Perfume layering: Everything you need to know about blending scents
Fragrance isn’t as simple as giving yourself a quick spritz. Anyone can smell like a bottled scent – but if you layer multiple perfumes you can create one that is uniquely yours
Whis is perfume layering? Simply put, it refers to the practice of using multiple perfumes at once, or combining your perfume with specific body care products, to create a bespoke scent. “Layering creates a new fragrance, one that becomes more than the sum of its parts,” says Emma South, fragrance and lifestyle expert at Jo Malone. When chosen with reference to your style and tastes, this combination of fragrances becomes completely unique to you.”
This isn’t the only benefit of perfume layering: using various products correctly can also increase the longevity of a scent – the amount of time it stays on your skin. It also allows for the creation of more complex and versatile profiles, allowing you to customise the scent and its intensity. “As the wearer, you can enjoy the familiarity of a signature scent while experiencing variety and intrigue,” adds South. “Your signature fragrance can be a constant, one that others recognise as you, even if you are inured to it. The second or layering scent can bring seasonal interest, or match the occasion or simply your mood. You can have complete versatility, building a wardrobe of fragrances that work cohesively with one another.”
If this all sounds a bit complicated (especially given that fragrance layering gone awry can mean a cacophony of conflicting smells), we’ve got you covered. Read on a breakdown of how to wear multiple scents.
How to pair perfumes
When mixing perfumes, it’s a good idea to have a rudimentary knowledge of scent families and notes. Scents are typically categorised into floral (think rose, jasmine and orange blossom); amber (vanilla, myrrh, anise); woody (patchouli, vetiver, sandalwood); and fresh (citrus, white flowers, bergamot). The top notes are what you smell right away, and are typically sharp and strong but dissipate quickly. Middle notes are the softer aromas that emerge after the top notes, forming the heart of the fragrance. Base notes comprise the foundation of a fragrance, which develops gradually and lingers on the skin.
Being able to identify the type of scent you’re using, and the notes within it, can help you create complementary combinations. It’s always a safe bet to fuse two fragrances that have notes in common, such as jasmine and rose. Seasoned perfume-layerers, however, can combine scents from different families: you might start with something citrusy before adding a floral perfume. Or, you could start with a woody base and add an amber overlay. “Layering from within the same family can create an elegant harmony and depth from a range of similar, but nuanced notes,” elaborates South. “Equally captivating is a striking contrast; for example, citrus scents dazzle when worn over the smokiest woods.”
Avoid accidentally overloading on scents (and walking around in a noxious cloud all day) by working up the scent from a base perfume bit by bit. Avoid combining scents that are too strong and heady, and stick to a maximum of three scents when layering.
How to apply perfume
Begin with clean skin – this provides a neutral canvas for your perfume. If you’re really committed, you could even apply a fragrance primer, which is specially-formulated to enhance perfume layering. It is also important that skin is moisturised – dry skin doesn’t retain aroma as well because there is nothing for the perfume to adhere to.
Strategically apply fragrances at the wrists and neck, or even behind your ears or elbows (these areas are pulse points and emit heat, which helps to diffuse the fragrance).“If you are layering fragrances, apply the fuller-bodied one first and mist the lighter-weight scent over the top,” advises South. If you apply heavier-duty scents afterward, you run the risk of overpowering lighter ones.
How to layer perfume with other products
If you want to take things a step further, you can also add other scented products into the mix, such as shower gels, body lotions or oils, and deodorants, prior to applying perfume: “Begin with a scented body wash to provide the first veil of fragrance,” says South. “Follow with an application of scented body cream, which ensures the fragrant layers last throughout the day, and the final flourish is a mist of cologne in your other chosen scent.”
Using matching product sets is an easy way to enhance a scent and make it last longer; however, you can also apply the same principles outlined above to body care products, mixing and matching products and perfumes that smell different. For example, South recommends using Jo Malone’s Myrrh & Tonka body cream with its Scarlet Poppy cologne.
“We have a mantra that there are no rules, only thrilling discoveries!” says South. It’s true: perfume layering is a creative process, and you should feel free to experiment with different combinations, honing your signature scent until that most-coveted of compliments starts flooding in: “What perfume are you wearing?”
