.jpg)
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
The best strawberry perfumes smell like a sunlit field bursting with berries, and the best rose perfumes channel a garden in bloom. However, the best amber perfumes aren’t quite so literal—and as it turns out, they don’t smell like amber (a.k.a. fossilized tree resin) at all. “Amber perfumes mean something very different than the familiar stone you might associate ‘amber’ with,” says Stephanie Khodzhayan, fragrance developer and founder of Mini Moods Perfumes. “Amber is not a single note but rather an accord, a blend of several notes that create a distinct fragrance expression.”
The best amber perfumes typically contain a blend of labdanum, benzoin, and vanilla, which come together to create a scent that’s warm, resinous, and rich, Khodzhayan says. As for the name? The aforementioned accord has a honeyed, golden-brown hue that’s similar to the color of amber.
Our Top Amber Perfumes
- Best Fresh: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Spray, $143
- Best for Date Night: Victoria Beckham Portofino '97 Eau de Parfum, $200
- Best Vanilla: Billie Eilish Eilish Eau de Parfum, $68
- Best Tropical Gourmand: Ellis Brooklyn Miami Nectar Eau de Parfum, $115
- Best Woody: Maison Francis Kurkdjian Amyris Homme Extrait de Parfum, $385
- Best Floral: Moroccanoil L’Originale Eau de Parfum, $98
- Best for Layering: DedCool Xtra Milk Eau de Parfum, $90
- Best Budget: Nemat Amber Fragrance Oil, $21
Frequently Asked Questions
“Because amber is a blend, not a single note like jasmine or cedarwood, it can smell different from one fragrance house to another,” Khodzhayan says. “But the goal is usually the same: to create a warm, enveloping, and cozy scent. Amber perfumes are perfect for anyone who likes a warm, slightly powdery and deep—but comforting—fragrance.”
Does that sound like you? If so, it may be time to add a few honey-hued perfumes to your collection. Ahead, find the eight ambery scents that Allure editors can’t stop spritzing.
Best Fresh: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Spray
Why it's worth it: With a young, spirited Coco Chanel as its muse, Chanel’s sparkling amber scent puts a fresh spin on the cozy accord. With peppy opening notes spliced with mandarin orange, Coco Mademoiselle has a heart of jasmine and rose and a creamy, woody base of tonka bean, vanilla, patchouli, vetiver, and white musk. While many amber scents smell like a warm hug—if a hug had a scent, that is—this bright iteration smells like getting a double-cheek air kiss from a chic young Parisienne who’s hoofing it to her front-row seat at a fashion show (Chanel, of course).
Editor’s note: Though Coco Mademoiselle and other scents like it have occasionally been referred to as “Oriental” scents, Chanel officially categorizes this fragrance as a “Fresh Amber.” In general, the “Oriental” categorization is used less and less frequently in perfumery, as it has an outdated and potentially offensive ring to it.
Key notes: orange, rose, jasmine, patchouli, vetiver | Sizes: 1.2 oz, 1.7 oz, 3.4 oz, 6.8 oz
Best for Date Night: Victoria Beckham Portofino '97 Eau de Parfum
Why it's worth it: Victoria Beckham’s storied love life has set the stage for a few of her sultry fragrances. In Reverie 21:50, for example, the beauty mogul channeled a romantic dinner in Java with her husband of 25 years, David Beckham, in case you didn’t know). Portofino ‘97, however, has a whole other vibe. Let’s put it this way: If Reverie 21:50 is the husband, this scent is the massive crush. Inspired by an Italian escape David and Victoria took in the throes of new love, the Best of Beauty Award winner is amber done date-night style. (Or perhaps date-overnight style.)
In a vintage-inspired bottle with a fluted cap and an aqua hue, the perfume has notes meant to channel a still-hidden-from-the-paparazzi love affair. Think citrus-tinged sea breezes wafting into a hotel room that smells of amber and incense. "This zesty juice takes me straight to the Amalfi Coast, where I’ve spent some of my favorite, most romantic vacations," former senior beauty editor Paige Stables reported. “The stunning aqua bottle is yet another happy reminder of blissful days spent enjoying Italy's crystal blue waters.”
