THE 20 BEST EVER PERFUMES

CK ONE BY CALVIN KLEIN

From £19.99 (theperfumeshop.com)

THE first unisex fragrance. Its launch in 1994 was the biggest ­fragrance launch of all time, with the ad campaign featuring a young Kate Moss. The scent reflected the grunge fashions of the time, with androgynous models and black and white shots.

                                                                                         CK One by Calvin Klein 

ANGEL BY THIERRY MUGLER

From £21.50 (theperfumeshop.com)

In its fantastic star-shaped bottle, Angel quickly became a classic when it launched 15 years ago. A sensuous mix of bergamot, vanilla, chocolate and caramel, it was truly unique — and indulgently ­luxurious. Still one of the UK’s top five best-selling fragrances, the idea of making the bottles refillable was also a new one in the mid-Nineties.

                                                                                           Angel by Thierry Mugler

OPIUM BY YVES SAINT LAURENT

From £24.04 (cheapsmells.com)

When Opium launched in 1977, it was like no other fragrance. Heavy, sensual and evocative, it caused a stir when Yves Saint Laurent likened it to the ‘fatal ecstasy’ of falling in love. It remains hugely popular and one of the world’s most successful ­perfumes, with notes of mandarin, bergamot, vanilla, jasmine and patchouli.

                                                                                       Opium by Yves Saint Laurent

YOUTH DEW BY ESTEE LAUDER

From £14 (esteelauder.co.uk)

Estee Lauder’s first fragrance, created in 1953, has sold more than 250 million bottles to date. In the early 1950s, scent was still a ‘special occasion’ gift for women. Estee Lauder created a scent that women could wear every day.

                                                                                       Youth Dew by Estee Lauder

CLASSIQUE BY JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

From £22.95 (cheapsmells.com)

Launched 16 years ago, the world of perfume had never seen anything like Jean Paul Gaultier’s first fragrance. In a stunning ‘corset’ bottle with sensuous notes of rose, star anise, ginger and orange blossom, it was the most playful that scent had ever become. It still sells four bottles every minute, and is stocked by almost 19,000 ­retailers worldwide.

                                                                                     Classique by Jean Paul Gaultier 

JE REVIENS BY WORTH

£70 (theperfumeshop.com)

It was the 1932 launch of Je Reviens that made the French couture House of Worth world-renowned for its scents. With all the romance of Paris encapsulated in its ­elegant Art Deco bottle, it became a ­popular gift from soldiers to their sweethearts during World War II. It’s a soft, floral bouquet, with notes of jasmine, ylang ylang, amber and violet. 

                                                                                               Je reviens by Worth