Carnations add a bright, vivid aroma to any fragrance, carrying a distinct scent that stands out even alongside the most dominant notes. While carnations are traditionally associated with vintage floral perfumes, they are currently experiencing a renaissance; niche creators are stripping away the retro powder to highlight the flower’s naturally spicy, clove-like qualities.
This article highlights the classic fragrances we know and love that you might want to revisit, spanning from a timeless masterpiece created in 1912 to a modern revival from 2011.
1. YSL Opium EDT
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Yves Saint Laurent |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Amber Spicy |
| Notes | Top: Tangerine, Bergamot, and Lily-of-the-Valley Middle: Myrrh, Carnation, and Jasmine Base: Amber, Patchouli, and Vanilla |
| Release year | 2009 |
| Perfumer | In-house Perfumer |
Starting with a 2009 creation, Opium by Yves Saint Laurent is an amber spicy fragrance featuring a rich carnation note at its heart. The myrrh and carnation notes are the most dominant, creating an intoxicating scent that, to some extent, evokes the feeling of walking into an incense shop. While there is an older, more potent version of this Eau de Toilette, the 2009 reformulation we’re covering is far more palatable to a modern audience.
2. Elizabeth Arden Red Door EDT
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Elizabeth Arden |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Amber Floral |
| Notes | Top: Rose, Plum, Orange Blossom, Violet, Peach, and Anise Middle: Carnation, Honey, Rose, Tuberose, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Lily, Freesia, Lily-of-the-Valley, and Orchid Base: Sandalwood, Amber, Benzoin, Musk, Heliotrope, Vetiver, and Cedar |
| Release year | 1989 |
| Perfumer | Carlos Benaïm |
The iconic Red Door by Elizabeth Arden symbolizes women’s empowerment. Inspired by Arden’s flagship Fifth Avenue salon, it represents a transformative threshold where a woman steps out of her everyday life and into her most confident self. The fragrance is an amber floral that is incredibly potent for an Eau de Toilette. Within it, the carnation note blends beautifully with sweeter elements and other florals, creating a rich, jammy aroma.
3. D&G Velvet Love EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Dolce&Gabbana |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Floral |
| Notes | Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, and Pepper |
| Release year | 2011 |
| Perfumer | Rodrigo Flores-Roux |
This is the most carnation-dominant fragrance on this list. Velvet Love by Dolce&Gabbana is composed of three simple notes: carnation, ylang-ylang, and pepper. The other notes never stood a chance; they are strictly there to support the main star, the carnation. There is something incredibly elegant and intimidating about this perfume that makes it utterly irresistible.
4. Calvin Klein Eternity EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Calvin Klein |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Floral |
| Notes | Top: Green Notes, Freesia, Sage, Citruses, and Mandarin Orange Middle: Carnation, Lily, Lily-of-the-Valley, Narcissus, Marigold, Violet, Rose, and Jasmine Base: Musk, Heliotrope, Sandalwood, Amber, and Patchouli |
| Release year | 1988 |
| Perfumer | Sophia Grojsman |
A 1988 creation, Calvin Klein’s Eternity is a fragrance that has truly stood the test of time. Like many fragrances that debuted in the ’80s, and like several on this list, it is potent and out there. While carnation is accompanied by a bouquet of florals at the heart, the green notes in the opening add a uniquely crisp quality to this vintage floral. It also lacks sweetness, a dry characteristic some might prefer.
5. Guerlain L’Heure Bleue EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Guerlain |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Amber Floral |
| Notes | Top: Anise, Neroli, Coriander, Bergamot, and Lemon Middle: Heliotrope, Carnation, Violet, Cloves, Neroli, Ylang-Ylang, Bulgarian Rose, Jasmine, Orchid, and Tuberose Base: Iris, Vanilla, Benzoin, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Musk, and Vetiver. |
| Release year | 1912 |
| Perfumer | Jacques Guerlain |
Lastly, we have the vintage queen. L’Heure Bleue by Guerlain came out in 1912 and is still going strong today. Velvety soft and deeply romantic, it evokes the bluish dusk of twilight and the quiet anticipation of night before the first stars appear in the sky. This historic fragrance paints a picture of romance and melancholic beauty, a secret world meant only for those who wander under the cover of night.
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