We style our clothes in unique outfit combinations, tailor our skin-care products to our complexion’s needs; and yet, we long thought our fragrance choices had to be singular. The hunt for a “signature scent” limited the nuance that your daily scent can be customized, too.
Fragrance layering allows for infinite scent possibilities beyond the pre-prescribed notes in a single eau de parfum, inspiring both a spirit of play and individuality. Jean Madar, CEO and chairman of Interparfums calls it the ultimate freedom. “It allows you to create a scent based on your unique mood and what you want to portray to the world on a particular day,” he previously told Vogue. Best of all, there are no set-in-stone rules for this practice. It doesn’t just mean combining a few different EDPs, eau de toilettes, or extraits; the scent wardrobe has now expanded to include body care, hair mists, and beyond.
Vogue’s Favorite 2026 Trending Scents
“There’s a real spirit of play right now—people are more open than ever to exploring, layering, and treating fragrance like an accessory they can shift with mood, moment, or season,” Nordstrom beauty director Autumne West previously said, describing fragrance as a buildable experience, not just a a single spritz. “Hair mists, all‑over body formats, and soft-touch enhancements are giving people more ways to play with intensity and texture.”
And despite the current trendiness here in the West, Robin Mason, president of Fine Fragrance at DSM-Firmenich, explained that “fragrance layering began in the Middle East, where the goal was to create a signature scent for an individual by combining fragrances together. Layering the infinite possibilities of scent options out there allows you to create something that is uniquely you and only for you.”
There’s seldom a day I’m wearing any one perfume; making it slightly harder to give a simple explanation when the “you smell good” compliments roll in (despite my refusal to gate keep). Instead, the scent profile building starts fresh out of the shower, with a body lotion that smells as delightful as it feels on the skin. From there, I’ll reach for a body mist, combined with the perfume I’m in the mood for, and touch-ups throughout the day come down to a perfume oil. That’s most days. On others, my shoulders might need a bit of body oil for added hydration, and my blowout will be complete with a few spritzes of hair perfume.
Ahead, I break down the ways you can mix and match your scent profile, from scented lotions to sweet-smelling balms.
Scented Body Moisturizers
“A scented body lotion gives the lightest hint of a favorite fragrance,” said Linda Levy, president of the Fragrance Foundation. “It is usually sheer and subtle, but a cream or oil has greater intensity and staying power.” Think of them as the foundation to one’s scent wardrobe; offering multipurpose benefits for skin hydration and scent. Nécessaire, Cyklar, Sidia, and Fenty Skin all offer several aromatic options—delivering fragrance without nutrient-rich, nourishing ingredients.
Body Mists
Instead of staying stranded in nostalgic recollectsions of your middle school gym bag, body mists have actually grown up right alongside us. “Body mists naturally align with how modern consumers want fragrance to integrate into their routines: layered, expressive, and less prescriptive,” Chriselle Lim, creative director of Phlur, previously said.
While Phlur continues to dominate as a household name, Cashmere Skin remains one of its best sellers. Meanwhile, Boy Smells recently launched an array of delectable gourmand-inspired hair and body mists. Plus, Salt&Stone and Maison Louis Marie formulas infuse skin-care ingredients in their scents for supple, scented skin, too.
Hair Perfumes
Hair perfumes are another way to add to your layering profile—and a particularly popular one, at that. That’s partly because, as Crown Affair founder Dianna Cohen previously explained, scent often lives longer in the hair than it does on the skin. “There’s no better compliment than when you go in for a hug, and someone says, ‘you smell incredible’—a hair perfume gives just that effect,” she said. And she would know, given her brand’s best-selling citrus and bergamot scent.
If you’re curious about how hair perfumes differ from standard EDPs, the former trades alcohol in favor of hydrating ingredients that deliver softness and shine. For Diptqyue, camellia oil is the star ingredient, with hair mist alternatives for many of their most popular scents, including Fleur de Peau. My personal favorite—and most complimented—from Emi Jay blends blends aloe leaf juice and glycerin for a fluffy, ethereal scent. Meanwhile, Gisou’s option boasts fresh floral notes and a formula infused with honey.