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han: "Truthfully, Portofino ‘97 Eau de Parfum has slowly grown on me. It’s surprisingly intense at first—I'll give that to the black pepper, incense, and even amber notes—but as it dries down, the fresh, citrusy notes peek through. Overall, I think it's a statement-making scent that's not too in your face. To me, it's a nighttime-leaning, sexy scent that's still playful."
Key notes: bergamot, black pepper, incense, amber, patchouli, vetiver | Sizes: 1.69 oz, 3.38 oz
Best Vanilla: Billie Eilish Eilish Eau de Parfum
Why it's worth it: Billie Eilish’s first-ever beauty product, launched in 2021, smells like baking a cake in a fancy kitchen. One spritz, and I’m picturing cake pans made of solid gold, counters strewn with sugared petals, and a dreamy soundtrack of Billie herself, humming as she dusts cocoa powder onto confections. When the Oscar winner dropped the scent, she described it to Allure like this: "It's not really supposed to be physically sexy. It's almost supposed to be mentally sexy." No wonder it inspires such sweet fantasies.
Tester feedback from Allure contributor Jenny Berg: “It doesn’t take much to get me to gush over Billie Eilish (that Barbie song! I mean!) But I was late to the party with her foray into fragrance. Meh, I thought, and oh, how wrong I was. When I finally tested it out, just this year, I was hooked. Gleaming statement bottle aside, this smells rich and indulgent without smacking you in the face. Warm and spicy, cozy and woody, it’s the farthest thing from that cloying, vanilla-cupcake kind of sweet.”
Key notes: red berries, mandarin, sugared petals, vanilla bourbon, soft spices accord, cocoa, creamy woods, warm musk, tonka | Sizes: 3.4 oz, 1.7 oz, 1 oz, 0.34 oz
Best Tropical Gourmand: Ellis Brooklyn Miami Nectar Eau de Parfum
Why it's worth it: Take amber on a three-day weekend in Miami (where what happens in the cabana stays there), and you’ve got Ellis Brooklyn’s Miami Nectar. In a jewel-hued bottle that looks like glowing pool water, the tropical gourmand puts the resinous accord in a blender with fruity notes of pink pineapple, palm leaves, and coconut water. The heart of the EDP smells like a lei woven of wild jasmine, plumeria, and lily of the valley instead of orchids. Meanwhile, base notes laced with salted woods and vanilla conjure the warming feel of sinking pedicured toes into sunbaked sand.
Tester feedback from Angela Trakoshis (who lives in Miami!), Allure shopping market editor: “I am actually obsessed with everything this bottle has to offer. The packaging screams stunning, summery vibes, and the scent takes you to a tropical paradise filled with pineapples and coconuts.”
Key notes: pink pineapple, coconut water, plumeria, vanilla, sweet amber, salted woods | Sizes: 0.33 oz, 1.7 oz
Best Woody: Maison Francis Kurkdjian Amyris Homme Extrait de Parfum
Why it's worth it: This editor-loved scent has an undeniable touch of genius parfumeur behind its every spritz. Luxurious from its jewel-like packaging to its woody-amber dry down, MFK’s Amirys Homme Extrait de Parfum is one of the best amber fragrances to wear when you want to feel worldly. Though it’s inspired by the electric energy of Paris, the perfume offers an olfactory portal to nearly every corner of the globe. Its opening notes meld Sicilian mandarin with Sri Lankan cinnamon, while the heart takes a woody route through Jamaican amyris (which smells similar to sandalwood) and powdery Italian Iris. At the base, notes of spicy vanilla add an irresistible, silky warmth—think cashmere dipped in spices.
Tester feedback from Lexi Herrick, Allure senior director of audience development: "This is a very dynamic and long-lasting fragrance that can honestly be worn by both men and women. The scent is a combination of amber, floral, and woody notes, making it very versatile and unique. I find it to be a powerful, and lasting scent that can be worn by anyone in my household."
