Approximately 150 bottles currently live on my shelves, but hundreds more came and went during the past couple of years. In my #influencer heydays, new fragrances landed on my doorstep to try every week, whereas now, I spend a lot of time sampling fragrances to review here. Which means, the bottles in my ‘permanent’ collection don’t get all that much wear-time. In the past 5 years (from 2020-2025) I haven’t emptied a single bottle.

Yet, I think there’s merit in highlighting fragrances that get used frequently, as it shows a more real life experience over a longer period of time, versus factors like PR, hype, ‘status’ fragrances & first impressions. Of course, it doesn’t reflect my absolute favorites per se (for that, I refer to my latest Top 50 update), as many of those would be more akin to ‘special occassion’ fragrances.

Some of the bottles on this list, I’ve had since my earlier days of building a collection, which meant they were in a smaller rotation and therefore used up quicker. Still, this says a lot about which fragrances I find easy to reach for, versatile or to have an allure of comfort.

Seeing properly used perfumes versus all the new purchase hauls (or gifted fragrances) in online spaces, should be a healthy trend anyway. That being said, here are 15 of my most worn fragrances of the past 5 years, followed by 5 fragrances that are newer to my collection, that certainly are joining those ranks.

2020-2025

HERMES TERRE D’HERMES PARFUM & EAU GIVREE
Terre D’Hermes Parfum is the fragrance that started it all for me, as far as diving into the fragrance hobby. I consistently reached for it, but since the launch of Eau Givree, which I think is an excellent modern flanker, I’ve opted for that one a lot on office days and warmer days.

ESSENTIAL PARFUMS FIG INFUSION
I feel like Fig Infusion has been my most worn fragrance in the time that I’ve had it in my collection. Super versatile, without smelling too basic. Especially for an office setting, a fig fragrance isn’t as common as your average freshie, citrussy fragrance. One of my favorites and if I had a ‘signature scent’ that people at work may recognize me from in the past years, it would be Fig Infusion.

GUERLAIN HOMME
Frankly, the only reason this bottle isn’t empty yet, is because I dread having to buy a new one, with the fear that it won’t smell as good anymore as this one (I really wish I bought another one back in 2019, as I only paid €36 for it). Also, the hint of booziness in the opening, keeps me from wearing it to the office a lot. Guerlain Homme EDP is probably my most worn on warm, Summery days along with the next pick on this list.

ATELIER DES ORS POMELO RIVIERA
Pomelo Riviera is my favorite straight-forward citrus scent. Part of the reason I go through his bottle relatively quickly is that I spray more of this than any other fragrance on the list. You can’t really overspray it and performance is a weak spot for a citrus like this. The best citrus for high heat, for which I tend to ‘save’ this fragrance, hence it’s not more used up yet.

ZAHAROFF SIGNATURE POUR HOMME [#AD]
A contemporary, even slightly fruity, take on the ‘masculine fougere’. A. I love how this wears; it’s a true gem and while I’ve only smelled a handful of the Zaharoff fragrances since, I feel like the brand (re)started at its peak with Signature Pour Homme. B. I haven’t really owned or wore any fougere’s similar to it for a longer period of time, as that’s a style that I don’t gravitate towards frequently.

ELLA K POEME DE SAGANO
Poeme De Sagano falls within the same category as Fig Infusion for me. Versatile, clean, bright, but with a distinct character. I can’t imagine that anyone would not appreciate this smell, let alone find it unpleasant (for example in an office setting), but you’re still not likely to smell like other people while wearing it. My favorite Ella K alongside Melodie D’Altai.

AKRO AWAKE
The first sweeter and darker fragrance on this list. Awake is such a go-to gourmand for me. Relatively versatile for its style. Mature. I rarely ever layer, but Awake is one of the few that I have used alongside other fragrances. I have quite a lot of coffee fragrances that I love, but Awake perhaps feels most reliable, comforting, straight-forward.

XERJOFF IRISS
The Queen of my collection. Iris fragrances are my favorites and there are several that I could’ve included (Gallivant Bukhara, and more recently Masque Milano L’Attesa, which I finally added to the collection), but over the past couple of years, Irisss has been one I reach for steadily. I did buy the bottle second-hand with a tiny dent in it already, but it’s one of my most worn among the higher-end, higher-priced gems.

MANCERA CEDRAT BOISE
Cedrat Boise is one of those that I wore all the time when I first got into fragrances. Nowadays, I wear it less. I do have a 120ml back-up bottle of an older batch just in case, but frankly, I wouldn’t go out of my way to re-purchase it if I didn’t; it’s a bit sweeter than I gravitate towards for fruity-citrussy right now. That being said, I think Cedrat Boise is one of the ultimate, still affordable, fragrances to have in a smaller collection and it’s one that always draws in compliments.