Dusting Powders
The dusting powder is making a bit of a resurgence. It’s a bit of a blast from the past: Chanel had a powder version of its famous No. 5 scent, which launched in the heyday of Mademoiselle Chanel herself in 1924. These formulas serve a few purposes—locking in moisture on damp, freshly moisturized skin, preventing chafing in high-friction areas, and, of course, leaving behind a pleasant, subtle scent in their wake.
Head over to TikTok to see how a new generation is coming to appreciate this fragrance format. In fact, it’s the very way I discovered Lush’s dusting powder line, which launched in late 2025 (with a scent inspired by Super Milk, the brand’s best-selling hair milk). My application of choice is after a thorough body-care regimen, to prevent oils and creams from staining my clothes or freshly washed sheets. Meanwhile, Estée Lauder offers a more classic option, which has been around since the 1950s.
Scented Body Oils
Body oils not only help lock in moisture but also impart an ethereal glow on skin. When picking a scented option, the benefits only amplify, leaving behind lovely fragrance in their wake—think of it like a perfume oil, but for your entire body.
Costa Brazil’s earthy, woody scent is such a beloved cult-favorite that the brand turned the Jungle Firming Body Oil into a top-selling perfume in response to popular demand—plus, it’s a favorite of pretty much every member of Vogue’s beauty team. Meanwhile, Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc is another Vogue favorite option for its shimmering, gilded sheen, all while boasting a white floral and musky scent. Meanwhile, Chanel’s body oil boasts vanilla absolute, while L’Occitane’s almond-based oil imparts a subtle, powdery scent.
Perfume Oils
There are plenty of perks to keeping a perfume oil with you as your on-the-go fragrance. For starters, they’re portable, easily tucking into any shoulder bag or carry-on. On wear, as Unifrom founder Haisam Mohammed previously said, fragrance oils often last much longer on the skin than your standard eau de parfum (we’re talking, from six to even twelve hours) because “they don’t evaporate as quickly as alcohol-based sprays.”
My two favorite perfume oils in rotation are Nemat’s Egyptian Musk and Cyklar’s Vanilla Verve—both of which collects me a plethora of compliments. The former leaves a nuanced, musky, and white floral scent that’s similar to incense. Meanwhile, a friend of mine recently told me I smelled like candy after applying a swipe of Vanilla Verve to my wrists. Phlur also offers its best-selling fragrance, Missing Person, in oil form. Meanwhile, niche perfume brand Maison Louis Marie offers several scent options, including Bois de Balincourt (an intoxicating woody scent), inspired by the founder’s ancestral French countryside home.
Eau de Parfums & Extraits
Of course, perfume is likely the very product you think of in fragrance wearing. For longer-lasting and projecting scents, eau de parfums and extraits are the before-you-leave-the-house final spritz, while all the other layers either deepen the intensity of your favorite notes or contrast them entirely for something more nuanced. Which perfume you choose is entirely up to your personal preferences.
For something incredibly long-lasting and projecting, Parfums de Marly’s Valaya is a hypnotic white floral, which fragrance expert Eudora Nwasike previously described as “heaven in a bottle.” For something citrusy and woodsy, Chanel’s Chance eau fraîche is refreshing like spring in bloom. On the niche side of fragrance brands, Liis and Maison d’Etto are two Vogue editor–favorite brands. There’s rarely a day I don’t reach for Celestial Objects—a sparkling, subtly powdery scent blended with incense, pink pepper, and tonka bean. Meanwhile, Rotano is leathery, musky, and spicy (though I also tend to think it smells like a delicious mezcal cocktail).
Everything You Need to Know
Meet the Experts
- Dianna Cohen is the founder of Crown Affair.
- Linda G. Levy is the president of The Fragrance Foundation.
- Chriselle Lim is co-owner and creative director at Phlur.
- Haisam Mohammed is the founder and creative director at Unifrom.
- Jean Madar is CEO and chairman of Interparfums.
- Robin Mason is president of Fine Fragrance at DSM-Firmenich.
- Eudora Nwasike is a certified fragrance specialist by The Fragrance Foundation UK and featured in Forbes, The Business of Fashion, Mr. Porter, and more.
- Autumne West is the beauty director of Nordstrom.
