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.
