In an era of fragrance wardrobes, seasonal scent rotations and experimental perfume layering, actor Alisha Boe has decided to do things a little differently when it comes to her scent.

The 13 Reasons Why and Do Revenge star has little interest in switching between endless bottles, firmly in favour of one signature scent. "I'm the signature scent person," she tells Marie Claire UK. "Once you find one, you don't want to. If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

It's a refreshingly uncomplicated philosophy in a moment when fragrance has never been more experimental. While beauty lovers increasingly curate perfume wardrobes to suit every mood, Boe prefers one bottle that feels unmistakably like her.

The actor is the new face of Yves Saint Laurent Beauty's Black Opium franchise—a fragrance she knew well long before signing on. "Black Opium is such an iconic fragrance," she says. "I was very familiar with it, and I was so excited to jump on."

The latest interpretation introduces juicy strawberry alongside the fragrance's signature coffee, vanilla and white florals—a combination that initially caught Boe off guard. "What I love about the strawberry is that it's more like a farmer's market strawberry," she says. "It's very fresh and nice. I'm such a big fan of jasmine and vanilla, and I think marrying the two is so interesting. It's very warming and inviting and magnetic."

The Best Fragrances Aren't Worn for Other People

Perfume is often framed as something we wear to make an impression. Not for Boe. "It's more so how it makes me feel," she explains. "If I want to feel very confident and sexy, I'll throw on a really good scent."

Still, she believes fragrance is one of the few beauty choices people actually remember. "You remember if someone smells incredible," she says. "People talk about that for a long time. 'Did you meet that girl? She smelled amazing. What was she wearing?' There's so much mystery around it."

Unlike makeup or fashion, fragrance is invisible, which may be precisely why it feels so personal.

The Scent Memory She'll Never Forget

Despite fragrance's ephemeral nature, scent and memory are inseparable, and Boe is acutely aware of it—how a smell can outlast the moment it belongs to, resurfacing a whole place and time long after the details have blurred.

The fragrances that have stayed with her longest never came from a bottle. She moved from Norway to Los Angeles at seven, landing in an entirely new world—one she still recalls through smell more vividly than anything else.

"I remember the smell of dust and hot concrete, chlorine, because every house, it seemed, had a pool, and that was so, so exotic," she recalls. "Those three smells are my earliest memories because it was such a big change in my life."

Why Some Actors Wear a Different Perfume for Every Character

For actors, fragrance can double as a tool for stepping into character. Plenty of performers assign a different scent to each role, using it as another route into a fictional world. Boe has tried it herself.

"It is a fascinating technique," she says. "It goes back to how smell evokes memories and recall. I have done it once, and I think it just speaks to how important smell is to humans."

She spends much of her working life in the hair and makeup chair, but fragrance is the one step she keeps for herself. "My mornings are pretty different every day," she says. "I'll wash my face, shower, brush my teeth, floss—very important—and because I go into hair and makeup, I kind of leave that to them. Then the last thing I do is put on perfume."

"I've Never Really Cared About the Opinions of Strangers"

That same self-possession is what drew Boe to Yves Saint Laurent Beauty. The brand's message of unapologetic self-expression, she says, has always matched her own outlook.

"I've never really cared much about the opinions of strangers or how I might be perceived by other people," she says. "They really support that, and it felt like such a natural partnership because I believe that wholeheartedly."

It's the same logic that governs her relationship with fragrance. No chasing compliments, no collecting bottles for novelty's sake—just the belief that the right perfume should make the wearer feel good first and foremost.

In a beauty landscape built on chasing the next launch, Boe's approach lands as refreshingly secure and settled: find the scent that feels like home and wear it without wavering. Or as she puts it—if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Fragrance’s latest obsession takes root surprisingly close to home: the back garden. While the great outdoors has inspired perfumers for centuries, this new wave of scents draws on familiar scenes and aromas, including dew-dropped English meadows and the spoils of your allotment’s vegetable patch and herb garden.

It may sound odd if you’re partial to saccharine gourmands, but when scents like rosemary, rhubarb, and tomato are translated into olfactory form, they’re transformed. There’s an earthy groundedness, but also a sweetness, and if the composition leans herby, it can be invigoratingly botanical. There’s a freshness that’s nuanced, textured and completely transformative—they’re familiar, but with a hint of the surreal.

It reflects a broader shift, too: As a society, we’re becoming increasingly green-fingered. Research facilitated by Greenpeace, through freedom of information requests, found that the number of people waiting for an allotment space has almost doubled in the last 12 years. The charity chalked it up to the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as a desire to combat the mental load of climate change, and the cost of living crisis.

Niche perfume houses have been tapping into the movement for a while. First there was Loewe with its release of the now-iconic Tomato Leaves Candle in 2020. Next, Officine Universelle Buly released an extensive collection on the theme, The French Gardens, inspired by an antique collection of 18th-century botanical seeds and seedlings purchased by co-founder Ramdane Touhami. The six resulting fragrances feature unconventional, verdant notes of Scandinavian redcurrant, Peruvian tomato, Andean verbena and Ulu basil.

But this summer, the trend hit the mainstream. Just last month, Jo Malone debuted its limited-edition veggies collection: a trio of colognes evoking ripe beetroot, butternut, and carrot, with home products inspired by green tomato vine and tomato leaf.

So why now? “We’re seeing a shift away from fragrances that feel overly polished or overtly sweet, towards ones that feel alive and transportive,” explains the founder of niche, luxury fragrance brand, LUMIRA, Almira Armstrong. “Garden-inspired fragrances capture that beautifully. They evoke crushed herbs, warm leaves, citrus trees and sun-soaked greenery, creating the feeling of stepping into a living landscape rather than simply wearing perfume. People are craving authenticity and a stronger connection to nature. These fragrances feel restorative, sophisticated and quietly luxurious… They tell a story through atmosphere rather than obvious florals or gourmand notes.”

They’re also exceedingly wearable, adds Cherry Cheng, founder of fragrance brand Jouissance. “Green, aromatic, and vegetable notes tend to feel inherently genderless because they're rooted in nature and tend to sit outside traditional ideas of masculine and feminine perfumery.”

Most of this category taps into the everyday, so expect notes of tomato leaf, basil, mint, rosemary, thyme and cucumber. But there are others that evoke a mood, like sun- or rain-drenched grass, overgrown orchards, warm earth, and freshly cut greenery. These compositions rely heavily on familiar notes of petitgrain, neroli, vetiver and moss; they are just used differently. “They’re not meant to smell literally like vegetables,” Armstrong notes. “Instead, they recreate the freshness of stems, leaves and herbs warmed by the sun.”

Of course, we’ve also been drawn to these fecund scents because of the unprecedented heatwave that has gripped most of Western Europe. As the temperatures rise, people naturally gravitate towards fragrances that feel cooling, airy and refreshing, adds Armstrong. “Green notes, aromatic herbs and citrus all create that sensation without feeling heavy. Summer also heightens our memories of gardens, fresh produce and time spent outdoors,” she says. “Scent is closely connected to memory, so fragrances featuring basil, tomato leaf or citrus can instantly transport us to long lunches, Mediterranean holidays or afternoons spent in the garden.”

Ahead, the best, most invigorating, garden-inspired scents to shop this summer.

Marie Claire UK's second annual Fragrance Awards honour not only the fragrances that have become industry titans, but the innovation and craft driving this fast-growing industry. Indeed, the fragrance boom has only continued into 2026, with record-breaking sales and a slew of new releases that have delighted our beauty team month after month.

Ahead, discover the winners of The New Guard in the Marie Claire Fragrance Awards 2026—a collection of brands, fragrances and creative visionaries redefining what modern perfumery looks like, as selected by our panel of esteemed judges.

How are the products tested and judged?

The Fragrance Awards have been judged by a panel of industry experts, bringing together the sharpest noses and most discerning voices in beauty—from industry-leading Marie Claire UK editors to renowned fragrance specialists: Nicola Bonn, Mowa Osifeso, Suzy Nightingale, Thomas Dunckley, and Clémence Pellé. Judges tested the scents and provided scores based on perfume family, innovation, longevity and packaging.

WINNER: BEST COLLABORATION

WINNER: BEST DISRUPTOR

WINNER: BEST NEW FRAGRANCE - INDIE

WINNER: BEST EXTENSION

WINNER: BEST NICHE MEN'S FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST NICHE WOMEN'S FRAGRANCE

WINNER: TEAM FAVOURITE

WINNER: BEST FRAGRANCE CAMPAIGN

Models and sisters Lizzy and Georgia Jagger became Global Brand Ambassadors for Jo Malone's new English Pear fragrance campaign, which launched this spring. Promoting the new English Pear & Freesia and English Pear & Sweet Pea offer, the duo present two takes on the “perfect pear”, both in spirit, and as the “timeless, quintessential Jo Malone London ingredient”.

WINNER: BEST NEW FRAGRANCE - DESIGNER

WINNER: BEST NEW FRAGRANCE - MEN'S

WINNER: BEST NEW FRAGRANCE - WOMEN'S

WINNER: BEST INNOVATION - FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST DESIGNER FRAGRANCE BOTTLE

WINNER: BEST NICHE FRAGRANCE BOTTLE

WINNER: BEST DISCOVERY COLLECTION

What makes a perfume a modern classic? That’s what we set out to answer in the second annual Marie Claire UK Fragrance Awards. With so much choice on the market and seemingly endless new releases, it can be difficult to separate the good from the truly great.

Together with our judges, we spritzed hundreds of scents to narrow down the ones really worth splurging on—from the best British fragrance to the EDPs moving the needle in fragrance circles. Read on to discover our winners.

How are the products tested and judged?

The Fragrance Awards have been judged by a panel of industry experts, bringing together the sharpest noses and most discerning voices in beauty—from industry-leading Marie Claire UK editors to renowned fragrance specialists: Nicola Bonn, Mowa Osifeso, Suzy Nightingale, Thomas Dunckley, and Clémence Pellé. Judges tested the scents and provided scores based on perfume family, innovation, longevity and packaging.

WINNER: BEST EDT (EAU DE TOILETTE)

WINNER: BEST EDP (EAU DE PARFUM)

WINNER: BEST EDE (EAU DE EXTRAIT)

WINNER: BEST WOMEN’S DESIGNER FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST MEN’S DESIGNER FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST WOMEN’S LUXURY

WINNER: BEST HIGHSTREET FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST OVERALL WOMEN’S FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST OVERALL MEN’S FRAGRANCE

WINNER: BEST OVERALL COLLECTION

WINNER: BEST BRITISH FRAGRANCE

WINNER: MOST NOSTALGIC FRAGRANCE

The fragrance industry isn't just about perfume—in 2026, it's well and truly tapped into the the world of interiors. From moreish body mists and oils to luxurious candles and room sprays, there's so much choice that we once again dedicated an entire category to this rapidly-expanding section. Ahead, our judges select the crème de la crème.

How are the products tested and judged?

The Fragrance Awards have been judged by a panel of industry experts, bringing together the sharpest noses and most discerning voices in beauty—from industry-leading Marie Claire UK editors to renowned fragrance specialists: Nicola Bonn, Mowa Osifeso, Suzy Nightingale, Thomas Dunckley, and Clémence Pellé. Judges tested the scents and provided scores based on perfume family, innovation, longevity and packaging.

WINNER: BEST BODY WASH

WINNER: BEST ROOM SPRAY

WINNER: BEST BODY OIL

WINNER: BEST BODY CREAM

WINNER: BEST SCENTED CANDLE - NEW

WINNER: BEST SCENTED HAND DUO

WINNER: BEST REED DIFFUSER

WINNER: BEST SCENTED CANDLE - SHOWSTOPPER

WINNER: BEST SCENTED CANDLE - CLASSIC

WINNER: BEST INNOVATION - BODY

WINNER: BEST BODY MIST

WINNER: TEAM FAVOURITE - SCENTED CANDLE

With so much choice in the world of perfumery, how is one to choose a signature scent without paying attention to the fragrance families they're naturally drawn to? From botanical greens and saccharine gourmands to smoky, sultry ouds, we all have a preference for one, or several, scent profiles. Ahead, our judges have made the selection process much simpler by sharing their verdict on the best perfumes across the most popular fragrance families.

How are the products tested and judged?

The Fragrance Awards have been judged by a panel of industry experts, bringing together the sharpest noses and most discerning voices in beauty—from industry-leading Marie Claire UK editors to renowned fragrance specialists: Nicola Bonn, Mowa Osifeso, Suzy Nightingale, Thomas Dunckley, and Clémence Pellé. Judges tested the scents and provided scores based on perfume family, innovation, longevity and packaging.

WINNER: BEST GREEN

WINNER: BEST WOOD

WINNER: BEST FLORAL

WINNER: BEST MUSKY

WINNER: BEST CITRUS

WINNER: BEST SKIN SCENT

WINNER: BEST FRUIT

WINNER: BEST GOURMAND

WINNER: BEST AMBER

WINNER: BEST CHYPRE

WINNER: BEST SPICY

WINNER: BEST OUD

When it comes to seasonally scented body care, I’m jumping in there headfirst. The moment June arrives, every product in my routine gets a warm-weather upgrade. And I mean all—shower gel, body lotion, body mist and even my deodorant. If it doesn't smell like summer, it's off the shelf.

Switching my scents with the seasons is one of the easiest ways to feel more connected to the time of year, whatever the weather is doing (January, I'm looking at you). And summer body care is particularly transportive: fresh citrus, creamy coconut, juicy fruits and salty sea air can make an ordinary morning routine feel like the start of a holiday, even if you're staying firmly at home.

The best part is that summer-inspired body care has become far more sophisticated in recent years. Gone are the days of sickly-sweet tropical scents; today's launches are fresher, more nuanced and undeniably elevated. Whether you gravitate towards sun-warmed citrus, creamy coconut or breezy coastal notes, these are my favourites.

Summer-Scented Body Washes

Summer-Scented Body Scrubs

Summer-Scented Body Oils

Summer-Scented Body Moisturisers

Summer-Scented Deodorants

Summer-Scented Body Mists

Fragrances

My summer fragrance taste always circles back to the same families: tropical fruit, coconut, gourmand. Summer holidays are precious time with family and friends—the kind you actually unwind in. Which is exactly why the scent matters: it's the one thing that brings the whole memory back the second you spray it again.

Consider this the So this year, I went further than my own shelf. I asked 16 beauty content creators and fragrance experts for the one scent that does it for them—the bottle that takes them straight back to a tropical beach, a sun lounger, a holiday they'd repeat on loop. Their answers below.

Best Summer Fragrances

Jones Road Fragrance in Shower

FLORAÏKU Flying South Eau de Parfum

Maison Crivelli’s Hibiscus Mahajád Extrait de Parfum

Maison Crivelli Oud Maracuja Extrait de Parfum

Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum

L’Artisan Parfumeur À Fleur de Pêche Eau de Parfum

Clarins Eau Dynamisante Treatment Fragrance

Jo Malone Beach Blossom Cologne

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum

Glossier You Fleur Eau de Parfum

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau de Parfum

Rare Beauty Find Comfort Body and Hair Fragrance Mist in Feel Seen

DS and Durga Jazmin Yucatan Eau de Parfum

Miu Miu Fleur De Lait Eau de Parfum

Parfums de Marly Valaya Eau de Parfum

In 2020, my health collapsed.

Something hadn't been right for a while, but one evening, I went to bed and didn't leave it. My brain was issuing instructions, but my body simply refused to obey. Months passed in a strange, suspended blur before I was eventually diagnosed with ME, or myalgic encephalomyelitis—a chronic neurological condition that causes debilitating fatigue alongside a constellation of symptoms, including profound fatigue, neurological symptoms and cognitive disruption. My body slowed to a near standstill, but oddly, my sense of smell sharpened emotionally.

According to The ME Association, sensory hypersensitivity is common as the illness becomes chronic and/or severe. "One possible explanation is that a viral infection, or the resulting immune system response, resets those control centres and chemical transmitter systems in the brain that are responsible for how we recognise and then react to things," explains Dr Charles Shepherd, Medical Adviser to the ME Association.

For years prior, I underestimated perfume. I appreciated it aesthetically—the beautiful bottles, the ritual of choosing something to wear—but I saw it largely as a finishing touch. Something pleasing, decorative, non-essential. But I began to realise that smell has a way of reaching parts of us that language cannot. Before logic has caught up, before we’ve consciously placed a feeling, a scent can pull us somewhere else entirely—back into a person, a room, a version of ourselves we thought had slipped out of reach.

Scents that healed

I remember my mum arriving to look after me, carrying the soft floral warmth of Dior's J’adore Eau de Parfum. Even now, I associate it with safety. The fragrance wrapped itself around me like emotional scaffolding: comforting, maternal, grounding. There was something about its velvety florals and skin-like scent that felt impossibly reassuring against the fear I was carrying. My son was only three at the time, and when he climbed into bed beside me, I clung to the sensory details that belonged only to him: warm cinnamon on his breath, Johnson's baby shampoo lingering in his hair. The tenderness of it broke me.

Scents stopped functioning as accessories and became something closer to emotional touchpoints—small but potent cues that tethered me to people, memories and moods when everything else felt unstable. “Perfume is more than what’s in the bottle; it’s about the story it tells and the memories it creates," Jonny Webber, fragrance expert at Perfume Direct, tells me. “Fragrance has a strong psychological effect because the brain stores scent memories alongside emotions, which is why fragrance can trigger such an immediate and emotional reaction."

Coffee being brewed downstairs became less a drink and more a physical signal to my brain that I was alive. Friends arrived wearing sparkling, joyous perfumes like Chloé Eau de Parfum and Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Eau de Parfum, and suddenly the room felt lighter, more alive. My husband’s Chanel BLEU DE CHANEL Eau de Parfum—aromatic, woody and familiar—reminded me of intimacy, ordinary life and the version of myself I worried had been swallowed by illness.

Even now, although I am managing my illness more successfully, my confidence and cognition can still fluctuate. The perfume I wear each morning has become less about image and more about internal calibration—a way of nudging myself toward the state of mind I need. Some days call for momentum. On those mornings, I reach for Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium, its dark sweetness and coffee accord delivering the olfactory equivalent of a pep talk. On gentler days, AERIN Amber Musk Eau de Parfum offers something quieter: a feminine, powdery warmth that feels comforting rather than performative. Victoria Beckham Beauty Eau de Parfum Portofino '97 does something else entirely—crisp notes of citrus, bergamot and pepper give an almost kinetic energy that makes me feel more awake.

Scents to remember

What fascinates me now is how invisibly perfume embeds itself into our lives. We rarely notice it happening, but scent quietly attaches itself to relationships, milestones, grief, desire, ordinary afternoons. Then years later, a single inhale can reopen the entire archive.

