The Favourite
Perfumer: Aliénor Massenet
231 ratings
From your scent profile
Penhaligon's The Favourite is a powdery floral for women that pairs a fresh opening of mandarin orange, bergamot and violet with a soft heart of jasmine sambac, mimosa and iris.
Skunky's take: A card-carrying member of the fresh club.
How does it perform?
From 167 community ratings, all out of 10.
Holds up through the day and fades gently toward evening.
Leaves a light trail and stays polite in a crowd.
Sits nicely on a shelf.
The price makes you think, so a small size is a smart start.
Blind buy risk
76% of votes are positive and opinions barely differ.
Notes
They open one after another, from the first spray into the evening.
Top notesfirst 15 minutes
Heart notesfirst few hours
Base noteswhat stays into the evening
Accords
From most dominant to most subtle.
- Fresh
- Floral
- Fruity
- Sweet
- Powdery
Fresh
Floral
Fruity
Sweet
PowderyWhat does The Favourite smell like?
Longevity is rated good and sillage moderate. Most voters pick spring and summer, and it leans towards leisure, daily wear and the office. It reads mostly feminine, though some find it classic or modern.
It opens with mandarin orange and bergamot for freshness, while violet and freesia steer it towards the floral side. The heart shows mimosa, jasmine sambac and iris, sweet and powdery in feel. In the base, musk, Indian sandalwood and amber settle it into a warm, soft finish. Puma Flowing Woman and Cacharel Promesse have a close profile.
How it changes through the day
First minutes
- Mandarin orange
- Bergamot
- Violet
First hours
- Mimosa
- Jasmine sambac
- Iris
Towards evening
- Musk
- Indian sandalwood
- Amber
When to wear it?
Seasons and occasions, by user votes.
- 43%Spring
- 28%Summer
- 19%Autumn
- 10%Winter
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter- Casual28%
- Daytime25%
- Office22%
- Nighttime13%
- Evening11%
Least picked for evenings.
Smells like this
The closest scents by notes and accords.
61% matchFlowing Woman
Puma · 2003
57% matchLily
Maison Asrar · 2024
56% matchPromesse
Cacharel · 2005
56% matchSensational
Celine Dion · 2008
55% matchCassandra Rose Intense
Jeanne Arthes · 2014
55% matchBe Delicious City Blossom Urban Violet
DKNY · 2014
54% matchTender Love (Eau de Toilette)
Betty Barclay · 2020
52% matchFleurs de Cerisier / Cherry Blossom (Eau de Toilette)
L'Occitane en Provence · 2007
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Last updated: October 26, 2026