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The 14 Best Perfume Oils for Every Fragrance Lover

These oils from brands like Nest New York, Byredo, and Le Labo deliver long-lasting scent without irritating your skin.

Celia Shatzman, Claire Sullivan

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December 27, 2022, 2:39pm

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Best Perfume Oils of 2023

Courtesy of Nest New York and Gucci

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, WWD may receive an affiliate commission.

The world of women’s perfume is a big, wide one. There are so many categories to choose from, like gourmands, aquatics and citrus scents, to name a few. But an eau de parfum isn’t the only way to get your fragrance fix — perfume oils are another great option. Easy for on-the-go reapplication, perfume oils are an unfussy approach to adding your signature scent to your day.

“A perfume oil is a finished perfume, but it’s in an oil base instead of an alcohol base,” explains David Seth Moltz, founder and perfumer of D.S. & Durga. Most eau de parfums use alcohol as a base because it doesn’t have a scent and is easy to combine with other ingredients. “When you use oil as a base, its cons are that usually most oils have a scent to them and don’t have as much of that blending action. So, sometimes the fragrance has to fight through the scent of fat and wax and the stuff that oil smells like. There are oils that are less smelly — like fractionated coconut oil, apricot, and kernel — which are pretty good for dilutions.”

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As far as the perks, the best perfume oils have plenty. “The positive of an oil fragrance is that it travels well because it’s not flammable,” Moltz says. “It’s easier to have in your bag. Also, alcohol can really destroy clothes.” So choosing a perfume oil will keep your best cashmere sweaters, favorite leather pants, and other wardrobe essentials in top-notch shape. “The actual application of rolling on perfume oil is a very comfortable experience,” Moltz notes. “You can rub it in and it has a softer quality to it. Oils are naturally moisturizing to your skin.” Perfume oils are also great for those who deal with sensitive skin, as they typically don’t contain alcohol, which irritates sensitive skin types.

The Best Perfume Oils of 2023

Best Overall: Nest New York Indian Jasmine Perfume Oil
Best Overall, Runner Up: The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille Gemstone Perfume Oil
Best Unisex Perfume Oil: By Rosie Jane Dylan Perfume Oil
Best Perfume Oil on Amazon: Kai Perfume Oil
Best Perfume Oil for Layering: D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What
Best Perfume Oil for Body: YSL Beauty Libre Beautifying Body Oil
Best Perfume Oil Set: Summer Fridays The Perfume Oils Trio
Best Essential Oil Perfume: Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Roller Ball
Best Subtle Perfume Oil: Lake & Skye 11 11 Fragrance Oil
Best Woody Perfume Oil: Byredo Gypsy Water Perfumed Oil Roll-On
Best Designer Perfume Oil: Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden A Kiss From Violet Perfume Oil
Best Perfume Oil for Men: Malin + Goetz Dark Rum Perfume Oil
Best Long-Lasting Perfume Oil: Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois de Balincourt Perfume Oil
Best Cult-Favorite Perfume Oil: Le Labo Santal 33 Perfume Oil

Nest New York Indian Jasmine Perfume Oil

Best Overall

Size: 1 oz
Scent profile: Floral
Base oil: Baobab oil

Dab on the Nest New York Indian Jasmine perfume oil and you’ll instantly be transported to the lush jasmine fields in India. This classic floral is rounded out with red berries, bergamot and pink pepper. Its base of baobab oil lets it sink right into your skin with a scent trail that will last for hours, making it one of the best perfume oils.

Courtesy of Sephora

Nest New York Indian Jasmine Perfume Oil $98 Buy Now AT SEPHORA

Nest New York Indian Jasmine Perfume Oil $98 Buy Now AT NORDSTROM

The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille Gemstone Perfume Oil

Best Overall, Runner Up

Size: 0.67 oz
Scent profile: Gourmand
Base oil: Organic jojoba oil

Consider the 7 Virtues Santal Vanille Gemstone perfume oil a spicy, warm hug for your skin. The cozy gourmand scent is a beautiful creamy blend of coconut, vanilla, myrrh and sandalwood. Even better is the fact that the sandalwood is sustainably sourced from Sri Lanka, plus has aromatherapeutic perks, such as helping to improve focus. Additionally, the perfume oil contains jojoba oil to nourish the skin and is packed with 25% fragrance oils, ensuring a lasting effect on your skin.

Courtesy of Sephora

The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille Gemstone Perfume Oil $69 Buy Now AT SEPHORA

By Rosie Jane Dylan Perfume Oil

Best Unisex Perfume Oil

Size: 0.23 oz
Scent profile: Warm woods
Base oil: Coconut and frankincense oils

If warm woods are your thing, then this option from By Rosie Jane Dylan is the best perfume oil for you. With individuality and freedom serving as its muse, the earthy scent mixes soft notes of cedar with frankincense for a touch of spice and a base of white musk. The unisex scent is a pure fragrance oil with concentrated notes.