Growing up in the nineties, fragrance culture felt considerably less introspective. We had Impulse body sprays rolling around school bags and the occasional coveted perfume gift at Christmas. While friends wore Mugler Angel with all its unapologetic sweetness, I was devoted to CK One—mostly because Kate Moss made it look impossibly cool. We used to joke that it smelled like Topshop changing rooms: citrus, musk and teenage aspiration hanging permanently in the air. Smelling it now instantly transports me back to adolescence, which, according to Webber, is because the scent signals travel directly to the brain’s limbic system, particularly the amygdala and hippocampus, which are linked to emotion, memory and behaviour.

That is the curious power of scent—not simply that it helps us remember, but that it resurrects feeling with unnerving accuracy. After my dad died, I kept one of his cashmere jumpers folded in a drawer. Every now and then, I still take it out. His scent has softened with time; what remains is faint, difficult to define—traces of aftershave mingled with something unmistakably, irreducibly him. Yet the emotional force of it hasn’t disappeared. For a fleeting moment, loss and closeness coexist. Perhaps that is why fragrance feels so intimately personal. No perfume exists in isolation once it meets skin. Chemistry reshapes it. Body lotion alters it. Laundry detergent, shampoo, the scent of someone’s home—everything interacts until the fragrance becomes inseparable from the individual wearing it.

I used to think perfume’s purpose was transformation: to make us feel polished, alluring, put together. Now, I think it is equally about continuity. About safeguarding memories. About carrying comfort. About staying connected to the people we love and to versions of ourselves we are still trying to return to. I no longer spray fragrance on autopilot before leaving the house. I choose it with intention, aware that what I am putting on is not just a scent, but a feeling, a memory, a small form of self-preservation.

Crushed leaves, wet concrete, damp moss, earthy soil, woody bark... These are all scents we know intimately, yet somehow feel impossible to bottle. It feels as slippery and amorphous as its namesake: "petrichor"—the moreish aroma that rises when rain falls on dry soil.

In recent weeks, though, this collection of scents has become linked to a new trend, that of the "snail girl". The term refers to women who are eschewing the trappings of capitalism, and prioritising self-care (and being in nature) over hustle culture. For fragrance aficionados it's not enough to embody the slower pace of this lifestyle, they want to smell like it too.

A thread on the popular Reddit r/perfumesthatfeellikethis, devoted to "smelling like a snail girl", has seen a huge surge of traffic in recent weeks. As Aamna Lone, certified UK fragrance expert, explains, it has something to do with the arrival of spring. "The weather is getting warmer, it’s raining more, and when that happens, a molecule called geosmin, which is one facet of the overall petrichor scent, becomes more prominent. It's typically associated with nostalgia, being in nature, and connecting scent to memory."

Per Cherry Cheng, the founder of Jouissance Parfums, this trend reflects a broader cultural shift away from "clean girl" perfection toward something slower, earthier and more alive. "It's a kind of romantic retreat into nature and sensory living," she says. "Consumers are gravitating toward scents that feel immersive, literary, nostalgic, and atmospheric."

Frances Shoemack, founder of 100% natural fragrance brand, Abel, agrees: "There's a kind of collective olfactory boredom happening right now. After years of big, beast-mode fragrances dominating the conversation, the ones that enter the room before you do, people are reaching for something that actually smells like somewhere, not just something."

Below, the scents that encapsulate "snail girl" energy, in all of its earthy wonder.

If you're on the never-ending quest for smooth, supple, "glass-like" skin, then it's time to get acquainted with Japanese beauty.

While it has a similar ethos to the innovations coming out of South Korea—so, a focus on gentle, hydrating and barrier-building ingredients—there are key differences. While K-beauty is focused on trends and rapid production, J-beauty formulas are often decades in the making, and centred around specific ingredients, like ferments, green tea, rice and seaweed, as well as precise application techniques.

In fact, it has been a favourite amongst industry insiders for decades, well before it became easily accessible in the UK. So, without further ado, the very best of the sector across make-up, skincare, haircare and fragrance, as selected by those in the know.

Best J-Beauty Products to Shop Now

It’s been almost eight years since I got married and, I have to admit, I think I genuinely spent more time choosing my perfume than I did my dress. My Needle & Thread number, ordered online with next-day delivery, was the one and only dress that I tried and instantly loved, but my wedding day scent took a whole lot more consideration.

You see, as a beauty editor and lifelong perfume obsessive, I knew that what I wore on my skin that day was more important than how I looked. Scent can act as an invisible thread, tying you to moments and memories from decades earlier. So while I did ponder wearing a classic perfume that I already wore and loved, I knew that finding something entirely new that would be capable of transporting me back to the nerves, anticipation and excitement of such a unique day was the right decision.

“To maximize the memory-making power of scent, we recommend choosing a fragrance you haven’t worn before, one undiluted by previous associations,” agrees Emma South, Jo Malone London’s Fragrance & Lifestyle Expert. “Our senses are heightened during new experiences, particularly emotionally charged ones, and the scent you wear will become forever anchored to your special day, a time capsule to relive for years to come.”

When it came to picking my perfume, however, I did it the long way. I haunted department store beauty halls, revisiting counters until the sales associates started to recognise me, and ordered an embarrassing number of discovery sets from luxury fragrance brands that I’d never been able to justify purchasing from before. My bedside table became a rotation of blotters and half-tested vials before I finally settled on my bridal perfume of choice—Byredo Bibliothèque. I loved the process but, in hindsight, I made it way harder than it needed to be. If I could do it again, then I wish I’d handed the reins, at least in part, to someone who actually does this for a living.

That’s where bridal fragrance services come in. Many iconic department stores and legendary fragrance brands offer in-person appointments where experts are on hand to cut through the overwhelm and help guide you to your perfect wedding day perfume. “See this as one of the really fun items on your ‘wedmin’ list like menu tasting,” explains South. “Feel free to bring mood boards and tell us all about your plans for the big day, so we can navigate the range together. There are so many ways [for your fragrance] to reflect the season, the venue and location, florals, and thematic elements through different notes—and all with reference to your personal fragrance tastes, likes and dislikes." As for how you’ll know that you’ve landed on the one? “At a fragrance fitting, much like a dress fitting, the winning option often makes itself known once worn,” says South.

Ahead, the best perfume bridal service to help take the fatigue out of finding your wedding day fragrance…

The Best Perfume Bridal Services

1. Jo Malone London

Renowned for their expertise in every element of wedding fragrance, from bridal perfume to wedding day candles, Jo Malone London’s wedding consultations are available nationwide. During your appointment you’ll sit down with a fragrance stylist who will walk you through your entire fragrance wardrobe for your special day. They’ll ask you about your dress, your venue, your flowers (basically all of the details that are going to make your wedding yours) and then they’ll help to suggest scents that will fit the feel of the day. Plus, it doesn’t just stop with your bridal scent, they can help find fragrances for your partner too, and even things like the candles that you might want to scent your venue. Plus, Jo Malone London is known for their fragrance layering, so instead of picking just one perfume, they’ll help you find fragrances that work together so you come away smelling unique.

2. Penhaligon’s

If you’re looking for something specially tailored to both you and your partner, then Penhaligon’s extra-special wedding service aims to help you pair two fragrances together for your big day. I love the idea that this consultation really celebrates the idea of two people coming together but in fragrance form, and helps you to find scents that work well individually but also complement each other. Think of it almost like a matchmaking service but for fragrance. The British perfume house is renowned for its elegant, slightly vintage-leaning scents, so it’s perfect if you want to find a fragrance that feels timeless and is rooted in its own history.

3. Liberty Wedding Scent Service

If, like me, you’ve already done the department store rounds but are feeling overwhelmed, then this consultation will help you narrow down your options. The Fragrance Lounge at Liberty is a treasure trove of heritage fragrance brands and niche discoveries so you’ll likely be introduced to some perfumes that you’ve never tried before, which is all part of the fun. You’ll be treated to a glass of English sparkling wine and Charbonnel truffles while Liberty’s specially trained experts really help you and your partner to cherry pick your perfect scent. It’s relaxing, indulgent, and discovery-led, so perfect if you want to come away feeling like you’ve chosen something incredibly unique. Plus, any purchases made on the day will be engraved with your names and wedding date for an extra personalised touch.

4. Creed

At Creed’s London boutiques you’ll be treated to a luxury fragrance finding experience, befitting this heritage tailoring brand. The stores themselves are beautiful and the personalised consultation will guide you through every element of scenting your day, from your bridal perfume to gifts for your wedding party. And all done over a complementary glass of crisp champagne, naturally. Creed’s carefully curated edit of bridal fragrances is rooted in captivating florals, veering from classic combinations to more daring blends so you’ll definitely land on something that feels like you.

5. Experimental Perfume Club

If you want something really bespoke then Experimental Perfume Club’s fragrance experiences are brilliant. During their discovery sessions you’ll be introduced to their fragrance collections and will learn about how the different notes interact and can be layered to create your own personalised signature blend. Perfect if you’ve ever come close to finding your dream scent, but wished it had a little more or less of a certain note. It does require getting a bit more involved than some of the other perfume services on the list, but it means that it does feel completely personal. They also have an option for a Luxe Blending Experience (£195) if you want to get fully hands-on and blend every drop of your signature scent.

6. Harrods

Home to 25 luxury fragrance brands, a trip to Harrods’ Salon de Parfums is an out of this world experience with incredible experts on hand to really help you pick out something special. You can also opt for bespoke services with specific brands if you want something a little more tailored. New York City brand Bond No.9 is great if you want an in-depth perfume profiling service where an expert will map your likes and tastes against their fragrances to find your perfect fit. While the bespoke service at Roja Dove allows you to blend a totally personalised bridal perfume to your exact preferences so you can rest assured that no other bride will smell the same on their big day.

7. Jo Loves

A really fun and playful fragrance service to enjoy with your partner, think of this experience from Jo Loves as like a tasting menu but for scents. If you’re really not sure where to start when it comes to choosing a perfume then this takes all the pressure off. A scent artist will talk you through the brand’s signature scents, layering your favourites onto your wrist with the iconic Jo Loves Fragrance Brushes, before you’ll dive into tagines of aromatic bath colognes, cocktail glasses filled with scented cleansers, and whipped body lotions painted onto your skin. A really modern and intuitive option for anyone feeling overwhelmed with the fragrance experience.

While I'm not a big believer in prescribing seasons to scents, some accords perfectly conjure the first kiss of spring, in all its optimistic glory. You can go the usual route with juicy and fruity gourmands, but in recent years, I have been intrigued by solar scents—that is, uplifting fragrances that evoke balmy sun-soaked days.

Though I love every one of these perfumes in theory, I've found that most can read as overly bright and thus unbalanced on the nose. There are notable exceptions, but Issey Miyake's Lumiére d’Issey is, in my opinion, the platonic ideal of the olfactive family.

This fragrance doesn't take direct inspiration from the sun, rather it aims to bottle the purity of a ray of light. It opens with a sparky burst of 100 per cent natural orange blossom. A sunny trail of freesia and velvety white musk follows, before the composition is grounded with moreish pistachio and enveloping sandalwood.

For perfumers Fabrice Pellegrin and Marie Salamagne, the heady rush of orange blossom was central to capturing the essence of light. "It conveys a luminous quality, and the flower itself needs a lot of light to develop, so there’s a natural connection," explains Salamagne. Pellegrin adds: "Different elements can evoke different ideas in the mind. Notes like musk, orange blossom, and cypress all contribute to that sense of light—they don’t just smell a certain way, they suggest brightness and clarity."

To this end, it's neither blinding nor too peppy; it's a softer, more elevated take on the solar category for the wearer who doesn't want their scent to shout, but to linger all day long.

This is something that the perfumers were conscious of. They worked with the Japanese fashion house's central tenet of minimalism to create a composition that effortlessly balanced harmony and motion. "We wanted to stay true to the brand’s DNA by keeping things simple," Salamagne told me in Copenhagen, ahead of the fragrance's global debut. "At the same time, we architecturally approached the perfume, ensuring clarity in what we wanted to convey. We used high-quality ingredients but also aimed to make the fragrance feel modern, fashionable, and accessible."

I've been wearing Lumiére d’Issey since January, and as it was under embargo till recently, I've had to field dozens of questions about it. To me, it bottles the essence of spring—it's warm and optimistic, but also comes with a hint of intrigue. Wear it if you want a fragrance that nods to the season, without being too overt... And guarantees compliments.

​More than a photograph or a song, scent has the unique ability to instantly transport us to another world and another version of ourselves. Neuroscientists often refer to our sense of smell as the strongest trigger of autobiographical memory, because fragrance is processed in the same part of the brain as emotion and long-term recall. It’s why, in a single spritz, scent can summon childhood homes, teenage holidays, or long-lost lovers.

It’s also why, at a time when life feels increasingly hectic, digital and uncertain, fragrance has become one of the most powerful vehicles for nostalgia. The global fragrance boom shows no sign of slowing, with the sector projected to reach nearly $65 billion in revenue this year. But alongside a steady stream of new launches, there is a growing obsession with the past. Across fashion, film and beauty, the ‘90s and early 2000s dominate the cultural landscape, and perfume is no exception.​

The renewed fascination with Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s understated style, sparked by recent screen portrayals of the era on FX's Love Story, has reignited a craze for ‘90s minimalism, via Calvin Klein, the fashion house where Bessette-Kennedy worked. As a result, CK One, which was the first gender-neutral scent to break into the mainstream and the olfactory symbol of the decade, is enjoying a new wave of relevance, despite the fact that many of its wearers weren’t yet born when it launched.​

In fact, the global insights platform GWI shows that 37 per cent of Gen Z say they're nostalgic for the ‘90s, despite having no direct memory of it, while over half feel the same about the early 2000s. In uncertain times, the past can feel reassuringly simple—a world pre-social media, pre-pandemic and pre-cost-of-living crisis—and fragrance allows us to experience that comfort in a more tangible way than perhaps any other beauty product.

Scents that defined a generation

For perfumers, the appeal of the 1990s comes as no surprise. The decade marked a turning point for fragrance, moving away from the opulence of the 1980s towards something cleaner, lighter and more restrained. Advances in technology, synthetic molecules and aroma-chemistry made it possible to create aquatic, airy compositions that felt modern at the time, and still feel wearable today.

"Clean florals, soft musks, and those more abstract 'fresh' compositions felt revolutionary at the time. What the iconic ones shared was a sense of clarity and restraint,” says Frances Shoemack, founder of luxury fragrance brand Abel. “They weren't overloaded or overly complex. They had a very distinct point of view. I think we're gravitating back to them not just because of nostalgia, but because they offer a kind of antidote to where we are now. In an age of endless choice and constant stimulation, there’s something incredibly appealing about something simple, recognisable, and quietly confident."

Among favourites were Clinique Happy (a blend of citrus notes and soft florals including Hawaiian wedding flower and spring mimosa), Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey (clean scent, mimicking water, spring flowers and woody notes), Davidoff Cool Water for Women (a refreshing wave of watermelon, Lily of the Valley and musk), and, of course, CK One (a clean, citrus-aromatic scent).

"Revisiting those perfumes can feel very comforting and familiar," comments '90s baby, Susan Wai Hnin, who is the co-founder of Asia-rooted fragrance brand Gabar. "At the same time, trends tend to move in cycles, so what was popular 20 or 30 years ago often comes back around, especially as younger generations rediscover and experience them in a completely new context."

By the early 2000s, the mood had shifted away from the "clean" feel of the 90s and moved towards sweeter, richer, more playful compositions, ushering in the rise of gourmands. Fragrances like Juicy Couture's Viva la Juicy, Prada Candy and DKNY's Be Delicious were maximalist gourmands, and for many, the mere sight is enough to trigger instant nostalgia.

Old icons in a new era

Today, brands understand that customers don’t just want new scents—they want old scents, reimagined. Many fragrance houses are repackaging and selling nostalgia itself through flankers that share the original's DNA but with a modern twist, as well as collectable bottles and heritage storytelling designed to make the fragrance feel like an object worth treasuring, as well as savouring the memory it evokes.

Late last year, Marc Jacobs released a "fragrance wardrobe" for their Daisy range. Partnering with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, known for his pop art stylings, they released four (very collectable) fragrances in different colourways. They also came in a more concentrated eau de parfum format, too.

Chloé, on the other hand, left its iconic Signature Eau de Parfum alone and instead released other ranges that pay homage to its bohemian heritage. Their latest, The Mediterranean Essences, is inspired by the French Riviera.

​In a world of endless scrolling and relentless notifications, scent remains one of the only things that can’t be digitalised. It can only be experienced ephemerally, and once it fades, it exists only in our memory. Which might be exactly why, more so than ever, we find ourselves reaching for the fragrances that remind us of who we used to be.

In unsettling times, we naturally reach for things that bring us comfort. From rewatching your favourite TV show for the 36th time, to cosying up in an old sweatshirt that has aged with you—each wear softer, more enveloping than the last. There's a reassurance with the familiar. Nostalgia, then, becomes the most direct route to feeling grounded.

It's perhaps no surprise that this instinct has found its way into our beauty routines. In an industry that thrives on innovation and the thrill of the new, a growing number of consumers are looking back and rediscovering beauty heroes from the past.

What we're seeing now is more than a fleeting trend. The 90s and 00s aesthetic is re-emerging with a contemporary twist—heritage brands are reissuing cult favourites, and younger generations are rediscovering icons.

"Different generations approach nostalgia differently, for Gen X and millennials who experienced the 90s, seeing the return of hero products feels a comforting blast from the past and a chance to connect to younger versions of themselves—those who might just have started getting into beauty products and fragrances," says Lisa Payne, Head of Beauty at Stylus. "For Gen Z, however, nostalgia is a huge driver for beauty, and we have analysed this as a response to digital/AI overwhelm and a craving for a much simpler, pre-internet time."

This resurgence of nostalgia reflects our collective desire to anchor ourselves in the familiar, when everything around us feels unpredictable. Alongside industry experts and trend forecasters, we have identified seven classic beauty products that are back in a big way—from lip gloss and cool-toned eyeshadow, to body mists and hair straighteners.

Below are the most notable products that we thought we'd said goodbye to, but have made a big comeback and seem set to dominate all the way through 2026.

High Shine Lip Gloss

"Gloss has come back in a much more refined way," says Abrahamovitch. "It’s less about high shine and more about a hydrated, almost balmy finish." The desire for healthy, hydrated lips is evident in today's society—the popularity, bordering on mania, of Rhode's Peptide Lip Tints and Summer Friday's Lip Butter Balms was an early indicator.

Lip care has never been more popular—each time we make a trip to our beauty cupboard, you can guarantee to open a package containing a lip gloss, a lip oil or glossy lip plumpers. Then just last year, Lancôme celebrated 25 years of its famous Juicy Tube Lip Gloss with a relaunch—the brand invited customers to 'Revive the 90s'.

All Over Body Mists

Body mists were once the calling card of the ’90s. Impulse, So...? and Revlon Charlie defined a certain kind of fragrance ritual—light, accessible, and designed to be worn generously.

