Are you ready to make an unforgettable entrance? If you’re on the hunt for strong perfumes for women that are guaranteed to turn heads, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re chasing the ultimate strong women’s perfume, craving a women’s perfume with the best projection, or simply want to know, ‘what is sillage?’, our top 10 is set to deliver.
Finding a fragrance that stays with you through meetings, nights out, and everything in between isn’t easy. But we’ve sniffed, spritzed, and scoped out the most head-turning, confidence-boosting perfumes that are guaranteed to linger long after you’ve left the room.
What Makes a Fragrance Strong?
When it comes to strong perfumes, it’s all about the concentration of the fragrance oils. The more oil a perfume contains, the more potent and long-lasting the aroma.
Parfum is stronger than all other perfumes. The crème de la crème of the fragrance world, Parfum usually contains around 20% concentrated oils – although they can be as high as 30%.
Then there are Eau de Parfums, which contain a concentration of between 12-18%. Eau de Parfums typically last between 4-5 hours – perfect for dates, nights out, and occasions when you want everyone to know which perfume you’re wearing!
What Is Projection?
Projection is basically how far your perfume travels from your skin and how easily others smell it. Think of it like your personal aroma; the stronger the projection, the more noticeable it is. So, if you’ve ever had someone say “I could smell your perfume the second you walked in,” that’s great projection at work.
What Is Sillage?
Sillage (pronounced see-yazh) is the beautiful trail your perfume leaves behind as you move. Imagine it like a scented signature that lingers in the air even after you’ve left the room. The key difference is that sillage stays in the air long after you leave, whereas projection refers to your smell when you’re present.
Now we’ll break down the best strong perfumes for women, as well as the women’s perfume with best projection and the best sillage. Welcome to your new realm of unforgettable scent!
Best Strong Perfumes for Women
1. Burberry Goddess Intense
The clue is in the name with our first strong perfume for women, (hint; anytime a perfume has ‘intense’ in the name, you can expect a strong scent) Burberry Goddess Intense is a gourmand woody masterpiece that brings serious strength and projection to the table. Opening with heady lavender, it dives into a four rich, indulgent vanillas (including vanilla wood, vanilla infusion, vanilla caviar and vanilla absolute) before settling on an earthy patchouli base that gives it magnetic sillage.
Gucci Guilty Intense rewrites everything you know about strong women’s perfume with the vibrancy of juicy mandora and temperately sweet lychee. Enhanced by the mysterious sensuality of dark plum and empowering woody notes, this long-lasting scent is bursting with feminine intensity. With a single spritz, you’ll feel ready to take on anything.
Armani Sì is an iconic fragrance (that we highly recommend for weddings, by the way), and Sì Intense is just as desirable as its predecessor, but with a little extra strength. It’s a radiant and feminine fragrance, blending fresh blackcurrant nectar with a floral rose heart. Sweet vanilla and smoky black tea create a new, deeper intensity that makes a long-lasting statement with every spritz.
All the beauty and femininity of the original scent, Prada Paradoxe, but with added power. This strong women’s perfume has the addition of delicate jasmine flower and vibrant amber accord lift this fragrance to a whole new intoxicating level. If you’re looking for an empowering perfume that leaves an intense, head-turning trail, pop Prada Paradoxe Intense in your basket and head straight to check-out!
Unleash your soft side with this angelic (right down to the bottle) perfume. Zadig by Zadig & Voltaire is made up of a dreamy vanilla and white sesame blend with a burst of orange blossom and amber for a captivating scent experience. Creamy sandalwood at the base gives this enigmatic fragrance some serious sillage that will leave an unforgettable trail in your path.
Not all strong perfumes are powerful; Gucci Gorgeous Gardenia Intense is as soft and gentle as the original, but it features intensified notes. As a result, it’s charming and inviting – one of those scents you remember from the very first spritz! Creamy gardenia accord entwines with hedione for a burst of full-bodied floral opulence. This is a strong perfume for women that we can’t get enough of, with an addictive intensity.
Rose Naturelle Intense may be a completely natural, vegan-friendly fragrance, but it’s as full-bodied as strong perfumes for women come. The gentle whisper of the emblematic and woody rose combines with smoky, vanilla-tinged oak, cedar and a base of creamy vanilla to reveal a free-spirited fragrance that’s fresh, pure and perfect to wear all year round.
Who doesn’t love that magical warm feeling of the sun on your skin and the soft light of a summer sunset?Devotion Intense encapsulates the very feeling of an Italian getaway, where sweet gourmand notes intertwine with fresh florals. This intense concentration contains warming hazelnut, orange blossom, and sweet vanilla encased in a vibrant peach bottle adorned with the Sacred Heart, a catholic symbol of divine love.
If you search ‘women’s perfume with the best projection’, Libre by YSL will be one of the first results. YSL decided to project (pun intended) this claim to fame even further by creating the bodacious Libre Intense. This captivating and distinctive scent has been amplified with intensified ingredients, then twisted with a smouldering orchid accord. This strong perfume for women was inspired by the French word ‘Libre’, which translates to free. We can’t think of a better scent to make an entrance with – be prepared to turn heads!
