THE TOP 10 FRAGRANCES THAT GET YOU THE MOST COMPLIMENTS
"Which perfume gets the most compliments?" is one of those questions we're asked on repeat, and who doesn't love it when someone asks what you're wearing? So this time we decided to let the data answer for us. We looked at the 50 bestselling fragrances onsite, narrowed the list down to those with at least 40 reviews (fairness first), then read through every single one to see how many mentioned getting a compliment.
The results speak for themselves, and this isn’t about what's trending on TikTok or what’s newly launched, but the scents people have actually worn, repurchased, been stopped on the street for, and refuse to gatekeep.
So without further ado, here are the top 10 fragrances that get you the most compliments:
- Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum
- Le Labo THÉ NOIR 29 Eau de Parfum
- Le Labo Another 13 Eau de Parfum
- Le Labo SANTAL 33 Eau de Parfum
- BYREDO Animalique Eau de Parfum
- Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club Eau de Toilette
- BYREDO Mojave Ghost Absolu de Parfum
- Kilian Angels' Share Eau de Parfum
- BYREDO Bal d'Afrique Eau de Parfum
- Kilian Love, Don't Be Shy Eau de Parfum
1. Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum
Compliment rate: 33.04% (38 of 115 reviews)
Topping our list is the Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum, a dark, velvety rose that trades delicate for downright commanding. Blackcurrant and cinnamon meet a heady dose of patchouli and incense, creating something rich enough to fill a room and linger long after you've left it. It's proof that one powerhouse note, worn with conviction, does more for your reputation than a wardrobe full of safer scents.
One reviewer summed it up perfectly: “Prepare to be stopped by strangers and asked about your parfum! A well-defined rose scent, truly a classic.”
£160.00
2. Le Labo THÉ NOIR 29 Eau de Parfum
Compliment rate: 25.86% (15 of 58 reviews)
Warm, spiced and smoky, the Le Labo THÉ NOIR 29 Eau de Parfum reads more like an evening beside an open fire than a cup of tea. Black tea leaves meet cardamom, cedarwood and a whisper of tobacco for something cosy without tipping into sweet, ideal for anyone who'd rather their fragrance feel like a signature than a trend.
It’s a sentiment echoed throughout the reviews, from “I wore this perfume for the first time this weekend and received compliment after compliment, with strangers asking me what perfume I was wearing” to “This fragrance is absolutely gorgeous and lasts all day. Huge compliment getter!”
£176.00
3. Le Labo Another 13 Eau de Parfum
Compliment rate: 20.19% (21 of 104 reviews)
If you've ever caught a waft of something clean, musky, and magnetic on a stranger and wondered what it was, there's a good chance it was the Le Labo Another 13 Eau de Parfum. Ambroxan and musk create that “your skin but better” effect, layered with citrus and jasmine so it never tips into soapy territory. Unisex, long-lasting, and quietly obsession-worthy.
Reviews like this say all you need to know: “I get the most compliments from this than any other perfume, and it lasts all day.”
£172.00
4. Le Labo SANTAL 33 Eau de Parfum
Compliment rate: 20.00% (21 of 105 reviews)
The fragrance world's most-imitated scent needs little introduction. The Le Labo SANTAL 33 Eau de Parfum blends sandalwood, cardamom and leather into something smoky, unisex and instantly recognisable, which probably explains why strangers keep asking what you're wearing. A modern classic that's earned every one of its compliments.
£244.00
5. BYREDO Animalique Eau de Parfum
Compliment rate: 18.71% (26 of 139 reviews)
Skin-close and a little bit feral, in the best way, the BYREDO Animalique Eau de Parfum leans into musk and orris root for a scent that feels intimate rather than announced. It's the kind of fragrance people lean in for, rather than catch from across the room, which might be exactly why it racks up so many compliments.
£155.00
6. Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club Eau de Toilette
Compliment rate: 18.52% (10 of 54 reviews)
Rum, tobacco leaf, and vetiver make the Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club Eau de Toilette smell like a smoky bar at midnight, in the most flattering way possible. It's warm, slightly boozy and hard to place at first sniff, which tends to be exactly the reaction that gets a compliment out of people.
£125.00
7. BYREDO Mojave Ghost Absolu de Parfum
Compliment rate: 16.67% (9 of 54 reviews)
This is the richer, more concentrated sibling of one of BYREDO's most-loved scents. The BYREDO Mojave Ghost Absolu de Parfum takes the original's jasmine, sandalwood and musk and turns the volume up, giving it more staying power and, evidently, more compliments to match. Ethereal, but never shy.
£270.00
8. Kilian Angels' Share Eau de Parfum
Compliment rate: 14.89% (14 of 94 reviews)
Named after the portion of whisky that evaporates during barrel ageing, the Kilian Angels' Share Eau de Parfum is a warm, boozy gourmand built on cognac, oak and tonka bean. It smells expensive because, in fairness, it is, but reviewers seem to agree it's worth every compliment it earns.
£215.00
9. BYREDO Bal d'Afrique Eau de Parfum
Compliment rate: 14.57% (51 of 350 reviews)
With over 350 reviews to its name, the BYREDO Bal d'Afrique Eau de Parfum is one of the brand's bestselling fragrances, and the compliment count backs it up. African marigold, neroli and violet meet vetiver for something fresh, floral and just woody enough to feel grown-up. Proof that a cult classic doesn't need to be new to keep getting noticed.
£155.00
10. Kilian Love, Don't Be Shy Eau de Parfum
Compliment rate: 14.46% (36 of 249 reviews)
Marshmallow, orange blossom, and vanilla make the Kilian Love, Don't Be Shy Eau de Parfum one of the sweetest scents on this list, and with 249 reviews behind it, one of the most talked-about too. It's soft, cosy, and a little nostalgic- the fragrance equivalent of a hug, which might explain why it's so quick to earn a compliment.
£225.00
You may have noticed here how often the same names crop up. Le Labo alone claims three of the 10 spots: THÉ NOIR 29, Another 13 and SANTAL 33 with BYREDO close behind on three of its own: Animalique, Mojave Ghost Absolu and Bal d'Afrique. It seems reviewers keep returning to the same handful of brands; once a compliment comes your way, you want more of the same.
FAQs About The Most Complimented Fragrances
What is the most complimented perfume?
According to our review analysis, the Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum is currently the most complimented fragrance on Cult Beauty, with 33.04% of its reviewers specifically mentioning compliments.
How can I make my perfume more noticeable?
Fragrance sits differently on everyone, but layering an eau de parfum over a scented body cream or oil from the same family can help it last longer and project further. Warmer notes, think amber, musk, and woods, also tend to stand out more than very light, fresh formulas. For more tips, take a look at our guide to layering fragrances.
Do more expensive perfumes get more compliments?
Not necessarily. Our data included both niche and more widely available fragrances, and price wasn't the common thread. What united the fragrances on this list was a distinctive character, whether that's Frédéric Malle's rich rose or Kilian's gourmand warmth, rather than concentration or cost.
Methodology
We identified 50 of the most popular fragrances on Cult Beauty and filtered the list down to those with at least 40 customer reviews to keep the sample size fair across products. For each of the remaining fragrances, we read through every review and counted how many mentioned receiving a compliment, then calculated this as a percentage of that product's total review count. The fragrances were ranked by this compliment rate from highest to lowest, and the top 10 form the basis of this piece.
Data was collected on 24 August 2026 and reflects reviews live on cultbeauty.co.uk at that date.