For a time, they fell out of favour, eclipsed by the rise of more concentrated, prestige formats. Now, they’ve returned—reframed for a new generation, and with far greater intent.

Much of that shift can be traced to Sol de Janeiro, whose perfume mists have reshaped how fragrance is worn. At launch, the category was relatively quiet; their success quickly changed that. Now, even the big fragrance houses are getting in on the act.

Why have body mists been such a success story? Sol de Janeiro Perfume Mists tapped into one of the biggest fragrance trends of the moment: full-body scenting. "There's a really interesting new way of scenting ourselves—from the very top to the very bottom," says Fragrance Journalist and Expert Alice Du Parq. "Driven by Gen-Z, but now embraced by all ages. We're always on the move, and we want to move our bodies to project fragrance throughout the day. Historically, it used to be just the wrist, then perhaps the neck; now it's the entire body. You might then top that with an EDT or an EDP, and it's all about layering to create your own sort of bespoke blend."

Naturally, this would cost a fortune if done with an expensive Eau de Parfum, which is why the much less expensive body mists are ideal. Their price is incredibly appealing, especially when you think that you can now get a taste of Tom Ford Ombré Leather or a Chanel Chance at a fraction of the price.

Soft Matte Skin

For the past couple of years, maybe longer, the quest has been for ultra-dewy glass skin. The K-Beauty trend sparked several successful complexion launches—notably skin tints and dewy moisturisers.

However, in 2025 and this year, there's been a shift away from the glowy finish toward a softer, more diffused complexion. Rather than an overt glow, the focus is now on a more cloud-like soft matte effect: velvety, breathable, and never flat. Earlier this year, Estée Lauder relaunched its iconic Double Wear Longwear Foundation—a beloved matte formula given a new lease of life with more hydrating ingredients and a healthy finish for today's customer.

In terms of wear, Abrahamovitch recommends pairing it with other textures: "When working with matte skin, it’s important to reintroduce dimension through other textures. I like to keep some softness in the complexion, maybe a touch of sheen on the cheekbones or a satin finish on the eyes or lips. Too much matte everywhere can feel flat, so it’s about balancing finishes to keep the skin looking fresh and modern."

The return of straighteners

In the early 90s, it was not uncommon to see girls having their hair ironed—with a clothes iron on an ironing board—to achieve the style of the decade: poker straight hair. Then, in the 00s, straighteners came onto the scene, and this heated hair tool defined a generation.

But then we were all encouraged to embrace our natural texture, and straighteners lost their power. However, it looks like the tides have turned once again, because if the catwalks and red carpets—the forerunners of trends—are to be believed, super straight hair is back. "It is coming back, but in a more refined way," says Hair Stylist Adam Reed. "For 2026, it’s less about flat, lifeless straightness and more about fluid, glass-like movement. We’re seeing a return to precision again, sharp cuts, clean lines, and straight hair complements that perfectly. It feels intentional and elevated."

Dust off those straighteners, but approach hair styling in a very different way, suggests Reed. "It’s less about aggressively flattening the hair and more about refining it. The modern approach is controlled, but still allows for movement and softness through the ends.”

Cool-toned eye makeup

Grunge-inspired makeup has been quietly making its way back into our makeup bags for the past couple of years, with eyeshadow at the forefront. In place of golden bronzes and soft pinks that we favour for a sunkissed glow, 90s-inspired shades—taupes, smoky greys and muted clays—have been making a splash over the past year.

And if that brings to mind frosty blues and shimmery greys, don't panic—today's take is more wearable and flattering than you'd think. "I like soft taupes, and cool browns paired with clean skin to softly sculpt, define and enhance the eye," says Abrahamovitch. "More of a diffused look rather than anything too structured. Keeping the rest of the makeup quite pared back makes it feel modern and effortless."

Powdery fragrances

Make no mistake, the biggest fragrance obsession of the past couple of years has been gourmands. However, likely in response to this, there is the return of quite the opposite: powdery scents. And Du Parq thinks this is down to how those particular notes make you feel: "Sometimes a powdery fragrance can bring your feet back to the ground and make you feel like you have got two hands on your shoulders looking after you. They are particularly good scents for those who feel isolated or who are going through a tricky time."

At the beginning of this year, Hermès launched Musc Pallida, an Eau de Parfum that Du Parq says is "a masterclass in how to do a modern powdery fragrance—light, airy and sensual. It's taken something comforting and nostalgic and made it really cool and elegant and chic, but not intimidating."

The notes often found in powdery fragrances—white musks, rose, iris—often have a talcum powder feeling to them. However, today's powdery scents are light and fluffy, like a fresh cloud of powder, rather than anything heavy. "A powder that whispers and caresses, rather than weighs you down," adds Du Parq.

In terms of timing and relevance, Du Parq agrees that these scents appeal to those who don't want to "smell like a pudding trolley, but still want to and the intention of one today, I think it's for people who really don't want to smell like pudding trolleys, who aren't interested in sweet and sickly headache-inducing gourmands. But they still want that feeling of being enveloped and comforted. It isn't necessarily about feeling warmth; it's about having a texture around you. Like a protective shawl."

Nude lips

One trend we thought we had well and truly waved an encouraging goodbye to is concealer lips. In the early 2000s, a pale nude lip paired with a dramatic eye was the defining look of that era. To try to get the lips to match the rest of the face, often concealer was the best route, hence the moniker.

Thankfully, using actual concealer is a thing of the past, but nude lips have returned in a really big way. Some say that it started with The Kardashians, Lip Kits and the rise of the full lip—pale colours help lips look wider. And whilst that might be true, the fascination with Y2K trends at the moment cannot be ignored.

Victoria Beckham's Spice Girls days can be defined by many things—the pointed finger pose, the sharp bob, the little black dress—but it's her signature pinky nude lip that has stood the test of time. Just this month, the brand founder launched the No2 Posh Lipstick, which perfectly matches her lip tone.

Abrahamovitch, who works closely with Beckham, says that nude lips are universal and work on everyone. And where concealer lips would wash you out, the correct nude lip should enhance your natural lip colour. "It’s about finding the right tone for your complexion. I almost always use a lip liner to add structure and depth, then layer a nude lipstick over the top. That combination keeps the lip defined while still feeling soft and effortless."

Traditionally, fragrance has been what I’d describe as an olfactory coat—overpowering, a statement piece, announcing your arrival and presence in a room before you’ve even muttered a word. But that is beginning to shift, and one country leading this change in how we wear scent is South Korea.

K-beauty has already redefined the global beauty landscape, bringing with it an emphasis on hydration, layering, advanced technologies and glass-like results. Its influence has been significant—retailer Boots reports that a K-beauty skincare product is sold every 11 seconds. Now, that same philosophy is extending into a category that has historically remained more traditional: fragrance. In its 2026 Beauty and Wellness Trend Report, Boots shared that growing demand for K-beauty is set to expand into ‘K-fragrance’.

Korea’s fragrance market has grown rapidly, with exports rising to meet increasing global demand. In 2024, Korean perfume exports hit $386.4 million, up nearly 40% year-on-year, making fragrance the fastest-growing segment within K-beauty exports. What was once a niche offering is evolving into a distinct category—“K-fragrance”.

What makes K-fragrance different? It’s not just the scents themselves, but the thinking behind them—how they’re developed and how they’re worn. Where traditional perfumery prioritises projection and making a statement, Korean fragrance takes a more minimal approach. These are scents designed to sit close to the skin—intimate and subtle rather than too loud.

Commonly described as skin scents, popular notes include clean musks, soft florals and sheer woods. “Musk and woody notes have become pillars in this space because they translate beautifully in minimalist, Korean-inspired compositions,” says Melody Yuan, founder of K-Beauty retailer Skin Cupid. “Clean yet warm, understated yet memorable—unlike heavy gourmand or overly sweet notes, these profiles balance presence with subtlety.”

The effect is less about wearing fragrance and more about enhancing what is already there. The goal is a scent that feels like your own, one that tells your story instead of just a spritz of a decorative accessory. With consideration of how they sit on your skin, too. There is a focus on how scents work with our skin, with attention on skin-loving ingredients that are gentle on the skin and hair. And an embrace of impressive patent technology for a more personal experience.

This shift also reflects a change in how we’re shopping for perfume. There is a growing move away from the idea of a single, defining scent towards a more fluid “fragrance wardrobe”—a collection we choose from according to mood, moment or environment. Korean fragrance fits seamlessly into this approach, designed for layering and building something that feels personal and adaptive—think of it as the skincare routine of fragrance (not that you need 12 different scents).

Key to this is lighter formulations.“The popularity of body mists like Kundal’s Pure Moist Body Mist and Skybottle’s Perfumed Hair & Body Mist speaks to a broader shift in how people want to wear scent,” Yuan explains. “These lighter formats are perfect for everyday layering; they enhance personal space rather than radically altering it.” Body mists and hair perfumes are having a real moment, no longer treated as standalone products but a part of a wider scent routine, and a path to embrace K-fragrances.

In Korea, fragrance has historically been tied to wellbeing—used to create a sense of calm and comfort. That carries through into modern K-fragrance formulations, which prioritise wearability and cohesion over intensity.

This new generation of Korean fragrance brands is now taking a global stage and making their mark in the fragrance industry, balancing minimalism with cultural depth. “They often celebrate Korean heritage and the country’s natural landscape, not just a ‘trend’ note profile,” says Yuan. “Even the bottle design tells a story, with details inspired by objects from the Joseon dynasty. I love the attention to detail, from scent construction to packaging.”

While traditional fragrance houses have long dominated the scent world, K-fragrance arrives with a more contemporary perspective. It’s still a relatively new space, which makes it all the more exciting and less restricted to the traditional ideals of what makes a perfume. Rather than focusing on making an impression, it’s more about creating a sense of balance and harmony with the world around you. But don’t be deceived, they’re still punchy in their own way.

K-Fragrance brands to know about:

I can spend hours upon hours getting ready, but I will never feel prepared to leave the house without several spritzes of fragrance on. The scent I choose sets the tone for the day, so my collection has to be prepared for every eventuality. Although I adore a fresh jasmine or gourmand vanilla perfume for women when the time is right, I definitely reach for my genderless fragrances more than any others.

I'm talking smoky, fresh, aquatic, woody, musky, and rich scents that are perfectly unisex. They provide me with a level of sophistication—and a feeling that I'm wearing something much more distinctive than everyone else. I also seem to get the most compliments when I've spritzed them versus a more expected floral perfume.

If want to elevate your fragrance collection, I guarantee any of these will become your new most worn and most talked about perfumes.

Best genderless fragrances

After what felt like a never-ending winter, spring is finally upon us. And with it comes an invitation to shake up our fragrance rotation—it just doesn't feel right to be doused in heavy musks and ouds when the sun has finally started peeking through the clouds. Here, Marie Claire UK picks the most smile-inducing scents for the season ahead.

Best Spring Scents 2026

I never expected a necklace to change the way people notice me. Yet lately, strangers stop mid-conversation to ask what I’m wearing. It looks simple enough, a slim gold chain falling to my sternum, but at its centre is a clear glass vial of perfume oil, warming against my skin. I don't even have to dab it on my pulse points for people to lean in closer… This is my fragrance necklace, and, without question, it is the most complimented accessory in my wardrobe.

I first discovered the idea of wearable fragrance through Strangelove NYC, the brand founded by the supermodel Helena Christensen. It is this ‘potion pendant’ I now wear almost daily. I fell in love with the concept’s whimsy and sense of luxury, as well as how refreshingly different it was from my usual spritz-and-go routine. Most of all, I treasured the idea that a signature accessory could also double as my signature scent.

It turns out, I’m not alone. Wearable fragrance is becoming one of beauty (and fashion’s) most quietly luxurious trends.

The idea of wearable fragrance isn’t new, of course. Jewellery designed to carry scent dates back centuries, evoking the Victorian tradition of lockets filled with solid perfume and scented pomanders that could be pressed to the nose to disguise bad smells.

So, why are editors, influencers, and scent lovers suddenly obsessed? One reason is that fragrance necklaces are bringing sophisticated playfulness back to scent, blending fragrance, fashion, and wellbeing in the process. They also provide some, perhaps much-needed, novelty in a sector where you can often walk into a room and the latest ‘trending scent’ means we have all started smelling the same.

Some pieces transform perfume vials from external packaging into wearable art. Others have wellness benefits, with designs infused with essential oils that work to influence our mood.

All encourage a deeper emotional connection to the fragrances we wear.

For fragrance enthusiasts, this feels like a natural evolution. Perfume is becoming less prescriptive and more identity-driven. Instead of one signature scent, many of us now build scent wardrobes, layer fragrances, and switch favourites according to our emotions.

The next chapter is that perfume is no longer confined to bottles on shelves; it’s becoming part of how we accessorise and express ourselves, too.

Perhaps the lasting appeal also lies in how subtle it all feels. Fragrance necklaces don’t project across a room; they invite people closer. They make scent visible without making it loud. It’s the quiet luxury of being noticed without trying too hard.

Wearing mine has made me realise how subtle yet powerful scent can be. It’s wearable storytelling and wearable wellbeing. And judging by all the compliments I keep getting, I’m clearly not the only one who’s fallen in love with it…

Intrigued by the trend? Here are eight of our favourites:

The best fragrance jewellery

1. Strangelove NYC

The fragrance necklace that started it all for me! In a unique touch, Strangelove NYC’s 24-carat gold-plated pendant allows you to screw in one of the brand’s six oud-based sustainable perfume oils, with the glass vial displaying the liquid, to you and those around you, as it gently warms on your skin. That turns your scent into an ultimate conversation starter, even before you detach your chosen scent and let the lingering, expensive-smelling aromas entice people to come even closer.

2. Victoria Beckham Suite 302 Vintage Perfume Necklace Collection

Once upon a time, the entryway to designer fashion was through a bottle of the brand’s EDP. Now, you can go one step further and wear that fragrance as an accessory. Victoria Beckham Beauty’s fragrance jewellery feels like a natural extension of the brand’s sleek, nostalgia-driven fragrance collection. Designed to hold fragrance within a vintage-style pendant, it taps into the emotional storytelling that defines the brand’s fragrance collection, inspired by Beckham’s personal scent memories.

3. Perfino Solid 925 Silver

Perfino approaches fragrance jewellery as a wellness accessory, incorporating delicate silver or gold pendants with lava stones that absorb and slowly diffuse the scent from a selection of natural essential oil blends. The aim is to allow wearers to switch the oils (all of which are sustainably sourced from farms around the world) depending on your mood and the occasion, resulting in a highly customisable yet very wearable emotion-influencing pendant.

4. Dévé The Perfume Necklace 

This fragrance necklace helps you smell good, look good, and, perhaps most importantly, feel good too. That’s because Dévé designed the ridged silver chain in collaboration with Nette, a fragrance brand that creates scents scientifically proven to positively influence your emotions. A Nette ‘Discovery set’ is included with each purchase, meaning you can carry a fragrance that makes you feel powerful, calm, happy or comforted with you wherever you may need it—from a first date to the boardroom.

5. Perfumed Jewellery Passion Refillable Necklace with Perfumed Jewelstone

Perfumed Jewellery is a rather exciting Australian brand that leans into the giftable, sentimental side of wearable fragrance. The delicate pieces, which include earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, look like pieces of fine jewellery, but they also function as discreet scent diffusers, incorporating subtle internal chambers and perfumed jewelstones that hold either your own perfume or a small selection of iconic brands available from the store. In good news, you don’t have to worry about international shipping costs either: it’s free!

6. Sophie Buhai Perfume Chocker

Jewellery designer Sophie Buhai often draws inspiration from heirloom pieces for her statement collections, and this perfume choker is no different. It is beautifully designed to evoke the intimacy of traditional lockets, with your signature scent replacing the classic inclusion of a photograph. As with all her work, it is handcrafted by local silversmiths using sustainability-sourced sterling silver, so what we love most is that it makes for an eye-catching accessory regardless of whether you actually put anything inside.

7. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Twist and Spray

This purse spray from Chanel allows you to wear the iconic Coco Mademoiselle scent around your wrist, as well as on your pulse points, ensuring your fragrance becomes the ultimate talked-about accessory. From the golden chain adorned with a glass pearl and camellia charm to the clever twist mechanism that reveals the atomiser whenever you want to reapply, the design means you won’t be able to help showing off this wearable fragrance every time you use it.

8. Green People Alexandra Kay Time To Relax Aroma Bracelet Gift Set

Known for its natural beauty credentials, Green People brings the same wellness-first thinking to its fragrant accessories. The sweet scent-diffusing bracelets have instant holiday vibes and are sold in very giftable sets, which pair a lava stone aromatherapy bracelet with a 10 ml bottle of pure essential oil blend. The idea is simple but effective: dispense a few drops of a calming blend onto the beads, then inhale the soothing aroma as the stones warm against your skin. It’s true aromatherapy on the go–and super affordable too.

For such a short month, February has the ability to really drag. It’s rained for what feels like forever, the sky has been a permanent shade of grey, and our complexions are matching the mood. This is usually the point where our beauty routines need to up the ante.

So this month, it’s all about the new beauty products that bring life back in. Glow-boosting skincare that makes you look less exhausted, make-up liveners that add warmth in seconds, and bodycare treats that add a sense of indulgence to everyday. They may be small upgrades, but they result in a big mood shift, which is exactly what this long, soggy stretch calls for. Enjoy.

The concept of a signature scent is dead. I’m aware that what I’m about to say might sound ludicrous, and overly niche—but I’ve made my peace with it. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I wore a single fragrance on its own. To the purist, this might sound like heresy. To me, it’s the only way to make sense of a world that tries to categorise us.

Let me explain. I love fragrance in a way that has moved from interest into habit. I’ve written about fragrance for over 15 years. I couldn’t begin to calculate the number of scents I’ve smelled, but I currently have 65 bottles that I wear regularly. I know that’s a lot. I also know that my proximity to fragrance launches and the industry has somewhat skewed my sense of normality. But, I’m equally sure of this: I’d still spend an unreasonable amount of my own money on scent—even without access. I always have.

In fact, fragrance is probably the reason I have the job I do today.

On the day I interviewed at Marie Claire, I met the then Editor-In-Chief in the offices behind the Tate Modern. I remember the walk there clearly. It was a sunny Spring day, and I was conscious of my pace, terrified of overheating in my carefully chosen outfit. One thing I was sure of, though, was how I smelled. That morning, I didn’t choose one scent: I chose armour. I layered Ormonde Jayne’s Isfarkand with Aesop’s Tacit and Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Lumière Noire Pour Homme (now sadly discontinued). The result was green, resinous and impossible to place. Confident. Considered but not loud. I got the job.

