Oh, guys, this post is so woefully late. I have been dealing with some health challenges and it’s really had me down and out for the last month or so. But I wanted to still publish this Mother’s Day Perfume Buying Guide, even though it is late, because I think it is a tremendously helpful shopping directory that can also be used year-round for birthdays, other holidays, and special occasions when you might be considering getting Mom a pretty new fragrance to enjoy. It’s also a great guide for Grandmas, aunts, sisters, in-laws, etc.; really, anyone who would love to receive a fragrance gift. Don’t forget to bookmark and refer to this guide again for future Mother’s Day shopping.
I’m doing something a little different with this list and featuring either entire perfume houses or a specific line done by a house. I’ve broken down my list by ‘type of Mom’ and the fragrance houses/lines I think each ‘Mom type’ would love. You can use my handy table of contents below to find each Mom’s personality and the perfumes that will match her perfectly.
Table of Contents
If Mom is elegant and sophisticated, try…
- Christian Dior’s Miss Dior line
Christian Dior’s Miss Dior line has always oozed elegance. The original has been reformulated MANY times over the years but has always featured rose. The current formulation includes the classic florals lily of the valley, peony, and powdery iris to compliment the rose. If Mom loves stone fruits like peach and apricot, try the Blooming Bouquet flanker. If Mom loves berries, try the Absolutely Blooming flanker (my favorite from the line!) If Mom just wants an overdose of roses, she’ll love the Rose N’ Roses flanker.
Find it here:
Miss Dior line (at Christian Dior)
Miss Dior line (at Bloomingdale’s)
Miss Dior line (at Bergdorf Goodman)
Miss Dior line (at FragranceNet)
- Bvlgari’s Omnia line
Omnia is possibly the perfect ‘Mom’ perfume line. These fragrances are elegant, fresh, not too heavy, and feature several different beautiful scent profiles to choose from. Also, the unique bottle design is rather swanky and always gives me fancy vacation resort vibes. My favorites from the line are the fruity pomegranate-focused Omnia Coral and the beautifully soft, powdery Omnia Amethyste, which features one of my favorite notes: almondy, powdery heliotrope. Other popular scents from this line include the every day/easy to wear/clean musky Omnia Crystalline and fresh, citrusy Omnia Pink Sapphire, which features lots of grapefruit, peach, rose, and musk.
Find it here:
- Tocca
A huge favorite of mine, the house of Tocca is all about elegance. Each fragrance bears a different woman’s name and features a unique and beautiful floral-based profile. Giulietta is a long-time favorite of mine from this house and is perfect for spring and summer wear with its fresh green apple and tulip notes. Other top sellers include Stella with notes of blood orange, lily, and freesia and the white floral bomb, Florence.
Find it here:
Read more: click here to learn more about Tocca’s sampler set
If Mom is a neat & clean freak, try…
- Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue line
Dolce & Gabbana released the original Light Blue way back in 2001 and the clean, no fuss fragrance is still a best seller for the house. They release a new limited edition summer flanker every year (for both women & men, so also keep this line in mind for Father’s Day!) and I have found it is a lot of fun to try each one out and see how they vary. My favorites are Light Blue Forever, which I find to be an improvement on the original with its zesty lemon, tart green apple, and clean musk notes and the (sadly discontinued and trickier to find) Light Blue Sun, which features fresh coconut. Look for Light Blue Love is Love for a refreshing and fun raspberry lemonade vibe.
Find it here:
Light Blue line (at Nordstrom Rack)
Light Blue line (at FragranceNet)
- Annick Goutal Paris
Annick Goutal launched her fragrance house way back in 1980 and 43 years later, it is still going strong and now led by her daughter, Camille. It seems only fitting that a woman-founded and owned house is the perfect place to find a fabulous scent for Mom. Goutal fragrances are fresh, clean, beautiful, and perfect for a Mom who is looking for a lovely and mature scent to call her own. The house is perhaps best known for the award-winning Eau d’Hadrien, which showcases clean and fresh citrus fruit, aldehydes, and cypress. Other stand-outs from this house are the pear-focused Petite Chérie and Le Chèvrefeuille, which celebrates honeysuckle.
