Combining traditional white florals with luxe hints of vanilla and warm, sparkling spices, Claudia Winkleman’s signature perfume is as sensual as they come…
While the list of best long-lasting perfumes boasts many a delicate and timeless scent, from powdery florals to fresh citrus blends, if you’re someone who gravitates towards warmer and sexier signatures, we have another suggestion for you. Or we should say Claudia Winkleman does, as The Traitors presenter let slip her own favourite fragrance and, per her description, “it smells of pure filth.”
Before we lose you, she means that in a very good way. It’s musky, warm and intoxicatingly spicy, the sort of scent that exudes sophistication – it’s also a bonafide perfumery icon that first launched in 1977. Plus, best of all, it’s refreshingly affordable for a celebrity-loved designer fragrance…
The sultry throwback perfume Claudia Winkleman always wears
When it comes to the best perfumes for women, while there are several niche and less mainstream scents to be found (like these French perfumes), a handful of iconic brands never stray from the rankings. Chanel and Dior, for instance, and of course, Yves Saint Laurent. And though Libre often steals the spotlight as a popular amber perfume, there’s another iconic blend from YSL’s lineup that marries creamy vanilla with warm, resinous amber. You may have already guessed – It goes by the name of Opium and it just so happens to be Claudia Winkleman’s all-time signature.
YSL Beauty Opium Eau de Parfum Spray
RRP: from £67 for 30ml | Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, Lily of the Valley, carnation, myrrh, jasmine, patchouli, vanilla and amber
Existing somewhere between a chic evening scent and an autumn/winter perfume, YSL’s famous Opium blends sparkling notes of mandarin and a bouquet of white florals with spicy and warming hints of amber, vanilla and patchouli. It’s spicy, rich and perfectly alluring, and thanks to its iconic square bottle with gold detailing, it’s a luxe-looking addition to your dresser.
Detailing her morning routine with Grazia, Winkleman also gave us an insight into her perfume preferences – along with the exact aroma she always wears.
“I only wear Yves Saint Laurent Opium,” Winkleman said, adding that she always opts for the ‘old, brown bottle.’ As for why she loves it, the presenter quipped: “It smells of pure filth. It’s the best smell – it’s musky and it’s dirty.”
This timeless scent, first launched in 1977, opens with zingy notes of mandarin and bergamot, which then give way to hints of white florals, including Lily of the Valley and jasmine, before drying down into something altogether muskier. At its base are patchouli, amber and vanilla, which afford this scent its bewitching and sexy appeal. It’s rich, heady and ideal for those who steer clear of traditionally feminine or delicately fresh fragrances, which is also why Winkleman adores it.
“I don’t want to smell girly, I don’t want to smell like I’ve just walked across a meadow,” she explains: “I don’t want any of that. I want to smell like sex!”
As you can probably deduce from Winkleman’s description and taste in scents, this iconic YSL number lends itself perfectly to the evening but will also grant its wearer a very chic and lingering scent in the daytime.