The idea of layering entered wider fragrance discourse properly around 2014. For me, it didn’t feel new so much as named. I’ve always been interested in individual notes—not just recognising them, but understanding how they behaved. That’s probably down to my fascination with my mother’s perfume collection. The sharp, bitter edge of my mother’s Clinique Aromatics. The soft white florals of Anais Anais. The unmistakable hit of tuberose in Dior’s Poison—a scent that makes the wearer known, whether you want it or not.

I remember the first time I encountered scent used so deliberately theatrically. I was reporting on a Meadham Kirchoff show—their Autumn/Winter 2013 presentation—for a women’s glossy. Models posed beside bin bags in a post-apocalyptic, fin-de-siecle vision: fabrications were worked and overworked to resemble broderie anglaise clashing against liquid like leather. Threat and purity in equal measure. Billows of smoke carried the unmistakable scent of Penhaligon’s Hammam Bouquet and acted as a guide through a maze of models. Thick, old-world, intoxicating.

To this day, whenever I smell Hammam Bouquet, I’m back there. London. That scene. That moment. Scent as a memory is one of the reasons I love it. But I don’t want my relationship with fragrance to stop at nostalgia. I want it to be more than that.

Long before I started mixing bottles, I watched how Hollywood used scents as shorthand for identity. In ‘Sex and the City’, Samantha Jones’ fuchsia bottle of Creed Spring Flower (the original packaging) sits on her dressing table like a statement. But don’t let the pink fool you—with notes of jasmine and musk, the juice packs a punch. In ‘Working Girl’, Sigourney Weaver’s Katharine Parker references Guerlain’s Shalimar. And, in ‘Silence of the Lambs’, Hannibal Lecter identifies L’air du Temps by Nina Ricci not to compliment Clarice, but to dissect her. It’s unsettling precisely because it’s intimate; in that moment, her scent (or lack of one) gives her away.

More recently, fragrance slipped into cultural conversation in subtler ways. Rihanna’s much-discussed adoration of Kilian’s Love, Don’t Be Shy has become almost mythological—not because she’s ever confirmed it, but because people want scent to explain presence. To make something legible.

To choose a singular fragrance, in that context, is to make yourself easy to read. And, this is where I should be clear: this isn’t a rejection of perfumery. I have enormous respect for perfumers who spend months, often years, creating something precise and complete. Their work is the foundation. I just like the idea that once a fragrance is on your skin, you’re allowed to live with it. To adjust it. To let it behave differently from one day to the next.

Perhaps that shift comes with time. Before I worked in magazines, I wore Tom Ford’s Black Orchid religiously. I bought my first bottle at a Tom Ford boutique in America and wore it through university. Sparingly, of course—it was around £190. Between that and Creed’s Original Vetiver (which I wore during college years), that’s where my money went. Black Orchid was powerful. One spray was enough. On nights out, friends would tell me they knew I was there before they saw me. It was unmistakably me.

I loved that certainty. But certainty, it turns out, is boring once you’ve lived inside it for long enough.

You don’t need dozens of bottles to understand the instinct. Most people already layer scent without thinking about it: the soap they use in the shower, the cream they apply afterwards, the oil that lingers on the skin long after perfume has faded. Fragrance doesn’t start at the bottle: it builds quietly, piece by piece.

Look at Sharmadean Reid’s new brand 39BC: rich, delicious oils that lather in the shower, leaving skin cleansed, soft and scented. Used again as a dry oil post-shower, the fragrance deepens and carries. Reid herself wears scent this way (I bumped into her at a recent launch)—layered, lived in—and the result is genuinely beautiful and impossible to place.

I see it among friends and creators, too. Alexis Foreman and I rarely get past hello before talking about scent. She layers instinctively, playfully (and always smells great). And, Yasmin Sewell—immaculately put together in every sense—understands that the final flourish is often invisible. Her brand Vyrao is centred on scent, energy and perception—it places smelling good as part of how you move through the world.

Of course, I enjoy being told I smell good. But I enjoy the pause afterwards even more—that moment they can't quite place it. They know they like it; they just don't have a name for it.

That’s not about secrecy. It’s about personality. We talk about fragrance as self-expression, but expression implies something settled. Something resolved. Most of us aren’t. And I’m no longer interested in a scent that tells people who I am before I’ve decided myself.

Layering gives me space. It allows for interpretation and movement. For softness one day and sharpness the next. It lets fragrance behave the way people actually do—inconsistently, emotionally and sometimes irrationally.

So no, I don’t have a signature scent. I have moods. And in a world that demands we define ourselves for easy consumption, remaining impossible to pin down is the ultimate luxury.

My Perfume Hall of Fame: The Fragrances to Wear Now and Love Forever

I'm often asked what the best fragrances in the world are and it's usually met with some long winded retort encompassing details of mood, situation, occasion, the outfit...you get the drift. So, in the spirit of not gatekeeping, here's a list of all the fragrances that I love and will wear forever.

2025 saw a personalisation boom in fragrance, largely driven by tech and AI, alongside the rise of skincare and aesthetics designed around personal longevity goals. In the coming years, the two could be set to combine with the advent of perfumes created with personal DNA in mind.

A new study published in Nature Communications analysed DNA from 21,000 individuals and aimed to "improve the knowledge of the genetics of human olfactory perception." It revealed new findings about how we perceive smell and how this is written into our genetics.

The question is: could this kind of information become important in how we perceive, market, and buy perfume in the future? Given the increasing appeal of epigenetics within skincare (which, as a premise, analyses skin at a genetic level and how it's been affected by factors like UV light and diet, and subsequently allows practitioners to recommend bespoke product and treatment plans for each patient), it could be an ever-rising possibility.

So what exactly did the study reveal, and what do experts think this could tentatively mean for the world of fragrance?

What does the new research show?

I first read news of this study on Olivia Jezler's Future Of Smell platform, where she asked audiences, "What if your fragrance was designed around your DNA?" and subsequently shared highlights of the research in the accompanying caption.

The findings may not be entirely 'groundbreaking,' and they do have certain limitations, but they definitely reveal some very interesting things about how we, as human beings, perceive smells. Notably, the researchers identified 10 regions of our DNA that shape how we perceive scent, of which 7 were previously unidentified. The study suggested scent perception is affected by hormones and that men and women perceive differently. "The study also shows that within each sex, people vary genetically too, meaning no two people smell the world in exactly the same way," wrote Jezler in her post. "This reveals that part of how we experience scent is written into our DNA," she added.

Speaking directly to Jezler, she confirmed: "The study shows us that part of how we perceive smell is embedded into our DNA and that small differences in our DNA can change how well we perceive certain smells, specifically smells like cinnamon or pineapple. It also suggests that our ability to perceive odours is not one single ability. You might be very good at identifying one scent, but not another smell, and that can be partly genetic."

She did, however, note it was worth recognising there were certain limitations within the research, including one key distinction: "The researchers were not testing single aroma molecules. They used scent pens designed to smell like familiar odour objects (fruits, spices, etc.), which are usually made from blends of several aroma compounds. That means the study looks at recognition of overall scent impressions, not responses to isolated molecules. So the genetic links may relate to one key component in the blend, or to broader perception and identification processes."

Suzy Nightingale, fragrance expert and co-host of On the Scent podcast, agreed that areas of this study were certainly worth our attention. "This study shows more than ever that we’re emotionally attuned to the aromas that surround us," she begins. "From the study’s findings, it seems clear we are genetically determined to prefer or even recognise certain smells."

She continues: "It affirms the fact that the majority of women are more aware of smells generally, especially at lower levels. It might even explain why there’s been a boom in stronger formulations (‘intense’, ‘extrait’, and ‘elixir’)... along with the new wave of men becoming interested in fragrance."

She adds an important caveat, however, pointing to the lack of diversity within the research: "It's important to remember that cultural heritage and personal significance play a huge part in our preferences, and the study acknowledges that, saying: 'Another limitation of our study arises from our focus on European individuals. Odour perception can be influenced by cultural background, perhaps a result of differing diets.'"

How could this research change the way we buy fragrance?

The more we discover about the way our skin, hair and bodies work, the more attuned we are to purchasing beauty products that work specifically for us. Bespoke formulations and personalised treatment plans at aesthetic clinics have never been more popular, proving we want beauty that caters to us individually. Just take epigenetics, for example. As mentioned, the premise is that the more we know about our skin at the genetic level, the more we can fine-tune our routine and biohack our way to longevity.

With this in mind, it makes sense that new discoveries about how we smell could lead to changes in how we are sold fragrance. On Jezler's post, she wrote that this new research "opens the door to hyper-personalisation around our genetic code: a future where fragrances, foods, or even health diagnostics could be designed in line with individual biology."

So is this a real possibility? And what does this look like specifically for fragrance?

"This kind of research could help brands understand why people react so differently to the same fragrance. For example, some people are naturally less sensitive to certain aroma molecules. If a brand knew that, they could adjust formulas, testing, or recommendations to reduce 'blind spots' of the nose," Jezler tells me.

It's important to note, however, that this likely won't mean taking a DNA test at the Selfridges beauty hall to find your perfect perfume. "In the near future, this type of science is more likely to help brands in product development and research rather than leading to buying perfumes based on a DNA test, but I am sure some brands could see this as an opportunity to oversimplify the science and create a marketing around perfume and DNA…"

However this may look, Nightingale agrees there's certainly a market for it. She says that we are "already seeing a huge rise in personally tailored perfumes, either by taking a quiz online... or those that you can blend or layer to your own preference." Examples include Algorithmic Perfumery by EveryHuman, an AI system that creates the perfect perfume for you based on a series of in-depth questions.

"This will become an increasingly sophisticated service as technologies adapt to utilising scientific discoveries. I think people love the idea of something that’s exclusively for them and reflects who they are, like a kind of 'olfactory astrology,'" Nightingale concludes.

It is arguably a stretch to say that the future is based solely on DNA. "It is unlikely that DNA alone could predict your next perfume," notes Jezler., who reminds us that "fragrance preference is deeply tied to memory, culture, mood, and personal history."

"Genetics may influence how sensitive you are to certain odours, but it does not fully explain what you enjoy. On top of that, perfume can smell different on each person’s skin due to factors like skin chemistry, pH, and even diet. That part is separate from this study, but it’s another reminder that how we experience a smell is complex."

Fragrance purchasing based on DNA: are there any drawbacks?

If DNA were to become a bigger part of how perfume is sold to us (and our individual purchasing habits), are there any moral and safety implications to be aware of? As someone wary of AI and its increasing presence within the beauty industry, privacy is a large concern of mine, and the thought of somehow providing DNA to buy a perfume for myself is a little too 'Black Mirror' for my liking.

"Privacy is a serious concern," agrees Jezler. "DNA is highly sensitive information and people may not always know who has access to their genetic data or how it might be used in the future." With this in mind, should we ever be giving it up in the name of beauty?

Nightingale also worries that, perhaps somewhat ironically, this kind of service could, in fact, lead to a sense of less individuality and self-expression, not more.

"Scientifically backed scent services are fascinating and will no doubt prove a useful starting point to guiding consumers, but I feel none of us wants to be reduced to a profile. There has to be an element of ‘how do I feel, and who do I want to be today?’ in how we choose and use our fragrances. And that may change wildly, day to day. That’s why we’re seeing a sway away from that singular ‘signature scent’ to a whole wardrobe of fragrance, which you can switch up and reach for to match or mask your mood at will."

Our sense of smell has a unique ability to entice us. It can make our mouths water and draw us in almost magnetically. On the other hand, of course, it can just as easily repel us, prompting an instinctive recoil. It’s one of the reasons why we put so much thought into choosing a signature fragrance for ourselves. It should be morish and alluring, with a narrative that speaks to your personality. It also has to be a scent you want to surround yourself with all day long, and ideally, one that elicits the same response in others. Because, let’s be honest, fragrance is as much for you as it is for the people around you—especially your partner.

But rather than focus on what our partners might want us to smell like, we are more interested in making them smell irresistible, for our own olfactory pleasure. After all, nothing triggers the ick faster than an overbearing or predictable fragrance choice. Here, the MC editors share the fragrances that make their partners smell irresistible, should you be in need of a little inspiration.

Nessa Humayun, Beauty Editor

Lottie Winter, Beauty Director

Dionne Brighton, Social Media Editor

Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor

Sofia Piza, Fashion Writer

January has a way of feeling longer than any other month. The festivities have long faded, with the credit card bill the only lingering reminder of joy gone by. Daylight is scarce, and the year ahead can feel both wide open and strangely overwhelming. While fragrance isn’t a cure for these harder moments, there’s something quietly powerful about the small rituals that bring comfort, lift and familiarity. A simple pritz can shift your mood, evoke warmth, or simply remind you that brighter days are ahead.

From fresh, sparkling notes to soft, grounding musks, these are the joyful, uplifting scents the Marie Claire team turns to when they need a little light in the darker weeks.

Sunil Makan, Editor

"Let’s be honest: it’s bleak out there. Cold, dark, wet. I’m not one for wishing time away, but the good news is that the days are lengthening and the road to spring will soon be in sight. Until then, we do what we can to lift our spirits. For me, few things deliver instant gratification more than a generous spritz of fragrance—ideally neuro-based, and ideally layered.

I’ve been layering scent for years, often several at once. At the moment, The Nue Co is firmly in rotation (they’re particularly good for this). Functional Fragrance—one of the brand’s originals—is quite literally designed to make you feel better. Us is more of a skin scent: familiar, comforting, but elevated. Think your skin, only better—warmed with ambrofix, softened by orris, grounded by moss. It’s intimate, calming, very much a nuzzle-into-the-neck kind of scent.

Then there’s The Nue Co’s Nostalgia collection, which harnesses perfumery and neuroscience to create an instant sense of comfort. Otherwhere is nostalgia done properly: creamy caramel, soothing sandalwood and a flicker of cardamom—spiky, but warm. Hug-like, without being cloying."

"Vyrao, meanwhile, is happiness in bottle form. I love the whole range, but I keep reaching for Magnetic 70—a spicy, sexy scent created for “attraction and protection”. Its notes are said to encourage positivity, grounding and illumination. Scoff if you must, but one spritz and there’s a distinct glow-from-within effect that’s hard to deny."

"It would be remiss not to mention MOODS. There’s aromatherapy—and then there’s MOODS. A genuinely game-changing brand that reframes scent through wellbeing, each of the eight fragrances is designed with a specific emotional benefit in mind. I move between Euphoric, Genius and Chill depending on the day: herbaceous, uplifting, and explicitly engineered to banish the blues. The fact that they also smell excellent is a very welcome bonus. Liberation application—strongly advised."

Lottie Winter, Beauty Director

"I instinctively reach for one of two fragrances when I’m feeling low or the day feels a little bleak. The first is Idle by Romilly Wilde—a scent I discovered almost ten years ago, and fell for instantly. It opens with a refreshing burst of juniper berry and soft jasmine, before unfolding into a brighter, more complex heart of cardamom and citrus peel. The musky, mossy base brings a quiet sense of comfort and familiarity that strikes the perfect balance between brightness and grounding—one that never fails to shift my mood."

"Then there’s Histoire D’Orangers, another long-standing favourite. Its blend of orange blossom, neroli and musk captures the glow of late afternoon sun on a summer’s day, just as evening begins to cool the air. Both scents are so beautifully composed, they act as small reminders that moments of beauty and joy are always within reach."

Nessa Humayun, Beauty Editor

"Escentric Molecules’ Escentric 01 is unlike anything I’ve ever smelt before; it doesn’t shout, but evokes more feeling than some of the “loudest” fragrances I’ve smelled. inexplicably cocooning, mysterious, and so moreish, it’s centred around woody Iso E Super, a molecule that was created in 1973. Complimentary notes include lime peel and pink pepper, which leads into green jasmine and orris, with base notes of balsamic and musk. It’s sparky and immediately uplifting—this is the scent I spritz if I’m in a funk, or if I’m not sure what to wear; it makes everything better, and completes any look."

Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor

"Whenever I need cheering, I reach straight for Cartier Baiser Volé—a fresh lily scent that has been my constant pick me up for years. In my early 20s, I finished university and moved to London with some of my best school chums and during this time we all wore this powdery floral perfume. It started with just one of us, then two, until eventually the velvety white flower scent enticed us all. It's magic lies in the way it makes you feel when you wear it—you smell expensive, sophisticated and powerful (everything we wanted to be), but in a really pretty and subtle way. It isn't overpowering, it's quiet and modest. Whenever I need an uplifting boost, I think back to when we all lived together in a shared house, smelling of Basier Volé, and how much joy those years gave me. A couple of spritzes and I'm right back there."

We rely on them to smell great as an extension of our sartorial choices or even our personalities. But when perfumes expire, the opposite can soon become true. Sadly, just as skincare and make-up expire, so too does perfume, meaning it’s important to keep tabs on when you bought and opened a bottle of your beloved signature scent.

Regardless of whether you’re dedicated to the best Diptyque perfumes or still can’t get enough of Baccarat Rouge, even the longest-lasting perfumes can’t last forever. So how do you know when a fragrance is past its best—and how do you prevent it from happening prematurely? I spoke to an expert for this need-to-know guide.

How to tell if perfume has expired

What are the key signs?

The first thing to take note of is, unsurprisingly, the scent itself. “Your nose is a great tool and will tell you if the perfume smells a bit off,” says perfumer Pia Long, Head Perfumer at Olfiction and author of Demo Accords. “Usually, the top note goes first and can start to smell soured, acidic, minty or a bit like bug spray. There can be other signs, but smell is your most reliable indicator.”

Sabah Karimi, founder of VEXA Beauty, agrees that a ‘metallic’ or ‘vinegar-like sharpness’ is the biggest early sign your fragrance has oxidised and is on its way out. “Residues often accumulate inside the cap, where they smell harsher than the initial spray,” she explains. “Healthy top notes bloom while oxidised ones remain flat and prickly. Wafted through the air, fresh citrus feels effervescent, whereas oxidised scents resemble stale lemonade or solvents. Citrus- and aldehyde-heavy fragrances deteriorate fastest because their monoterpenes and unsaturated aldehydes are prone to oxidation.” Vinegar sharpness or a tingling nose indicate a fragrance shouldn’t be sprayed on skin and should probably be disposed of, she says, adding that flat, dull scents that smell musty or like “old make-up” are also big indicators that a fragrance has degraded. Lastly, a scent that is noticeably weaker or that disappears quicker than usual is also a sign it’s deteriorated.

However, there are times when a significant change in colour and clarity tell you that your perfume has turned. “Colour changes beyond gentle ambering indicate chemical breakdown,” says Sabah. “Darkening, from straw to tea-brown, murky olive casts or sudden orange hues, suggest oxidation of naturals like limonene and linalool or degradation of colour-sensitive aromatics. Slight deepening over time in vanilla- or amber-rich scents can be harmless if the odour remains true, but pronounced darkening combined with an ‘off’ scent indicates the bottle should be retired.”