Angel is an icon in the perfume world, as is its creator, French designer Thierry Mugler. It’s no surprise that this scent, which also happens to be the first gourmand fragrance, offers the best sillage (I hope you read that in a French accent!) on the market. French brands know what they’re doing when it comes to strength, projection and sillage – Libre also offers the latter. This indulgent strong women’s perfume opens with fresh bergamot before opening to a radiant heart of exotic fruits, honey, caramel and praline. If your mouth isn’t watering already, we’ll bet that the base of vanilla will have you hooked. Balanced with woody patchouli, expect a heaven-scent aroma that lingers for hours.
Deniz is our Content Marketing Executive here at The Perfume Shop. She joined our team of Perfume People at Scentquarters in 2024, and has been igniting her personal perfume passion daily ever since! Deniz is a lover of all things fragrance, and even joined The Fragrance Foundation’s class of 2025, making her a certified fragrance expert. When she’s not on the hunt for upcoming perfume trends, you’ll find her trying out a new restaurant or practicing Pilates. Her favourite perfume? Chloe Nomade, the ultimate floral chypre!
10 strong perfumes for women
Are you ready to make an unforgettable entrance? If you’re on the hunt for strong perfumes for women that are guaranteed to turn heads, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re chasing the ultimate strong women’s perfume, craving a women’s perfume with the best projection, or simply want to know, ‘what is sillage?’, our top 10 is set to deliver.
Finding a fragrance that stays with you through meetings, nights out, and everything in between isn’t easy. But we’ve sniffed, spritzed, and scoped out the most head-turning, confidence-boosting perfumes that are guaranteed to linger long after you’ve left the room.
What Makes a Fragrance Strong?
When it comes to strong perfumes, it’s all about the concentration of the fragrance oils. The more oil a perfume contains, the more potent and long-lasting the aroma.
Parfum is stronger than all other perfumes. The crème de la crème of the fragrance world, Parfum usually contains around 20% concentrated oils – although they can be as high as 30%.
Then there are Eau de Parfums, which contain a concentration of between 12-18%. Eau de Parfums typically last between 4-5 hours – perfect for dates, nights out, and occasions when you want everyone to know which perfume you’re wearing!
What Is Projection?
Projection is basically how far your perfume travels from your skin and how easily others smell it. Think of it like your personal aroma; the stronger the projection, the more noticeable it is. So, if you’ve ever had someone say “I could smell your perfume the second you walked in,” that’s great projection at work.
What Is Sillage?
Sillage (pronounced see-yazh) is the beautiful trail your perfume leaves behind as you move. Imagine it like a scented signature that lingers in the air even after you’ve left the room. The key difference is that sillage stays in the air long after you leave, whereas projection refers to your smell when you’re present.
Now we’ll break down the best strong perfumes for women, as well as the women’s perfume with best projection and the best sillage. Welcome to your new realm of unforgettable scent!
Best Strong Perfumes for Women
1. Burberry Goddess Intense
The clue is in the name with our first strong perfume for women, (hint; anytime a perfume has ‘intense’ in the name, you can expect a strong scent) Burberry Goddess Intense is a gourmand woody masterpiece that brings serious strength and projection to the table. Opening with heady lavender, it dives into a four rich, indulgent vanillas (including vanilla wood, vanilla infusion, vanilla caviar and vanilla absolute) before settling on an earthy patchouli base that gives it magnetic sillage.
Burberry
Burberry Goddess Intense
Eau de Parfum Refillable Spray
100ML – £145.00
Burberry
Burberry Goddess Intense
Eau de Parfum Refillable Spray
50ML – £105.00
2. Gucci Guilty Intense
Gucci Guilty Intense rewrites everything you know about strong women’s perfume with the vibrancy of juicy mandora and temperately sweet lychee. Enhanced by the mysterious sensuality of dark plum and empowering woody notes, this long-lasting scent is bursting with feminine intensity. With a single spritz, you’ll feel ready to take on anything.
Gucci
Guilty Pour Femme
Eau de Parfum Intense Spray
50ML – £103.00
Gucci
Guilty Pour Femme
Eau de Parfum Intense Spray
90ML – £145.00
3. Armani Sì Intense
Armani Sì is an iconic fragrance (that we highly recommend for weddings, by the way), and Sì Intense is just as desirable as its predecessor, but with a little extra strength. It’s a radiant and feminine fragrance, blending fresh blackcurrant nectar with a floral rose heart. Sweet vanilla and smoky black tea create a new, deeper intensity that makes a long-lasting statement with every spritz.