MIYAZ IRIS CACAO
This is a random one. I was gifted Iris Cacao (the 2022 version) by friends from a fragrance chatgroup for a birthday of mine. I’d expressed before that I was interested in it, based on the notes, and it exceeded my expectations. Heavy on the buttery, thick iris/sandalwood with smoky & gourmand touches; one of my favorite sweet scents to wear to bed, partially due to its texture.

FREDERIC MALLE PORTRAIT OF A LADY
While I will always adore Portrait Of Lady, it may very well make way for Rose Tonnerre in the 2025-2030 version of this list. (I should’ve included Rose Tonnerre in the 5 fragrances below). POAL was among the first niche perfumes that I ever bought. From that bunch, it’s still the one that gets the most wears today (Layton Exclusif & Oud Satin Mood left the collection, Reflection Man & Herod still get worn too, Grand Soir a bit less).

LOUIS VUITTON PACIFIC CHILL
Pacific Chill is the perfect example of: ‘It’s not that interesting, nor worth the money when I think about it, yet I love wearing it all the time, so maybe it is?’ A simple, refreshing, watery fruity scent that I could happily wear all the time and for most occasions. A fragrance like this gets the preference over the sweeter, bolder Cedrat Boise now for example.

FRAGRANCE DU BOIS SAHRAA [#AD]
One of my top favorites for years (my #1 ranked from 2020 to 2022). I was gifted this specific bottle, but I did buy a back-up bottle of Sahraa myself before (old presentation)…. which I then swapped again that later on. Eventually, I’ll have to get my hands on another one at this rate, even if I have to sell a kidney for it. If I want to wear something that feels ‘special’, Sahraa is one that always springs to mind.

DIOR BOIS D’ARGENT
Whereas Sahraa will hurt my wallet to replace one day, Bois D’Argent may hurt the most to run out of…  My favorite Dior. I’ve used up a travel size and this is only a 40ml, so it’s not that much. Sadly, I find that currently available batches of Bois D’Argent smell nothing like it and as with many of their fragrances, Dior’s reformulations are among the worst in the industry right now. I could’ve also included Van Cleef & Arpels Bois D’Iris, which I basically use as an alternative to Bois D’Argent before bedtime; I slightly prefer the Dior though.

XERJOFF 40 KNOTS
Another Xerjoff that I had to include. I thought I’d used more of the bottle than I did, looking at the photo, but perhaps the extraordinary performance makes a difference there (+ it’s a 100ml, unlike quite a few of the others). 2 sprays before certain settings (like the office) is plenty. Also great in high heat, but strong and dense enough even for Winter days. 40 Knots is my favorite Xerjoff from their ‘lower’ priced lines (relative to Irisss & Lunosa)

2025 – …

ONE DAY JEJU [#AD]
Jeju is the newest addition to be on this list, but also the one that I know with unwavering certainty, will be one of my most worn moving forward. It combines several of the aspects I mentioned earlier in the list: It’s more of the casual citrussy scents that everyone can appreciate, but with some uniqueness (tomato leaf) like Fig Infusion & Poeme de Sagano, and I feel that it has a hint of a traditional masculine cologne hidden in, that has little competition in my collection. I’m almost certain Jeju will be my most worn fragrance in the upcoming year.

MAISON TAHITE COFFEE BOMB
This is the upgrade to Montale Intense Cafe, which is a fragrance that I wore a lot of some years prior. I wouldn’t wear Coffee Bomb to my office personally, as it is rather sweet and loud, but its a great pick for almost any other moment. It feels like less of a gourmand than Intense Cafe, with a more Akro Awake-like coffee & a more pronounced rose to balance it.

SUPERFUMISTA INFRA ROSE
Rose is my favorite note alongside iris and Infra Rose is the brightest, cleanest, freshest rose in my collection. Soapy, a bit fruity and sweet, but heavy on the white musk. The rose itself citrussy, but very oily in texture. Since I’ve acquired this, it’s been getting more wears that Portrait Of A Lady and other roses. It’s also one that I keep smelling on myself during the day better than many other fragrances, so a great pick for when I’m out by myself (for example a long car drive).

REGALIEN DEM [#AD]
To me, Dem actually also smells a bit like soapy rose(hip). Yet, it’s also tea, and warmer, spicier. One of the most distinct, interesting, but still versatile scents in my collection. Easily my favorite from this brand and one that I could happily wear multiple times a week without getting tired of it. For 2025 so far, this has probably been my third most worn to the office, behind Fig Infusion & Jeju.

THOMAS DE MONACO SOL SALGADO [#AD]
Last, but not least. A fragrance that has continued to grow on me. When I sampled this, I liked it, but wasn’t wowed by it. When I tried it at a friend’s place later, I liked it a lot more. When I was offered a pick for a PR product, I figured, still a bit hesistant, let’s go with Sol Salgado. Now it’s definitely my favorite Thomas de Monaco and the perfect ‘Summer’ vanilla; sweet, but with a sea breeze tinge. As I write this, it makes me want to apply it again.