Find it here:
If Mom is happiest on the beach, try…
- Comptoir Sud Pacifique
If your Mom is like mine and happiest when she’s vacationing on a Hawaiian beach, she’ll want to try some of these fun Comptoir Sud Pacifique fragrances that focus heavily on tropical florals and coconut. The house also creates some of the best vanilla fragrances I have ever sniffed. Extra bonus: their fragrances are quite affordable as well. Some of their best tropical fragrances include Vanille Banane, which smells like a banana cream pie soaked in white rum and the insanely delicious-smelling Vanille Coco, the perfect blend of tropical coconut and thick, rich, syrupy vanilla. This house also offers their fragrances in handy and extra affordable travel-sprays.
Find it here:
Comptoir Sud Pacifique – 10ml travel-sprays (at Anthropologie)
Comptoir Sud Pacifique – 30ml (at Anthropologie)
If Mom is no-fuss and likes to keep it simple, try…
- Escentric Molecules
Escentric Molecules creates the perfect fragrances for Moms who desire a clean, barely there fragrance. Perhaps Mom is a doctor, nurse, dentist, or someone else who works in close quarters with a wide variety of people every day. Or maybe she just wants to keep it a minimal with a ‘her-skin-but-better’ scent. Either way, Escentric Molecules has her covered with minimalistic fragrances that are clean and non-offensive. Try Molecule 01, from their original line, for a comforting, woodsy vibe or something from their M+ line, which features fragrances with an additional note added to the original Iso E Super (man-made note that mimics cedarwood). Molecule 01 + Mandarin, for example, features a very realistic fresh mandarin orange note that’s clean, no fuss, and non-sweet.
Find it here:
Escentric Molecules official website
Escentric Molecules (at Bloomingdale’s)
Escentric Molecules (at Bergdorf Goodman)
Escentric Molecules decants and full bottles (at Scent Split)
If Mom is fun-loving and young at heart, try…
- Juicy Couture
If you have the type of Mom that’s happiest rocking a Betsey Johnson tutu and has dessert BEFORE dinner, try some of these sweet, fun, young at heart fragrances from Juicy Couture. I love to collect Juicy fragrances; their packaging is so fun and joyful and I love their sweet and fruity fragrances that don’t take themselves too seriously. If Mom loves Victoria’s Secret fragrances, chances are extremely high that she will enjoy Juicy’s, too, especially their Viva La Juicy line, with its fruity candy vibe. Some of the line’s flankers have come and gone, which is a shame because they are all good. But perennial favorite, Gold, is still around and features loads of caramel with wild berries. It’s also worth searching FragranceNet, they will often still have some of the discontinued flankers on hand.
Find it here:
If Mom is professional and classy, try…
- Hermès
If you have the type of Mom who spends her day as a top executive or high profile attorney, try a fragrance from one of these three classy houses that always make a woman smell successful and put-together. First off, you can’t go wrong with a fragrance from Hermès for a sophisticated and classy Mom. Try the elegant Jardin line for the house’s take on various beautiful gardens. The Merveilles (Wonders) line features notes such as resins and woods to create more non-traditionally feminine fragrances. Finally, there’s the more playful Twilly line, named for the colorful scarf-like fabric that adorns the handles of many of the house’s luxurious handbags.
Find it here:
- Chloé
Chloé creates beautiful fragrances that make a woman feel put-together and ready to conquer her day. Many of their classy fragrances feature rose, such as their signature Chloé EDP. I love this scent and I’m not even a huge rose-lover! It’s so clean, elegant, and easy to wear. It also features magnolia and peony, both of which are notes I do adore. I also love the way the metal detail on the bottle ages to look like a bronzed antique. The free-spirited Chloé Nomade features buttery suede paired with stone fruit and citrus and is shaped like their iconic Drew bag. Love Story is an elegant combination of citrus, white floral, and rose.
