Best Peony Perfumes Guide: Floral Kisses for Soft Hearts

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Caroline Lambert

Are you looking for someone that’s going to be open and honest with you about the scents that are and aren’t going to work for you? Caroline isn’t here to play games when it comes to the world of perfumes. She loves breaking down every note of perfume and explaining how a perfume will work with your personal preferences. Plus, she loves learning about new scents, so she’s always on the hunt to find the best and latest perfumes on the market.

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Peony conjures thoughts of classic feminine fragrances, but did you know you could blend it right for any gender? Most of my top picks in the best peony perfumes guide would smell like heaven on a woman’s skin. However, some would also appeal to non-binary individuals or guys with a slightly feminine soul. Men don’t have to wear cologne if they want contemporary aromas.

Let’s get to the good stuff immediately to ensure anyone can find the best fragrance with peony as a keynote.

Bottom Line Up Front

I’ve been a perfume expert for a few years, but recently, I realized how the world’s changing. It’s time to pick the best perfumes by ingredient to suit each person. The world is full of many people with different preferences. So, let’s consider that in choosing the ultimate peony fragrances. I’ll use my blending knowledge to explain why the top picks made my list.

Meanwhile, my ultimate favorite is Burberry Brit Sheer because it appeals to various people while still allowing me to smell as fruity and sweet as usual. It has peach blossom, my ultimate ingredient, and it marries Yuzu, pineapple, and litchi to smell wilder than the urban landscapes you know. However, I picked 15 of the best peony perfumes. Check them quickly before discovering my tips.

My Top Picks at a Glance

1. Esteé Lauder Tuscany Per Donna
2. Paris Hilton Pink Rush 
3. Moschino Toy 2
4. Floral Street Wonderland Peony
5. Esteé Lauder Pleasures
6. Burberry Brit Sheer
7. Kate Spade New York Sparkle
8. Versace Crystal Noir
9. Versace Bright Crystal
10. Versace Eros Pour Femme
11. Chloé by Chloé
12. Givenchy Very Irrésistible
13. Tory Burch Signature.
14. Givenchy Organza for Her
15. Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede

The Best Peony Perfumes Guide Lowdown

Before diving into what makes each unique, let’s see my tips and how I picked the list.

Tips for Peony Perfumes Fans

Blending different smells requires some knowledge. Let’s see how Peony works with other notes and in various dry downs.

• Peony is a soft floral that blends well with other floral notes, including lily, lily-of-the-valley, gardenia, jasmine, violet, iris, carnation, rose, and magnolia. However, it also requires a second note from another drydown. Floral alone doesn’t work.
• Florals blend well with a warm drydown that includes amber, solid woody notes, and musk.
• Florals also dry well among gentle citruses and fresh notes like bergamot and lemon.
• Finally, florals have a contemporary drydown when you add sweet or fruity notes. These notes include any blossom, apple, berry, pear, vanilla, coconut, pomegranate, peach, or candied notes.

How Did I Pick the Best Peony Perfumes?

Peony is a familiar perfume note that smells beautiful, with many others. So, I had to narrow my options with strict rules to ensure everyone can grab a bottle. Here’s how I picked the best peony perfumes for this guide:

• It has to come from a well-known brand,
• It must be modern enough to fit multiple fans and genders,
• It must have at least two notes peony complements and a drydown that works (warm, sweet, or fresh),
• It should come from reliable stores that stock loads of fragrances, including Macy’s or Sephora.

Best Peony Perfumes Guide: Soft Florals With Interesting Touches

Yes, you’ll see the top picks in detail now. They’re fabulous, smell like heaven, and make you think you’re in a field of flowers. I’ll list them by price, from low to high. However, each one fits my criteria. I’ll show you how soon enough.

Esteé Lauder Tuscany Per Donna

Have you ever imagined a perfume resembling French flower fields blended into a sweet warmth under amber and vanilla? If so, this fragrance will knock every expectation out of the park because it’s more than you imagine.

Meanwhile, it’s one of the most affordable scents that appeal to the modern donna or individual who loves smelling feminine to their core.