As well as colour, a persistent cloudiness, separation or sediment floating around in your fragrance suggests it’s expired. “A harmless haze from cold temperatures clears with warming, but a lingering haze, flakes or oil-and-water layering are warning signs,” says Sabah. “Natural-heavy blends may have a slight haze but remain usable, but when cloudiness appears with ‘off’ odours, oxidation or degradation is likely.”

What is the shelf life of fragrance?

Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. “It depends on the type of fragrance because fragrance compositions are so varied,” Pia stresses. “It’s not possible to give a generic answer to the question, no more than it would be to set a generic expiry date on food. Professionally created and legally manufactured fragrances go through a cosmetic stability test, which indicates to both the safety assessor and the product manufacturer what the likely expiry date will be in normal use, and some brands choose to communicate this to their customers.

However, “If correctly stored, most perfumes should last at least 12 months, but many can stay perfectly fine far beyond that. There are some rules of thumb you can apply. Anything light and top-note balanced is best used as soon as you can. Citrus fragrances tend to expire faster than something based around resins and musk.” Some perfumes will have an expiration date on the outer packaging, while the batch code can help you find out how old it is.

How to store perfume to stop it expiring early

Sitting your perfume rotation on your window sill or a bathroom shelf might look nice, but they aren’t the best option for their longevity. “The worst enemies of fragrance are: light, heat and oxygen,” Pia stressed. “If at all possible, do not throw away the box your perfume came in and keep the box itself in an area that isn’t your bathroom, windowsill or a dressing table right next to a radiator. The air on top of a partly-used perfume also starts to accelerate the ageing of the remaining liquid, so there are two solutions: either decant into a travel spray or use it up faster.”

Sabah echoes this: “Only 16% of people store fragrances correctly, with many keeping them in bathrooms or on sunny dressers, where heat and UV accelerate pigment and aroma breakdown. Older gift sets should be checked visually before use.”

Is it dangerous to wear expired perfume?

It’s not the best idea. “Once the fragrance starts to oxidise, it can begin to irritate your skin or even cause dermatitis,” Pia warns. However, you may be able to get a bit more use out of it if it’s only just turned. “If you have a fragrance that smells mostly wearable, with a bit of a wonky top note and you want to use it up, spray it on a scarf or on your clothing [and] avoid contact with skin.” Sabah also suggests using an ‘only just expired’ fragrance as a room spray. Very obviously expired fragrances, however, should be disposed of safely.

Post Christmas, my bathroom passed the point of no return. Having worked in fashion and beauty for the past decade, I’ve accumulated a lot of stuff—but at some point, I stopped bothering to curate it. Capsule wardrobe, who? Really, I could barely see my bathroom counter for skincare samples and tubes of lipstick. So when January hit, I made it one of my New Year's resolutions to declutter, starting with my beauty stash.

To get a handle on where to begin, I consulted the experts. "It isn't really about having fewer products, it’s about making your daily routine easier and more enjoyable," says CPD-certified, professional decluttering and organisation expert, Rebecca Coombs. "When drawers are overflowing, you end up buying duplicates, forgetting what you already own, and feeling overwhelmed every time you get ready. Beauty products expire, formulas change, and old items can irritate your skin. But mentally, a cluttered stash creates decision fatigue. A streamlined beauty stash means you can actually see and use what you love, rather than wasting time digging around looking for something and getting stressed when you can’t find it."

Ahead: tips for auditing your beauty collection, and actually keeping it streamlined moving forward.

Step one: Take an audit of your beauty stash

Coombs recommends taking everything out first—yes, everything. "Drawer-by-drawer audits don’t give you the full picture. Lay it all out on a towel on a clear surface so you can see exactly how much you own," she says. "Most people are shocked at this stage, and that’s not a bad thing; awareness is key and makes it so much easier to make editing decisions."

Whilst emptying, she recommends grouping products into categories. For example, skincare, base makeup, eyes, lips, hair, tools, samples... "This immediately highlights duplicates and overbuying habits (three identical mascaras are very common!) Once it’s grouped, check expiry dates and condition. If it smells off, looks separated, or you genuinely can’t remember the last time you used it, that’s useful information. The audit is all about understanding what you actually like and use versus what you aspirationally keep."

Step two: Decide what to keep and what to throw

Here, the expert recommends thinking about your everyday habits and asking yourself: "Do I use this regularly? Does it suit my skin now? Would I buy it again today?" If the answer is no, it's probably not earning its place.

"Expired products should go immediately, and anything that irritates your skin or doesn’t perform the way you hoped, should also be let go... Even if it was expensive. Holding onto something out of guilt doesn’t suddenly make it useful. Duplicates are another big one. You don’t need five foundations 'just in case'. Keep the one or two you genuinely reach for. For unopened backups, be realistic about whether you’ll get to them before they expire. If it makes it easier to part with, there are plenty of charities that will take unused products for women and men in need."

Step three: Invest in meaningful organisation systems

After the decluttering comes the fun part: organisation. After much trial and error, I discovered Stackers—the OG organisation brand, which sells a wealth of functional make-up and skincare organisers.

"Using a beauty organiser can help to ensure products are kept upright, which is essential to make certain products like foundations and mascaras last longer," Chloe Pestell, company director of Stackers, tells Marie Claire UK. "Plus, if everything has its place, you can easily keep track of your products to stop you accidentally re-buying before you need to. The best beauty organisers will have compartments to help you segment products, as well as a wipeable lining to make it easier to clean and reset every so often."

I was able to finally clear my countertops with their Rotating Cosmetic Caddy, Deep Make-Up Drawers and Supersize Make-Up Organisers. They make it so easy to see everything at a glance, and the spacing is intuitive, meaning you can order your products from most to least used.

But it's also important to display your most cherished items. For me, that's my prized skincare and fragrance. For this, I found the most effective (and visually appealing) setup was a couple of Addison Ross' gorgeous lacquered trays. I'm particularly partial to their Faux Tortoiseshell one, and use their smaller, scalloped versions for my current skincare lineup, as they're easy to wipe clean.

Step four: Categorise correctly

So, you've got your organisation system, but now you need to categorise it effectively. Coombs recommends storing products close to where you use them. Everyday make-up should be easy to grab, ideally in one drawer or container. Skincare works best grouped together and arranged by step (cleanse, treat, moisturise), which makes routines faster and more intuitive. She adds: "Avoid placing products on top of each other; if you can’t see it, you won’t use it, so I suggest filing items if you have lots and the drawer depth."

Smaller containers within drawers can be helpful to keep categories separate, and backups and occasional items should be slightly out of the prime zone, so they don't crowd daily essentials. Finally, she notes, keep a little breathing room. "An overfilled drawer will never stay organised. The goal is a setup that’s easy to maintain, not picture-perfect—something that works even on busy mornings when you’re rushing out the door."

In December, most of us are either reflecting on the year gone by or predicting and planning the next 12 months. And in beauty, the latter involves discussing the upcoming hair, make-up and even fragrance trends 2026 is about to usher in.

Of course, fragrance is so personal—arguably one of the most subjective areas of beauty—that the concept of following trends isn’t as widespread as, say, make-up or haircuts and colour. But that doesn’t mean that, collectively, we don’t naturally gravitate towards different perfume notes in response to the cultural or political climates—the nostalgia-fuelled gourmand fragrance obsession being one such example. Not to mention that innovations in perfumery and new approaches to fragrance mean the industry is continually evolving.

And so I hit my contact list to reach out to some of the UK’s best and brightest scent-obsessed brains to get their predictions for the biggest fragrance trends we’ll see in 2026. Here are their thoughts…

1. Milky notes and niche fruits

"Having attended industry trade fairs and been lucky enough to preview some of perfume’s most exciting launches, I can tell you that milky notes are going to have even more of a moment. Mixed with soothing notes of lavender and iris, they feel ‘lactic’, skin-like and nurturing. Blended with gourmand ingredients such as coffee, vanilla and caramel, they become indulgent expressions of ‘me time.’ Fruity fragrances will also move even further away from the ubiquitous cherry to the more unusual—think wild strawberry, or tropical fruits such as lychee and mango. They’re becoming far more lifelike due to new extraction techniques, allowing for the use of juicy natural materials previously unavailable to the fragrance industry. Instead of the syrupy, synthetic notes, we’ll now get a refreshing sourness that cuts through the sugar, and it’s as though you’re sniffing the just-ripe skin of a fruit, rather than a gummified version." — Suzy Nightingale, Fragrance Expert, Consultant and Co-Host of multi award-winning podcast On The Scent

2. Savoury gourmands

"In 2026, gourmand fragrances will expand beyond their traditional sweet profile to explore a savoury portfolio that is made up of savoury, textured and quietly comforting notes. Think of the world of pistachio, dairy accords, rice and soft salinity as consumers prize these notes and this fragrance profile for its warmth and familiarity. These savoury gourmands will tap into ideas of nourishment, ritual and calm, continuing to align fragrance with the broader wellness conversation." — Nateisha Scott, Beauty Editor and Consultant

3. Experimental shift

“For 2026, fragrance is less about locking in ‘The One’ and more about giving yourself permission to roam. Of course, there are moments when you know exactly what you want; I have a friend who reaches for Portrait of a Lady every Christmas, without fail, like clockwork—and that’s fine! But what feels genuinely exciting now is stepping outside of that comfort zone. It’s all about curiosity and exploration.

"That might mean visiting a niche boutique you’ve never been brave enough to walk into, or simply spending time in-store again—actually smelling, asking questions, letting yourself be surprised. Fragrance is meant to be experienced, not rushed. The best discoveries almost always happen mid-conversation, blotter in hand, when someone hands you something you’d never have chosen yourself.

"For scentophiles, London is a gift. Mount Street alone is a scent lover’s playground: Do yourself a favour and visit the Fueguia 1833 store (it’s essential) and just a few doors down you’ll find a chic Parfums de Marly boutique and a pretty incredible Creed store. Then there are the big hitters: Harrods Salon de Parfumis where to go for luxury. Liberty’s fragrance room, Selfridges’ beauty hall plus Browns for a beautifully edited selection of home fragrance options. And if you can’t make it in-store? Discovery sets are your best friend. They allow you to live with a scent properly—on your skin, on your terms—before committing. From Boadicea to Vyrao, there’s something for every mood, moment and version of you. The rule for 2026? Be curious and, most importantly, have fun!” — Sunil Makan, Editor, Marie Claire UK

4. Captive molecules

“I forecast that fragrances with high-quality ingredients and specific captives from fragrance houses will rise in 2026. Online, these captives—patented molecules from fragrance companies—actually draw users in as they tend to be unique in their smell, too, allowing exclusivity to the customer and therefore their scent. Consumers are exploring this, too, by buying special patented ingredients directly from scent chemists to enhance their layering skills.” — Aamna Lone, UK Fragrance Expert AKA @perfumeconnoisseurz

5. Contrasting fragrances

“It's never ‘just perfume,’ like fashion is never ‘just fashion’, and I feel us entering an era of bigger contrasts in fragrance trends, emerging from an era of ‘more of the same’. There is an undercurrent of commodification of creativity and labour in perfumery at the moment, due to the rise of so-called dupe businesses who position themselves as heroes of accessibility when really, they are just another form of corporate greed, except with no R&D costs. This is being responded to with more thoughtful or artisanal approaches on all levels—but we will also see deliberate counterpoints to certain cultural and geopolitical events that will show up as polar opposite fragrance trends, affecting everything from design briefs to the availability of ingredients. One example is the Pantone Colour of the Year discourse, which has led some commentators to draw parallels with the aesthetic beyond just a pleasingly neutral palette, and we'll encounter both ‘white musk’ style scents that earnestly mirror the tonality and counterpoints that will challenge it. In the current global political environment, a ‘neutral’ white shade isn't just about purity in its most pragmatic sense, so I anticipate we'll find perfumers using deliberate animalic filth with divisive and challenging accords, plus new interpretations of leather as direct contrast.” — Pia Long, Head Perfumer at Olfiction and Author of Demo Accords

6. Affordable luxury

"I predict we're going to see an increase in better, unique, original, ethical and credible fragrances in the under-£70 category. Up until recently, affordable perfume has been pretty dire, with scent profiles that have clearly been stolen from luxury brands. There is no room for lazy dupes and creative property theft anymore, and high street or low-cost brands need to try harder. It can be done: look at PixiBeauty, Beauty Pie, Marks & Spencer Discover, L'Occitane, ANFORH, & Other Stories... All excellent quality and credible brands making perfumes that real people can actually afford, without having to resort to grubby copycat perfumes made by computers. Smelling stunning for less: that's a trend we all need to champion!" — Alice du Parcq, Award-Winning Fragrance Presenter, Expert and Host

7. Nostalgia-fuelled scents

"Nostalgia is a comfort mechanism and in tougher times, we reach for scent like a soft blanket. For 2026, I think we’ll see this expressed in two ways. Gourmands will keep evolving, but expect a shift towards cosier, ‘childhood-adjacent’ notes—think milky/lactonic accords, rice, hot chocolate and warm cereal-like nuances—that feel safe and nurturing for the nervous system. But nostalgia will also show up through scent as emotional inheritance. The perfumes that were always in the air around you, worn by mums, aunties and the people you loved. The timeless classics, such as Chanel N°5, YSL Opium and Guerlain Shalimar, will feel newly relevant and reassuring. Sometimes you don’t want a ‘new’ identity, you want to feel held—and what’s more comforting than smelling like someone you love?" — Rhea Cartwright, Beauty Strategy Consultant

I don't have a Soho House membership, and I haven't seen the inside of a nightclub in a long while. Thankfully, the only club I am remotely interested in these days is Ffern's. Ffern is the British fragrance brand that celebrates nature in the most heavenly way—with limited edition seasonal scents and a small batch subscription model. Its unique offering, which is ever so considered, is inspiring. And I'm by no means alone in my thinking. The waiting list to join its exclusive ledger is rumoured to be half a million-strong.

Somerset-based Ffern is headed up by brother and sister, Founder Owen Mears and Creative Director Emily Cameron. They launched their first fragrance in 2019 with the simple goal of "restoring perfumery to its artisan roots".

How it works

The brand creates a new fragrance four times a year, one for each of the seasons. The release dates coincide with either an equinox or a solstice, the points of the year that mark our planet's seasonal changes.

Getting your hands on one isn't easy, though, almost akin to landing Glastonbury tickets. It all starts with the infamous Ffern ledger, which is essentially the brand's subscription list. If you make it on the ledger, you'll receive a new perfume each season. They are £89 per perfume, and you can stop it at any time. However, the ledger has a strict number, and the brand only opens up to new members periodically. To put your hat in the ring, you first have to join the waiting list. If you don't manage to make it onto the ledger, then fear not, there is another option. The brand opened its boutique on London's Beak Street in 2022, and it's here that non-members can experience Ffern and its fragrances. It also plays host to all of the archival fragrances, which ledger members can order whenever they want.

There's a reason why the brand doesn't want to make the scents too readily available. "Our production volumes are tightly controlled to ensure that our commitment to process and ingredient quality is not compromised," the brand says. "Each season, we will blend just one bottle for each of the names on our production ledger." By keeping their numbers down, the brand won't create any unnecessary packaging or ingredient waste or excess stock. Demand is plain to see, yet, opposing traditional economic responses, Ffern has no plans to increase supply.

What is so special about Ffern?

That's one of the FAQs on Google when you search the brand's name. And that's it, you see—the intrigue and the FOMO that its small-batched world creates. Well, what is so special about Ffern? Why do so many people want to be in the Ffern club?

Naturally, the fragrances are beautiful—each one is hand-crafted using natural and organic ingredients that are linked to the specific season and barrel-aged. Alongside Mears and Cameron, is Elodie Durande, a Grasse-trained perfumer.

But the industry is not short of pleasing fragrances. For me, what makes Ffern stand out in a very saturated market is everything else that the brand creates to exist alongside its scents. It curates moments that celebrate nature at that specific time—the scent is just one aspect of the tale.

Ffern partners with creatives across all industries to tell the story of each fragrance—from ice skaters turning perfect choreography on a frozen lake in the Canadian Rockies for last year's Winter scent, Cotwolds-based florists creating a bouquet that captures the essence of Autumn 25, and the Japanese artist who uses watercolours to paint an original piece that looks exactly how Summer 25 smells. Each fragrance's moodboard comes to life through the brand's visual approach and emotional and sensory collaborations. Just two weeks ago, the brand dropped the trailer for the Winter 26 film starring Ruth Wilson, a brooding clip that seems to quietly represent the feeling that this season's perfume is trying to portray. There's also a podcast—As the Season Turns—which is presented by nature writer Lia Leendertz. Each month, Leendertz talk guides listeners through the effect the changing season has on the natural landscape, as well as extra episodes, Found Sounds, which are created with sound artist Alice Boyd, who captures sound recordings befitting the season.

What comes with your delivery each season?

Each season, your delivery will arrive, and from the outside, it looks almost identical to the previous season's. However, inside tells a different story. Yes, the contents are always the same each time, but they are also unique to the new scent.

Inside your package, you will find your bottle of fragrance housed inside a small box with a seal down the side. There's also an original frameable print (yes, I do have five of them on my bedroom wall) and a leaflet that contains everything from the full ingredient list and the beautiful story of the scent written by Ffern's Creative Director, Emily Cameron.

You'll also find a little envelope, which contains a movie stub, a small vial of perfume, which is your tester, a terracotta diffusion stone for home scenting, two fragrance blotters, seasonal organic tea and your sampling guide.

The guide is a crucial part of the pack. It takes you through the best way to try the scent—first after 20 seconds, then every 10-20 minutes, followed by an hour and then over the course of the next couple of days in different places and at alternate times of the day. The brand wants you to discover if you form a bond or a connection with the scent before you fully commit. If you love it, then break the seal to reveal your bottle. If you don't, the brand includes a returns slip, which goes back to the HQ and is added to the archive.

Each scent comes with its own cinematic clip, and the movie stub inside your package has a QR that directs you to that season's film. Past seasons have seen stars such as Bill Nighy and This Country's Charlie Cooper feature.

Instead of double-page ad campaigns in monthly fashion magazines or billboards on the side of bridges, Ffern has chosen creative storytelling to cut through the deafening noise of the big fragrance houses and their even bigger marketing campaigns. This is the secret to the brand's success and why people patiently hope to one day make it onto the ledger. The Ffern club is worth the wait.

2025 may be drawing to a close; however, here at Marie Claire HQ, we’re not turning our attention to the new year just yet. Instead, before we look forward to 2026’s upcoming trends, we thought, why not take a look back and reflect upon everything good and great about 2025 — in the beauty stakes, that is.

Because it’s been a seriously great year to be a beauty lover. From tools that allowed us to indulge in salon-worthy experiences at home, to skincare that pushed the boundaries of efficacy and innovation, we’ve been well and truly spoiled with a stream of exciting new launches in 2025. And, it’s not just science-backed beauty that we can’t get enough of. On the make-up front, we were treated to a whole host of products and trends that proved creativity is well and truly back, while fragrance obsessives had even more opportunity to indulge in unique and exciting scents with niche fragrance brands and perfumers pushing the boundaries on notes we know and love.