Courtesy of Sephora

By Rosie Jane Dylan Perfume Oil $45 Buy Now AT SEPHORA

By Rosie Jane Dylan Perfume Oil $45 Buy Now AT NORDSTROM

Kai Perfume Oil

Best Perfume Oil on Amazon

Size: 0.12 oz
Scent profile: Floral
Base oil: Chamomile oil

A true cult classic, Kai’s perfume oil has quite the impressive fan club, which allegedly even includes Oprah. Kai founder Gaye Straza created this single-batch perfume in 1999 to capture the scent of her childhood vacations to Hawaii, and it’s been insanely popular ever since. The blend of cedarwood oil, clove leaf oil, geranium oil and rose absolute evokes the dreamy islands.

Courtesy of Kai

Kai Perfume Oil $47 Buy Now AT AMAZON

Kai Perfume Oil $47 Buy Now AT NORDSTOM

D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What

Best Perfume Oil for Layering

Size: 1.7 oz
Scent profile: Fresh
Base oil: Clove oil

D.S. & Durga has earned a cult following for its perfumes that are truly unique. D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What perfume oil fits the bill and is unlike anything else out there. “This is our best-selling fragrance,” Moltz says. “I carry it with me everywhere. I Don’t Know What is really nice because it mixes with everything and layers well.” The pocket perfume can be worn solo or as a fragrance enhancer to boost the scent of whatever you pair it with. Featuring top notes of bergamot essence, a heart of iso e super and vetiver acetate and a base of civetone, firsantol and ambrox super, the earthy perfume is deliciously grounding.

Courtesy of D.S. & Durga

D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What $190 Buy Now at D.S. & DURGA

D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What $190 Buy Now AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What $190 Buy Now AT NEIMAN MARCUS

YSL Beauty Libre Beautifying Body Oil

Best Perfume Oil for Body

Size: 5.07 oz
Scent profile: Floral
Base oil: Sunflower seed oil

YSL Beauty’s Libre fragrance has become a bestseller since launching in 2019. This body oil is a way to coat yourself in the sweet floral scent from head to toe — you can use it as a body oil as well as a hair oil to smooth split ends. The notes of lavender, jasmine, and musk come together for an anything-but-basic scent you’ll want to douse on daily.

Courtesy of Lake & Skye

YSL Beauty Libre Beautifying Body Oil $68 Buy Now AT NORDSTROM

YSL Beauty Libre Beautifying Body Oil $68 Buy Now AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

Summer Fridays The Trio Perfume Oils

Best Perfume Oil Set

Size: 0.3 oz each
Scent profile: Gourmand, warm, citrus

Best known for its popular clean skin-care products, burgeoning beauty brand Summer Fridays has now bottled up a trio of its signature scents so that you can take them on the go. Each mood-boosting fragrance calls to mind warm summer Fridays where you can almost feel the sun on your skin. A tropical vacation in a bottle, Coconut Wave features notes of coconut, eucalyptus and sugarcane. Warm and cozy, Soft Vanilla has notes of vanilla cream, almond blossom and a pistachio blend. And you can pretend you’re in Capri with Crisp Citrus, thanks to its top notes of frozen lemon and lime zest.

Courtesy of Sephora

Summer Fridays The Perfume Oils Trio $27 Buy Now AT AMAZON

Summer Fridays The Perfume Oils Trio $36 Buy Now AT REVOLVE

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Roller Ball

Best Essential Oil Perfume

Size: 0.34 oz
Scent profile: Citrus
Base oil: Peach kernel oil

If you’re looking for a burst of energy, then the Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning roller ball is the best perfume oil for you. Tapping into the power of aromatherapy, the revitalizing fragrance features pink grapefruit, rosemary and juniper berry essential oils. Roll it on whenever you need a refresh.

Courtesy of Net-A-Porter

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Roller Ball $35 Buy Now AT BLUEMERCURY

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Roller Ball $35 Buy Now AT NEIMAN MARCUS

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Roller Ball $35 Buy Now AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

Lake & Skye 11 11 Fragrance Oil

Best Subtle Perfume Oil

Size: 0.33 oz
Scent profile: Woody

The beauty gurus on TikTok love Lake & Skye’s 11 11 fragrance, and we do, too. The fragrance is rich with white ambers and musk, but it feels fresh and slightly aquatic on your skin once it dries down. That dynamic combination of notes makes it suitable for all genders and all seasons, so it’ll be a hardworking addition to your fragrance collection. The formula is cruelty-free, vegan, and PETA-certified, and the brand plants a tree for each online purchase.

Courtesy of Lake & Skye

Lake & Skye 11 11 Fragrance Oil $48 Buy Now AT ULTA

Lake & Skye 11 11 Fragrance Oil $48 Buy Now AT NORDSTROM

Lake & Skye 11 11 Fragrance Oil $48 Buy Now AT BLUEMERCURY

Byredo Gypsy Water Perfumed Oil Roll-On

Best Woody Perfume Oil

Size: 0.25 oz
Scent profile: Fresh, woody
Base oil: Rose oil

The beloved unisex eau de parfum is also available in perfume oil format. An intoxicating blend of fresh and woody notes, Byredo’s Gypsy Water perfumed oil is a riff on campfires and pine forests. One of the best perfume oils out there for its unique, addicting scent, it combines bergamot, amber and vanilla.

