Your signature scent is your calling card, your essence bottled up in a pretty glass vial. It should bring you comfort and joy, and it should feel authentically you. While no one else can choose your signature for you, I can give you some suggestions on where to start. Here are five year-round appropriate, highly likeable perfumes that would work well as a signature scent. The bonus? You won’t smell like everyone else.
This first one is for the fragrance haters. It’s an Iso E Super scent, which is a pleasant, skin-like synthetic note that adds depth and interest to fragrances. It doesn’t have that “perfume-y” vibe. I Don’t Know What by D.S. & Durga is marketed as a fragrance enhancer, but can absolutely be worn alone. It has an indescribable, slightly woody quality that kind of smells like your favorite person’s T-shirt. You could layer this with any of your other perfumes, even an oil – and it’ll make it last longer and smell better. Warm yet clean, sensual yet bright, this fragrance has that certain je ne sais quoi for which we’re all searching.
One of my favorite profiles to wear is a dewy, musky floral. I simply can’t get enough, so it’s a natural choice for a signature for me personally. A stunning pick in this category is Carner Barcelona’s Marbella, which smells like peony petals floating in a clear pond. Blackcurrant adds juicy depth, while green tea gives it a meditative quality. Calming and serene, this one will last throughout the day, providing an aura of peace whenever you catch a whiff.
Happy Tears by 5 Sens is described on the website as “pure joy bottled” – and I’d have to agree. This is the smell of plump orange blossoms blooming under the sun, of ripe peaches eaten on a summer’s afternoon, of the musky comfort of a loved one’s clean skin after a shower. Although it’s a gorgeous warm-weather scent, it’s totally appropriate for all seasons (no sunscreen vibes here!). There’s something magically nostalgic about the way the notes weave together, creating an impression of childhood and home; it’s a timeless profile, yet 5 Sens has made it their own.
Montblanc’s Signature Eau de Parfum for women, available at FragranceNet.com, is clean white sheets, vanilla candle lit, skin care done, in bed by 9. This is the smell of attainable luxury, of put-togetherness, of peace of mind. Equal parts musky and floral, it’s a sweet, puffy cloud of orchids, vanilla, and white musks. This is the type of scent I like to douse myself in after an everything shower, before bedtime – but it’s also a compliment magnet that deserves to be worn out and about.
Finally, a take on one of my favorite scents of all time – Lake & Skye 11 11. I have been obsessed with this perfume oil for a year now, and layer it under anything and everything. The flanker I’m including on this list is 11 11 Vanilla, a breezy, ozonic breath of air that’s somehow both cozy and fresh. Sea salt, vanilla crème, marshmallow, and fresh star apple are the stars of the show here, creating an ultra-clean scent bubble that will stick around all day. Soft and dreamy, but not too sweet, you’ll leave a whisper of vanilla wherever you go.
