If you spend as much time scrolling through #PerfumeTok as I do, then you’ve probably caught wind of the perfume-layering trend that’s taking over the app. My feed is flooded with layering routines and recipes that range from simple pairing recs to intensive 13-step concoctions (?!) involving scented shower gels and multiple body mists. To save you hours of scrolling, I’m here to break down the perfume layering trend so you can find your new ~signature scent~ faster.
I spoke with influencer and ISIPCA perfumery student, Emma (aka @perfumerism on TikTok), and David Seth Moltz, perfumer and the DS of indie fragrance brand DS & Durga to get their expert takes on the trend.
What’s the point of perfume layering?
Trust me when I say there are plenty of practical benefits to perfume layering. For one, it’ll make your fragrances perform way better. Perfumes stick better to the skin when you moisturize properly, making them last longer. And since most lotions and body oils already have a scent, you can get creative with layering different body care products beneath your perfume for a more nuanced scent that lasts alll day and night.
“I think that there’s a desire for your fragrance to make you stand out and for your fragrance to be unique,” Emma shares. “What we wear impacts our memories, our emotions, and has a lasting impression on others...[so] people want to have more individual perfumes. Layering fragrances can make your fragrance stand out even more and bring something unique that other people are not wearing.”
Start with similar notes.
If you’re not sure how to choose which scents to layer together, Emma recommends starting with similar notes for a cohesive combo. For example, pick out your fave rose perfume (our editors and TikTok shoppers are obsessed with Delina by Parfums de Marly), then try layering other rose perfumes, body mists, and skincare for a more potent punch. Since other notes in these products already pair well with rose, you’ll be able to add depth and avoid creating a major scent clash.
Parfums De Marly Delina Eau de Parfum
NEST New York Turkish Rose Perfume Oil
Try a viral scent combo.
To dip your toes in the water with fragrance layering, you can also opt to try one of TikTok’s favorite combos. At the moment, that would be Love Island USA contestant Leah Kateb’s shower routine , which caused her fave products to sell out almost immediately. The routine in question? Lather up with Lush Sticky Dates body wash, then layer eos Cashmere Vanilla body lotion, topped with a spritz of perfume (dealer's choice!). In a follow-up video, Kateb confirmed her go-to fragrances include Kayali Vanilla 28—which happens to be our editors’ best overall vanilla perfume pick, NBD.
Lush Sticky Dates Shower Gel
eos Vanilla Cashmere Body Lotion
Kayali Vanilla 28 Eau de Parfum
Keep it simple.
While it’s easiest to start with similar notes, you can totally mix and match different scent profiles—just be careful not to overcomplicate things. “I like to layer something complex with something simple because, to me, there’s just less margin for error,” Emma says.
Lots of popular designer perfumes feature a bunch of different notes that span multiple scent families—that’s what makes them smell so “perfumey.” But to prevent these complex scents from becoming straight-up overwhelming, pair them with fragrances that contain only a couple of notes—think Rosie Jane Dulce body milk to add sweetness, 28 87’s Genetic Bliss perfume for a long-lasting woody base, or even the Saltair Exotic Pulp body oil to freshen things up.
By Rosie Jane Dulce Everyday Body Milk
2787 Genetic Bliss Eau de Parfum
Saltair Exotic Pulp Body Oil
“Don’t forget, most perfumes are already combos of things perfumers love,” adds Moltz. “More simple scents layer better than already large symphonic fumes.”
Consider skin scents.
There are even perfumes created specifically with layering in mind (how convenient!). These understated fragrances (known as “skin scents” for their your skin-but-better quality) often contain clean, musky notes that function as a versatile base layer—think of them as the white t-shirt of perfume.
Take DS and Durga’s I Don’t Know What, for instance: It features subtle notes of bergamot, sandalwood, and vetiver, and it’s designed to enhance the performance of any scent you layer with it. Popular skin scents like Glossier You and Juliette Has a Gun’s Not a Perfume also go with basically *everything*, so you don’t have to worry about clashing scents while you experiment with layering.
DS & Durga I Don’t Know What
Juliette Has a Gun Not A Perfume
As a perfumery student, Emma’s current layering obsession is the Dedcool Xtra Milk body lotion. “It’s super neutral, second-skin,” she shares. “And then I’ll put literally anything on top—right now I like the Ellis Brooklyn body mist. They have Vanilla Sin and the Marshmallows one.”
DedCool Xtra Milk Body Lotion
Ellis Brooklyn MARSHMALLOWS Hair and Body Mist
Channel your inner perfumer.
Ready to get a bit more ~experimental~? “Start with a vibe,” suggests Moltz. “Game of Thrones assassin princess? Build around that. Would she wear something leathery over her normal fumes for court dinners? Or start with notes. Vanilla with tangerine. Cedar with Vetyver. And see what you dig. Or just spray two things together and see what you get. It’s cosplay.”
I’m a sucker for fig and black tea scents (I like to smell like a cozy woodland spa, k?), so I’ve been loving this solid perfume from Longtake as my base layer. And since it has notes in common with two of my all-time favorite perfumes, Phlur’s Father Figure and Dossier’s Sage and Black Tea Renew, it’s the perfect way to marry these fragrances together for a signature scent that truly feels like me.
Feeling inspired? Go forth and experiment with your own perfume arsenal—or kick off your layering journey with these editor-approved picks.
my signature scent combo
Longtake Black Tea & Fig Solid Perfume
Phlur Father Figure Eau De Parfum
Lauren Gruber is an associate commerce editor at Hearst Magazines, where she writes for publications like Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Prevention, Country Living, House Beautiful, and more. She has over four years of professional experience covering a variety of lifestyle topics from home to fashion, with an advanced background in beauty and fragrance. When she’s not researching the most worthy Prime Day deals or hands-on testing all the latest perfume launches, Lauren is probably hanging out with her cat Serafina or flexing her AMC A-List membership at the movie theater.
You can find her previous work at Entertainment Tonight, Shop TODAY, USA Today, Self Magazine, L’Officiel USA, V Magazine, and Modern Luxury Media.