Find it here:
- AERIN
Estée Lauder’s granddaughter, Aerin, provides solid evidence that go-getter/entrepreneurial women run in this talented family. She heads an entire luxury lifestyle brand (simply titled ‘AERIN’) that’s chock full of beautiful things but I love her fragrances best. One of the best vanilla fragrances I have ever sniffed (and that’s saying something, I’ve sampled A LOT of them!) is the decadent Tangier Vanille D’Or, which, sadly, is a bit tricky to find. The original Tangier Vanille, however, is also gorgeous and features Bulgarian rose and cozy amber alongside the delicious Madagascar vanilla. It’s hard to go wrong with anything in this chic line, really, but another top recommendation I have is for Hibiscus Palm, a gorgeous tropical fragrance that features ylang ylang, ginger, and frangipani along with the star of the show, lush hibiscus.
Find it here:
Read more: click here to learn more about AERIN’s sampler set
If Mom is artistic, try…
- Diptyque
If you have the type of Mom who loves to spend her weekends at chic downtown galleries and art shows, try a fragrance from the artfully sophisticated French house Diptyque. Treat Mom to the best fig fragrance in the world, Philosykos, or if she loves woodsy fragrances, try the magical forest ambience of Tam Dao. They also carry gorgeous candles, if Mom prefers a beautifully-scented home over wearing perfume herself.
Find it here:
Diptyque (at Bergdorf Goodman)
Diptyque decants (at Scent Split)
Read more: click here to learn more about Diptyque’s iconic Baies candle
If Mom is happiest in the kitchen, try…
- Le Monde Gourmand
If you have the type of Mom who joys in baking scrumptious cakes, cookies, and desserts for her loved ones, she will love one of the yummy-scented gourmand fragrances from this (super affordable) house that features many fragrances that smell like baked goods. Pistachio is super hot and buzzworthy right now and if Mom is a fan of it, she’ll adore Pistachio Brûlée’s yummy, nutty scent. Another fave of mine from this brand is Crème Vanille, a scrumptious-smelling, uncomplicated vanilla. These fragrances definitely fall under the category of ‘cheap and cheerful’ and will not be the loudest projectors or the longest-lasting perfumes in the world but they are definitely fun (and inexpensive so it’s easy to keep spraying, as needed, to refresh).
Find it here:
Le Monde Gourmand (their Amazon store)
Also check out their sister line, Nostalgia, at Anthropologie
If Mom loves the classics, try…
- Chanel
Could there be a more ‘Mom’ fragrance in the world than No. 5? It’s a classic for a reason and most Moms and Grandmas have owned at least one bottle of this famous fragrance in their time. An ageless combination of rose, aldehydes, and decadent bourbon vanilla, Chanel No.5 has stood the test of time since 1921. The current formulation has been around since 1986 and still holds up today as a gold standard in women’s fragrance. Coco Mademoiselle is nearly as popular and introduced an entire new generation to the magic of Chanel’s perfumery. It features orange blossom, rose, and tons of patchouli and has incredible performance and lasting power. For an even still younger generation, the Chance line features fresh, bright, and uplifting fragrances that have all the makings to be the next classics from Chanel. I love the clean and citrusy Chance Eau Tendre, it is my go-to on a hot sunny day with its fresh, dewy vibes.
Find it here:
If Mom is cutting edge and funky, try…
- Etat Libre d’Orange
If Mom is open to trying something unique that pushes the boundaries a tad, you may want to consider getting her a fragrance from cheeky French house Etat Libre d’Orange. This house features creative, sometimes avant-garde fragrances that are always interesting and, at times, even challenging. If Mom wants a slight twist on a traditionally classic scent, try Exit the King, a clean and soapy fragrance that features classic aldehydes, lots of rose, and a clean musk. Last year, the house released Frustration, a spicy, ambery vanilla fragrance that’s very deep and cozy and would probably wear best in autumn and winter. My favorite fragrance by the house is the beautiful Like This, a comforting, homey fragrance that the house created in collaboration with actress Tilda Swinton. It features autumnal notes of pumpkin, ginger, immortelle, and my beloved heliotrope.