• Drydown: Floral, white floral, woody, fruity, sweet, powdery, amber, citrus, warm spicy, and yellow floral
• Top Notes: Plum, hyacinth, peach, green grass, bergamot, grapefruit, and Mandarin orange
• Middle Notes: Rose, carnation, ylang-ylang, jasmine, violet, honeysuckle, peony, lily-of-the-valley, and orange blossom
• End Notes: Vanilla, amber, sandalwood, styrax, musk, and cedarwood
• Type: Floral, Amber EDP
• Sillage: Medium to intense
• Lasts: 6-8 hours
• Best Alternative: Guerlain Samsara

Pros

• The intense exchange of florals is surprising for an affordable fragrance.
• The citruses are gentle enough to uplift the scent with a warm undertone.
• The fragrance suits anyone with a fierce female side.
• It lasts seemingly forever and smells intense enough.

Cons

• The aroma breaks free with an initial boost of florals quickly interrupted by intense woody notes.
• The intensity lasts a short while before it becomes more classic.

Paris Hilton Pink Rush

Admittedly, I’m not too fond of Paris Hilton. However, her fragrance has gorgeous notes that evolve in a glamorous way that smells innately feminine. Don’t worry; it works for traditional women and those identifying as ladies or non-binary. You only need to love the interconnection of beautiful florals with sweet fruits. It’s an elegant scent that works for most feminine souls.

• Drydown: Floral, fruity, rose, fresh, sweet, and vanilla
• Top Notes: Nashi pear, quince, Goji berries, and bergamot
• Middle Notes: Turkish rose, pink peony, osmanthus, and hibiscus
• End Notes: Musk, amber, vanilla, Tonka bean, and Cashmere wood
• Type: Fruity, Floral EDP Gourmand
• Sillage: Medium
• Lasts: 6-8 hours
• Best Alternative: Thierry Mugler Angel Nova

Pros

• The surprisingly affordable perfume has luxurious notes.
• The musk and amber warm through the upper notes gorgeously.
• It uses Turkish rose and Cashmere wood to make it more elegant.
• The sillage and longevity impress me.

Cons

• The bergamot note never appears.
• The aroma is young and vibrant, not suitable for mature fans.

Moschino Toy 2

Moschino’s second toy variant smells slightly feminine but not overpowering. It would be an excellent choice for men, women, or gender-neutral individuals who want soft feminine touches with gentle masculine undertones.

Modern scents smell different. Moschino’s best alternative gives you a great idea of what to expect. Meanwhile, it has unusual notes.

• Drydown: Floral, sweet, fruity, fresh, musky, citrus, green, powdery, and soft spicy
• Top Notes: Apple, Mandarin orange, and magnolia
• Middle Notes: Peony, whitecurrant, and jasmine
• End Notes: Musk, sandalwood, and amber wood
• Type: Woody, Floral, Musk EDP
• Sillage: Intimate to medium
• Lasts: 6+ hours
• Best Alternative: Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Pride Limited Edition

Pros

• It’s the most gender-neutral fragrance on this list.
• It blends unique whitecurrants with gorgeous florals.
• The woody undertone is more potent than you think.
• The sillage is suitable for the perfume type.

Cons

• It won’t work for anyone who wants their fragrance to scream feminism.
• It has a medium longevity that might only make up part of the day.

Floral Street Wonderland Peony

Floral Street makes one of the most unusual floral peony perfumes that welcomes a raspberry bloom note. You’ll find a few scents with raspberry bloom.

So, grab this one if you haven’t already. It’s a gorgeous smell that trips your senses into another realm. Meanwhile, the interchange between florals and neutral notes makes it ideal as a unisex (or all-sex) perfume.

• Drydown: Floral, fruity, fresh, sweet, rose, tropical, woody, caramel, vanilla, and powdery
• Top Notes: Sicilian lemon, guava, and red berries
• Middle Notes: Peony, violet, and raspberry bloom
• End Notes: Resins, vanilla, cedarwood, vetiver, cotton candy, and woodsy notes
• Type: Floral EDP
• Sillage: Medium
• Lasts: Easy 8 hours
• Best Alternative: Kate Spade New York (not Sparkle)

Pros

• This is my second favorite perfume on this list because of the raspberry bloom.
• The perfumer used a more robust citrus to uplift and refresh the florals.
• The last notes will twist your senses with sweet and warm touches.
• This fragrance lasts at least eight hours.

Cons

• The finale might feel too feminine for gender-neutral people.
• The Sicilian lemon makes it risky as a summertime scent.

