A specific group of intense white blooms has been behind many of the world’s most popular perfumes. Now, tuberose waves its olfactory flag; its creamy, carnal nature, first harnessed in often polarising scents (think the power florals of the 80s and then niche, independent scents), is softened with jasmine, fresh greens and soft woods.

Gucci Bloom EDP 50ml $143.
Alessandro Michele envisioned this scent as a flourishing garden full of diverse types of flowers and he’s nailed it — the floral for women who don’t love florals.

Bulgari Goldea The Roman Night EDP 50ml, $169.
A glamorous wear with fresh opening notes of mulberry, jasmine and tuberose and a more sensual musky base.

Chanel Gabrielle EDP 100ml, $298.
Designed to conjure a single imaginary flower, merging jasmine, tuberose, ylang ylang and orange blossom.

La Femme Prada Intense EDP 50ml, $209.
An assertive mix for those that deplore a simpering scent. A heart of tuberose and ylang ylang in a base of patchouli yields an almost oriental result.

Gourmand scent has come of age, disassociating from some of its sickly sweet candy-caramel reputation and embracing more specific ingredients like honey, almond, ginger and fresh ground spices. The result is a warm, comforting element often mixed with a handful of floral notes. Squeezed mandarin, bergamot and grapefruit are also prominent currently, as are juicy red berries.

Jean Paul Gaultier Scandal EDP 50ml, $151.
Blood orange, honey, patchouli and gardenia sit on a woody base in an excitingly original, sexy scent that has wide-ranging appeal.

Curionoir Cellar Feels Parfum 50ml, $40; 250ml $240.
Tiffany Jeans calls on memories of a wine-
making cellar with notes of apple, black tea, orange, grape leaves, spices and cedarwood.

Byredo Velvet Haze EDP 50ml, $176.
The new Byredo number is creamy and warm and then musky with notes of coconut water, cacao and patchouli — very now, yet still fitting of its 70s throwback moniker.

Tiffany & Co EDP 50ml, $179.
This blend of mandarin, iris and patchouli isn’t what you’d expect of the first fine fragrance from the luxury jewellers but it is fresh, powdery and chic.

Some women prefer scents branded for men, with their musky, animalistic or illicit (think whisky, rum and tobacco) compositions. Recognising this, the elements are increasingly being used for the female market, like rose being rounded out with a smoky edge. These gender flexible fragrances are designed with an inclusive approach rather than for him or her.

Calvin Klein Obsessed for Men and Obsessed for Women EDP 50ml, $89 each.
The brand that made its mark with the unisex One in the 90s is again unique in its approach. The women’s scent is aromatic and musky, while the men’s is warm with dark vanilla.

Aesop Hwyl EDP 50ml, $160.
Earthy and aromatic, Aesop’s latest fragrance is appealing to lovers of the brand given the naturally-derived scents used in its other products.

Tom Ford Noir Anthracite 50ml, $200.
Mr Ford rarely labels his scents by gender — if you make that assumption on packaging you might miss out on this spicy, smoky blend of pepper, bergamot and woods.

Cire Trudon II (pronounced Deux) EDP 100ml, $349, from World Beauty.
The brand known for its luxe scented candles has launched five parfums, aimed at ‘characters’ rather than gender. We like this earthy green mix.