Find it here:
Etat Libre d’Orange (at ZGO Perfumery)
Etat Libre d’Orange decants and full bottles (at Scent Split)
Etat Libre d’Orange (at FragranceNet)
- Zoologist
Perhaps Mom is no shy violet and is up for an olfactory adventure? If your Mom loves all things seriously avant-garde, she should definitely try a fragrance from super creative Canadian house Zoologist. This animal-loving house brings together many interesting notes to create truly artistic fragrances that will both delight and challenge Mom’s sense of smell. Each fragrance celebrates a different animal and features notes that match with said animal. This ethical house never uses actual animal ingredients so Mom can spray away guilt-free. Also, the vintage-esque animal portrait art used on their bottles and packaging is stunning. My favorite fragrance from Zoologist is their photorealistic honey fragrance, Bee.
Find it here:
If Mom likes it natural, try…
- Skylar
There are many fragrance lines that tout ‘clean’ and ‘natural’ products and sometimes it’s just a lot of marketing hype but if buying clean is important to Mom or, perhaps, she has sensitive skin, I would like to suggest trying Skylar. This house was born from a mother’s desire to create fragrance products that would not irritate her young daughter’s sensitive skin, hence it seems the perfect Mother’s day-friendly product line. Being a vanilla lover, one of my favorite Skylar fragrances is best seller Vanilla Sky, which smells just like a cozy vanilla cappuccino. Summer fave Coconut Cove smells like a pulpy coconut milk dessert Mom might enjoy on a tropical vacation. If you want to give Mom a gift that will keep on giving, consider purchasing her a subscription to Skylar’s affordable monthly Scent Club. For only $20 a month, Mom can experience a new limited edition travel-sized rollerball, perfect for popping into her purse when she’s on the go. It’s actually such a great deal, you may want to consider also signing yourself up for a subscription! 😉
Find it here:
Skylar (at their Amazon store)
Read more: click here to learn more about Skylar’s sampler set
If Mom loves to give back, try…
- The 7 Virtues
If Mom loves to support companies that give back, you’ll want to check out The 7 Virtues. Founder Barb Stegemann was inspired by her best friend, a wounded soldier who had been working to liberate young girls in Afghanistan. She came up with the idea to create a perfume company that helps war-torn countries to rebuild by sourcing ingredients directly from those areas in a sustainable way that also offers fair wages to the farmers and growers. This house has created several great fragrances with some especially strong vanilla, sandalwood, and citrus offerings. Vanilla Woods is a long-time favorite of mine with its smoky, resinous, and woodsy vibes. Santal Vanille, one of my favorite sandalwood fragrances ever, has lovely coconut milk and violet notes that blend beautifully with the sandalwood and vanilla to create a soft and lovely woodsy fragrance. Being a lover of coconut perfumes, I also adore their newest scent, Coconut Sun. With notes of refreshing coconut water, frangipani, and a lightly salty vanilla, it is sure to be a hit with Moms who love beachy fragrances.
Find it here:
The 7 Virtues official website
Read more: click here to learn more about 7 Virtues’ sampler set
If Mom is happiest tending to her garden, try…
- Jo Malone
Nothing says ‘elegant, traditional English garden’ like the beautiful colognes from Jo Malone London. And the house carries such a wide variety of fragrances, there is sure to be something here for every taste. My own Mom is rather sensitive to most perfumes but even she loves the addicting and clean spa-like scent of best-seller Wood Sage & Sea Salt (a huge fave of mine, as well!) Another crowd-pleaser is the ladylike Peony & Blush Suede, which focuses on peony (of course!), fresh apple, and a cozy suede note.
