Elevate Your Scent Game: Under-the-Radar Fragrances for the Perfume Connoisseur
Sure, you can make a solid first impression with the perfect outfit. But just like a seductive pair of Alaïa Cabaret heels or a beautifully crafted BODE jacket, the right scent can also make you unforgettable — perhaps even inescapable. Don't just take my word for it. According to neuroscience researchers at Harvard's Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, smell and memory are closely linked.
It makes sense — there are smells that you probably love or hate, capable of tossing you through time into very specific moments and feelings. The best fragrances can do the same, transporting you into the arms of a loving partner, a far-off vacation, or your childhood home. Given the scent-memory connection, picking a fragrance that resonates is essential.
But there is one caveat: You probably don't want to smell like everyone else. A room full of people wearing the same fragrance is as awkward as a party where everyone’s wearing the same dress.
When hunting for your signature scent, I'd like to argue that niche fragrances, an alternative to mass-produced perfume, are the way to go. Don't get me wrong; popular doesn't necessarily mean bad. Some of my favorite scents of all time are popular, for good reason. But in a world increasingly driven by repetitive algorithms, diving into the world of fragrance and finding something niche that feels utterly unique to you, that you can call yours, can be a fantastic form of self-expression.
It's taken me years of collecting perfume gems and duds, burying my head in top notes until I get a headache, to help me find my signature scent. Our curation will help you find your own hidden fragrance gem — and start creating a niche fragrance collection far from any influencer's cabinet or Instagram feed. Though many of these under-the-radar fragrances are worth gatekeeping, they are worth copping before they inevitably blow up. Are they some of the best niche fragrances at the moment? Absolutely.
But first, a refresher on how to find your signature scent.
Let it linger: How to find your signature scent
Watch this space for a deeper dive into this topic — in the meantime, these are the basics of picking your signature scent. Here’s what you should consider when searching for the best fragrance for yourself.
Ask yourself, "What do you like?" - What smells good to you? Do you like florals? The scent of the ocean breeze? Maybe the smell of fresh-baked sweets? Or perhaps leather and suede? You'd be surprised at how many scent profiles perfumers can recreate. Picking the best fragrance for yourself may simply come down to selecting your favorite smells and seeing if they play nicely with your skin’s unique chemistry.
Consider the time and the place - Not all fragrances should be worn in the office, nor should all fragrances be worn on date night. And don’t forget to consider the weather. Temperature can affect how fragrances evolve throughout the day. While that chocolatey, spicy gourmand might smell like a delectable pastry during the winter months, it might be too overpowering during the sweaty summer months.
Learn the perfume pyramid - Top notes? Base Notes? Let's break it down. In essence, top notes are the initial scents you detect; middle notes, or "heart notes," form the core of the fragrance; base notes are the aromas that last longest on the skin.
Familiarize yourself with common notes - Websites like Fragrantica and Parfumo break down the notes of virtually every bottle of perfume in existence. Familiarize yourself with the notes in each new fragrance you try, as you’ll inevitably find that you are drawn to specific smells.
Pair your perfume with your clothing - Like matching your shoes to your belt, picking the best fragrance for your outfit is a great way to accessorize. No, I don't mean picking a fragrance for every outfit that you have, though you’re more than welcome to. In my experience, heavier notes pair well with sweaters and coats, while vacation silks and T-shirts require a lighter touch.
Try fragrances in-person and on your skin - Blind-buying a fragrance is not for novices. Even if a fragrance sounds good on paper, try it on your skin. See how it melds with your body chemistry. There are perfumes that I’ve smelled directly from the bottle and thought, "I am definitely going to turn heads with this," only for the fragrance to give me a headache or even smell “off” on my skin.
At the end of the day, these are pointers rather than hard-and-fast rules. Picking a scent comes down to simply enjoying what you are smelling on yourself. Like blasting your favorite music at home or savoring a glass of wine, spritzing a scent you love is a fantastic way to unwind. There’s no better feeling than realizing, "Damn, I smell good."
Scroll further to shop some of the best niche fragrances of 2024.
Xerjoff “Tony Iommi Monkey Special”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2021
Notes: passion fruit, rum, bulgarian geranium, calabrian bergamot, leather, Singapore patchouli, cinnamon, Australian Sandalwood, caramel, ambergris, labdanum, musk, tonka bean, vanilla
You’ll love this if: You're Batman, and you're trying to seduce Catwoman.