Yet, while the launches came in thick and fast, not all of them cut through the noise. For every beauty product that went viral, there were those that didn’t pass our exacting standards. So, just which products proved to be the best beauty launches of 2025? Well, to find out, I spoke to some of the biggest beauty retailers to get their insider knowledge on which products we all couldn’t get enough of in 2025. Plus, they also shared their top predictions on how these launches will continue to influence our shopping habits in 2026 and beyond.

The best beauty launches of 2025

1. Beauty of Joseon Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50+

2. Shark Beauty CryoGlow Under-Eye Cooling & LED Anti-Ageing & Blemish Repair Mask

3. Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP

4. The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick

5. Sunday Riley Aquamarine Melt Cleansing Gel Balm

6. K18 AirWash Dry Shampoo

7. YSL Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil

8. Huda Beauty Lip Contour Stain

9. KAYALI Yum Boujee Marshmallow | 81

There's something about wintertime that makes me take home fragrance very seriously. I love to host year-round, but when the temperature drops, and we spend less time outside, my interior really comes into its own, including scent. Of course, at this time of year, I lean heavily on Christmas candles and reed diffusers in festive aromas, but as I learnt recently, there's an art to scenting the home and the best room sprays are essential tools that shouldn't be overlooked.

Room sprays offer an alternative way of filling your space with scent. Amanda Connock, founder of British fragrance brand Connock England, says that a room spray is the perfect way to refresh a room quickly and layers well with candles and diffusers. Whilst luxury candles certainly create a cosseting, cosy feel, a room spray is a great way to "finish with an instant lift".

I took Connock's advice this weekend when I held a Christmas drinks party. I used strong candles and electric diffusers to create a warm and atmospheric base, then spritzed the hallway and sitting room with room spray to welcome guests as they arrived.

As you would choose your candle and diffuser according to location, for example, a calming lavender for the bedroom or a rich amber for the sitting room, you should do the same with your room spray. Ally Head, Marie Claire's senior health and fitness editor, uses room sprays more than candles. She has three that she uses for the different areas of her home. "I'm a bit of a room spray obsessive," she says. "They instantly lift my mood and make me feel calmer. I feel like my space feels more put together when I use them (even if my house is actually a bit of a mess)."

Best room sprays 2025:

1. Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle Joyeux Noel Perfume Gun

2. Byredo Bibliothéque Parfum Room Spray

3. L'Objet Rose Noire Room Spray

4. Loewe Honeysuckle Home Fragrance

5. Malin+Goetz Tomato Room Spray

6. Perfumer H Dandelion Room Spray

7. Diptyque 34 Boulevard Saint Germain Room Spray

8. Jo Malone London Lime Basil & Mandarin Room Spray

9. Aesop Istros Aromatique Room Spray

As we inch closer and closer to Christmas Day, there’s one thing that can transport us into holiday mode faster than the first time you hear Mariah Carey sing, “It’s tiiiime”—and that’s scent. From freshly cut pine to sumptuous florals warmed with spice, the right fragrance can spark nostalgia, set the mood and make even the dankest December day feel completely magical.

We asked the Marie Claire UK editors to share the Christmas candles and perfumes they genuinely adore—the ones they burn, spritz and gift year after year, and that never fail to put them in a festive mindset. So whether you’re still searching for that spark of Christmas spirit or looking to elevate your fragrance wardrobe this winter, consider this your insider guide to the scents worth celebrating.

Andrea Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Sunil Makan, Editor

Lottie Winter, Beauty Director

Sofia Piza, Fashion Writer

Amelia Yeomans, Junior Shopping Editor

Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor

Maggie Joyner, Junior Social Media Editor

Dionne Brighton, Social Media Editor

Ally Head, Senior Health & Sustainability Editor

It can't be denied: 2025 has been the year of the gourmand. Research from the global market intelligence and research agency, Mintel, showed that launches of saccharine, food-y fragrances have increased by 24 per cent in the last year alone. In fact, it's even been suggested that a reason behind their sudden surge in popularity is due to the rise of weight loss jabs.

In any case, the demand is there—but personally, I have never been able to get on board with gourmands; my fragrance tastes skew smoky, woody, and I'm partial to aldehydes. So, my curiosity was piqued when I saw that "metallic fragrances" were trending. They initially sounded off-putting, conjuring up industrial plants, cold, shiny surfaces, and even blood—but that can't be further from the truth of how the note is used in modern-day scents.

"There’s something powerful about embracing the cool, abstract scent of machinery or ozone; it’s a different kind of intimacy," explains Stephanie Hannington-Suen, co-founder of sustainable fragrance brand, Homework. "It’s about texture and temperature rather than literal ingredients. You use materials that evoke sharpness, brightness, or a sense of static, such as aldehydes or mineral accords that mimic the tang of wet stone or cold air.

''You’re painting with contrasts: something clean against something warm and human," she continues. "For a long time, perfume was about sweetness and allure, but now there’s space for sterility, emptiness, and ambiguity. These scents sit somewhere between attraction and alienation, which makes them exciting. Metallics and minerals connect us to the present moment. They celebrate our relationship with modernity in the way we live, build, and connect."

Romy Kowalewski, founder of Barcelona-based perfume house 27 28, adds that metallic notes have a stillness that feels powerful. "They do not seduce through warmth. They pull you in through composure. That quiet restraint has its own sensuality. Metallics capture the balance between softness and strength." Intrigued? Discover more about mine and the perfumers' top metallic scents ahead.

Best metallic fragrances

While I have a couple of signature scents that I wear year-round, I love the change of seasons as an excuse to switch up my perfume collection. And now the temperature has well and truly plummeted, I'm moving away from my beachy body mists and citrus scents. Instead, winter calls for cosy, comforting perfumes with one note in particular dominating my most-reached-for fragrances at the moment—cashmere. Yes, cashmere perfumes have quietly become my winter fragrance obsession, and it’s about time I shared what makes them so special.

Warm without being overly heady, and cosy without feeling twee, cashmere perfumes smell quietly luxurious. Slightly more weight than a traditional skin scent, they still have that feeling of softness and intimacy that makes them feel incredibly chic. “Cashmere is a beloved note in autumn and winter because it carries that quietly luxurious softness that we instinctively reach for in the colder months,” explains Emmanuelle Moeglin, Founder and nose at Experimental Perfume Club. “In perfumery, cashmere isn’t actually a single raw material, but a textured accord created with a blend of musks, soft woods and warm amber facets.” This combination is exactly what gives cashmere fragrances their complexity and depth—and means that no cashmere perfume smells the same.

Ahead, I’ve rounded up 7 of the best cashmere fragrances for the season ahead.

1. Jo Loves Black Cashmeran & Tonka Perfume

2. Phlur Cashmere Skin

3. Guerlain Eau de Cashmere

4. The Nue Co. First Milk

5. Bibbi Radio Child

6. Who Is Elijah His|Her

7. Le Monde Gourmand Fleur de Blonde

A product category that combines sex scents, the gourmand trend and a multi-sensory, synesthesia-like journey seems like it should be impossible. But interestingly, that's exactly what the new 'lickable perfume' brand Amorecco promises to do.

The young fragrance start-up has attracted all kinds of attention for its unique creations, which are proudly "crossing the boundaries between fragrance and intimacy." And with more of us despairing over the state of modern dating (if you're re-downloading Hinge for the 16th time this year, you're not alone), trying a sexy scent that tastes just as good as it smells could just be the exact type of madness we need. So what is the lickable fragrance brand really about?

The 'lickable' fragrance category is as it sounds: as well as smelling these perfumes on your wrist, you can also taste them on the tip of your tongue. The idea is that they taste how they smell, and vice versa. The products are created with ingredients that are safe to consume, including a low alcohol content. That said, they are designed to be licked lightly from the skin, not directly sprayed into the mouth.

Amorecco worked with both perfumers and wellness experts to create products that sit at the intersection between beauty and intimate pleasure. Its first launch—Late Night Gelato—plays into the gourmand trend deliciously, with hints of decadent vanilla and creamy toasted coconut. The brand's latest launch—After Dark—has more of a sensual feel to it, with sweet dark cherries.

As we know, functional fragrance has taken a "sex sells " approach in the past year. From Vyrao's bold, unafraid 'sex scents' to the launch of Mood's 'Frisky' aromatherapy blend, brands are no longer being subtle or tongue-in-cheek about using intimacy and erotica to create and promote product: instead, they are being overt in their intentions.

For Amorecco co-founder Luce Grover, then, lickable fragrances that combine the senses and encourage sensuality (and even arousal) are the natural next step. "Amorecco began with a bold vision to rejuvenate intimacy in a fast-paced, digital-focused world where authentic connections often get overshadowed," she tells Marie Claire UK. "The brand's mission stems from the desire to redefine how intimacy and pleasure are perceived, moving beyond traditional narratives and embracing the joy of discovery and meaningful connection."

The products have the potential to become part of an individual's sexual wellbeing and a couple's bedroom habits: a spritz on pulse points like the neck undoubtedly can arouse a partner, both through smell and taste. And let us not forget that smell is a huge part of attraction for many.

Amorecco's scents were also designed to offer a multi-sensory experience, blending smell with taste to give the user a unique perspective, somewhat similar to having synesthesia. "The concept of licking a fragrance not only enhances the experience for those with synesthesia, who may find their sensory perceptions blended, but also invites all users to engage more fully with their sensuality and personal pleasures," adds Grover.

As someone with a touch of synesthesia, this was certainly an interesting experiment for me. The two senses that blend for me when it comes to perfume are sight and smell, meaning these products offered a new dimension, admittedly one that felt a little chaotic. My senses felt muddled, rather than heightened, but that was just my experience.

Grover is confident that lickable fragrance is not only the latest in functional fragrance trends, but the future. She tells me she believes Amorecco exemplifies a cultural shift towards celebrating authentic connections. "The future of lickable fragrances is bright, with potential for expanding acceptance of multi-sensory experiences in intimacy, encouraging individuals to explore their desires and celebrate their sensuality boldly."

While I see the possibility for this category to inspire fun and enhance intimacy between partners, I personally believe the jury is out over whether there is huge growth potential. It's good for a brand to have a niche, but this one seems very specific, and we'll need to wait to see if the idea has real longevity. That said, I'm not not enjoying wearing After Dark and bringing it up as a conversation starter with friends... We'll just have to see if that translates romantically when I start dating again.

Last week, model and KORA Organics founder Miranda Kerr appeared on The Dr. Hyman Show, a popular functional-medicine podcast, to discuss her recent health journey and the lifestyle changes she believes have transformed her wellbeing. One shift, she explained, was cutting out synthetic fragrances entirely—so much so that she now has a strict no-fragrance policy in her home, rooted in her belief that such scents can cause “disruptions” in the body.

“I have a no-fragrance policy for anyone coming into my house because I don’t do that around my children,” Kerr said. “It’s really disturbing, to be honest, how unaware people are.”

Although she didn’t specify exactly what those bodily “disruptions” might be, she referenced her mother’s cancer diagnosis (Kerr was a teenager when her mother was diagnosed with a rare spleen cancer). Dr. Mark Hyman went further, drawing direct links between synthetic fragrances and cancer risk, hormone disruption, cumulative long-term exposure and regulatory gaps.

“As a doctor, I’m very aware of these things—links to cancer, reproductive health,” he said. “They’re often endocrine disruptors. They can mess with women’s hormones. They can be very toxic. And you’re not just doing it once—you’re exposed every day for decades. That’s what concerns me.”

These are undeniably alarming claims. Anyone listening could walk away feeling anxious, if not completely terrified. But are these warnings grounded in scientific evidence? Or do they border on sensationalism—attention-grabbing, scaremongering soundbites designed for clicks and virality? And, perhaps cynically, is it worth noting that both guests have a financial motive to make such claims—Kerr’s KORA Organics range that focuses on naturally-derived ingredients, and Dr. Hyman’s supplement brands and his functional-testing company offering $499 annual diagnostic memberships? Just a thought.

To cut through the noise, we reviewed every independent, peer-reviewed, double-blind study available—the gold-standard research—examining the potential negative health effects of fragrances. Here’s what we found.

Is Fragrance Toxic: The evidence for hormone disruption

One of the biggest claims made by Dr. Hyman was that synthetic fragrances are endocrine disruptors and interfere with women’s hormones. But the evidence paints a far less definitive picture (if not a different image entirely).

Most of the findings come from animal or in-vitro studies, where researchers test individual fragrance chemicals (not finished perfumes) in isolation. And, crucially, the doses used in these studies are vastly higher than anything a human would ever be exposed to through perfume, body lotion or cosmetics. We're talking 100 to 10,000 times higher.

Let's take synthetic musks as an example. One study found weak hormone-like activity in rodents when they were exposed to 15-150milligrams per day. By contrast, human exposure is measured in micrograms (that's 1000 to 10,000 times lower).

Another commonly contended fragrance molecule is phthalates, which in animal studies showed hormone disruption when exposed to 10 mg/kg to 750 mg/kg per day. Human exposure is typically less than 0.01 mg/kg/day—100 to 75,000 times lower.

So, the bottom line is that some fragrance ingredients can behave like hormone disruptors under extreme laboratory condition, but there is no evidence whatsoever that fragrance in its consumer form disrupts human hormones.

Is Fragrance Toxic: The evidence for cancer risk

Kerr and Dr Hyman repeatedly allude to a link between synthetic fragrance and cancer, but the actual evidence for this is extremely limited. Much like the hormone-disruption claims, the concerns stem from studies on individual fragrance chemicals—usually tested in isolation, and often in rodents—where certain ingredients have shown carcinogenic potential. But these effects appear only at exposure levels hundreds to thousands of times higher than anything humans would ever encounter through perfume or cosmetics.

Crucially, there are no double-blind human studies demonstrating that perfume or fragranced products increase cancer risk. Regulatory bodies across the EU, UK and US closely monitor fragrance ingredients, restricting or banning any with established carcinogenic properties. In other words, the scientific evidence simply does not support the sweeping cancer claims being made.

Is Fragrance Toxic: Other adverse effects

There are some proven adverse health effects associated with perfume, though they are far more benign than the sweeping claims made by Kerr and Dr Hyman. The issues documented in high-quality studies tend to involve skin reactions, eye or nasal irritation, and respiratory symptoms in people with asthma or heightened sensitivity. Importantly, while these symptoms can be uncomfortable, the research does not show systemic toxicity. Objective measures, such as lung function tests or markers of inflammation, generally remain unchanged, suggesting that these reactions are irritant or allergic in nature rather than signs of deeper harm.

But could there be a cumulative effect?

Kerr and Dr Hyman also emphasised the idea that while a single spritz of perfume may be tiny, spraying it every day could allow harmful chemicals to build up over time. In theory, cumulative exposure is possible, but only under very specific circumstances and with particular ingredients. Some older synthetic musks, such as galaxolide and tonalide, are what scientists call persistent: they can accumulate in fatty tissue, and trace amounts have been detected in human blood in bio-monitoring studies. But presence does not equal harm. The fact that a chemical is detectable doesn’t mean it’s doing anything harmful—especially when levels are extremely low.

To put this in perspective, many everyday plant foods we consider healthy (including tofu, soybeans, grapes, apples, flaxseed and sesame) contain natural bioactive compounds that interact with our hormones far more strongly than any perfume molecule ever could. After eating them, these plant compounds can also be detected in our blood, urine and even breast milk. Yet far from being dangerous, these foods are consistently linked to better health outcomes. In other words, detection alone isn’t a marker of toxicity; it’s simply a marker of exposure.

A note on synthetics vs. natural fragrances

On the show, Kerr explains that her no-fragrance policy doesn’t extend to essential oils or natural scents. She’s a fan of them, even saying she applies peppermint oil to her skin, "to help with sebum production”. It’s a familiar wellness narrative: natural equals safe, synthetic equals harmful. But scientifically, that distinction simply doesn’t stand up.

For starters, studies show similar results for synthetic and naturally-derived fragrances when it comes to irritation and allergy. Dermatology and allergy reviews consistently identify essential oils as some of the most common allergens in cosmetics, and often recommending that people with sensitive or eczema-prone skin avoid them altogether.

Several essential oils—most famously lavender and tea tree—have also demonstrated hormone-like effects in rodent and cell studies, just as some synthetic fragrance ingredients have. But, exactly as with synthetics, these effects appear only at very high concentrations, far beyond anything you’d encounter in a scented moisturiser or a few drops of oil.

The bottom line

Dr Hyman and Kerr’s claims simply aren’t supported by the evidence. Yes, perfume can irritate sensitive skin or trigger symptoms in people with asthma—but the sweeping warnings about cancer, hormone disruption and long-term toxicity just don’t hold up to scientific scrutiny.

So go ahead—spritz, sniff and enjoy your signature scent without fear.

I don't think I'm alone in saying that gourmand scents are perhaps some of my least favourite out there. Often heavy and cloying, they have a distinctly youthful feel that doesn't really match up with my preference for light and fresh perfumes.

That being said, I have always had an unusual penchant for vanilla fragrances. But not just any vanilla—my fussiness knows no bounds. However, Phlur's Vanilla Smoke, with notes of incense and aromatic birch, might just be the vanilla to convince even the most sweet-averse to give into gourmands. Undoubtedly one of the best Phlur perfumes, I recommend it to anyone that will listen.

Narrowing down the very best perfumes for women is no small task, and finding one to work for all budgets is even trickier. The beauty of Phlur's perfume mists is not only their affordability, but sophisticated and long-lasting finish they provide—and Vanilla Smoke is no exception.

If you're not familiar with Phlur, I recommend you get acquainted fast. First founded in 2015 in Texas and relaunched in 2021, it's a fragrance brand with a modern and elevated feel. With woody, musky, floral, and fruity blends, the idea is to layer multiple Phlur sprays—or experiment with switching up your scent profile day to day.

Producing both eau de parfums and body mists in cylindrical bottles that pull my whole bathroom vanity display together, you'd never guess that Phlur is the most affordable fragrance brand in my entire collection.

Vanilla Smoke is one of those scents that subverted my expectations when it comes to gourmands. It's simultaneously universally appealing and unlike anything else I've spritzed before. With notes of creamy vanilla combined with incense, amber, aromatic birch, cacao blanc and smoky balsam, it layers the sweeter top notes over a blanket of cosy, woody base scents. Think Tom Ford's iconic Tobacco Vanille, but lighter and slightly less warm.

It's designed to be a hair and body mist, and I can attest to the fact that it really does stick. The richer base nose stay around the longest, but subtle hits of vanilla continue to cut through during the day. I've also been known to use it as a room spray when my space needs a refresh, and it settles beautifully in the air too.

I can hazard a guess that most people who dislike vanilla perfumes typically do like the natural scent of vanilla—what turns most of us off is the sugary, powdery finish that often comes with it in perfume blends. But by combining traditional vanilla with muskier notes that give Vanilla Smoke a tangible maturity, Phlur has managed to make an anti-vanilla vanilla perfume come to life.

