On the Scent

We all know the psychological potency of a perfume, but how many people wax lyrical about a soap? Or a hand cream? Considerably less, I imagine. But scent layering – the practice of combining multiple fragranced products, sometimes just perfume, sometimes other categories – is having a moment, unsurprisingly commensurate with an increased interest in niche perfumery. Now that it’s summer, is there any better time to debut a new lotion or deodorant? 

Supposedly, there are no wrong ways to layer scent, although many perfumers such as Jo Malone have established a service which can nudge you in the best direction. The idea is to build a profile where each layer compliments the others, perhaps by leaning into one particular note, or by following the old adage: opposites attract. 

Increasingly, brands like Loewe have begun to recognise the importance of building a world around a scent, infusing each stage of one's routine with the same smell. Following the success of their Tomato Leaves candle, they have released a body care line to bolster the scent from soap to hand cream. That said, part of the fun of layering involves the art of mixing and matching. 

For example, I might start with Le Labo’s Mandarin Shower Gel, which is citrus-forward but has a tempered geranium base note; and then follow up with Aesop’s Geranium Leaf Body Balm, which is the inverse. I might then use To My Ships’ Geranium Roll-on Deodorant to bolster this, or the greener, saltier Polygonum edition to cut through. Davines OI hair oil, which is my favourite smelling product of all time, would bring a slightly more vanillic scent without shying away from the herbal notes of the other three. Voila! You now smell amazing and you haven’t even sprayed a perfume yet. 

I like this method because it allows you to hold space for the less glamorous moments in your beauty routine, such as applying dry shampoo or using a laundry detergent. And you don’t need to suffocate yourself with fragrance, either: one commenter on Fragantica pointed out that the Ouai North Bondi collection (which features everything from curl cream to eau de parfum) combines well with the Juliette Has a Gun Not A collection, which is more home and body-centric. Though the idea of layering conjures the fear of overdoing it, opting for more subtle notes allows for a profile which is complex without being overwhelming.  

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