Esteé Lauder Pleasures

Esteé Lauder has incredible perfumes. However, I can’t call this a favorite of mine because it uses pink pepper and has a spicy touch. I’m not fond of aromatics in fragrances. I share the best types for specific people, so I must include scents I might not love as much. Otherwise, I don’t have everyone in my top picks. Beyond the spice, this fragrance is beautiful.

• Drydown: White floral, floral, fresh, green, soft spicy, rose, woody, and powdery
• Top Notes: Green notes, red berries, tuberose, violet leaf, violet, freesia, and pink pepper
• Middle Notes: Peony, lily-of-the-valley, lily, lilac, rose, geranium, jasmine, and Karo Karounde
• End Notes: Patchouli, musk, cedar, and sandalwood
• Type: Floral EDP
• Sillage: Medium to intense
• Lasts: At least 8 hours
• Best Alternative: Ralph Laurence Romance EDP (not Parfum)

Pros

• The florals dry into slightly fresh ingredients before turning spicy.
• It doubles on the violet, an ideal floral complement for peony.
• It has an incredible wake for a scent with so many flowers.
• It’s a long-lasting treat for professionals and mature fans.

Cons

• The pepper burns my senses because it’s intense.
• It has an insane amount of similar florals.

Burberry Brit Sheer

Burberry’s range of fragrances is sophisticated with an urban jungle vibe. I haven’t had Burberry Brit Sheer, but I’ve enjoyed many of the brand’s fragrances.

Oddly, this scent maintains the urban jungle feel while adding tropical touches to the drydown. It smells like visualizing yourself on a tropical island in the middle of a city. It’s weird, but it works.

• Drydown: Floral, fruity, fresh, citrus, tropical, sweet, rose, green, and musky
• Top Notes: Yuzu, pineapple leaf, Mandarin orange, and litchi
• Middle Notes: Peach blossom, pear, and pink peony
• End Notes: Whitewood and white musk
• Type: Floral, Fruity EDT Gourmand
• Sillage: Intimate to medium
• Lasts: 5+ hours
• Best Alternative: My Burberry Blush

Pros

• The Gourmand blend marries peony with other florals and sweet fruits.
• The tropical vibes bring the proper aspect to make an urban aroma feel more jungle-like.
• It has one of my ultimate ingredients: peach blossom.
• Thankfully, the wake is subtle enough for such wild notes.

Cons

• The longevity could be better.
• The smell is beyond wild and best suited to young individuals.

Kate Spade New York Sparkle

Kate Spade’s Sparkle New York variant is ironic and amusing. Why, you may ask? As you can see below, the bottle is so sparkly that you can’t capture it nicely in a picture. I don’t mind that the bottle looks beautiful enough to sit on a fantastic perfume tray.

However, it challenged me to take a picture. Nonetheless, the fragrance is divine, apart from the soft touches of pepper.

• Drydown: Sweet, floral, fruity, soft spicy, woody, fresh, vanilla, rose, powdery, and fresh spicy
• Top Notes: Blackcurrant and pink pepper
• Middle Notes: Hawthorne and peony
• End Notes: Vanilla, cedarwood, and creme bruleé
• Type: Floral, Amber EDP
• Sillage: Medium to intense
• Lasts: 6-8 hours
• Best Alternative: Lancôme Trésor Midnight Rose

Pros

• Kate Spade outdid herself with this warm and floral blend.
• The notes are simple yet elegant enough to spark beauty for most fans.
• The candied final note brings it together better than all the others.
• The wake and longevity are good enough for an all-day outing.

Cons

• Oddly, this perfume smells more mature than most with candied ingredients.
• It’s fiercely feminine, even with pepper, so it suits feminine souls better.

Versace Crystal Noir

I’ve loved Versace for eons. However, Crystal Noir disappointed me by hiding the sweet notes too long and emphasizing the aromatics. However, remember, I choose the best perfumes that suit everyone, not just me.

The bottle is a steal and has a catchy design. Meanwhile, the lid looks like a crystal. The scent hides gorgeously cheeky spices if you love aromatic blends.

• Drydown: White floral, coconut, warm spicy, fresh spicy, lactonic, powdery, woody, sweet, musky, and aromatic
• Top Notes: Ginger, cardamom, and black pepper
• Middle Notes: Peony, orange blossom, gardenia, and coconut
• End Notes: Musk, amber, sandalwood
• Type: Floral, Amber EDT
• Sillage: Intense to explosive
• Lasts: At least 6-7 hours
• Best Alternative: Jennifer Aniston Near Dusk

Pros

• The blend is perfect for those who enjoy cheeky spice notes.
• The aromatics are explosive and take a long time to tame.
• This scent will suit tigers of all genders and ages.
• It lasts long for an EDT and has a tumultuous wake.

