You may have heard of the rich history behind Balenciaga perfumes and feel ready to add some to your collection. Amongst the world’s biggest fashion houses, Balenciaga stands as an icon above. Of course, their signature scents are as custom as their fashion.
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Best Overall
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Best For Spring
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Best Vintange
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With so many options, you might not know exactly where to begin. You may be wondering which Balenciaga scent will suit your tastes best.
Breathe easy, because we’ve got reviews to meet all of your Balenciaga needs.
Our Top Balenciaga Perfume Picks
Most of these perfumes have consistently made their mark from the 1980s and on, but there are a few classics here as well. You can find most Balenciaga perfume at Sephora or online.
Best Overall
Balenciaga released Balenciaga Paris perfume in celebration of their new era beginning in 2010. This Chypre Floral scent was a collaborative effort between Designer of Balenciaga Nicolas Ghesquiere, perfumer Olivier Polge, and muse Charlotte Gainsbourg. It’s known as the Balenciaga perfume Camille Razat always wears.
This lovely, modest scent introduces itself with an effusive violet that has a natural presence.
Nothing about this perfume is overly sweet or artificial, and the dry down is held in stable notes of green patchouli. The Balenciaga Paris perfume discontinued briefly in some areas but is available online now.
PROS: Modest, gently powdery
CONS: Not much longevity
- For: Women
- Seasons: Spring
- Wear It: Day
- Launched: 2010
Best for Spring
The Balenciaga perfume Florabotanica is an innovative scent that marks another chapter in Balenciaga’s new age. The first in their mysterious garden concept, Florabotanica is a truly unique floral experience.
A simple yet nuanced floral green perfume, a wondrous top note of mint leaves you feeling fresh and awake. The middle notes are of rich rose and cannabis, with classic carnation. Vetiver and amber make up the base of Florabotanica.
This perfume is another collaboration between Olivier Polge and Jean-Christophe Herault. You’ll find this Balenciaga perfume at Macy’s or online.
PROS: Unique, suitable for many types of people
CONS: It may be too simplistic for some
- For: Women / Unisex
- Seasons: Spring / Summer
- Wear It: Day / Evening
- Launched: 2012
Best for Fall
Each Balenciaga perfume has a unique place in history, and B. Balenciaga Intense takes its place as third in the B. line. These perfumes are part of the era marked by creative director Alexander Wang.
Meant to be a distinctive experience, B. Intense starts with cool forest and blueberry, descending through florals into a cedar and mahogany base. The perfumer is Domitille Michalon Bertier.
PROS: Natural, beautifully balanced
CONS: Sillage is variable
- For: Women
- Seasons: Fall
- Wear It: Day or Night
- Launched: 2016
Best Vintage
Embrace the vintage feel of Rumba by Ted Lapidus. This special Balenciaga scent is highly complex with numerous notes and uplifting energy that matches the name.
Unique notes of Mirabelle, basil, and raspberry open up and heliotrope, carnation, rose, and more follow.
This perfume has a vintage feel that is rich and lush, with great longevity and projection. However, the more weighted musk and tonka bean tend to drown out some of the lighter florals.
PROS: Vibrant, long-lasting
CONS: Some scents compete, maybe too complex for some
- For: Women
- Seasons: Winter + Fall
- Wear It: Night
- Launched: 1989
Best Long-lasting
Talisman serves as Rumba’s more gently vintage cousin, just as complex but with a hint more sugar and tang.
We love the top notes of rum and pineapple that make for a spirited intro. Fortunately, the amazing mid and base notes of ylang-ylang, cyclamen, leather, and caramel are long-lasting and have a lovely, muted sillage.
This scent is from the nose of Dominique Preyssas.
PROS: Uplifting floral, long-lasting
CONS: Scent can lean towards the dry side
- For: Women
- Seasons: Winter
- Wear It: Night
- Launched: 1994
Best Balanced
Cristobal is yet another marvel of Balenciaga’s line of incredible perfumes, this one conceptualized by perfumer Olivier Gillotin.
A well-balanced, wholesome scent, Cristobal offers up smooth peony, freesia, and jasmine. These light florals settle into a lovely dry down of vanilla with touches of sandalwood and patchouli.
PROS: Wonderfully balanced, not overpowering
CONS: Moderate longevity/sillage, more thin than rich
- For: Women
- Seasons: Fall
- Wear It: Day or Night
- Launched: 1998
Best for Summer
By perfumer Jean-Christophe Herault, Rosabotanica is Florabotanica’s thorny sibling. This quirky, peculiar scent is not for everyone, but worth trying if you’re looking for something different.
The top notes are blue hyacinth, fig, and petitgrain. The middle is rounded out with aquatic rose, grapefruit, and pink pepper, with base notes of unexpected white amber and vetiver.
PROS: Unique, modern
CONS: Can smell too herbal
- For: Women
- Seasons: Summer + Spring
- Wear It: Day
- Launched: 2013
Best Casual
Prelude is a distinctly oriental Balenciaga perfume, it is wonderfully present, yet muted and soft.
Crisp bergamot and juicy orange carry Prelude in, with friendly cinnamon and orchid coming next. The base is composed of long-lasting benzoin, civet, and amber. Prelude projects well but won’t overwhelm the people in your surroundings.
PROS: Great for casual wear, long-lasting
CONS: Not good for hot seasons/places, scent is on the tart side.
- For: Women
- Seasons: Fall / Winter
- Wear It: Day / Night
- Launched: 1982
Best Powdery
Olivier Polge shines again with Balenciaga L’Essence, a true-violet scent balanced in a base of rich cedar, sandalwood, and green notes. This long-lasting scent keeps it simple, with additional vetiver to add just a hint of earth.
There is a powdery element to this that some people might not prefer, and the scent does not tend to evolve much through the day. Sadly, this Balenciaga perfume discontinued not long after its launch.
PROS: Violet, long-lasting
CONS: Powdery, scent stays the same through the day
- For: Women
- Seasons: Spring
- Wear It: Day
- Launched: 2011
Best Classic
If you’re looking for something that will complete your retro outfit, see if you can get your hands on a bottle of Quadrille. Lauded for its solidly-balanced scent and incredible longevity, Quadrille is a classic that starts with plum, peach, and lemon.
This scent is rounded out with outdoorsy, fresh notes of moss, cloves, and cardamom, with a dry down of absolutely classic musk.
PROS: Present yet not overpowering
CONS: Maybe too dated for some, difficult to find
- For: Women / Unisex
- Seasons: Fall / All
- Wear It: Day / Night
- Launched: 1955
Best Strong
The nose behind Le Dix is Francis Fabron, and it is a classically strong perfume that speaks to its era. This Balenciaga perfume price is high like other vintage scents like Chanel No. 5.
Look for an introduction to tender violet, aldehydes, and coriander. Diverse middle notes include lily-of-the-valley, sweet rose, and lilac. The dry down is timeless, an upbeat vintage mix of sandalwood, Peru balsam, and musk.
Women’s Balenciaga perfumes are elegant, just like Le Dix.
PROS: Inspiring, engagingly complex
CONS: Maybe too strong for some, moderate longevity and sillage
- For: Women
- Seasons: Any
- Wear It: Evening
- Launched: 1947
About the Author
Selena Marc is a fragrance enthusiast, freelance writer, and dog mom living in Houston, Texas. When she's not writing about her favorite new perfumes, you can find her enjoying yoga or a morning hike.