Crafting Your Perfect Perfume Cocktail

Imagine for a second, if you will, you’re in a crowded space when you catch a truly transporting scent. You swivel around trying to follow the smell, weirdly sniffing at strangers until you pinpoint the source and then work up the courage to ask them what they’re wearing. “Oh, my perfume? It’s super-popular-fragrance-everyone-else-wears.”

Sigh

Well, it’s a cult classic for a reason but scent is deeply personal. And you’re a person who wants something personal, something unique, something deeply you. So rather than grab something off-the-rack, why not consider investing in a little experimentation in the quest to find your signature scent, the smell no one else in the world is rocking. It’s not about finding the perfect bottle; it’s about creating your perfect vibe. Enter: scent layering.

Think of scent layering like crafting a custom cocktail, but for your pulse points instead of, you know, your mouth. Layering scents is all about strategically, thoughtfully combining products with different notes (oil, lotion, perfume) to create something totally bespoke. Not only do the layers help the scent last longer, they also ensure no one else smells exactly like you. Now let’s play alchemist.

Simplicity: The most impactful scents are built from the ground up so start with something that has a clear, identifiable scent profile. A body wash that claims to smell like “fresh rain” or a body lotion that reeks of 20 different types of flowers is just gonna create noise. We’re looking for harmony here, not chaos.

Foundation: Choose a base layer that’s an all-over product, like a body oil or cream, which will both moisturize your skin and give whatever you layer on top something to cling to aka increase its staying power.

Location: Once your base layer is in place, dab or mist your chosen perfume or fragrance oil onto your pulse points: wrists, nape of your neck, behind your ears, even the crooks of your elbows and behind your knees if you’re really going for it. The warmth of these areas help diffuse the fragrance throughout the day.

Vibe: Have fun. There are no hard-and-fast rules here so play around! Figure out what scents and notes you’re drawn to, what plays well with each other (and what doesn’t), and go from there. Also remember that a big part of how something smells on you is based on your own individual body chemistry so something you love on your friend may show up wildly different on your skin.

Need a little inspiration to get you started curating a collection of things to play with? Here are some of our current favorites to get you started.

BODY CARE: Lotions and oils create a canvas that helps your fragrance last all day.

Jao Goē Oil: This semi-solid oil melts into skin and smells like a Tahitian garden of monoi and jasmine. It’s intensely hydrating and leaves a gorgeous sheen.

Phlur Missing Person Body Oil: A sheer, musky warmth that’s impossible to resist, this oil is coziness, comfort and love in a bottle.

Dedcool Xtra Milk Hand + Body Lotion: Another barely-there hero, this lotion blends bergamot, white musk, and amber for a clean, warm scent that enhances everything.

KORRES Body Soothing Milk in Santorini Grape: Crisp, fruity, and fresh, like walking through a Greek vineyard. It’s light, hydrating, and perfect for warmer days and your “Mamma Mia” moment.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Florale Shimmering Dry Oil: The iconic French girl essential, but with a fresh, floral twist of grapefruit, magnolia, and musk.



OILS: Perfume primer, oils wear close to the skin and create a beautiful, subtle foundation.

PIRETTE Fragrance Oil: If your mood board is all surf wax, salty skin, and sun-drenched days, this is your oil. It’s the authentic smell of a perfect beach day, bottled.

Essential Faith Oil: A cult-favorite for a reason, this is the ultimate "your-skin-but-better" scent. It’s a clean, subtle musk that smells a little different on everyone. Magic.

Sisters Body Earth Tones Fragrance Oil: For the grounded soul. With notes of vetiver, bergamot, and sandalwood, it’s earthy, centering, and extremely chic.

Rahua Palo Santo Oil Perfume: Smoky, woodsy, and slightly sweet, this spiritual oil is for clearing bad vibes and attracting good ones. It’s incredibly calming and sophisticated.



PERFUME: The main event, the top note of your personal scent story.

Neroli Water By free-est Eau de Parfum: Bright, effervescent, and happy. It's a spritz of pure citrus and white florals that feels like an instant mood boost.

Binaurale Discovery Set: Curious and/or commitment-phobic? This set is a playground of scent, allowing you to experiment with different vibes before finding your perfect match.

Abbott Papaya Isla Eau De Parfum: : Oh were you hoping to be transported to a tropical vacation? Juicy papaya, wild cilantro, and creamy coconut water make this a vibrant, wanderlust-inducing scent.

RMS Beauty x Heretic Scarlet Moon Fragrance: The shadow daddy of perfumes, this is dark, mysterious, and utterly magnetic with notes of amber, frankincense, and vetiver.

Of course, you should play around and discover the ideal combo of scents that work for you but for the sake of giving you a head start, consider one of these dreamy duos:

THE ENDLESS SUMMER
Best for: Those among us who need to be carried for the beach kicking and screaming as summer fades to fall and/or who are constantly planning their next tropical vacation.
How to: Start with PIRETTE Fragrance Oil for a surf shop vibe, then top with Abbott Papaya Isla Eau De Parfum to round out the beach-bound fantasy.

THE ETHEREAL GLOW
Best for: Anyone who radiates warmth, happiness, and had an “Amélie” poster hanging in their room as a teenager.
How to: Smooth on the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Florale Shimmering Dry Oil before adding a spritz of Neroli Water By free-est. You’ll smell (and look) like a sunbeam.

THE COZY MINIMALIST
Best for: Wearers of perfectly faded vintage t-shirts for bands they actually listen to who freely lend out books from their effortlessly curated bookshelf.
How to: Layer Phlur Missing Person Body Oil under the Essential Faith Oil; it’s the ultimate “I woke up like this” combo and feels impossible chic and effortless.

THE MIDNIGHT MYSTIC
Best for: Witches who have ascended to higher planes of learning and whose nightstands are piled high with a combination of botanical tomes, vegan cookbooks and romantasy series with enemies-to-lovers plotlines.
How to: Create a smoky, sacred base with Rahua’s Palo Santo Oil Perfume. Then add a dab of spicy, amber-forward RMS Beauty x Heretic Scarlet Moon Fragrance.

THE SUN-WARMED GARDEN
Best for: Overall-wearing, SPF-serious, extremely-good-hug-givers.
How to: Your own skin, but warmer and more compelling. Start with the subtle tropical scent of Jao Goē Oil, then add the soft, warm notes of Dedcool’s Xtra Milk Hand + Body Lotion bergamot and white musk to keep things grounded.