Eau de Parfum
Review
French designer Christian Dior rose to prominence with the creation of the ‘New Look’. Today though, the brand is known just as much for its perfumery as its couture. With no less than 241 perfumes under its belt, the fashion house of Dior is alive and well 73 years after first opening its doors.
In an uncharacteristically demure and retiring bottle, Dioramour Eau de Parfum is a surprisingly simple scent. With just three notes, it seems almost too simple, on paper, to be a Dior perfume. When applied, however, it bursts into life. In true Dior fashion, these notes are carefully chosen and blended to perfection. The result is delicate and sparkling.
The overwhelming note of iris is quickly calmed by jasmine, balancing the sweetness with a touch of fresh, almost green floral aroma. Later on, the powdery notes take precedence, blending in with jasmine and giving the fragrance a soft, soothing tone. Dioramour is a gentle scent, with moderate longevity and sillage, and suits best for spring and summer evenings.
Top Notes:
Iris
Mid Notes:
Jasmine
Base Notes:
Powdery Notes
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Dior:
5. Xerjoff Fatal Charme Eau de Parfum
Review
The luxury brand Xerjoff was created by Sergio Momo in 2003. Despite its relative youth, this Italian brand has quickly made a name for itself. Using the best possible ingredients and working with some of the most exciting perfumers in the world today.
Chris Maurice blended Fatal Charme Eau de Parfum, with many of the ingredients kept under wraps. Nonetheless, some are evident in the sophisticated and intricate final product. This unique approach is part of the club ‘collection’ of which this perfume is a part.
While the opening of the fragrance is a little medicinal, it quickly settles to a sweet and powdery scent with an underlying note of tobacco, which prevents it from becoming too saccharine. Incredibly long-lasting, with a good projection, this perfume is perfect for those long, crisp autumn evenings.
Top Notes:
Floral Notes, Orris, Aldehydes
Mid Notes:
Spicy Notes, Tobacco
Base Notes:
Powdery Notes, Ambergris
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harrods:
6. Roja Dove Ahlam Eau de Parfum
Review
Roja Dove, without a doubt, is one of the most respected and famous perfumers in the world today. His brand, Roja Parfums, had the single most successful launch in Harrod’s history, and today is one of the most prestigious luxury fragrance houses in the world. With no less than 133 perfumes to his name, Roja Dove has created something for everyone and built a reputation of sterling quality.
Ahlam Eau de Parfum comes presented in the usual ‘Roja Dove’ style. A simple bottle and sparkling topper act as a classy and understated container for this stunning perfume. Named for the woman it was created for, Ahlam is a complex, juicy scent. The opening of the fragrance is beautifully fruity and citrusy.
Gently mellowing into a delicate bouquet of the heart notes, the composition warms with woody, musky and powdery notes in the base. The result is a hugely enduring and dynamic perfume with an enormous sillage. This is a compelling and warming fragrance which is perfect for winter nights.
Top Notes:
Lemon
Mid Notes:
Geranium, Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Violet
Base Notes:
Rhubarb, Powdery Notes, Ambergris, Musk, Almond, Orris, Vanilla, Oud, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Saffron
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harrods:
7. Jo Malone Poppy & Barley Cologne
Review
Jo Malone London is an iconic English brand named for its founder. Jo started her career as a florist, working as a beautician by night. Her entry into the world of perfumery began when she used her nose for fragrances to produce a nutmeg and ginger bath oil for her clients. Since then she has created some of the UK’s most beloved scents.
Poppy & Barley Eau de Cologne is a stunning and irreverent fragrance which is both sweet and tart by turns. As a powdery perfume, this is unusual but undeniably stunning. With a zesty opening, Poppy & Barley quickly picks up on sweet, powdery notes. That initial sharpness is contrasting nicely with the fruity and floral sweetness of the fragrance.
As a result, this makes it a very versatile unisex fragrance that is perfect for any season. Moderate lasting, this perfume has a light sillage but does evolve as it fades. The more powdery and savoury notes shine through. While it needs constant reapplication, this is a delightful and dynamic scent presented in classic Jo Malone fashion.