Key notes: rosemary, mandarin, amyris, iris, tonka bean, woods | Sizes: 2.4 oz
Best Floral: Moroccanoil L’Originale Eau de Parfum
Why it's worth it: Yes, Moroccanoil’s core collection douses the hair in argan oil and antioxidants—all very good for softness, strength, and shine—but it’s the smell that always got me hooked. In February, the hair-care brand bottled that intoxicating signature scent in its first-ever fine fragrance, Moroccanoil L’Originale Eau de Parfum. With no shower required (just a single spritz!), the scent surrounds you in a Mediterranean-inspired cloud of sweet florals, velvet woods, and spicy amber. While the violet, camellia, and muguet-tinged scent has a transporting aroma, the scent is also transportable: Stash the travel-size spray in your carry-on to make your next trip all the more fragrant.
Editor’s note: Fun fact: Allure editors aren’t the only ones besotted with Moroccanoil’s classic scent. The fine fragrance came about after years of brand loyalists requesting it, even selling out at Sephora within 24 hours of its launch.
Key notes: lemon, violet, camellia, muguet, velvet woods, vanilla, sandalwood, musk, spicy amber | Sizes: 3.4 oz, 2 oz, 0.34 oz
Best for Layering: DedCool Xtra Milk Eau de Parfum
Why it's worth it: Part fragrance, part magic trick, Dedcool Xtra Milk Eau de Parfum has the power to transform your mood—and any other scent you’re wearing. The genderless, vegan scent is infused with 21 organic extracts thought to promote feelings of joy and well-being. Bergamot, for instance, has a zippy citrus scent that can energize, while borage and chamomile calm and soothe. Also laced with white musk and amber for a clean, second-skin appeal, the fragrance can be worn on its own or as the base for a layered elixir of your choosing. It was designed to enhance other scents and add a softening, personalized touch to whichever fragrance it’s paired with.
Editor’s note: This spring, I’ve been keeping the layering within the Dedcool family. For a little dose of olfactory sunshine, I top Xtra Milk off with Dedcool Sunlit Blooms Eau de Parfum. It’s a mix of orange blossoms, salty vanilla, and white flowers that puts me in a beach-vacation state of mind.
Key notes: bergamot, white musk, amber | Sizes: 1.7 oz
Best Budget: Nemat Amber Fragrance Oil
Why it's worth it: A health-food-store staple, Nemat Amber Fragrance Oil is, in my humble opinion, the best-scented thing one can find at Whole Foods—and the most reasonably priced. With a pure amber scent that has a fresh, soapy quality to it, the oil goes for less than $25—and in a gold-domed bottle, to boot. Rumored to be a favorite among celebrity amber lovers like Billie Eilish and Kristin Bell, the long-lasting oil takes on a slightly different quality depending on who wears it. It’s a true second-skin scent, like the cherished, worn-in white t-shirt of amber fragrances.
Key notes: florals, woods, musk | Sizes: 0.34 ml
Frequently Asked Questions
What scents are similar to amber?
In terms of scents that are similar to amber, Khodzhayan lists individual notes that are used to create the amber accord, including benzoin and patchouli to match its “earthy, resinous warmth” and vanilla and tonka to capture its soft and creamy side.
“Amber is quite a luxurious blend with a resinous base, and it’s soft and creamy with a decadent touch from the vanilla notes,” Khodzhayan says. “I find amber to be a very balanced and unisex scent, with its complementary warm, smoky notes and a hint of sweetness that toes the masculine and feminine. If you love vanilla, musk, or woody notes, you’ll probably love a traditional amber perfume."
Are ambrox and ambergris similar to amber?
If you’re curious about whether ambrox and ambergris are similar to amber (confession: I was!), the answer is, not exactly. “Ambergris and ambrox, while they can smell amber-y, are not directly related to the amber accord,” Khodzhayan says. “Ambergris shares the root of its name with amber, but is a different, natural fragrance which smells musky, aquatic, and slightly sweet. Ambrox is the synthetic version of ambergris, which is a rarer, natural material.”
Meet the experts:
- Stephanie Khodzhayan, fragrance developer and founder of Mini Moods Perfumes
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of the best amber perfumes, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and fragrance experts to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product's performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
You already smell good, but what's one more perfume for the collection?
- 11 Best Fruity Perfumes for Sophisticated Sweetness
- The 13 Best Colognes to Suit Any Occasion
- 7 Best Musk Fragrances That Smell Like a Warm Hug
Now, watch the A Minecraft Movie cast react to TikTok trends:
Shop all of our latest obsessions in one place! And don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram and TikTok—or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty.
