Quick answer: A lavender perfume can be crisp and clean or warm and cosy, depending on what surrounds the lavender. For fresh lavender, choose Mykonos Slow Living (lemon and neroli) or Mykonos California Blue (pear and sea notes); for fruity lavender, Mykonos Glitch (charred pineapple); and for warm lavender, Mykonos Invade (cinnamon, caramel and vanilla).
Lavender has a reputation for being old-fashioned, but modern perfumery uses it very differently from the lavender water of the past. Today it mostly plays a supporting role: it cools down citrus, adds an aromatic edge to fruit, or cuts through vanilla so a warm scent does not feel heavy. Six of our 49 perfumes list lavender, including Mykonos California and Mykonos Constantine, and between them they show almost every direction a lavender perfume can take.
What does a lavender perfume smell like?
Lavender is herbal, floral and slightly camphorous, with a clean, airy quality. It belongs to the aromatic side of perfumery, alongside rosemary, artemisia and other herbs. What makes it so useful is how much it changes with its partners:
- With lemon, neroli and musk, it evokes freshly washed linen.
- With sea notes and grapefruit, it turns breezy and summery.
- With herbs such as rosemary and artemisia, it becomes green and aromatic.
- With vanilla, caramel and cinnamon, it becomes warm and smooth, and its herbal edge stops the sweetness from feeling heavy.
Fresh lavender perfumes
Slow Living: lemon, neroli and lavender
Slow Living is the cleanest lavender scent in our range. Amalfi lemon and lemon blossom open it, neroli and lavender form the heart, and Orcanox™, musk and cedarwood make up the base. The accord is citrus, clean and aromatic, and the brand pictures lemon trees on the Italian coast and the scent of clean laundry.
It is unisex, rated moderate in intensity with moderate sillage, moderate-to-strong projection and a rated longevity of 9+ hours. It is tagged for spring, summer and autumn, for daily wear, evenings and work, and comes in 50 ml and 100 ml. At the time of writing it had 55 customer reviews averaging 4.49 out of 5. Read our Slow Living review, and if you are choosing between it and Mykonos Reflection, see Reflection vs Slow Living.
California: lavender, rosemary and lychee
California opens with mandarin orange and lemon, then an aromatic heart of lychee, rosemary, cardamom, lavender, geranium and aquatic notes leads into tonka bean, teak wood and vetiver. The accord is citrus, aromatic and aquatic; the lychee adds a soft sweetness around the herbs.
It is listed for men, rated moderate in intensity with moderate-to-strong sillage, strong projection and a rated longevity of 9+ hours. It is tagged for spring and summer, for daily wear, sport and work, and comes in 50 ml and 100 ml. Our guide to lychee perfumes looks at its fruity side.
California Blue: lavender, pear and pink salt
In California Blue, lavender is a top note, so it is one of the first things you smell. It opens with lavender, pear, grapefruit and pink salt, moves into rhubarb, water blossoms and marine notes, and finishes on moss, soft wood and caramel. The accord is citrus, aquatic and green.
Our store lists it as unisex. It is rated moderate in intensity with moderate-to-strong sillage, strong projection and a rated longevity of 10+ hours, tagged for summer, for daily wear, evenings and sport, and comes in 50 ml and 100 ml. See our guide to pear perfumes for its fruity side.
Constantine: lavender and artemisia
Constantine is the most herbal of the six. Cardamom, violet leaf, pineapple and mandarin orange open it; lily of the valley, jasmine, lavender and artemisia form the heart; and amberwood, moss and white musk make up a dry base. The accord is aromatic, green and floral. It is unisex, rated moderate in intensity, tagged for spring and summer, and comes as a 50 ml extrait. At the time of writing it had 20 customer reviews averaging 4.7 out of 5.
Fruity and warm lavender perfumes
Glitch: lavender with charred pineapple
Glitch, our collaboration with SetiawanAde, puts lavender next to fruit and spice. Sicilian bergamot, apple, grapefruit and charred pineapple open it; lavender, artemisia, lily of the valley, pink pepper, vanilla and dried jasmine form the heart; and patchouli, vanilla and musk make up the base. The accord is fruity, fresh spicy and woody.
It is listed for men, rated moderate in intensity yet strong in sillage and projection, with a rated longevity of 12+ hours, the highest rating of the six. It is tagged for summer, for daily wear, sport and work, and comes in 50 ml and 100 ml. It also appears in our guide to pineapple and mango perfumes.
Invade: lavender absolute with cinnamon and caramel
Invade, also a SetiawanAde collaboration, is the warm lavender. Pink pepper, lavender absolute and juniper open it, cashmeran, cinnamon bark and caramel form the heart, and amber, Madagascar vanilla and dry woods make up the base. The accord is warm spicy, vanilla and woody: the lavender gives a fresh, spicy start before a smooth, smouldering finish.
It is listed for men, rated strong in intensity with moderate-to-strong sillage and projection and a rated longevity of 10+ hours. It is tagged for autumn and winter, for daily wear and evenings, and comes as a 50 ml extrait. If you are choosing between Invade and Mykonos Conquer, another warm, spicy scent listed for men, read Conquer vs Invade.
Lavender perfume at a glance
| Perfume | Lavender sits in | Paired with | Season | Listed for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow Living | Heart | Lemon, neroli, cedarwood | Spring to autumn | Unisex |
| California | Heart | Lychee, rosemary, aquatic notes | Spring, summer | Men |
| California Blue | Top | Pear, grapefruit, marine notes | Summer | Unisex |
| Constantine | Heart | Artemisia, cardamom, moss | Spring, summer | Unisex |
| Glitch | Heart | Charred pineapple, pink pepper, vanilla | Summer | Men |
| Invade | Top | Cinnamon bark, caramel, vanilla | Autumn, winter | Men |
Is a lavender perfume masculine?
Lavender has long been linked with men's grooming, and three of our six lavender perfumes, California, Glitch and Invade, are listed for men; see our best Mykonos perfumes for men for more. The other three, Slow Living, California Blue and Constantine, are unisex, and the clean style of Slow Living in particular suits anyone. Four of the six belong to the citrus family, so the Citrus collection is a good place to look for more, as are our unisex perfumes.
When to wear a lavender perfume
Five of the six are tagged for spring or summer, which makes lavender one of the most natural choices for warm weather and for work: Slow Living, California and Glitch are all listed for work. For the gym, California, California Blue and Glitch are tagged for sport; our guide to perfume for sport and the gym has tips. When the weather turns, Invade carries lavender into autumn and winter; for more in that direction, see our guide to spicy perfumes.
Frequently asked questions
Which lavender perfume is the freshest?
Slow Living, with lemon, neroli and musk, or California Blue, where lavender opens with pear, grapefruit and marine notes.
Is there a warm lavender perfume for winter?
Invade. Its lavender absolute sits over cinnamon bark, caramel, amber and Madagascar vanilla, and it is tagged for autumn and winter.
Can women wear a lavender perfume?
Of course. Slow Living, California Blue and Constantine are listed as unisex, and lavender's clean, herbal character is not tied to any gender.
Which lavender perfume lasts longest?
Glitch is rated 12+ hours. California Blue and Invade are rated 10+ hours, and Slow Living and California 9+ hours.