Editor's Notes: Monkey Special smells like a ‘70s rockstar in his prime — kind of like the fragrance’s namesake, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath. The scent is leathery and boozy, like indulging in a bottle of Barceló Imperial Rum while wearing a pair of lambskin pants. It’s also floral, thanks to geranium and heavy patchouli, touches that remind me of the bouquets I’m guessing Iommi receives after his performances.
Serge Lutens “Féminité du bois”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2009
Notes: cedar, plum, beeswax, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, honey, rose, musk, orange blossom, peach, vanilla, violet, ylang-ylang
You’ll love this if: You use the terms "glamping" and “gorpcore” unironically.
Editor's Notes: No sleeping bags here. Féminité du Bois is a woodsy fragrance that captures a lavish weekend in the German wilderness or a getaway with that friend whose idea of the great outdoors is wearing Snow Peak and RANRA.
Akro “Dark”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2018
Notes: dark chocolate, cacao, hazelnut, vanilla, cinnamon
You’ll love this if: Your crush has a thing for dark chocolate.
Editor's Notes: The dark experience is like biting into a Lindt 70% cocoa chocolate bar. It's a gourmand so naturally, it’s sweet — but it has a subtle bitterness that keeps it from becoming too overpowering, allowing it to be worn in any season.
Imaginary Authors “In Love With Everything”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2022
Fragrance Notes: citrus, palm sugar, raspberry, rose, punch, sandalwood
You’ll love this if: "Cocaine chic" is somewhere on your TikTok mood board.
Editor's Notes: As its name implies, Imaginary Authors treats each of its scents like an imaginary book, complete with a synopsis. So what is "In Love With Everything?" about? Published in 1982, the made-up novel captures a group of teen girls navigating Florida's pre-Miami Vice nightlife, from clubs to seedy bars. Driven by their boundless energy, they turn challenges into dance parties. Bottle that, and you get a spicy raspberry cocktail on South Beach.
Rocha “Moustache”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2018
Fragrance Notes: pink pepper, mandarin orange, atlas cedar, Bulgarian rose, benzoin, vanilla, patchouli
You’ll love this if: You want your co-workers to think you’re mysterious.
Editor's Notes: Moustache by Rochas is one of the finest vanilla perfumes I've encountered in years. It isn't excessively sweet, like a chantilly cream cake. It's more like an Absolut vanilla mule or a dry vanilla martini.
The Woods Collection “Natural Dusk”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2020
Fragrance Notes: patchouli, mandarin orange, apple, geranium, violet, jasmine, bergamot
You’ll love this if: Your idea of winding down after work is hitting Berghain
Editor's Notes: This might be a dupe for Parfums de Marly’s Layton, but I'd argue that Natural Dusk is better. It's a perfume that serves multiple purposes. Want to be told you smell good while presenting your company's financials? Yes. Looking to use your fragrance as a conversation starter at that watch launch this evening? It's an easy pick. Headed to Berghain? Absolutely.
bdk Parfums “Gris Charnel”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2019
Notes: fig, black tea, cardamom, bourbon, iris absolute, cistus, Indian sandalwood, tonka bean absolute, American cedar, Indonesian patchouli, bourbon vanilla absolute
You’ll love this if: The idea of living in a Martin Amis novel seems fun.
Editor's Notes: There's a dark romance and nostalgia to this fragrance. Perhaps it's the bourbon heart? Or maybe it's the damp sandalwood.
Maison Margiela Replica “Matcha Meditation”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2021
Fragrance Notes: green tea, bergamot, mandarin orange, matcha, orange blossom absolute, jasmine, white chocolate, moss, benzoin siam absolute
You’ll love this if: Your barista knows your name.
Editor's Notes: The heart of this Replica creation is, of course, matcha. That said, it isn’t a heavy gourmand — it feels more like an iced green tea. It's a safe, crowd-pleasing scent, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Initio “Musk Therapy”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2021
Fragrance Notes: white musk, mandarin orange, blackcurrant, pink musk, bergamot, Indian sandalwood, magnolia
You’ll love this if: You secretly love pumpkin spice lattes.
