From December 4th through 6th, 2025, lovers of niche fragrance intermingled with brand founders, perfumers, content creators, marketing professionals, and more. Fragrant accords permeated the air, rose and oud meeting jasmine, sandalwood, and warm gourmands. The occasion? ScentXplore 2025, the 7th edition of the International Niche Perfume Convention, held at Center415 in New York City. Described as a “Willy Wonka Wonderland for the perfume-obsessed” by Julia Crowe of indie brand Air & Weather and “the Mecca for fragrance enthusiasts worldwide” by Julie Leong, Media Relations, Anood Scents, it is a flurry of smells, sights, and sounds that’s sure to stimulate the senses.
This year, dozens of brands, from Memo Paris to Commodity to Olfactive Studio, exhibited at the event, setting up booths, some with interactive displays. Representatives made themselves available to answer questions about scent profile and sillage, and bottles lined the shelves for unrestricted spritzing. For a fragrance lover, it’s a dream come true. In a world where most people don’t have access to niche counters and must resort to ordering samples online, it is nothing short of miraculous. For many attendees, though, it’s more than a bit of olfactive enjoyment – it’s a networking event.
“My favorite part of ScentXplore was strengthening the existing relationships I have with brands, distributors, and fellow content creators, while also meeting new brands and founders in person to continue expanding my network,” says Erin Lutz, a fragrance content creator with a following of more than 43K on TikTok. “Relationship-building is a crucial part of my business and personal brand, and having that in-person connection makes a meaningful difference in the fragrance industry—it truly opens doors.”
Brand professionals, too, view the event as a strategic opportunity. “From a brand perspective, the magic of ScentXplore is that it brings together dedicated perfume lovers, creators, and professionals in the same conversations,” says Emma Haberl, Brand Manager, Europerfumes. “That feedback loop that you get from presenting at the show is raw, passionate, sometimes brutally honest – all priceless for anyone building a brand.”
For Julie Leong, Media Relations, Anood Scents, the highlight was the awards, which conclude the three-day convention. “I was thrilled to see my friends from Scent Bar win Retailer/Distributor of the Year, and Steven Gavrielatos win Digital Voice of the Year. They deserve the accolades!”
For a brand founder like Julia Crowe, independent New York-based perfumer of Air & Weather, ScentXplore is a wealth of creative inspiration. “It’s a scintillating circus of scent! What I appreciated so much as a fragrance brand owner was meeting other perfumers and experiencing the love they give to presenting their wares. That’s special.”
While making my way through the maze of fragrance-lovers, I discovered a few standout scents that have already made their way into my personal collection. Here are my favorite fragrances from ScentXplore 2025:
Love-O-Matic by Room 1015 is inspired by the liminal surrealism that is akin to the laundromat. Magical, quirky, and undeniably fun, it’s a marriage of sweet bubblegum and airy cotton. Founder Michael Partouche’s brand is designed to embrace counterculture – he thinks of fragrance as a symbol of rebellion.
House of Iyrah’s whisky-shaped glasses and musical inspiration rendered it one of the most exciting brands for me to discover. Founder Samira Mbang created the brand to showcase how fragrance transcends mere scent; her mother, anosmic from birth, has always loved the world of olfaction, despite being unable to experience it herself. My personal favorite from the lineup is Opera, a lavish, peppery rose.
Michael Paul and Vanessa Trinidad-Boothe, the husband and wife duo behind Day Three Fragrances, build scents to capture moments, those snippets of déjà vu that define daily life. Their scents are hand-bottled in Arizona, and each is inspired by a specific feeling or experience. My favorite is Aylan, a love letter from Paul to his daughter. This is a deep vanilla – aged for eight months – layered with rose and oud.
Granado is Brazil’s oldest pharmacy, opening its first location in Rio de Janeiro in 1870. Founder José Antonio Coxito Granado produced remedies, cosmetics, and other products for the locals, and the store was honored as the “Official Pharmacy of the Brazilian Imperial Family” by Emperor Pedro II in 1880. Granado now has stores across Europe and the United States, selling a collection of fragrances, bath products, and home scents. My favorites from this heritage brand are Rosa Sublime, an indulgent blend of cassis and rose, and Esplendor, a balsamic ambery vanilla.
Hermetica’s Peonypop is one of those easy, breezy, effortless fragrances, a treat to wear on any occasion. It made me smile immediately, that breath of raspberry, peony, and musk that hits you on first spray. Springy and refreshing, it would make a beautiful signature scent (it’s also clean, alcohol free, and hydrating!).
A scent that completely took my breath away on first sniff is House of Dastan’s Unseen, an otherworldly harmony of linen, cashmere, musk, and tonka. The brand is a celebration of two ancient cultures, Persian and Parisian, both of which are known for their mastery of the art of scent. Dastan means “story” in Persian, and stories are what they tell through their captivating cultivations of notes and accords.
The Mandala by Param Sara expanded my awareness of what fragrance can smell like. This mango, marigold, and vetiver concoction is designed to take the wearer on a journey of self-discovery and transformation. It is spa-like and relaxing, and such an easy, calming reach. Ankita Gill founded the brand as an homage to her Indian roots and love for artistry, design, and storytelling.
J-Scent is a Japanese fragrance house that makes playful, approachable scents that are perfect for everyday wear. Paper Soap was a standout for me because it smells like a bar of the creamiest white soap, elevated by rose, lavender, and musk. There is a soothing addictiveness to it that has me ignoring all my other fragrances at the moment. If you like clean scents, this is the ultimate.
I think I’ve found my favorite ylang-ylang scent ever. Sand and Skin by Floraiku Paris is a bewitching trio of vanilla absolute, benzoin, and the iconic yellow flower. I also get an overdose of creamy white musk in the drydown. The brand combines an admiration for Asian culture with the expertise of French perfumery, creating breathtaking scents bottled in vessels that look more like art. Each perfume is named after a haiku, a short Japanese poem.
ScentXplore 2025 was a frenzy of new experiences, smells, and people. For brands, creators, and hobbyists alike, it fostered a sense of community, uniting lovers of the aromatic from all walks of life.
“Ultimately, events like this don’t just celebrate fragrance,” says Erin Lutz, “they fuel innovation, deepen relationships, and strengthen the ecosystem that allows the industry to grow in an authentic, meaningful way.”
