11 Perfumes That Draw Compliments After 60

You know that feeling when someone stops you and asks, “What are you wearing?” There is nothing quite like it. Finding a perfume that truly feels like yours is one of life’s small but real pleasures.

If you are still searching for that scent, a fragrance expert has done some of the work for you. Funmi Monet is the founder of the fragrance house Influxious and an ISIPCA-certified expert in French perfumery. She put together a list of 11 perfumes for Parade that women over 60 get the most compliments on. She also shared some things worth knowing about how skin changes with age and how that affects the way a perfume wears.

What Happens to Your Skin After 60

Here is something most people do not realize. As we get older, our skin naturally becomes drier and produces less oil. That can change how a fragrance performs on you.

“Perfume tends to hold onto moisturized skin better, so someone with drier skin may notice that certain fragrances don’t last as long or project as strongly as they once did,” Monet says. “That said, everyone’s skin chemistry is different, and age is only one factor. Your skincare routine, environment and even the fragrance itself can affect performance.”

For that reason, Monet suggests always testing a fragrance on your skin before you buy it. A paper blotter tells you whether you like the smell. Your skin tells you how it will actually wear.

Do You Have to Change What You Like?

The short answer is no. Monet is clear on this point.

“You don’t age out of fragrance families. If you love sweet gourmands, juicy fruits or sexy florals, there is absolutely no birthday where you suddenly have to start wearing powdery rose perfume,” she says.

If longevity is your goal, she notes that richer notes like woods, amber, vanilla, resins, musk and patchouli tend to last longer than very light citrus or airy scents. Eau de parfums, parfums and extraits can also offer more staying power. But she says concentration is not everything. The construction of the fragrance matters just as much. Her advice is to start with what you actually enjoy and then find something in that category that performs the way you want.

How To Make Your Perfume Last Longer

Monet has spent years working at a fragrance counter and developing her own line. She shared three practical tips for getting the most out of any scent.

• Moisturize first. “Fragrance loves hydrated skin, so applying an unscented lotion or body cream before your perfume can help it last longer. If you want to take it a step further, layer with a body product that complements your fragrance,” she says.
• Spray in multiple spots. “I spray my neck, behind my shoulders and other pulse points to create more of a scent bubble. And please don’t rub your wrists together. Just spray and let the fragrance dry naturally,” she says.
• Mist your clothes. “Fabric often holds fragrance longer than skin, so I’ll lightly mist my clothing when I want my perfume to stay with me throughout the day. Just be careful with delicate fabrics that could stain,” she says.

The 11 Perfumes That Draw the Most Compliments

Monet put together picks for every preference and every budget, from a $77 classic to a $340 splurge. Here is her full list.

Best Overall: Parfums de Marly Paris Delina Exclusif
Monet calls this one “feminine and romantic.” She says it “feels sophisticated without smelling dated. It’s modern, sensual and absolutely compliment-worthy.” Notes include pear, lychee, rose, incense, vanilla, musk, moss, bergamot and tonka bean.

Best Floral: House of Iyrah Opera Extrait de Parfum
“Opera is such a beautiful floral because it’s lush and feminine without feeling like a traditional ‘mature’ floral,” Monet says. She adds that it is “proof that loving florals doesn’t mean you have to smell traditional.” Notes include black currant, peach, iris, Turkish rose, Bulgarian rose, cedar, pepper, violet leaf and white musk.

Best Woody: Creed Royal Princess Oud Eau de Parfum
“Don’t let the oud in the name scare you. It’s not an overwhelmingly heavy oud,” Monet says. “The woods are balanced with florals and a soft sweetness that makes it incredibly refined. It smells polished, distinctive and expensive.” Notes include Sicilian bergamot, rose, sweet violet, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli, iris, Benjoin siam, Mysore sandalwood and styrax.

Best Musk: Spirit of Kings Musk Parfum
“It’s smooth, sensual and luxurious without overpowering the room. It’s the kind of fragrance that makes someone want to lean in a little closer,” Monet says. Notes include musk, rose, violet, ylang-ylang, vanilla, sandalwood, tonka bean, powdery accords, aldehydic notes and muguet.

Best Gourmand: Influxious Magic Hour Eau de Parfum
This one is Monet’s own creation. She wanted something “playful and delicious that still felt sophisticated.” She says it is “juicy and mouthwatering with warmth and depth, so it never feels overly sugary.” She adds: “Gourmands do not have an age limit. If you love sweet, fruity, delicious fragrances at 25, you can absolutely still love them at 65.” Notes include watermelon, golden mango, dragon fruit, chili pepper, Nigerian ginger, frangipani, jasmine sambac, ylang-ylang, coconut milk, sandalwood, salty skin musk and sunlit amber.