Editor's Notes: If there’s any scent that screams "sweater weather," it's Musk Therapy. And I am not talking about your basic pullover: Think Missoni knits, Marni mohair, or Jil Sander fleeces.
Baruti “Dama Koupa”
Concentration: Extrait de Parfum
Release Year: 2016
Fragrance Notes: beeswax, iris, macaroon, osmanthus, musk, blond woods, amber, fir balsam absolute
You’ll love this if: You're down to sneak into Paris Fashion Week.
Editor's Notes: Dama Koupa is a scent for those who love thumbing through hard-to-find fashion magazines. If you like Valentino Uomo and Givenchy Gentleman, Dama Koupa is your next stop — similar vibe, with better ingredients.
Elorea “Fire 리”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2021
Fragrance Notes: camellia, lime, nutmeg, iris, lemon, mandarin orange, violet, amber, juniper berry, leather, rose
You’ll love this if: You want to Netflix and chill.
Editor's Notes: One of my favorite fragrances to come out of Korea, Fire makes an impression. Though bright and floral, the scent’s dark base notes give it an underlying sensuality. Sexy and welcoming, this is the type of scent you wear when you’re staying over at your partner’s apartment for the first time with no plans but to “watch” Netflix.
Parfums de Marly “Althaïr”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2023
Fragrance Notes: orange blossom, bergamot, cinnamon, bourbon vanilla, elemi resin
ambrox, praliné, gaiac wood, musk
You’ll love this if: You love Parfums de Marly but are tired of smelling like a finance bro.
Editor's Notes: A classic has just dropped from the brilliant minds over at Parfums de Marly. This scent smells good — plain and simple. Looking at the note breakdown, you might peg Althäir as a gourmand. But it’s not sweet or edible in the traditional sense. Its muskiness, soapiness, and freshness transport me to a historic Chicago barber shop on the eve of New Years.
Nishane “Ani X”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2023
Fragrance Notes: honeydew melon, aquatic notes, lemon, pink pepper, bergamot, blue ginger, cardamom, rose, blackcurrant, green apple, patchouli, sage, lavender, cashmere wood, vanilla, white musk, sandalwood, ambergris, cedarwood
You’ll love this if: You can talk your way onto a yacht party.
Editor's Notes: Ani X hovers just below mainstream recognition, retaining its niche status. But it's steadily gaining momentum on #PerfumeTok, because, simply put, it's a beast of a perfume. It's aquatic, bright, and spicey. Think of a summer spent sailing on the Adriatic Sea.
Simone Andreoli "Vicebomb"
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2023
Fragrance Notes: amarena cherry, salted caramel, red fruits, sugar, rose, vanilla cream, ylang-ylang, tonka bean, amber, precious woods
You’ll love this if: Valentine’s Day is your favorite holiday.
Editor's Notes: Cherry fragrances can be dangerously seductive, even gluttonous, when done right. Vicebomb is exactly that, turning you into an indulgent ice cream sundae. But this is your standard Dairy Queen treat — Vicebomb is gourmet. Yes, you’ll smell like cherry. You’ll also smell like some of the best parts of Valentine’s Day.
Widian by AJ Arabia “London”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2018
Fragrance Notes: oud, cypress, violet, raspberry, lilly of the valley, leather, musk, amber, vanilla
You’ll love this if: You’ve finessed American Airlines ConciergeKey.
Editor's Notes: Some call this an elevated version of Tom Ford's legendary Tuscan Leather. I beg to differ. It’s elevated for sure, but London occupies its own lane. It’s a first-class scent — literally. To me, it smells like a private suite on Emirates, complete with a cozy wool blanket and a piece of raspberry cake.
MEMO Paris “Italian Leather”
Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Release Year: 2013
Notes: vanilla absolute, leather, orris concrete, tomato leaf, galbanum, myrrh, poponax, petitgrain, tolu balm, benzoin, cistus absolute, pink pepper, sandalwood, clary sage, musk, blackcurrant bud
You’ll love this if: You're French and your sugar baby is Italian.
Editor's Notes: Italian Leather by MEMO Paris is like grinding up vanilla in a pair of Hermès leather gloves while sitting by the fireplace. The leather notes in this fragrance are prominent but never too dizzying, complemented by green tomato leaf, cozy vanilla, and woody labdanum. Think of the Italian Alps during winter.
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In the meantime have you tried fragrances with cannabis notes?