Sidenote for those who may not know, the Jo Malone brand was sold to Estée Lauder Companies over 20 years ago. If you love Jo’s vibe, you’ll want to be sure to also check out her current house, Jo Loves, which she heads up.
Find it here:
Jo Malone (at Bergdorf Goodman)
Jo Malone decants (at Scent Split)
Read more: click here to learn more about Jo Malone’s sampler set
- Penhaligon’s
Another British house, long-established Penhaligon’s has been around since 1870 and has even created fragrances for the royal family. The house has several decadent fragrances and collections to choose from. I’m huge fan of their Portraits collection, with their gorgeous golden animal caps. The cozy and delicious salted caramel vibes from Changing Constance are my absolute favorite. Heartless Helen, from the same collection, features a gorgeous ‘bubblegummy’ tuberose. Fans of Chanel’s popular Coco Mademoiselle should give the citrusy floral Empressa a sniff.
Find it here:
Penhaligon’s (at Bergdorf Goodman)
Penhaligon’s (at Bloomingdale’s)
If Mom loves a good summer picnic, try…
- DKNY Be Delicious line
It’s easy to love DKNY’s long-time best selling Be Delicious line. The original fragrance was created as an ode to the ‘Big Apple’ itself, New York City, and is known for its iconic apple shape. It features the fresh, clean notes of green apple, cucumber, grapefruit, and magnolia and finishes with a musky sandalwood-heavy base. Similar to Light Blue, there is a new limited edition Be Delicious flanker released every summer and they are super fun to collect! You can still find some past releases on FragranceNet or Amazon. A couple of my favorites from this line are the addictive Be Extra Delicious, which smells just like a caramel apple and Be 100% Delicious, a fresh almond & magnolia fragrance that’s a perfect summer wear for gourmand lovers.
Find it here:
If Mom is preppy at heart, try…
- Kate Spade
If you have the type of Mom who loves to array herself in a perfectly ironed white blouse, crisp capri pants, ballet flats, and tote the latest Kate Spade bag, she will adore a fragrance also from her favorite handbag designer. Kate Spade fragrances are always pleasant, pretty, and easy to wear. Mom can sport the strawberry-focused Kate Spade New York EDP for a casual day of shopping or perhaps she would prefer the tropical floral vibes of Live Colorfully, which might recall fond memories of a favorite Hawaiian vacation. The latest fragrance release from the house, Chérie, sounds delicious with notes of juicy raspberry, Italian mandarin, and sweet pea.
Find it here:
If Mom is super busy & always running around, try…
- Travel-Sized Perfumes
And finally, for the Mom who just can’t sit still, may I recommend a handy travel-spray or rollerball? These purse-sized perfumes are just the thing for busy Moms who are always on the go. They’re especially convenient for Moms of young kids with a million activities, who are seemingly always having to get ready in the car. Most every designer fragrance house (and even quite a few niche and indie houses!) offer these easy-to-tote travel perfumes, often in sizes ranging from 7 to 15ml. And bonus: they’re miles less expensive than a full 50 or 100ml bottle so you can try small first and decide later if you want to splurge on a larger bottle. Travel-sprays are found from pretty much every house and store linked to in this post. I also like to search Ulta and FragranceNet to see what kind of affordable options they might have.
Find it here:
I hope you will find this guide handy and easy to use for your Mother’s Day (and birthday! and other holiday!) shopping needs. Don’t forget to bookmark it for future shopping for the special Moms, Aunts, Grandmas, Sisters, In-Laws, etc. in your life who love receiving perfume as a gift. If you need any further guidance or advice on a fragrance, drop me a comment below.
Happy Mother’s Day! 💖
P.S. See also my Valentine’s Day Perfume Gift-Giving Guide, that organizes perfume searching and shopping in another easy-to-use method: according to her favorite fragrances.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning when you click the shopping links and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I love this guide! So many great picks here. I concur with all of your categories and brand connections. Great work – and hope you keep keeping on the mend!! xxoo
Thank you so much for all the kind words! XOXO 🥰😘