As it turns out, matcha isn’t just reserved for a daily caffeine fix—the best matcha perfumes are trending too. In recent years, the broader matcha craze has swept much of the Western world—despite the powdered tea being a cornerstone of Japanese culture for centuries—with demand climbing so high that shortages and rising prices have followed. For those who may need a quick refresh (or have perhaps been living under a rock), matcha is powdered green tea leaves, an ancient process that yields a tea with higher caffeine, amino acids, and antioxidant content.
“Matcha tea became the drink of choice for the self-care moment versus the jittery caffeinated boost of coffee,” Linda Levy tells Vogue. “So matcha fragrance is a natural extension of the lifestyle trend into wellness and beauty.” The earthy green tea note has quietly been gaining traction on the scent front, with a wave of new launches suggesting interest will not be dying down anytime soon.
Vogue’s Favorite Matcha Perfumes
Le Labo introduced its now best-selling Thé Matcha 26 in 2021, followed by Maison Margiela’s cult-favorite Matcha Meditation, which has since been (sadly!) discontinued. With the former sitting at a prestige price point and the latter no longer on shelves, many fragrance fans have been left searching for new ways to get their fix of the calming, slightly creamy green tea note.
Five years later, the landscape looks quite different. With perfume trends increasingly centered around layering and personalization, matcha is popping up in new formats and price points. Recent releases include Phlur’s Matcha Milk Body Mist, which debuted just last month, and Kayali’s Freedom Matcha Musk 45, released this past autumn—both offering fresh matcha-infused interpretations.
For your consideration, an edit of the best matcha perfumes to know, ranging from zen and woodsy to sweet gourmands.
Best Skin Scent: Le Labo Thé Matcha 26 Eau de Parfum
- Why We Love It: Since launching five years ago, Le Labo’s Thé Matcha 26 remains a bestseller for the brand—and a favorite scent of Vogue editors. Inspired by Japanese forests, Le Labo takes a more introspective approach, blending citrus, fig, and cedarwood. The result has nothing to do with a matcha latte, and instead reads as a breath of fresh air deep in the forest. This is a scent that doesn’t announce your presence upon entry, but instead hugs you intimately, close to the skin.
- Key Notes: Fig notes, bergamot, bitter orange, sesame notes, cedarwood, vetiver, and matcha tea accord
- This Smells Like: A woodsy, creamy skin scent.
Best Body Mist: Phlur Matcha Milk Hair & Body Mist
- Why We Love It: One of Phlur’s latest launches, the new scent is Nordstrom beauty director Autumne West’s pick as a soft-touch enhancement to “play with intensity and texture.” Here, Matcha Milk toys the line between sweet and earthy, blending macadamia milk and vanilla with black tea and matcha accord. Plus, there’s some bergamot and patchouli in the mix. “Our body mists are designed with intention, offering complexity and nuance while still being easy-to-wear,” Phlur creative director Chriselle Lim tells Vogue. Plus, she adds that its body mists have a higher-than-typical perfume oil concentration to extend their longevity.
- Key Notes: Bergamot zest, black tea accord, matcha, macadamia milk, warm vanilla, musk, amber, patchouli
- This Smells Like: Creamy and delicious, with a hint of earth zest.
Best Niche: Liis Rose Struck
- Why We Love It: As with all Liis perfumes, each niche scent has a specific inspiration. Rose Struck, for instance, happens to be inspired by frozen flowers as winter turns over into spring. So where does the matcha come into play? It’s no doubt damask rose and tangerine bursts upon initial spritz, but the scent settles into a contrasting earthy base thanks to a matcha tea accord. It’s a modern take on a classic rose scent that’s anything but matronly.
- Key Notes: Cassis, tangerine, matcha tea, damask rose, rose centifolia
- This Smells Like: A fresh-picked rose from the garden—herbaceous and subtly sweet all at once.
Best Value: Le Monde Gourmand Thé Matcha Eau de Parfum
- Why We Love It: While #Fragrancetok has frequently claimed Le Monde Gourmand as an excellent, affordable perfume brand, the truth is Thé Matcha has quietly been around since 2015. Here, green tea, freesia, and amber make up a simple yet refreshing scent. With just three notes, this pick reads as clean and even slightly summery.
- Key Notes: Green tea, freesia, amber
- This Smells Like: Bright and crisp—like fresh cut grass.
Best Warm and Creamy: Kayali Freedom Musk Matcha 45
- Why We Love It: Levy describes Kayali’s Freedom Musk Matcha as “yummy, soft, and soothing”—the scent opens with with fresh tea notes of both matcha and mate, before settling into oat milk, vanilla, and caramelized praline, alongside, of course, the brand’s signature creamy notes of sandalwood and sweet musk. As founder Mona Katan recently told me over Zoom, she wasn’t at first drawn to the earthiness of matcha. This scent took 45 iterations of testing (yes, thats what the name stands for) to land on this particular scent, which expanded her her fragrance palette. Since, she’s an official matcha fan—drinks and smells included.
- Key Notes: Matcha, mate, green apple, oat milk, sweet musk, bergamot, vanilla, caramelized praline.
- This Smells Like: A ceremonial-grade matcha latte, topped off with yummy sweeteners.
Best Gourmand: Atralia Matcha Latte Eau de Parfum
- Why We Love It: Anyone who’s late to the game with Arab perfumes is missing out—historically, these scents boast incredible projection and longevity at an affordable price point. Enter Atralia’s matcha latte, which is a comforting gourmand. Here, matcha, banana blossoms, toffee, and licorice come together for an indulgent scent that lingers on the skin, making it an excellent choice for any gourmand love.
- Key Notes: Vanilla blossoms, cotton milk, anise blossoms, matcha, toffee, licorice, tonka beans, matcha, musk.
- This Smells Like: Fresh-baked matcha-flavored cookies
Best Sweet and Spicy: Nette Thé Vanille Eau de Parfum with Matcha and Salt
- Why We Love It: Creamy, salty, and earthy notes come together in Nette’s Thé Vanille. Inspired by Japanese tea houses filled with the aroma of freshly steeped tea and warm pastries, the scent opens with a soft swirl of vanilla before unfolding into something more nuanced. A mineral-like salt accord and warm cedarwood add depth, while earthy green tea and turmeric lend a subtle spice. The result is a gourmand that feels lighter and more atmospheric than overtly sweet—warm, a little savory, and especially fitting for summer.
- Key Notes: Vanilla, green tea, salt accord, cardamom, turmeric root, orris, magnolia flower, cedarwood
- This Smells Like: A salty matcha latte
Everything You Need To Know
What notes pair well with matcha?
“Many notes enhance the light, sweeter side of matcha, such as caramel, praline, or milk,” Levy says. Conversely, she points to contrasting notes, such as salt, ginger, and various woods, which deepen the complexity.
How we tested
When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue’s vast network of experts—fragrance specialists—to gain professional acumen on the industry’s standout products, ones these specialists would actually recommend to their clients. We pair their expertise with editorial best practices to curate our thoughtful edits.
For matcha perfumes, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: notes, projection, and what each scent evokes. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend.
Meet the experts
- Linda G. Levy is the president of The Fragrance Foundation.
- Autumne West is the beauty director of Nordstrom.