Armani
Si Intense
Eau de Parfum Refillable
50ML – £105.00
Armani
Si Intense
Eau de Parfum Refillable
100ML – £145.00
Armani
Si Intense
Eau de Parfum Refillable
30ML – £76.00
4. Prada Paradoxe Intense
All the beauty and femininity of the original scent, Prada Paradoxe, but with added power. This strong women’s perfume has the addition of delicate jasmine flower and vibrant amber accord lift this fragrance to a whole new intoxicating level. If you’re looking for an empowering perfume that leaves an intense, head-turning trail, pop Prada Paradoxe Intense in your basket and head straight to check-out!
Prada
Paradoxe Intense
Eau de Parfum Refillable
50ML – £112.00
Prada
Paradoxe Intense
Eau de Parfum Refillable
30ML – £79.00
5. Zadig by Zadig & Voltaire
Unleash your soft side with this angelic (right down to the bottle) perfume. Zadig by Zadig & Voltaire is made up of a dreamy vanilla and white sesame blend with a burst of orange blossom and amber for a captivating scent experience. Creamy sandalwood at the base gives this enigmatic fragrance some serious sillage that will leave an unforgettable trail in your path.
Zadig & Voltaire
ZADIG
Eau de Parfum Spray
90ML – £124.00
Zadig & Voltaire
ZADIG
Eau de Parfum Spray
50ML – £89.00
6. Gucci Gorgeous Gardenia Intense
Not all strong perfumes are powerful; Gucci Gorgeous Gardenia Intense is as soft and gentle as the original, but it features intensified notes. As a result, it’s charming and inviting – one of those scents you remember from the very first spritz! Creamy gardenia accord entwines with hedione for a burst of full-bodied floral opulence. This is a strong perfume for women that we can’t get enough of, with an addictive intensity.
Gucci
Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Intense
Eau de Parfum Spray
100ML – £145.00
Gucci
Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Intense
Eau de Parfum Spray
50ML – £99.00
7. ROSE NATURELLE INTENSE BY CHLOÉ
Rose Naturelle Intense may be a completely natural, vegan-friendly fragrance, but it’s as full-bodied as strong perfumes for women come. The gentle whisper of the emblematic and woody rose combines with smoky, vanilla-tinged oak, cedar and a base of creamy vanilla to reveal a free-spirited fragrance that’s fresh, pure and perfect to wear all year round.
Chloé
Rose Naturelle Intense
Eau de Parfum Spray
30ML – £52.50
Chloé
Rose Naturelle Intense
Eau de Parfum Spray
50ML – £103.00
8. Devotion Intense by Dolce & Gabbana
Who doesn’t love that magical warm feeling of the sun on your skin and the soft light of a summer sunset? Devotion Intense encapsulates the very feeling of an Italian getaway, where sweet gourmand notes intertwine with fresh florals. This intense concentration contains warming hazelnut, orange blossom, and sweet vanilla encased in a vibrant peach bottle adorned with the Sacred Heart, a catholic symbol of divine love.
Dolce&Gabbana
Devotion Intense
Eau de Parfum Intense Spray
100ML – £147.00
Women’s Perfume With The Best Projection
YSL Libre Intense
If you search ‘women’s perfume with the best projection’, Libre by YSL will be one of the first results. YSL decided to project (pun intended) this claim to fame even further by creating the bodacious Libre Intense. This captivating and distinctive scent has been amplified with intensified ingredients, then twisted with a smouldering orchid accord. This strong perfume for women was inspired by the French word ‘Libre’, which translates to free. We can’t think of a better scent to make an entrance with – be prepared to turn heads!
Yves Saint Laurent
Libre Intense
Eau de Parfum Spray
50ML – £117.00
Yves Saint Laurent
Libre Intense
Eau de Parfum Spray
90ML – £162.00
Women’s Perfume With The Best Sillage
Angel by Thierry Mugler
Angel is an icon in the perfume world, as is its creator, French designer Thierry Mugler. It’s no surprise that this scent, which also happens to be the first gourmand fragrance, offers the best sillage (I hope you read that in a French accent!) on the market. French brands know what they’re doing when it comes to strength, projection and sillage – Libre also offers the latter. This indulgent strong women’s perfume opens with fresh bergamot before opening to a radiant heart of exotic fruits, honey, caramel and praline. If your mouth isn’t watering already, we’ll bet that the base of vanilla will have you hooked. Balanced with woody patchouli, expect a heaven-scent aroma that lingers for hours.
Mugler
Angel
Eau de Parfum Refillable Spray
50ML – £97.00
Mugler
Angel
Eau de Parfum Refillable Spray
25ML – £69.00
Ready to get a whiff of our latest women’s perfumes?
Discover the new perfume launches destined to be your next signature scent.
Deniz Kotan
Deniz is our Content Marketing Executive here at The Perfume Shop. She joined our team of Perfume People at Scentquarters in 2024, and has been igniting her personal perfume passion daily ever since! Deniz is a lover of all things fragrance, and even joined The Fragrance Foundation’s class of 2025, making her a certified fragrance expert. When she’s not on the hunt for upcoming perfume trends, you’ll find her trying out a new restaurant or practicing Pilates. Her favourite perfume? Chloe Nomade, the ultimate floral chypre!
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