Currently reduced to just £20 in the Black Friday sale (or £30.40 for the 236ml bottle), it's the most affordable fragrance in my whole collection. And even if you're still not quite sold on the vanilla scent, the entire Phlur range is currently discounted. I recently invested in Rose Whip as a gift for my mum, and it easily stands up to some of the other floral scents I have bought her in the past that are double the price.

More of my favourite Phlur fragrances

It's no secret that I am an absolute Christmas fanatic. As it does with most people, it started very young. I fell hook, line and sinker for the magic of it all. I was definitely one of the last of my primary school friends to find out 'The Truth'. But even that didn't discourage my enthusiasm for the traditions, the thrill, the pomp and the ceremony. I am now in my late thirties, with two children of my own, and if anything, my love of it has only increased. As a 'grown-up', I now get to see it all through my little one's eyes (which is just the most joyful thing), and I get to play host. Where before I got my festive kicks from gifts and Father Christmas, now it's all about the seasonal cocktails, the chic decorations and, of course, home fragrance.

Christmas candles could be my Mastermind specialist subject. In the run-up to December, if I see one, you can bet I'm buying it. I like my home to smell like a grotto from mid-November onwards. My tried and tested method for achieving this is to light a candle in every room, which I have to admit means I get through an awfully large number of them by New Year's Day. I can't help but think there must be an art to doing it properly. As we know, home fragrance, whilst naturally filling your room with beautiful aromas, also has the power to evoke memories, set moods and create atmosphere. So, what do the fragrance experts say about scenting the home for Christmas? What's the ideal combination for creating the best festive backdrop for the festivities?

I asked Amanda Connock, founder of Connock England and Amy Wise, The White Company's Senior Fragrance Buyer, for their tips and tricks for scenting the home at Christmas.

Decorating with scent

"The way your home smells adds an important layer to the wider interior design," says Amy Wise of The White Company. "It allows you to create distinct environments with a different scent profile." To do this, she recommends tailoring the scent to the time of the day, the occasion, mood or the season by layering candles, room sprays and diffusers across your home. Connock London's founder, Amanda Connock, agrees, “I love to layer fragrance throughout my home and change it seasonally. I recommend starting with a steady base, adding warmth and atmosphere, then finishing with an instant lift." She does this with the help of reed diffusers, luxury candles and fragrance mists. "I begin with a reed diffuser to give a constant, subtle scent," she says. "Then I light a candle when I want cosiness and mood, and use a room or linen mist to refresh fabrics and welcome guests. Layering like this lets you control the intensity and move a room from day to night with ease.”

Scentscaping

What both experts are describing is scentscaping, also known as fragrance zoning. It's the art of layering different home fragrances around your home and creating individual moments that all flow together seamlessly.

To achieve this, consider the various areas of the home and think about the atmosphere you want to create in each. Here Connock talks us through the rooms of the house and how she scents each one for Christmas.

Entrance hall

"Make the first impression count," she says. She likes to use a reed diffuser in the hallway as they provide a steady base note that welcomes people as they enter.

Sitting room

For relaxed entertaining, Connock recommends layering a statement candle with a subtle diffuser. "Candles bring warmth and atmosphere, while the diffuser keeps a gentle background scent for longer visits."

Kitchen

"In cooking spaces, choose clean, zesty scents that cut through food aromas," Connock says. She says linen mists on curtains or scented ceramic decorations hung on a cupboard handle work well and don't overpower, but refresh the space.

For a natural simmer pot, Amanda simmering a saucepan of water on the hob and throwing in your favourite herbs, spices or fruit. Amanda’s winter favourites are clove, cinnamon sticks, orange, star anise and vanilla in the winter.

Bedroom

Connock says that it's best to keep the bedroom calm and restorative. "A room mist on pillows and a light diffuser in a corner creates a tranquil, spa like environment. For deeper relaxation, choose notes like sandalwood or soft amber."

Bathroom

An often forgotten area of the house. Get rid of that loo freshener and "opt for fresh, spa-inspired notes, such as eucalyptus and bergamot." Doesn't have to be much, but a small candle or diffuser tucked on a shelf makes all the difference with consistent freshness without overpowering the space.

With temperatures dropping rapidly, it's safe to say that we've crossed into winter. It's always at this point that I'm tempted to shake up my perfume rotation. Dark, frosty mornings in London usually have me reaching for enveloping scents, rather than my usual woody accords—but this year, I've been drawn towards a rather unexpected note: papyrus.

It's essentially the "clean girl" note of autumnal and wintery fragrances, explains Miller Harris' Senior Creative Brand Marketing Manager, Stacy-Jayne Archer. "Papyrus is an aromatic, woody and subtly spicy note drawn from the plant’s fibrous roots, evoking parchment, cool air and sun-bleached reeds. Its elegant, atmospheric profile makes it a standout for autumn: airy yet warm, earthy without heaviness and effortlessly sophisticated. Papyrus lends a textured backbone to seasonal favourites such as saffron, cardamom, amber and leather, adding clarity and quiet depth. It feels modern, niche and richly textural."

I've been so taken by this cosy, moreish note that I've tried every papryus scent I could lay my hands on. Some lean woody, with spicy facets, and others are straight up reminiscent of libraries and the pages of your most beloved novel. Read on for my personal favourites.

Almost all of us switch our seasonal wardrobe out when the temperatures change, but I like to go for a different type of refresh to set me up for the winter—a new fragrance. Yes, the best perfumes for women can of course be worn year-round, but there's something about a new scent to mark the time of year that starts the season off right.

I've always had very strong scent associations—I get the slightest whiff of my mum's perfume I borrowed as a teenager and I'm immediately transported back to being in a GCSE maths lesson. That means that I like to set times of the year to a smell, almost like a fragrance soundtrack, so that I can be reminded of that time period forever. I also find that certain scents really come alive in different climates, and a hearty perfume can be the thing to perk up my mood on a grey day.

Plus, there's damp and chilly weather to contend with. I often turn to long-lasting perfumes to ensure my signature scent doesn't get washed off by lunchtime, but fragrance layering plays a big part too. And with Black Friday fragrance deals kicking off, now is a great time to invest in the perfume you've long been coveting and know you will wear on repeat for months. I've found my top seasonal picks at The Perfume Shop with savings of up to 50%—a saving so good I can even get some early Christmas shopping done whilst I'm at it.

Winter perfumes at a glance

• Marc Jacobs Dot: £41.99 at The Perfume Shop
• Calvin Klein CK One: £32.99 at The Perfume Shop
• Gucci Bamboo: £44.99 at The Perfume Shop
• Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey: £44.99 at The Perfume Shop
• Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Elixir: £59.99 at The Perfume Shop

My seasonal perfume selects

I'll be honest, I love a great bargain—though as a beauty editor, I'm very aware of overconsumption, and sale culture just intensifies that. However, when it comes to skincare tools (a sizeable purchase) or Black Friday fragrance deals, I feel a bit differently.

The best perfumes out there are expensive. Trust me, as a scent-focused editor, I spend most of my days testing the latest and greatest in perfumery. So, I can tell you one thing for sure: the very best fragrances tend to have hefty price tags.

And while my love for all things scent is no doubt down to the luxury of it all, even I can't deny the appeal of the deals to be had. In fact, I often recommend that anyone hold off buying the one luxury perfume they've had their eye on all year until the last week of November—because more often than not, you're going to make a notable saving.

Today, the fragrance deals are still in full swing. These are the scents I would recommend to anyone, even at full price.

Black Friday fragrance deals: Quick shopping links

• Lookfantastic: Save up to 60% iconic scents
• Harvey Nichols: Up to 20% off premium perfumes
• The Perfume Shop: Discounts on countless designer perfumes
• Boots: Save up to half price on selected fragrances and family favourites
• John Lewis: Up to 20% off classic scents
• Amazon: Up to 70% off certain lines

Black Friday Perfume Deals

Anyone with redness-prone, dry, or reactive skin will know to avoid topical skincare products containing alcohol. After all, alcohol can break down vital proteins and lipids, compromising the skin barrier and leading to increased moisture loss and irritation over time. Many of us will scan the back of packaging to check ingredient lists, and spend hours finding alcohol-free alternatives to our favourite formulas. Why, then, do we—without hesitation—complete our beauty routines with a spray of alcohol-based perfume?

Why is there alcohol in perfume?

Look at any perfume label on your shelf and, chances are, alcohol will be the main ingredient. It has played a central role in fragrance creation for decades — not only as a carrier, but also in the extraction process itself. Perfumers use a method known as solvent extraction, in which ethanol dissolves aromatic compounds such as essential oils and aroma molecules. Once the alcohol is evaporated, the concentrated essence that remains—known as an absolute—is further purified and refined using alcohol before becoming the base of the final fragrance.

Are there any other distillation methods?

Sometimes, perfumers use steam distillation to extract the aromatic compounds, but some, like jasmine, orange blossom and tuberose, are too delicate to withstand the heat of the steam and it destroys their fragrance.

There are ways around this, however. Bio-engineered or lab-created fragrance notes offer a near-identical scent and can be mixed directly into oil or water without the need for distillation or extraction.

It’s also worth noting that while some natural extracts, including jasmine absolute, are initially produced using alcohol during extraction, the alcohol is evaporated long before the essence reaches the final juice, meaning the finished product can still technically be alcohol-free.

How are alcohol-free perfumes made?

Alcohol-free perfumes are created by blending aromatic ingredients—essential oils, absolutes and lab-made fragrance molecules—into alternative bases, like oils, water or lightweight emulsions instead of alcohol. The result is a fragrance that feels softer and more nourishing on the skin, with a slower, closer diffusion than traditional alcohol-based scents.

Below, a round-up of the best alcohol-free perfumes available to try now.

The best alcohol-free perfumes

It doesn't get more classical than a chypre fragrance. The scent profile has remained an enduring icon within the fragrance space since it was used by perfumer François Coty in his 1917 scent, Chypre.

Warm, dry and inherently sophisticated, the accord is defined by the contrast between fresh, citrus top notes and a rich, earthy and woody base—usually comprised of bergamot, oakmoss, patchouli, and labdanum. "It’s a composition built on tension, where the opposing characteristics of the top and base notes are in perfect balance," says Cherry Cheng, the founder of niche perfume brand Jouissance. "It’s the perfect balance between radiance and shadow, the ethereal and the earthy. A chypre always carries a hint of drama, an elegant tug-of-war, like the tension of desire. It feels more cerebral and sexier than a pretty soliflore or a warm, sensuous amber composition."

For Tomáš Ric, founder of Prague-based perfume house Pigmentarium, the chypre is an unescapable olfactory accord. "It’s like a fine wine or a cashmere sweater—you learn to appreciate its quality over time. I often see it with our clients: they might start with something fresh, citrusy, or gourmand, but as their taste matures, they’re drawn deeper into the world of niche perfumery. That’s the magic of chypre—it carries a quiet sense of luxury, refinement, and belonging among those who truly know."

While it's often considered "old-fashioned", both fragrance experts explain that the chypre is constantly being re-invented. Indeed, modern takes on the structure tend to be popular. Regarding what makes a good one, Ric explains that restraint and respect for contrast are key, as is "The courage to strip away nostalgia and reveal the raw structure underneath". He adds: Modern chypres often replace moss with mineral or smoky accords, use synthetic musks instead of animalic notes, and play with transparency—yet they still honour the precise geometry of the original form."

Ahead, our favourite, refreshingly modern takes on the chypre.

Crispy leaves, pumpkin-spiced latte season and burgundy nails: these are just some of the things I love about this time of year. I also see October as the official month to lock away my 'summery' scents (think bright florals and hints of citrus) and reach for moodier, more mysterious fragrances—otherwise known as my witchy perfumes. If you're ready to embrace your mystical side, starting with scent is a great way to go.

Which notes are considered witchy?

It may seem obvious, but as the seasons shift, so too do the fragrance notes we tend to lean towards. While summertime is all about embracing the light, airy and refreshing, autumn tends to see us wanting darker, more intense olfactory experiences. More complex concoctions with headier accords really take centre stage this time of year—particularly in the run-up to Halloween.

Phway Su Aye, Co-Founder of Gabar, says that there are certain blends she will opt for as we approach spooky season. "I’ve been turning to herbals and essential oils, like frankincense & myrrh, to spur my inner witch; scents that feel like you’re treading through a forest or petrichor scents that feel aligned for this darker weather.”

Other notes that can feel extra witchy include jasmine, oud, spices and even creamy gourmand notes like caramel or vanilla.

Brands like Vyrao, Charlotte Tilbury, and Penhaligon's all have scents designed to evoke a witchy feel—the following are my favourites.

The best witchy perfumes

Runways might be ruled by sight, but this season, it was the unseen that left the biggest impression. Designers are using fragrance not just as a finishing touch, but as part of the storytelling, an invisible thread weaving together clothes, inspiration, mood, and memory. The result? Fashion that you don’t just see, you feel—and it’s changing the way we experience both. “I believe that fragrance doesn’t just complement style, it elevates it by infusing each outfit with presence and a deeper sense of identity,” explains Amanda Connock of Connock England. “Although invisible, fragrance is the ultimate accessory, that final touch that completes any look." The right scent can amplify what the eye sees—or even reveal the unseen mood beneath a garment.

Scent meets style

At the Roksanda Spring/Summer 2026 show, for example, fragrance was not an afterthought but a collaborator. The space was suffused with STORIES No.02 Eau de Parfum—warm, forested, and evocative—enveloping models, backstage artists, and front-row guests alike. Roksanda herself described the fragrance as complementing the organic inspirations behind the collection: “With notes of natural surroundings and forestry, there is a connection to Barbara Hepworth, this season’s inspirations, and her dialogue with nature and organic form.” The fragrance was to feel like part of the collection itself—echoing the clean lines and earthy tones.

Over at Barrus, scent was experimented with at an even more elemental level— using nanotechnology to embed scent into its fabrics. In collaboration with Art de Huile, scarves and select garments exuded an aroma, inspired by Istanbul’s spice bazaars, adding a tactile depth to the drape and motion of the fabrics. Creative Director Neslisah Yilmaz framed it beautifully: “a journey through scents, textures, and hidden lights.”

In Paris, Saint Laurent staged its latest show beneath the Eiffel Tower and infused the space with the house’s most iconic scent: Opium. The fragrance floated through the night air, mingling with the dramatic lighting and Yves Saint Laurent’s signature precision tailoring. It was both nostalgic and defiant—a reminder that scent can crystallise a brand’s history in the same way a sharply cut blazer does. The guests didn’t just witness the collection; they breathed in the YSL legacy.

Backstage at Ginny Litscher, master perfumer Azzi Glasser scent-styled each celebrity model, matching fragrance to look and mood, creating what she called “the catwalk that left the scent trail.” Sadie Frost wore Perfume C, “as it gives off that pheromone sexual aura with that mysterious quality, perfect for my look.” And Laura Whitmore wore Perfume Twisted Iris: “I love Ginny’s designs and I want my fragrance to match the story told in this dress.” The collab elevated the 'just another' collection into a fully multi-sensory experience.

Meanwhile, Chopova Lowena’s ‘Cheerlore’ show turned the runway into a playful scent narrative. ‘Perfume girls’ carrying bottles of the label’s newly launched fragrances—Queen Rosa, Hay Zhasmina!, Great Root/Green Ruth. And then there is Miu Miu’s Miutine—not necessarily diffused on a runway, but born from the same impulse to entwine a house’s aesthetic with smell. Inspired by the Matelassé leather codes of the brand, Dominique Ropion, the perfumer, says the composition “invites self-affirmation and confidence.” Ambassador Emma Corrin called it “a scent for free spirits.” In one small flacon, Miu Miu compresses its fashion identity into scent.

Your fragrance wardrobe

“Although invisible, fragrance is the ultimate accessory, that final touch that completes any look," says Amanda. Here's how to bring the runway's sensibility into your own everyday wardrobe.

Mood alignment - If your outfit features crisp tailoring—sharp lines and structured silhouettes—lean into greener woods, such as vetiver, leather, or incense. These base notes echo the confidence and intent behind your look. If you’re wearing something romantic or fluid—such as soft silks, bias cuts, chiffon, airy florals, musks, or a whisper of vanilla—airy florals can mirror that sense of ease without overwhelming it. As Amanda puts it, “Fragrance also has a powerful connection to mood. Light, green notes can refresh and uplift; warm ambers and woods can calm and comfort.” Much like dressing, scent becomes a daily ritual for deciding how you want to feel—confident, serene, bold, or sensual.

Season and fabric - In spring and summer, citrus, green notes and watery florals sit beautifully beside linen and sheer fabrics—they amplify that freshness. Come autumn and winter, heavier materials like wool and velvet pair perfectly with amber, tobacco or resinous woods. Think of your perfume as a second layer: in warm weather, it should feel like cool air on skin; in winter, like a cashmere throw.

Occasion and character - For daytime or work, choose clean yet complex notes—iris, soft woods, white florals—that whisper rather than shout. For the night, you can build intensity with tuberose, labdanum or oud. The goal isn’t to match perfectly, but to harmonise: your scent should affirm your look, not compete with it. Amanda likens this to building an olfactive wardrobe: “Through fragrance layering and combining, you can craft a scent that is uniquely yours—a personal olfactive wardrobe that reflects your style in every season. Just as no two people wear an outfit in the same way, fragrance becomes most powerful when it’s worn with intention and tailored to you.”

Narrative thread - Just as designers now weave scent into their runway story—think of how fragrance fills a show space, echoing the fabrics or plette—you can use perfume as your own finishing flourish. Try misting it through a silk scarf or inside the neckline of a jacket so it lingers like a secret. The first breath as you enter a room becomes your signature—invisible but unforgettable.

Shop fashion fragrances

Functional fragrance has totally changed the way we view, consume and appreciate perfume. Long have we known just how impactful certain smells can be on our mood and emotional state—and fragrance brands have finally caught up. Tapping into the power of neuroscience, functional fragrances make us feel, as well as just smell good. And in an era where cortisol levels are at an all-time high and human interaction is at an all-time low, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The focus of late, however, has been something more niche: functional fragrance has been feeling distinctly, well, sexy. From marketing campaigns to product copy, the notes and way they interact with our brains are not the only things promoting a ‘sex sells’ mentality. As with functional fragrance more widely, this era seems to be directly tapping into our need for more touch and human connection, and may even serve as a partial antidote to new generations' alleged "sex recession".

Look to Vyrao, the Australian-born brand founded by Yasmin Sewell. Sewell’s foray into this world is the first of the brand’s kind. Described as "gender-neutral sex scents", the perfumes Ludatrix and Ludeaux certainly have not tried to disguise their erotic roots: the notes used scream sex (latex, lipstick, peach skin and musk), their marketing campaign has been overtly sensual, too. Vyrao is proud about their ability to "support mood, arousal, confidence and self-esteem".

