Valentino's Perfume, Roma Donna Eau de Parfum, Named Best Fragrance of 2024

valentino bella dona intense perfume on a floral background — (Image credit: Valentino)

Fragrance launches this year have not been in short supply. We’ve seen 2024's best new perfumes put spins on classic florals and fruity scents, lean into unisex and gender-neutral profiles, and even whip up new iterations of vanilla-heavy gourmands. Still, one new perfume stood out amongst the rest: Valentino’s Born in Roma Donna Eau de Parfum Intense. The floral fragrance was granted the Fragrance of the Year Award at the Fragrance Foundation Awards, an annual industry even hosted in New York City on Wednesday, June 5.

The title, bestowed upon only one newly launched fragrance per year, wasn’t given away lightly. The Fragrance Foundation, which assembles a team of beauty experts and expert perfumers to sample scents from over 150 brands every year, selects only one to win the Women’s Luxury category.

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The award didn’t come as a huge surprise to the industry insiders sitting in the room. Since its launch in 2023, Valentino’s Donna Born in Roma Intense, a floral-meets-amber scent, has become both an editor-loved fragrance and a fan favorite. Case in point: It has more than 2,000 five-star reviews at both Sephora and Nordstrom. Reviewers dub it “absolutely irresistible” and comment on its bold, refreshing, and unique composition.

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One perfume obsessive notes that it lasts over six hours. "It's cozy and sensual, very feminine, strong but not overpowering. In my opinion, the perfect vanilla scent, an absolute must-have," they wrote at Sephora. More than 60,000 "hearts" on the product backed the reviewer up.

Created by well-respected fragrance noses Amandine Clerc-Marie and Honorine Blanc, the juice housed inside this studded bottle is a sweet floral. At first spray, you’ll pick up on top notes of bourbon, vanilla, and amber. As it starts to dry down, the fragrance gives way to a hint of jasmine and a base note of benzoin, a note I’d best describe as a cinnamon-like vanilla.

Want to try the so-called best fragrance of 2024 yourself? Shop Valentino's perfume below.

Donna Born in Roma Intense Eau De Parfum Gift Set (Was $150)

Donna Born in Roma Intense Eau De Parfum

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Samantha Holender is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.