There are many things that the French do exceptionally well, and one of those things is Fragrance. French fragrance houses are considered some of the best in the world, and Grasse, in the southern part of the country, is considered as the perfume capital of the world. While luxury fragrance houses Chanel and Dior might spring to mind when you think of French perfume, there is one brand that has totally entranced celebrities, editors, and beauty lovers alike. The brand in question? Diptyque.
Diptyque is one of those brands that have the power to make any beauty editor’s eyes widen at the mere mention of it. If you haven’t yet tried the fragrances, you’ll have no doubt seen the iconic candles flittered through your social media feeds, or on the mantelpiece of your most fragrance-obsessed friend. They’ve gained icon status for their beautiful candle scents (Baies is one of the most popular out there), but you could say the perfumes are more of a hidden gem. Those in the know will tell you how sophisticated Diptyue’s perfumes are, with many choosing Diptyque as their wedding fragrance or signature Scent.
One time I wore Diptyque’s Eau Capitale (a rose and patchouli scent) to dinner with friends, and someone sat at the next table reached over and said: “I’m so sorry to disturb you, but what perfume are you wearing? It smells amazing.” We soon got talking about our favourite Diptyque perfumes and she noted Eau Capitale down in her Notes app to buy next.
Among Diptyque’s best-selling perfumes are Philoskyos, which is adored by countless beauty editors and many of the Who What Wear UK team, too. It’s fig-based, but not sickly sweet thanks to the fig-tree bark and leaves notes which also make it fresh and earthy. But there are many more Diptyque fragrances that are guaranteed to earn you compliments—and many come celebrity-approved, too, boasting Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss as fans. Ahead are the best Diptyque perfumes that editors and celebrities alike love and rate. Scroll on to see them and perhaps you’ll find your new favourite scent.
Fragrance Family: Floral. Key Notes: Damask rose, centifolia rose, litchi, ambroxan. After deep-diving into Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s Instagram, we spotted a post of her bag which included Diptyque’s Eau Rose eau de toilette, which features velvety damascena and centifolia roses but is kept fresh by encompassing the green freshness of rose leaves and the stem—it’s like stepping into a florists and being surrounded by freshly cut roses. It’s a great year-round scent that works for both daytime and evening.
Fragrance Family: Woody. Key Notes: Fig leaves, fig tree sap, fig tree wood, black pepper. Philosykos is definitely one of the best-known Diptyque perfumes with a loyal legion of fans in the beauty industry. This fig scent makes you feel like you’re wandering through a grove of fig trees, with the sweet creaminess of the fruit balanced with the earthiness of the tree bark and the freshness of green fig leaves. Who What Wear UK’s branded content editor Rebecca Rhys-Evans is a fan of Philosykos. “I am always drawn to the woody yet sweet notes of fig. Philosykos is a favourite not only because of its distinctively green, almost milky undertones, but because it was my signature scent when I met my partner,” she says. Managing editor Poppy Nash is also a fan: “To me, it feels fresh, warm but not too sweet or sickly, and it instantly reminds me of my mum, who has been burning the Diptyue Figuier at home since before I can remember. So it makes sense then that Philosykos, with notes of fig leaves, Fig tree sap and Fig tree wood, is my favourite Diptyque fragrance,” she says. In fact, Victoria Beckham told The Cut that she’s also a fan of Diptyque’s fig scents, and burns the Figuier candle in her flagship store in London. “Diptyque’s Figuier Vert candle has become our signature fragrance—everyone who walks in always talks about the amazing smell of the store, and that’s just because of the candle. I love the warmth of fig wood so much,” she said. So, it’s likely that she’s also a fan of Philoskyos as a personal fragrance, too.
Fragrance Family: Floral. Key Notes: Tuberose, orange blossom, jasmine, marine accord. If you have a penchant for creamy white florals, then you’ll love Do Son. In fact it’s also one of Kate Moss’s favourite Diptyque perfumes. Talking to WWD, she said, “So now, my perfume of choice is Do Son by Diptyque.” Its fresh yet creamy tuberose and jasmine notes combined with floral orange blossom make this scent so pretty and ideal for springtime and summer months. For light and breezy scent, it has impressive staying power too, and it always gets me compliments when I wear it.
