As a lifelong lover of perfume who writes about scent on the daily, I am no stranger to the feeling of oversaturation within the industry. I often find myself wading through the new launches, wondering when that next life-changing sniff will find me. Whenever I’m feeling uninspired or jaded, I turn to indie brands, those smaller, more experimental houses that never fail to delight and surprise with their unique configurations of accords. Here are 5 I’ve been enjoying lately and their standout scents:
The brand: Linen Tutu
The founder: Daniela Carrasco, trained in aromatic plants with a background in experiential and sensory design
The story: A botanical fragrance collection inspired by the beauty of natural raw materials and the power of scent as an art medium
My pick: hearsay @3
Bergamot Juice, Hibiscus Musk, Amyris
The texture of glittered tulle, hearsay @3 sparkles gently on skin like a ballerina flitting upon a stage.
The brand: SYD Botanica
The founder: Syd Buffman, perfumer and interdisciplinary artist in LA with a background in design, perfumery, incense making, alchemy and herbalism
The story: A fragrance project that explores transformative effects of scent on the mind and body
My pick: Angelface
Maraschino Cherry, Dewy White Roses, Brown Sugar
Creamy, girlish, and pink, personified – Angelface is the color of first love, viewed through rose-tinted glasses.
The brand: Nos Republic
The co-founders: Ksenia Golovanova & Janne Rainer Vuorenmaa
The story: A telling of the rawest, most unfiltered sensations of all – through scent
My pick: Moon Child
Aldehydes, Stargazer Lily, Moondust Accord
Moon Child is cold, blue, metal, somehow enchanted and bottled to be worn on skin. It smells of stars, cosmos, and celestial beings.
The brand: ÉVOQUER
The founder: Grace Howland
The story: A collection of fragrances and candles meant to transport you back to the emotions, sensations, and stories from your past; wear them with intention to set a scent memory
My pick: 02. Amourette
Raspberry, Peony, Cedarwood
Amourette is a soft, romantic sweep of scent that feels at once nostalgic and dreamlike, like the familiarity of a well-loved blanket.
The brand: d.grayi (by Level 1 Studio)
The co-founders: Kael Jeong & James Nguyen
The story: Pieces of olfactive art rooted in Vietnamese and Korean origins—reimagined through a queer, contemporary lens
My pick: White Rabbit
Milky Candy, Carrot, Rice Paper
Subtly lactonic, a tad starchy, yet smoothly sophisticated, White Rabbit transcends gender for a sweetly leporine scent with an easy musk drydown.