Cons

• The intensity might suit animalistic fans better.
• The pepper and cardamom can burn your senses slightly.

Versace Bright Crystal

Versace’s scents are above most, as they’ve been around for many years. Bright Crystal isn’t as powerfully spicy as the last choice. I would try wearing this to feel slightly cat-like and more modern feminine.

However, it feels less beast-like than Crystal Noir, making it ideal for softer fans. It has an intense floral heart, a warm undertone, and refreshing upper notes.

• Drydown: Floral, citrus, fresh, aquatic, fresh spicy, woody, and rose
• Top Notes: Yuzu, ice, and pomegranate
• Middle Notes: Lotus, magnolia, and peony
• End Notes: Musk, amber, and mahogany
• Type: Fruity, Floral EDT Gourmand
• Sillage: Medium
• Lasts: At least 6 hours
• Best Alternative: Guess for Women

Pros

• Bright Crystal has a gentle sillage and romantic feel about it.
• The mature elements in this scent are perfect for tamer fans.
• The mahogany note warms beautifully through the heart.
• The scent smells professional for fans who work hard and play harder.

Cons

• It’s an EDT with expected longevity.
• The aquatic notes and drydown are highly unusual and not-so-feminine.

Versace Eros Pour Femme

Versace continues to impress with various perfumes containing peonies. Meanwhile, this scent uses a powerful citrus upper note to dry the ingredients into a beautifully refreshing floral blend.

It works well for anyone who wants to smell fresher than the ocean. It also has a solid woody undertone to uplift and warm the scent. Let’s remember: the bottle is gorgeous.

• Drydown: Citrus, white floral, musky, woody, floral, fresh spicy, fresh, aromatic, powdery, and amber
• Top Notes: Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian lemon, and pomegranate
• Middle Notes: Jasmine sambac, jasmine, peony, and lemon blossom
• End Notes: Musk, sandalwood, ambroxan, and woodsy notes
• Type: Floral, Woody, Musk EDT
• Sillage: Medium to intense
• Lasts: 6-8 hours
• Best Alternative: BVLGARI Omnia Golden Citrine

Pros

• Eros Pour Femme is the freshest scent I ever found.
• The florals dance beautifully with a warm undertone.
• This fragrance smells divine on fans who enjoy warm and fresh blends.
• The longevity is insane for an EDT.

Cons

• Citruses should be lighter in peony perfumes.
• Citruses will be moderate when the summer comes around.

Chloé by Chloé

This scent is the most traditional feminine smell you’ll find among my top picks for peonies. It smells like a princess in a field of flowers, dancing with the sun and kissing their skin.

It has an intense wake, which is unexpected for so many floral notes in one bottle. Meanwhile, the bottle is as pretty as you’d imagine a classic feminine fragrance.

• Drydown: Floral, rose, fresh, and fruity
• Top Notes: Freesia, peony, and litchi
• Middle Notes: Lily-of-the-valley, rose, and magnolia
• End Notes: Virginian cedarwood and amber
• Type: Floral EDP
• Sillage: Medium to intense
• Lasts: Easy 8 hours
• Best Alternative: La Rive Cuté

Pros

• It’s the best choice for classic femininity for any fan.
• It’s a romantic, gentle, and loving aroma, even with an intense wake.
• Peony is a top note, making it stand out more than most.
• The longevity will satisfy you.

Cons

• It smells slight

Givenchy Very Irrésistible

Givenchy embraces beautiful scents, but the brand loves using aromatics. Star anise is one of my no-go spice notes. However, it’s about choosing an array of the best peony perfumes that appeal to everyone to ensure you don’t feel left out.

Meanwhile, the double rose notes in different layers impress me. The second rose note is a beautifully unusual ingredient in scents.

• Drydown: Floral, rose, soft spicy, fresh, anis, citrus, and aromatic
• Top Notes: Star anise, cassia, and lemon verbena
• Middle Notes: Peony, rose, and magnolia
• End Notes: Taif rose, vanilla, musk, and patchouli
• Type: Floral, Fruity EDP Gourmand
• Sillage: Medium to intense
• Lasts: 6-8 hours
• Best Alternative: Stella McCartney Pop

Pros

• The aromatics are powerful in this scent if you love that.
• Peony finds support in a double layer of rose notes.
• This fragrance would smell wonderful on ultra-modern feminine fans.
• The sillage and longevity will impress you.

