Introducing the Condé Nast Traveller Beauty Awards 2026 – our annual edit of the best in beauty and wellness. The following products were tried and tested by our expert editors, bringing you the very best buys categorised by wellness, innovation, skincare, SPF, fragrance, hair and the best of the rest. For more winners, see the main Beauty Awards 2026 page.
Fragrance is the ultimate travel companion – a single spritz capable of transporting you somewhere else entirely, shifting your mood, anchoring a memory, or capturing the essence of a place you never want to leave.
This year’s ‘best in fragrance’ edit celebrates the scents that stopped our team in their tracks; the ones that lingered long after the first wear and earned a permanent place on the bathroom shelf. From rainforest-inspired unisex blends to mood-shifting neuroscents and timeless classics reimagined, these are the fragrances worth making room for in your luggage.
Our team tested each on longevity, spillage, wearability across climates and that indefinable quality – the one that makes you reach for a bottle again and again, wherever in the world you happen to be.
Condé Nast Traveller Beauty Awards 2026: best in fragrance
Byredo Bal d’Afrique eau de parfum
A modern classic that has lost none of its magic, this sun-drenched, floral-woody blend evokes wide open landscapes and golden light. Our team found it effortlessly wearable across seasons and climates – the kind of signature scent that feels equally at home on a rooftop in Marrakech as it does on a London morning.
Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 48 perfume mist
Joyful, warm and utterly addictive, this body mist captures the carefree spirit of a Brazilian summer in every spritz. Our team loved its lightweight format – perfect for layering, reapplying mid-flight or spritzing liberally on a beach holiday without a second thought.
Jo Malone Amber Labdanum Cologne Intense
Rich, resinous and deeply enveloping, this scent is boldly seductive. Our team found it long-lasting and surprisingly versatile – a warm, grounding blend of oak, vanilla and labdanum that comes into its own as the temperature drops and the evenings grow longer.
Chloé Atelier Des Fleurs Sous Les Pins eau de parfum
A breath of fresh pine-scented air, this green, woody floral captures the feeling of walking through a sun-dappled forest. Quietly captivating – understated enough for everyday wear yet distinctive enough to turn heads, with a cypress and pine freshness that feels particularly alive in warm weather.
Parfums de Marly Athénaïs
Elegant, feminine and effortlessly refined, this powdery floral from the house of Parfums de Marly is the olfactory equivalent of dressing up. Our team found it long-lasting and beautifully balanced with sparkling jasmine, rich tonka and mood-boosting yuzu.
Bibbi Swimming Pool eau de parfum
Playful, unexpected and genuinely unlike anything else in this edit, this aquatic scent captures the nostalgic magic of a summer swimming pool with remarkable precision. Our tester found it a conversation-starter from the first spritz – bold, joyful and utterly transportive with notes of Egyptian basil and Chinese spearmint.
Granado Amazônico eau de parfum
A rainforest-inspired unisex scent with notes of patchouli, cocoa and musk, this is wanderlust distilled into a bottle. Our tester found it perfectly captured the feeling of humid, tropical air – an instant mood shift that transports you somewhere wilder and more beautiful with every wear.
Clean, earthy and quietly commanding, this sophisticated vetiver-led scent is understated elegance at its finest. Exceptionally versatile, the blend of woods, fruits and florals, are equally at home in a boardroom, on a yacht, or checked into a boutique hotel somewhere warm and unhurried.
Bvlgari Eau Parfumée Thé Impérial eau de toilette
Inspired by the ancient ritual of tea, this luminous, delicately aromatic fragrance is the very definition of refined simplicity. Our team found it a breath of fresh air – light enough to wear in the warmest climates yet complex enough to hold the attention, with an elegance that never feels effortful.
Maison Francis Kurkdijan Oud Velvet Mood extrait de parfum
Opulent, intoxicating and deeply memorable, this extrait de parfum commands attention from the first application. The rich, velvety oud lingers beautifully and feels like the olfactory equivalent of a five-star hotel, and the blend of cedar, sweet vanilla and patchouli give it some serious star power.
Penhaglion’s Halfeti eau de parfum
Named after a village on the banks of the Euphrates, this rich and mysterious blend of rose, grapefruit and spice is as evocative as its inspiration. Deeply transportive – it’s a complex, beautifully crafted scent that tells a story with every wear and improves with every encounter.
More from the Condé Nast Traveller Beauty Awards 2026:
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