Perfumes That Don’t Smell Like Perfume: 10 Fresh and Clean Scents We Love for Minimalists

One Cosmo editor says: "Ohhhh my god, I could go on and on about Light Blue. It's my favorite clean summer scent and makes me feel like I spent all afternoon lying under a beautiful tree on an island off of Greece. It's the vacation shower before a fancy dinner after a long beach day."—JL

One Cosmo editor says: "Amazing Grace Jasmine is so soft and subtle. It only has four fragrance notes, which keep it airy and wonderfully simple. The coconut note in this fragrance gives clean, surfer girl. It's so feminine and light and would totally be perfect for an early morning trip to the beach. It might just have to be my go-to summer scent! It'd layer beautifully with sunscreen."—JL

One Cosmo editor says: "If I'm being honest, then the truth is that sometimes I want to smell exactly like a soap bubble. And Replica has, ahem, replicated that fragrance. It's the epitome of squeaky clean. Somehow, it reminds me of being in the tub as a kid and using fluffy soap bubbles to turn myself into Santa Claus. That may not sound super appealing as a fragrance, but trust, it's amazing."—JL

One Cosmo editor says: "Like taking a walk by the ocean on a cloudy day while wearing a beautiful cream cable knit sweater. Jo Malone has so many beautiful fragrances, but I have to say, Wood Sage & Sea Salt may just be my favorite. It's so fun to experience a completely fresh take on a beach scent."—JL

One Cosmo editor says: "To be honest, I'm not usually a patchouli lover. It's usually much too strong for me. However, Chanel perfectly balanced the patchouli against jasmine and iris in Chance. It's elegant and comfortable, great for any season, and so essentially Chanel."—JL

One Cosmo editor says: "There's always been something so supremely comforting about the smell of fresh, warm laundry straight out of the dryer. The only downside is that the wonderful detergent scent goes away after some time. Thankfully, Clean Reserve's Warm Cotton has miraculously managed to bottle that scent. If you've ever walked around NYC, you'll know that there are a million different scents at any given time (many of them, truthfully, not amazing). However, one of my favorite city smells is walking past an apartment building and smelling clean laundry through one of the many vents along the sidewalk. I'll always pause and take in a deep breath; it reminds me of home. Warm Cotton is that moment."—JL

One Cosmo editor says: "Malin Goetz's Strawberry is girly and playful while still having that clean elegance. It's sort of like if Strawberry Shortcake grew up and started wearing slick back buns. It's not the sweet kind of strawberry; it's quite green, like what it might smell like on the vine surrounded by jasmine. For the longest time, this was my signature office scent. It's so bright and fresh and incredibly wearable. There's also a tiny bit of spice from the pink pepper note that really brings it to life."—JL

One Cosmo editor says: "It's easy for a clean scent to lean antiseptic, but You Fleur nails the combo of fresh and warm. As a die-hard You fan for years, I was ecstatic when Fleur dropped. It's still got that muskiness that I loved in the O.G. formula, but softer and airier. This has to be my most-worn perfume of all time, by far."—JL

One Cosmo editor says: “I would never gift perfume because it’s so personal, but this is a safe bet. It’s hard to describe the scent honestly, but I’ll tell you how it makes me feel: instantly warm and cozy but kinda sexy and clean. Like I just got out of the shower and wrapped myself in a cashmere robe.”—LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR

One Cosmo editor says: "NOYZ’s Detour is a perfect blend of a floral and gourmand scent. It’s got gardenia and jasmine for some sweetness, and vanilla and musk for some warmth. The balance of florals and saltiness gives it that whole ‘your skin but better vibe’ so you smell like yourself, rather than smelling like you spritzed yourself in a fragrance 5 times. When I close my eyes this scent reminds me of a bunch of girlfriends getting ready for a night out together, not knowing where the vibes would take them, and open to any adventurous detours along the way."—JH

One Cosmo editor says: “I fell in love with this laundry-fresh perfume the second I sniffed it. Powdery scents usually feel dated to me, as someone who prefers to smell like a vanilla pastry or a cabin next to the campfire. But the matcha tea in this scent takes this from crisp linens to something a bit more soft and cozy. I just want to douse every button-up I own in this perfume so they’ll smell like it for eternity.”—BG