Cons

• It lacks some sweetness for a Gourmand scent.
• The citrus fades as fast as the florals.

Tory Burch Signature

I knew which perfume was the best alternative as soon as I understood the ingredients of Tory Burch Signature.

It smells like happiness in a bottle, and the aromatics aren’t overbearing. Instead, the white musk and cedarwood bring warmth without slaughtering the citrus and fresh notes. It’s an ideal and unexpected blend that works when it doesn’t seem like it can.

• Drydown: Citrus, fresh, floral, white floral, powdery, musky, aromatic, woody, soft spicy, and rose
• Top Notes: Grapefruit, Mandarin orange, pink pepper, cassis, and neroli
• Middle Notes: Peony, carrot seeds, alyssum, mimosa, tuberose, and jasmine
• End Notes: Vetiver, white musk, cedarwood, and sandalwood
• Type: Floral, Woody, Musk EDP
• Sillage: Medium
• Lasts: 6+ hours
• Best Alternative: Clinique Happy

Pros

• The citrus and fresh notes remain powerful through the warmth.
• The aromatics find the perfect balance among the florals.
• The blend smells contemporary enough to suit most slightly feminine fans.
• The sillage is ideal for a citrus explosion at the start.

Cons

• The perfume won’t work well in hot weather.
• It’s not the best feminine aroma for classic ladies.

Givenchy Organza for Her

Remember that anyone can wear any fragrance. I only add “for her” when it distinguishes one perfume from another in the same brand. You see the same when I mention how some alternatives aren’t something else in brackets.

Scents may sound the same but can have different ingredients. This one has incredible breast-like nature with a contemporary twist that folds the knees.

• Drydown: White floral, fresh spicy, woody, tuberose, vanilla, animalistic, powdery, and nutty
• Top Notes: African orange flower, green notes, bergamot, gardenia, and nutmeg
• Middle Notes: Iris, peony, mace, honeysuckle, tuberose, and jasmine
• End Notes: Virginia cedarwood, amber, vanilla, Guaiac wood, and woodsy notes
• Type: Floral, Amber EDP
• Sillage: Medium to intense
• Lasts: Easy 8 hours
• Best Alternative: Essentially, Jaguar

Pros

• The Givenchy blend is strikingly different from the last one.
• The animalistic nature of this perfume makes it ideal for wildly feminine fans.
• The spices are beautiful because nutmeg has a sweet undertone.
• The intensity and longevity are next-level.

Cons

• It’s too wild for young ladies and gender-neutral persons.
• It smells like a wild cat from a jungle, from spicy to woody drydown.

Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne

Who said women can’t wear leather or suede? Also, why can’t men wear floral notes? Jo Malone thought about the dilemma of bringing a woman’s cologne that works for all genders.

It welcomes soft florals to bring a feminine touch while bewildering your nose with a leather drydown. It’s highly unusual and reminds me of the Stetson brand, but none suit it.

• Drydown: Rose, floral, fresh, fruity, leather, and musky
• Top Notes: Red apple
• Middle Notes: Peony, rose, jasmine, and carnation
• End Notes: Suede
• Type: Floral Cologne
• Sillage: Medium
• Lasts: 6+ hours
• Best Alternative: Michael Kors Luxe Edition

Pros

• The slight feminine florals are gorgeous for anyone.
• The suede welcomes a leather evolution that could be bolder.
• It’s a fierce fragrance that offers more versatility than most.
• It has a medium wake, which is ideal for all genders.

Cons

• The fragrance could last longer.
• The word cologne may put traditional women off the perfume.

FAQs

Best Peony Perfumes Guide: Conclusion

The best perfumes with any note begin by understanding what works with what. You can only blend peony with a list of aromatics if you don’t break it with other florals and warm undertones. Meanwhile, mixing it with only florals is another mistake. The top picks on this list are beautiful blends that work for different people because the world is full of individuals.

However, please try Burberry Brit Sheer because you’ll keep returning for more. It’s the most beautiful blend with peony and my ultimate note: peach blossom. You’ll only lose your will to try other perfumes. Enjoy each scent on this list because they’ll bring you joy if you stick to the appropriate one for your needs.