If there's one fragrance house that's become interchangeable with the popularity of celebrity fragrances, it's Elizabeth Arden. While Elizabeth Arden has its own line of well-respected fragrances such as Blue Grass, 5th Avenue, and Red Door, they invested heavily in building an empire of celebrity perfumes — from Britney Spears and Justin Beiber to Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj, they are a force to be reckoned with.
As the celebrity fragrance market has become over-saturated, many consumers have turned away from the celebrity fragrances preferring niche, small-batch fragrances. However, don't turn up your nose at Elizabeth Arden's vast array of celebrity perfumes.
These fragrances have more going for them than just the name on the label. Many were made by top perfumers, feature imaginative packaging, and are sold at affordable prices. Here are our top picks.
Our Favorite Celebrity Perfumes by Elizabeth Arden:
Elizabeth Taylor: White Diamonds EDP
It's impossible to talk about celebrity fragrances without Elizabeth Taylor's White Diamonds which launched the trend in 1991. Like Elizabeth Taylor herself, it's a very feminine scent. A sheer floral fragrance that was added to the Fragrance Foundations Hall of Fame in 2009.
Justin Beiber: Someday EDP
Released at the height of Justin Beiber's popular, Someday EDP is an ode to Beliebers, his audience of teenage girls. Perfumer Honorine Blanc also designed Usher's She as well as a wide range of designer fragrances for YSL, Marc Jacobs, and Ralph Lauren. A sweet floral scent for everyday wear.
Mariah Carey: M Perfume
Unlike most celebrity fruity-floral scents, M by Mariah Carey is a true original. A smokey marshmallow scent with a touch of sea breeze and sweet tiare. Despite the marshmallow, it's a very grown-up gourmand scent, sexy and sensual. Perfect for anyone who loves sweet and incense scents.
Nicki Minaj: Onika Perfume
In true Minaj style, the packaging of Nicki Minaj's perfumes is all outrageous, over-the-top glamour. From the bottle alone you might expect something dramatic and overwhelming but actually, the scent is sugar-sweet. Fresh, sweet, and clean — Minajesty starts with pear, mandarin orange, and star fruit before a solid base of sugar cane in the dry down.
Britney Spears: Curious EDP
Britney Spears's own popularity dovetailed the rise of celebrity perfumes and she built her own fragrance empire with Elizabeth Arden. Her first release in 2004 was Curious and it remains one of her strongest fragrances (see a full ranking of our top Britney Spears fragrance picks here). It's a bright, effervescent perfume geared for women in their early twenties with strong notes of magnolia, pear, and lotus. A great weekend scent.
Taylor Swift: Wonderstruck EDP
Pop singer Taylor Swift's first fragrance Wonderstruck was launched in 2011. It's solidly aimed at teens and early 20s, with a sweet fruity mix of berries and vanilla. Easy to wear and uncomplicated, it's a slightly generic but pleasant perfume similar to many fragrances from Victoria's Secret. Wonderstruck has fantastic sillage and longevity.
Usher: Usher She EDP
Pop start Usher launched Usher She and Usher He in 2007. Despite the name, Usher She wears like a unisex fragrance with the sweetness of fruit balanced with heavier incense and musk. It's a sexy, grown-up, almost boozy scent. While it's not wildly original, it's pleasant enough with great staying power. Good for a night out or romantic wear.
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.
