Simply put, lactonic fragrances are perfumes that smell slightly milky or creamy. This can be due to a milk note in the fragrance itself or notes that are reminiscent of milk. Yet, not all milk perfumes are made equally. While the milk note is easily detectable in some of these fragrances, in others, it is lost among other notes, giving the perfume an overall sweet, fruity, or floral scent.
You might think a scent that smells like milk, even slightly, would not be wearable. But you would be wrong. Lactonic perfumes are suitable for everyday wear, especially for those who prefer a sweet scent.
These six women’s lactonic fragrances belong to different fragrance families, so no matter your taste, you’re likely to find one you will like.
1. Cacharel Yes, I Am Fabulous EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Cacharel |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Oriental Vanilla |
| Notes | Top Notes: Blackberry Middle Notes: Heliotrope Base Notes: Milk and Hazelnut |
| Release year | 2020 |
| Longevity | Over 8 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Cacharel |
Yes, I am Fabulous by Cacharel, like most lactonic scents, is a gourmand fragrance by default. This one is specifically an amber (oriental) vanilla.
Judging by the notes alone, this fragrance is obviously a delicious-smelling one. The first thing you smell is the fresh, sweet blackberries in the opening. When you reach the heart, you’re introduced to the heliotrope, a floral note that smells slightly of almost. At the base, you have the combination of milk and hazelnut, which leaves you smelling like a white chocolate spread.
2. Cacharel Yes I Am EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Cacharel |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Oriental Floral |
| Notes | Top Notes: Raspberry, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot, and Lemon Middle Notes: Gardenia, Ginger flower, Amber, Jasmine, Orange Blossom, and Rose Base Notes: Milk, Caramel, Vanilla, Cardamom, Licorice, Coumarin, Benzoin, Sandalwood, and Amberwood |
| Release year | 2018 |
| Longevity | Over 8 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Honorine Blanc and Christophe Raynaud |
Yes, I am by Cacharel, unlike Yes, I Am Fabulous, which is not too on the nose with the milk note. Here, the milk note is lost, among many other notes, giving a fragrance that leans more toward being an amber floral perfume.
This would be ideal for women looking for a sweet floral scent that is more floral than sweet and has a hint of citrus in the opening and heart.
3. Diesel Zero Plus Feminine EDT
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Diesel |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Floral Fruity |
| Notes | Top Notes: Pineapple, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Red Apple, Plum, Pepper, Cassia, and Bitter Orange Middle Notes: Magnolia, Orchid, Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine, Moroccan Rose, and Iris Base Notes: Cacao, Vanilla, White Musk, Amber, Sandalwood, and Cedar |
| Release year | 2000 |
| Longevity | Over 6 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Arturetto Landi |
Zero Plus Feminine by Diesel is a perfect example of a lactonic fragrance that does not have a single milk note.
The blend of the notes of vanilla, cacao, and white musk in the base, as well as the nutmeg, cinnamon, and fruits in the opening, is what gives this fragrance its lactonic characteristics. This perfume will leave you smelling like a yummy, creamy dessert.
4. Kilian Good Girl Gone Bad Extreme EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Kilian |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Floral Woody Musk |
| Notes | Top Notes: Osmanthus, Jasmine, Rose de Mai, Cherry, and Peach Middle Notes: Tuberose, Milk, Narcissus, and Orange Blossom Base Notes: Amber, White Cedar Extract, Caramel, and Musk |
| Release year | 2017 |
| Longevity | Over 8 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Alberto Morillas |
Good Girl Gone Bad Extreme by Kilian is a luxury fragrance that blends floral and woody notes with musky and creamy ones. The result of this blend is a gorgeous, elegant, powerful fragrance.
The creamy lactonic scent is achieved through notes of white cedar extract, milk, and musk, which give a warm, rich, and delicious quality that lingers on the skin.
5. Jean Paul Gaultier So Scandal EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Jean Paul Gaultier |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Floral Fruity |
| Notes | Top Notes: Citrus Blossom Middle Notes: Jasmine and TubeRose Base Notes: Milky and Raspberry |
| Release year | 2020 |
| Longevity | Over 8 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Fabrice Pellegrin and Daphné Bugey |
So Scandal by Jean Paul Gaultier is the lactonic version of Scandal by the same brand. You wouldn’t be able to tell from the opening itself, though.
The opening of So Scandal is a note of citrus blossom. The heart carries jasmine and tuberose. Once the perfume dries down and these notes are gone, you are left with sweet notes of milk and raspberry.
6. Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Nuit Blanche EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Yves Saint Laurent |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Oriental Vanilla |
| Notes | Top Notes: Rice, Anise, and Bourbon Pepper Middle Notes: Coffee, Orange Blossom, Coriander, and Peony Base Notes: Vanilla, Milk, Caramel, Sandalwood, and White Musk |
| Release year | 2016 |
| Longevity | Over 8 hours |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Perfumer | Olivier Cresp |
My favorite on this list is Black Opium Nuit Blanche, so you could say I left the best for last. It’s another amber vanilla on this list, but I just had to add it.
The note layers in this fragrance blend perfectly. With a boozy and unique opening, this fragrance transforms into a sweet and lactonic scent in the base and heart. This fragrance is sensual and addictive. I recommend it for date nights and nights out because not only does it smell beautiful, but it is impressively long-lasting as well.
Visit V Perfumes for more sweet and creamy scents ranging from iconic, well-known scents to new releases.
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