Top Notes:
Fig, Violet, Blackcurrant
Mid Notes:
Wheat, Poppy, Powdery Notes
Base Notes:
Barley, White Musk, Bran
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partners:
8. Frederic Malle Iris Poudre Eau de Parfum
Review
Founder of the niche perfume house Editions de Parfums, Frederic Malle is a pioneer who made the revolutionary choice to note the name of the perfumer on the bottle of each scent. He sets himself apart from the crowd and has directly benefitted some of the worlds most prestigious perfumers.
Mixed by Pierre Bourdon, Iris Poudre Eau de Parfum balances powdery and woody notes with breathtaking skill. Interestingly, however, it is overwhelmingly citrusy and floral at first application, with notes of bergamot coming through very sharply. Iris Poudre is an incredibly durable perfume which suits spring and fall evenings perfectly and evolves.
Once it has worn away to its pass, the powdery notes of iris and amber come through most strongly, supported by the unusual inclusion of ebony wood. As a result, this is a sophisticated and complex perfume for modern women seeking a retro twist to their daily scent.
Top Notes:
Bergamot, Orange, Ylang-Ylang, Carnation, Palisander Rosewood
Mid Notes:
Aldehydes, Rose, Violet, Lily, Jasmine, Magnolia
Base Notes:
Ebony, Vanilla, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Amber, Musk, Iris
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harvey Nichols:
9. Hermetica Amberbee Eau de Parfum
Review
Inspired by and named in honour of the ancient practice of alchemy, Hermetica is a perfume brand with a difference. Their collection of molecular fragrances are some of the most exciting and durable on the market right now. Opened in 2018 the brand has since produced 14 magnificent fragrances.
Presented in a striking yet straightforward bottle, Amberbee Eau de Parfum is an overwhelmingly cold-weather fragrance which is perfect for winter and spring evenings. With an incredibly short list of intense ingredients, expertly blended Amberbee scent is a true example of a masterpiece.
The first flush of bergamot lifts the perfume, opening a zingy, spicy aroma. When the sharp notes take a slower pace, the hints of citruses are uplifted by the powdery, warm notes of amber. Reasonably long-lasting, with a good projection, this is a scent that keeps on going, gently unfolding its beautiful aromas as the day goes by.
Top Notes:
Bergamot
Mid Notes:
Powdery Notes
Base Notes:
Amber, Woody Notes
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harvey Nichols:
10. Valentino Valentina Poudre Eau de Parfum
Review
Italian fashion house Valentino was founded by Valentino Garavani in 1959. This iconic designer was so well-regarded for his red dresses that particular shade of red is known as ‘Valentino Red’. Their unreservedly feminine style is consistent across their fashion and perfumes.
Presented in a dusky, pale pink bottle, featuring a stylised flower, the Valentina Poudre Eau de Parfum is all about celebrating femininity. For powdery, oriental fragrance it is unusual to present powdery and musky notes first.
When these soft, delicate notes fade, and they fade quickly, iris and tuberose surface nicely. Underpinned by vanilla and tonka bean, the profile of this perfume is sweet and straightforward with a woody base giving a subtle smokiness.
Top Notes:
Musk, Mallow, Powder Notes
Mid Notes:
Iris, Tuberose
Base Notes:
Vanilla, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Amazon:
Conclusion
Each of these exquisite and feminine powdery perfumes offers retro-chic for every occasion. With vintage hair, clothing, and makeup styles very much in vogue, it makes sense that the best powdery perfumes are once again having a moment in the sun. If you want a classic, powdery scent, choose Chanel No. 5. If you want a twist on this classic style, look at our list.
Just like floral notes and woody notes, powdery notes have no single uniform scent, and they they change depending on the source. Some are warm and spicy, while others are cool and clean. They all share a common, dry sweetness, however, and this is what marks them out as powdery rather than smoky or resinous.
Before you go, I have put together a review of the most elegant perfumes ranging from timeless classics to modern-day sophistication that I think you will enjoy.
Further Reading
Below are some additional articles from Viora London’s blog. We write articles on a number of interesting lifestyle topics such as fragrance, beauty, designer handbags, luxury accessories and more.