Fragrance Family: Chypre. Key Notes: Rose, bergamot, patchouli, pink peppercorns. This perfume always has people chasing me to ask what scent I’m wearing. It is a deep and mysterious rose scent that is far from powdery, unlike many other rose perfumes. I’d describe it as a moody rose, which is perfectly complemented with patchouli, bergamot and pink peppercorns. I love wearing this for the evening as the scent really radiates from the skin.
Fragrance Family: Floral. Key Notes: Orange blossom, angelica root, patchouli, juniper berry. Who What Wear affiliates editor Emily Dawes has long been a fan of Eau des Sens and even wore the scent for her wedding day. “I was always a fair-weather perfume fan, switching my scent up every time I came to the end of the bottle,” she says. “That was until I discovered Diptyque Sens a few years ago and I haven’t even bothered trying another scent since. It’s fresh and citrusy, without being too sweet or girly (I always like my fragrances to smell unisex), and in my opinion, it works just as well in high summer as it does in the depths of autumn and winter.”
Fragrance Family: Woody. Key Notes: Tonka beans, cedar, juniper berries. Who What Wear contributor and freelance beauty editor Shannon Lawlor rates this sophisticated scent. “No one does autumnal scents quite like Diptyque, and this particular fragrance has become my favourite perfume of all time. Blended as an ode to the Parisian bar, Orphéon is powdery, smoky and totally unique. The only way I can describe it is it’s as if you’re wandering the beauty aisles of Harrods and you walk past a counter full of makeup powders and perfume. It’s that level of rich and inviting.”
Fragrance Family: Woody. Key Notes: Sandalwood, cedar, cypress, myrtle. Tam Dao is one of Diptyque’s best sellers. It’s woodier than Philosykos and really leans into the warmth of cedar and the creamiest of sandalwood. Thanks to these notes, it also makes it long-lasting. It’s a very chic fragrance and also feels very grounding to wear.
Fragrance Family: Aromatic. Key Notes: Patchouli, geranium, mint, rose. I remember the first time that I smelled this scent and how taken aback I was by how beautiful a mint fragrance could smell. To me, it reminds me of freshly picked herbs from the garden, muddled together with earthy patchouli, vibrant geranium and garden roses.
Fragrance Family: Floral. Key Notes: Ylang-ylang, pink peppercorn, ginger, vetiver. Ylang-ylang is a beloved note in many perfumes, so it’s no surprise it’s the star of this fragrance. It’s floral but has a subtle hit of spice and green woodiness which makes it so addictive.
Fragrance Family: Oriental. Key Notes: Vanilla, pink peppercorn, cypriol, calamus. Think vanilla, but the most complex and expensive-smelling vanilla. Eau Duelle’s key note is steered away from becoming too saccharine by the anchoring effect of smoky cypiol, pink peppercorn and cinnamon-like calamus.
Fragrance family: Floral. Key Notes: Rose, black currant buds, petitgrain, blackcurrant leaves. This one is a little floral, a little fruity and a little bit herbaceous, which makes it unusual but all the more wonderful. Diptyque say this scent is inspired by summer slumbers by the river, and it really has captured that whimsical daydream feeling of summer days.
Fragrance Family: Chypre. Key Notes: prickly pear, bergamot, jasmine and iris. This one is a little fruity with a floral twist. Which makes for delectable tribute to its Mediterranean inspiration and toast to the region’s unspoilt nature. It’s the perfect daytime scent, and its limited edition packaging made from original illustrations by the artist Erik Winkowski makes it a summer dream.
Fragrance Family: Floral. Key Notes: Musk, iris, ambrettolide, pink peppercorn. This award-winning fragrance quite literally translates as “flower of the skin” and it really does smell skin-like thanks to the addition of musk and ambretteolide. This is the kind of perfume that you’ll want to bury your nose in time and time again.
Fragrance Family: Woody. Key Notes: White musks, rice, mimosa, and blonde woods accord. Who What Wear contributor and freelance beauty editor Ata-Owaji Victor loves L’Eau Papier Eau De Toilette thanks to it’s nostalgic musk. “Although I love switching out perfumes depending on my mood or outfits,” she says, during seemingly unending writing weeks, I love reaching for this scent with it’s deep notes, which. are reminiscent of perfume my aunties and mother would douse themselves in. Plus it’s uberly fitting name that makes writing feel like whirlwind love affair.”
Up Next: The Results Are in—These Are the Most Popular Perfumes of 2023
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
Opening image: @rosiehw