Likewise, a new project by indie fragrance brand Jouissance is proving just how intertwined fragrance, sex and mainstream culture are becoming. Founder Cherry Cheng has delved into the world of erotic literature – something she herself is passionate about. The brand’s new limited-edition online library boasts a curated collection of first and collectable editions of literary works such as Simone De Beauvoir's ‘Brigitte Bardot And The Lolita Syndrome’ and ‘The Sadeian Woman,’ by Angela Carter. All, Cheng says, have helped to inspire ‘the brand’s olfactory world.’

Gregory Allen, founder of modern aromatherapy brand Moods, believes that while ‘sex sells’ messaging has always been applicable across the board in fashion, beauty and lifestyle, the ‘tone’ has now changed. “It’s less about unattainable glamour and more about intimacy, confidence and connection. Brands are weaving sensuality into storytelling that feels both playful and empowering, rather than purely objectifying.” The brand’s version of a sex scent is Frisky, which Allen describes as “spicy, warm, and playfully indulgent, with clinically proven notes to boost confidence, arousal and most important, self-assurance.”

As mentioned, this evolution in the fragrance space seems to be an attempt to act as a potential ‘solution’ for the current generation’s habits which prioritise screen-time over in-person connection, and that is currently experiencing what experts describe as a ‘sex recession.’ “We’re living through a moment of high stress and digital disconnection. Fragrance offers a sensory way back to the body—a subtle antidote to what some have called the 'sex recession'. It gives people permission to reconnect with themselves and with others in a tactile, instinctive way,” comments Allen.

According to sex experts, fragrance can certainly aid in connection, too. “Fragrance connects directly to sensuality. It is invisible, intimate, and powerful,” adds Sex Therapist Dr Viviana Coles. “While this may not be the ultimate solution to the so-called sex recession, it reflects a broader cultural moment in which people are turning to tools that help them feel sexier and more confident in their own skin.”

And this is what’s important to acknowledge—while attraction and arousal are a focus of these scents, boosting empowerment and confidence is really at their heart. This in turn, can aid in a search for love or intimacy. “When you feel calmer, more confident and in tune with yourself, you project that outward,” notes Allen, while Dr Coles adds: “Wearing a scent that feels personally empowering can change posture, energy and confidence in an instant. That kind of self-assuredness is naturally attractive.”

With brands like Charlotte Tilbury and The Nue Co. also joining the sex scent revolution, it’s clear this is a trend that’s set to continue—and I for one (as a beauty and sex writer), am all for it.

A chill is in the air, and on the streets of London, I'm increasingly kicking over swathes of leaves, which are taking on that burnt umber shade indicative of the changing seasons. Yes, autumn is upon us, and while we're switching up our wardrobes and searching for mohair and cable-knits, it's also time to take stock of our fragrance rotation.

Personally, I gravitate toward something bright and oceanic in summer, but as the air turns crisp, I crave fragrances that feel warm, smoky, and quietly sensual—without shouting “autumn” from the rooftops. I’m after that cozy energy without smelling like everyone else, essentially. Ahead, my more off-beat picks for autumnal scenting.

1. Escentric Molecules M+ Cistus

On first glance, Escentric Molecules' new scent, Molecule 01 + Cistus, isn't your typical autumnal scent. It combines the synthetic molecule Iso E Super, with its cedarwood inflection and velvety cocooning feel, with Cistus, derived from the Mediterranean shrub—it is warm, resinous, sweet and slightly smoky. Together, these elements create a truly singular aroma. It's sticky, golden and animalic, with bright pops of labdanum and a leathery undertone that grounds the sweetness and makes it perfect for year-round wear.

2. Hermès Barénia Intense

I love woody perfumes, and while I'd argue that this is a year-round note, I particularly enjoy its enveloping, mysterious qualities during the colder season. Hermès Barénia Intense is perfectly balanced, thanks to being a modern interpretation of the classic chypre structure. There's depth thanks to notes of oakwood, Barénia leather and patchouli absolute, as well as a pop of cashmere softness from butterfly lily.

3. Dries Van Noten’s Havana Gold

If you really want to channel the sultry, sensual side of autumn, then Dries Van Noten’s Havana Gold is a scent that will announce your entrance, with heady opening tendrils of tobacco, liquorice and leather. Master perfumer Jordi Fernandez drew inspiration from a sultry night in Cuba—and the resulting fragrance is powerfully transportive. This is one you'll be able to smell on your clothes for days to come.

4. TOM FORD Black Orchid Reserve

Tom Ford has always nailed sexy, and the brand's latest iteration of their first-ever, iconic perfume, Black Orchid Reserve, turns it up a notch. It has everything we loved about the initial fragrance; so that dark, boozy, sweet, floral sensuality, but with the addition of the ghost orchid flower. This is complemented with more ylang ylang, an effervescent pop of timut pepper, and smouldering tonka and black truffle. It's a truly decadent wear.

5. Diptyque Lazulio

A lot of autumnal scents can be grouped into the same accords: warm, woody, leathery, and warming—but sometimes, I like something a little cleaner. Diptyque's new Les Essences fragrance, Lazulio, is exactly that. It's got the aromatic sensuality we crave as we head into the holiday season, but with uplifting notes of tangy rhubarb, balsamic benzioin, vetiver, and rose. It's meant to evoke the soft sweep of a peacock feather, and it conjures this beautifully in olfactory form.

As someone who's had more than a handful of "final stage" job interviews in my career as a journalist, I can tell you that, unfortunately, it never gets any less nerve-wrecking. The interview itself is usually over before you know it—the real challenge lies in the meticulous prep beforehand. Between rehearsing answers to every possible question in the hope of standing out, and psyching yourself out with thoughts like “you’re never going to get it anyway,” the true test begins the evening before.

You see, that’s when I’m pulling together my outfit, laying out accessories and considering the finer details that will tie everything together—right down to the fragrance I’ll spritz on before walking out the door.

Sure, your choice of perfume for a job interview may not be the deciding factor in whether or not you'll actually get the job, but it sure will be one of the key elements that is bound to leave an impression. As a firm believer in the power of fragrance, I can say with certainty that the right scent does far more than make you “smell good”—it can set the tone, boost confidence and make you totally unforgettable.

"Scent anchors memory in a way words cannot," says Jun Lim, founder and creative director of Korean fragrance brand BornToStandOut.

For starters, a grounding and confidence-boosting scent can help set you in the right mood ahead of the interview so that you walk into the meeting room with the kind of presence that may well as well earn you an offer on the spot. Elsewhere, that same fragrance will act as the last finishing touch to your interview-ready attire, embodying your aesthetic and personality.

Some interviews I've had in the past called for a soft musk, while others compelled me to wear more of an uplifting ensemble in form of citruses. There are various factors to consider, too, including the industry you work in or the level of seniority of the position you're applying for.

So, to take the guesswork out of it, I've enlisted the help of four fragrance experts to break down everything worth keeping in mind before choosing your perfume for your upcoming interview. Let's dive in.

What kind of notes evoke confidence?

"When I want quiet authority, I reach for clean, musky, molecular scents with character. They feel like a crisp white shirt—polished, breathable, close to the skin, with a strong but not by any means a loud character," shares Jun.

Elsewhere, Bee Shapiro, Founder of Ellis Brooklyn, suggests considering gourmand and fruity notes. "There's something both approachable but alluring when juicy fruits are done in an elevated way," she says.

"I love fragrances that serve a 'clean girl aesthetic', because they give warmth and allure, but also feel intellectual," adds Bee.

As far as gourmands go, Rachel Bough, Head of Buying at The Fragrance Shop, shares that "vanilla is a great note for evoking confidence whilst providing emotional grounding and reducing anxiety." When paired with citrus, a vanilla scent can have an uplifting effect, and if blended with sandalwood, the overall fragrance may lean warmer and can even emote attentiveness.

According to Emma South, Fragrance & Lifestyle Expert at Jo Malone London, "in terms of conveying specific traits, woody, resinous fragrances carry connotations of being grounded and secure."

"Lavender and chamomile also have strong neuro-scientific evidence to reinforce their calming reputation and will help with pre-interview anxiety," she explains.

What kind of notes should you avoid?

"In a job interview, avoid anything that floods a small room or can feel overly intrusive," says Jun. "Heavy animalics, very smoky incense at full volume, loud oud, and heady florals that are overdosed. Many interviews happen in tight spaces and people process scent differently," he explains.

Meanwhile, Emma shares that, "rather than seeing certain notes as off limits remember ‘the dose makes the poison’."

"If you think your fragrance is potentially polarising then simply go lightly ahead of the interview. With scent layering, you can ensure universal appeal by wearing a most-loved or ‘crowd pleaser’ fragrance overlayed with a more individual expression of your style," she adds.

Should you "play it safe" or "go out of your comfort zone"?

According to Emma, "interviews are a time we are already pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones, so rather than taking a rule based ‘should’ approach, ask yourself what is truly going to support you."

"For some that means heels, structured tailoring etc., for others, walking stability and deep breathing are a higher priority. With fragrance, it's the same approach, and you have even more flexibility," she says.

"If you have a 'suited and booted' fragrance that works for you, wear it, but if a treasured holiday scent is going to make you feel more relaxed, then go for that."

"For confidence focus on the scents you find comfortable & reassuring and, for creating an outward impression, consider layering notes to highlight different facets of your personality," shares Emma.

How to choose a fragrance based on the industry you work in

"The industry is definitely important, just like the clothes you wear, your fragrance enhances your individuality and gives a glimpse into your personality," shares Rachel.

"There are certain industries and sectors such as food and healthcare, where understated skin notes are more welcome," says Emma.

Elsewhere, Jun shares that "creative roles welcome personality, so a clean base with a twist of spice or a subtle gourmand feels memorable yet refined."

"Corporate roles value discretion, so think: citrus, iris, and quiet woods with minimal projection. Meanwhile, beauty and fashion roles invite a signature, but control still matters," he adds.

That being said, Emma says that "in most work situations, you can follow your nose. So even if a corporate setting dictates a strict dress code, see fragrance as your creative outlet."

The best fragrances to wear on a job interview

Each year, around this time, I hold a sort of ceremony at home. I throw open the doors to my candle cupboard, which has been under lock and key throughout the summer away from my match-happy husband, who would gladly burn through my collection of luxury candles without so much as a blink. During the warmer months, I prefer to make use of reed diffusers and electric diffusers to fill my home with fragrance—a lit candle on a bright July evening seems pointless to me somehow. However, as soon as the temperature drops and the evenings get shorter, I head for my stash of autumnal candles.

What I yearn for at this time of year are warming notes that fill my home with an inviting scent. Forget fresh white florals and fizzy citrus, I want grounding smokiness, deep woods and rich spices to fill the air. I want guests to walk in of an evening and find themselves glued to the sofa, so drawn in by the warmth of my home.

It seems I'm not alone, as I recently discussed my September tradition with my colleagues, and they too have go-to candles that they light in a bid to feel more cosy.

Read on for Marie Clarie's guide to the best cosy candles.

1. Jo Malone London Velvet Rose & Oud Three Wick Candle

"I really struggled to decide which of my favourite Jo Malone London candles to go for. To me, the scent of the season is Pomegranate Noir—both for the home and for myself. Its seductive sweetness is addictive. However, if I think about the fragrance that best befits a night in on the sofa, cossetted by a cashmere blanket, lights turned down low, then it has to be the brand's Velvet Rose & Oud. It's rich and spicy, but has a sweetness to it, not unlike Pom Noir, but it's more grounding and earthy. It's heaven. If you can, go for the three-wick candle, I reckon it'll last you until next Autumn." - Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor

2. Homework Fire

"Living in a rental flat, I don't have a working fireplace that I can make use of during the colder months,but this candle by Homework mimics the exact smell of a cosy, Cotswolds pub fire in my small space. It looks beautiful on display in the reusable glass jar, and the smoky, woody, spicy, and citrus notes make me feel instantly comforted and warm." - Maggie Joyner, Junior Social Media Editor

3. Neom Wellbeing Cosy Nights Scented Three Wick Candle

"Neom fragrances are incredibly clever. The brand perfectly blends essential oils to create a mood. Take, for example, its Happiness scent. The combination of white neroli, woody and powdery mimosa and zingy lemon is what joy smells like. Its Complete Bliss candle puts you at ease almost instantly. The reason I'm telling you this is that the brand has a three-wick candle specifically to put you into a cosy mood. Combining the calming and warming notes of sandalwood, frankincense and nutmeg, it's the ideal accompaniment to evenings in." - Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor

4. Penhaligon's Halfeti Candle

"Not only does this candle's scent bleed through my whole flat whenever I light it, but it instantly evokes a cosy and calm feeling without any of the stuffiness that comes from sweeter candles. The combination of spice, rose and grapefruit means it doesn't come off Christmassy (which I hate), but it's also a distinctively cold-weather candle with some smokey notes. It looks beautiful in every room and I'm yet to find another that transforms the smell of my space quite as well as this—essential during autumn when my windows are kept shut." - Amelia Yeomans, Junior Shopping Editor

5. Diptyque Eucalyptus Candle

"If you come to my house between September and December, I can guarantee that you will find vases in every room filled with large bunches of eucalyptus. To me, this is the foliage of the season, because of the way that it evokes memories of the beginning of the festive season. The aroma of this herby plant is both refreshing and comforting, which Diptyque has managed to replicate ever so brilliantly in this candle. Whilst it might not have the traditional warming notes you associate with cosiness, if it's lit during the day it will fill your home with a welcoming fragrance." - Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor

6. Jo Loves Christmas Trees Candle

"Without hesitation, my year-on-year cosy season candle is the Jo Loves Christmas Trees. It’s Christmas in a jar - crisp pine, aromatic lavender, smoky incense and warm amber. The result is cosy comfort and effortless elegance all at once. Each hand-poured candle burns for 37.5 hours and, every year, comes in a beautifully designed limited-edition jar. This year’s Paint The Town Red theme features red, white and gold detailing that feels festive yet sophisticated. I count down to the moment it feels acceptable to light it (end of October is my rule, though it creeps earlier every year…)." - Lottie Winter, Beauty Director

7. Cowshed Winter Warming Candle

"I am slightly obsessed with Christmas, so as soon as cosy season arrives my mind starts thinking about decorations, presents and parties. But I keep all of those thoughts inside my head until at least November. So instead, I allow my home to start smelling slightly festive with this candle, which is absolutely beautiful. It has all the hallmarks of a traditional Christmas candle, like pine and cinnamon notes, but never feels out of place when I burn it as early as mid-September. Glorious." - Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor

It’s funny how quickly we can clock a fragrance these days. I remember being on the Tube surrounded not by one, not by two, but by at least four people all doused in the same scent: Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540. That carriage could’ve easily and cleverly, doubled as a live campaign for the smoky-sweet fragrance.

What do Baccarat Rouge 540, Phlur’s Missing Person, Le Labo’s Santal 33, Glossier’s You and even Ariana Grande’s Cloud all have in common? They didn’t just sell well, they went viral. We’re talking months-long waiting lists, billions of TikTok views, and sales spiking almost overnight.

Perfume was one of the more private beauty rituals—quiet, intimate, almost a secret. But social media, specifically #PerfumeTok, has flipped that on its head. “Social media platforms have given people a way to share their love of fragrance in a way that truly resonates with others. Video, especially, has democratised discovery,” explains fragrance expert Nick Gilbert, co-founder of UK brand Eau de Boujee and scent house Olfiction.

On TikTok, hashtags like #PerfumeTok, #BaccaratRouge540 and #dupes rack up billions of views. In 2023, “Perfume” was the most-watched fragrance-related trend worldwide, drawing almost 40 billion views, bringing in a whole new audience to the fragrance world.

The UK fragrance market was valued at £1.74 billion in 2024 and is projected to pass £2 billion by 2029. The growth is powered by Gen Z and millennials, whose relationship with scent has shifted from being an invisible accessory to more of a visible statement. Perfume isn’t just worn anymore—it’s shared, documented, and performed in many ways. With a new customer and social media, the traditional ways of interacting with our scents have changed.

The speed of the fragrance cycle is fast. In the past, a select few fragrances might have defined a decade, think the classics, Chanel, and Mugler. Today, fragrance popularity rises and falls with cultural hype. “Pistachio’s moment as a key accord came and went just as quickly,” Gilbert says. “Tropical fruits were in, out, and now in again.” With almost six new perfumes launching every day, fragrance is starting to look a lot like fast fashion.

Romy Kowalewski, founder of 27 87, agrees there are similarities but stresses the difference. “The rhythm is similar. Fast fashion creates visibility but often without substance. In fragrance, hype can help niche gain exposure, which is positive, but the essence remains personal. Unlike clothes that are worn collectively, perfume connects individually. Choosing a scent is not about following speed; it is about curating presence,” he says.

For brands, virality has rewritten the rulebook. Waiting lists, controlled scarcity, clever storytelling—they’re not just gimmicks, but deliberate strategies to create cultural moments. Yet hype alone doesn’t last; the fragrance itself has to deliver. Baccarat Rouge wasn’t only loved because TikTok adored it. “The originality of the key accord or structure is part of what helps it become and maintain its cultural phenomenon status,” Gilbert stresses.

But the moment a fragrance becomes recognisable everywhere, something shifts. Aamna Lone, chemistry-trained fragrance expert, notes that hyped scents are often quickly dismissed as “basic” or “generic” by consumers. It’s not that the fragrance itself changes, but its social currency does. This is reflective of this new customer, who is seeking out individuality and something special that is unique to them and also cool and trendy. But the irony, with every share, that cool perfumes become less unique.

The viral effect isn’t always negative. A fragrance that explodes in popularity can end up symbolising a particular moment in time. Clara Molloy, co-founder of Memo Paris, describes it as “a way of communicating, both to those we don’t know and those who are close to us… like an emotional clue.” Baccarat Rouge almost revolutionised, who has access to luxe fragrances. Glossier You captured the “clean girl aesthetic.” Le Labo Santal 33 brought niche perfumes to the mainstream.

We’re also seeing a growing appetite for something slower. The olfactory equivalent of slow fashion is on the rise: niche and artisanal fragrances with transparent formulas, sustainable practices and meaningful backstories. Rachel Freeman, National Education Director at Creed, believes that “consumers will start looking for things that make them feel good but also knowing that they have supported a whole community of people from all over the world.”

Yet whether anything can truly stay niche in the age of TikTok is questionable. Kowalewski believes that the category itself will split: “There will be a commercial niche and there will be a more radical niche that pushes boundaries further. The most interesting space lies in how we keep redefining what niche means.” With the rise of AI and independent self taught perfumers, we will see even more change to the culture of this industry.

Maybe the point is that viral perfumes allow us to experiment, to connect, to express. Whether viral or niche, fleeting or enduring, fragrance remains one of the most personal choices we make.