Courtesy of Net-A-Porter

Byredo Gypsy Water Perfumed Oil Roll-On $78 Buy Now AT NEIMAN MARCUS

Byredo Gypsy Water Perfumed Oil Roll-On $78 Buy Now AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden A Kiss From Violet Perfume Oil

Best Designer Perfume Oil

Size: 0.67 oz
Scent profile: Floral
Base oil: Coconut oil

When you’re looking to make a statement on your vanity, this is the best perfume oil. And Gucci’s The Alchemist’s Garden A Kiss From Violet perfume oil smells just as good as it looks. Created by master perfumer Alberto Morillas for Gucci’s “The Alchemist’s Garden” collection, the romantic scent of iris petal and musk fills the glass apothecary-style jar with a pipette-style applicator.

Courtesy of Gucci

Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden A Kiss From Violet Perfume Oil $445 Buy Now AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden A Kiss From Violet Perfume Oil $445 Buy Now AT NORDSTROM

Malin + Goetz Dark Rum Perfume Oil

Best Perfume Oil for Men

Size: 0.3 oz
Scent profile: Spicy warm
Base oil: Clove oil

Pretend you’re on a tropical vacation sipping a fruity rum cocktail with an umbrella in it when you rub on the Malin + Goetz Dark Rum perfume oil. Just like a libation that’s mixed to perfection, this warm and spicy oil-based fragrance features top notes of bergamot and plum, middle notes of traditional Caribbean rum and leather, and a base of amber, patchouli and milk.

Courtesy of Malin + Goetz

Malin + Goetz Dark Rum Perfume Oil $32 Buy Now AT AMAZON

Malin + Goetz Dark Rum Perfume Oil $32 Buy Now AT NORDSTROM

Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois de Balincourt Perfume Oil

Best Long-Lasting Perfume Oil

Size: 0.5 oz
Scent profile: Woody
Base oil: Safflower seed oil

On the hunt for a scent with serious history? Then Maison Louis Marie’s No.04 Bois de Balincourt is the best perfume oil for you. Maison Louis Marie dates all the way back to 1792 and carries on the legacy of Louis Marie Aubert du Petit Thouars, a pioneer in French botanical history. The line still creates unique floral fragrances following the botanical tradition. This warm earthy and woody scent is one of its most popular, with a blend of sandalwood, cedarwood, a spicy cinnamon nutmeg complex and vetiver.

Courtesy of Sephora

Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois de Balincourt Perfume Oil $59 Buy Now AT SEPHORA

Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois de Balincourt Perfume Oil $59 Buy Now AT AMAZON

Le Labo Santal 33 Perfume Oil

Best Cult-Favorite Perfume Oil

Size: 1 oz
Scent profile: Woody
Base oil: Safflower oil

Any and every fragrance junkie is sure to have a Le Labo scent in their lineup. Le Labo’s Santal 33 is one of the best perfume oils for its standout scent that’s handmade. The unisex Santal 33 fragrance combines cardamom, sandalwood, leather, Iris and ambrox to imitate “an open fire and the soft drift of smoke,” according to its product description. Safe for sensitive skin, it uses safflower oil as its base and is alcohol-free.

Courtesy of Le Labo

Le Labo Santal 33 Perfume Oil $155 Buy Now AT LE LABO

What to Look for in the Best Perfume Oils

Base oils: A perfume’s base oil is the formula’s main vehicle to deliver lasting fragrance. “There’s olive oil, sweet almond, apricot, fractionated coconut and sunflower,” Moltz lists as a few examples. These oils have a subtle fragrance to them, which adds complexity and depth to the overall scent. Many brands are taking steps towards sustainable sourcing these oils, using upcycled materials and organic options when possible.
Fragrance family: Perfume oils, just like regular eaus, fall into a number of fragrance families. This all boils down to personal preference; you can find options that range from gourmands and florals to woody and fresh oils, to name a few.
Packaging: You can shop perfume oils in a few different packaging options. Roller balls are the simplest to apply, though they typically hold less juice than a standard eau de parfum. Larger options are also available in glass packaging with a spray nozzle.

How to Apply Perfume Oil

Applying a perfume oil can be more of a sensorial experience than applying spray alternatives, according to Moltz. He recommends rolling or misting a perfume oil onto the skin and then gently tapping it in place till it’s fully absorbed. You can apply the fragrance to pulse points on your neck, chest, inner elbows, and wrists — applying the oil to these areas may help the fragrance last longer throughout the day. Because the oils are more concentrated than eau de parfums, a little goes a long way. Dab it on just after you shower and moisturize and you’ll be smelling good all day long.

Meet the Author

Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for WWD and Footwear News. She’s spent over five years researching, reporting on, and writing about the beauty industry (including perfume oils) for publications like Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie.

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