The best new fragrances of 2025 (so far)

Looking for your next signature scent? We've rounded up the best fragrance releases of 2025 (so far) that are worthy of prime position in your rotation. From global icons like Prada and Hermès, to cult favourites like BYREDO and TSU LANGE YOR, here's your guide to the standout scents of the season. 

Prada, Paradoxe Radical Essence Parfum
Key Notes: Sweet Neroli, Salted Pistachio Accord, Creamy Sandalwood
Just like its fashion namesake, Prada Beauty's Paradoxe Radical Essence Parfum exists in divine and unmistakable contradiction. As the fourth fragrance to join the Paradoxe family, it carries the same instantly recognisable neroli notes as its predecessors — pure, fresh, and overtly sophisticated. Yet, Radical Essence offers a gourmand twist on the original, emerging as the most concentrated expression in the series. Deeper in intensity, it's backed by woody amber and creamy sandalwood, with an unexpected salted pistachio accord that adds intrigue. Sweet yet savoury, floral yet salty, warm yet fresh — it's a sensory paradox that feels undeniably addictive for the festive and summer seasons.

TSU LANGE YOR, Sage’s Rose Eau de Parfum
Key Notes: Damask Rose, Myrrh, Sugar, Poppy
When Troye Sivan and his brother Steele entered the fragrance industry last year under the label TSU LANGE YOR, their launch revealed a curated lineup of scents that embodied the siblings' love of storytelling, self, and sanctuary. The latest to join the fragrance family is that of Sage's Rose, created in collaboration with sister Sage, no less. At the heart of the scent, you'll find rose, but this isn't powdery rose akin to that of Grandma's soap. Instead, it's a sultry mix of myrrh, sugar and patchouli, balancing florals with smoke and sweetness. This is, without a doubt, my most complimented scent of the season, and it's hardly surprising that it's already proving a sell-out success at MECCA.

Jo Malone, Sandalwood & Spiced Apricot Cologne
Key Notes: Apricot, Sandalwood, Vanilla
There's an irresistible allure to festive scents at this time of the year—after all, they're cosy, warming and reminiscent of a hallmark Christmas movie. However, it's easy to stray into sickly territory when incorporating sweet and spicy notes. Jo Malone sidesteps that trap with its latest release, Sandalwood & Spiced Apricot Cologne, a refined, wearable scent with a slightly masculine lean. Immediately, that spice comes through, presenting as a playful blend of cardamom and nutmeg. Soon after, soft apricot and vanilla notes; closely followed by creamy sandalwood that anchors this lingering scent.

Kate Spade New York, POP
Key Notes: Blood Orange, Jasmine, Cedarwood
Here to inject a fresh burst of energy into your day with every wear, Kate Spade New York's newest fragrance, POP, is an unabashedly joyful olfactive explosion you can't help but love. Created by perfumer Amandine Clerc-Marie, the floral, fruity, woody composition offers an array of colourful notes designed to evoke a sense of happiness, in a popping pink bottle sporting the brand's signature spade motif. 'I was inspired by the bright, pop colours of the kate spade universe,' says the fragrance's creator, who sought to create 'an irresistible explosion of colour by working a juicy, playful fruit cocktail into a bright, joy-filled fragrance.'

The Virtue, SEAKEEPER Parfum
Key Notes: Sea Salt, Saffron, Cedar, White Oak, Jasmine
Born from Aotearoa's wild West Coast, SEAKEEPER by The Virtue captures the salt air and shifting tides in a remarkably clean, fresh scent. Once the sea salt top notes settle, jasmine and saffron bloom at the heart, grounded by white oak and cedar. It's complex, quietly powerful, and deepens beautifully over time. Not to mention, it's perfume with a purpose. With every 50ml bottle sold, The Virtue donates $50 to the International SeaKeepers Society, preserving the oceans that inspired this must-have summer scent.

Lancôme, La Vie Est Belle Vanille Nude
Key Notes: Jasmine, Vanilla, Musk
Since its 2012 debut, Lancôme La Vie Est Belle has become a global phenomenon. This year's newcomer, La Vie Est Belle Vanille Nude, is a lighter, airier evolution of the original — soft, sweet, and effortlessly feminine. Radiant jasmine top notes give way to bourbon vanilla, musk, and sandalwood for a delicate gourmand finish that feels modern yet quintessentially Parisian.

Aesop, Above Us, Steoria
Key Notes: Frankincense, Labdanum, Vanilla Bean
Storytelling sits at the heart of every Aesop fragrance — each one carefully crafted to reflect a pivotal tale, fable, or, in the case of its latest release, Above Us, Steoria, to capture the quiet beauty of life itself. Long-term collaborator and perfumer Céline Barel — the creative force behind Aurner and Tacit — drew inspiration from the star-strewn night sky and the golden glow of amber, resulting in a scent as layered and luminous as the cosmos that inspired it. Lovingly described as “Celestial Amber,” it opens with a vibrant burst of spice — pepper, cumin and cardamom — offering a warm, radiant lift. Most intriguingly, Barel threads cardamom throughout the top, heart and base notes, allowing it to act as a subtle bridge to softer accords of frankincense and vanilla bean. The result is a warm, resinous amber fragrance that feels intimate yet infinite — one you’ll find yourself instinctively reaching for, time and time again.

BYREDO, ALTO ASTRAL Eau de Parfum
Key Notes: Coconut Water, Jasmine, Salted Amber
This summer, we're embodying a tropics' state of mind with Byredo's latest scent, Alto Astral. Coconut water is the star here — but forget sunscreen sweetness; incense, sandalwood, and salted amber provide an elevated, effervescent profile that stops it from straying into too-sweet territory. It's spicy, radiant, and endlessly wearable—the perfect signature scent for summer and beyond.

Hermès, Barénia Eau de Parfum Intense
Key Notes: Butterfly Lily, Oakwood, Patchouli, Leather
As the name suggests, this latest scent release from Hermès doubles down, if not triples down, on intensity compared to the original Barénia Eau de Parfum. As its counterpart, it remains in the chypre fragrance family, characterised by a contrast between floral, butterfly lily notes and a base of deep oakwood and patchouli. However, with Intense, the patchouli is denser, the oakwood more intoxicating, and leathery notes round out this strikingly seductive scent.

Jean Paul Gaultier, Divine Elixir
Key Notes: Salt, Lemon Peel, Jasmine Sambac, Vanilla, Patchouli
Since its runway debut in 1984, Jean Paul Gaultier's corseted conical dress has become a fashion legend — and now, it finds new life in fragrance form with Divine Elixir. The sculptural bottle houses a bold blend of jasmine, rose, incense and vanilla. Richer and more commanding than its predecessor, Divine La Parfum Intense, this is a scent made for nights that don't end early and the festive event season ahead.