How to Layer Fragrances 2024, According to Allure Editors | Tested & Reviewed

Like your makeup, there are endless ways to play around with scents, and Allure editors know a thing or two about how to layer fragrances. While the practice of concocting a unique scent has become a major TikTok trend, the core concept is far from new.

Mona Kattan, the face and founder of viral fragrance brand Kayali (an Arabic word that translates literally to ‘my imagination’), says she’s been combining spritzes of her favorite perfumes since her early teens, and now wears up to five different scents at one time. “In the Middle East, fragrance layering is an important part of self-expression and I’ve fully embraced it over the last 23 years,” says Kattan.

And now, it’s your turn to explore all the scentual possibilities. As inspiration, Allure editors are spilling the (fragrant) tea on their tried-and-true fragrance combos that’ll have you smelling like a scrumptious snack.

Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director

“I’ve done it. I’ve finally perfected my signature scent. After years of trial and error and many, many mists gone awry, I’ve found the perfect combo of freshness and warmth with these two eau de parfums: The Harmonist Sacred Water and Dedcool Xtra Milk,” says Sarah Kinonen, Allure’s associate beauty director.

Kinonen says Sacred Water brings “light, refreshing notes” of zesty ginger and orange blossom, while Xtra Milk provides depth with amber and white musk. “When I say this elite pairing elicits compliments, I’m not kidding—I’ve had Trader Joe’s employees stop me in the middle of checkout to ask about my perfume, and have had company colleagues chase me down in the office to find out what scent I was wearing,” she explains. “This layered combo is lethal in the most non-lethal and incredibly delightful way.”

Talia Gutierrez, associate manager of special projects

For a hazy, nautical-esque vibe reminiscent of a beach hangout, Talia Gutierrez, Allure’s associate manager of special projects, layers Nette’s Coco Fleur Eau de Parfum with Moroccanoil’s Hair & Body Fragrance Mist. “It might not make sense until you try it, but this high-low fragrance combination is the perfect blend of fresh and floral this summer,” she explains.

Nette’s Coco Fleur is a true solar fragrance with notes of bergamot, orange, and coconut milk—an aromatic trifecta for summertime. Once layered with Moroccanoil’s hair and body mist, expect to catch waves of floral magnolia and warm amber.

Jennifer Hussein, commerce writer

Hussein is an admitted “Tom Ford slut” when it comes to her fragrance collection. “Name one fragrance from the label’s collection, and I probably have it in surplus,” she says. There are nearly endless amounts of fragrance-layering combinations within Tom Ford’s lineup but her favorites for a warm, sugary vibe that isn’t nauseatingly sweet are Vanilla Sex and Ombré Leather Eau de Parfums. “First, I douse myself with exactly four sprays of Vanilla Sex, a warm, sweet fragrance that’s pretty self-explanatory,” she says. “Then I top off the scent with just a single spritz of Ombré Leather, which has a more concentrated, spicier blend of leather, violets, jasmine, and patchouli.”

Annie Blay, associate editor

Allure associate editor Annie Blay likes to aromatically cosplay as a “floral girly” from time to time, but in her heart of hearts, she’s got a sweet tooth (err, nose?) for vanilla scents. “While I love the idea of fresh floral scents, the allure never quite translates well to my nose…that is until I layered a floral scent with a vanilla fragrance oil—I’m a vanilla girl through and through (call me basic if you want),” she explains.

Her sweet, floral fragrance combination starts with Nette’s Madagascar Vanilla perfume oil, an Allure Best of Beauty Award winner for its vanilla-forward blend that’s spiked with creamy coconut. “I experimentally sprayed Aerin Joyful Bloom Rose De Grass on top of my perfume oil-kissed skin and the result was a sweet floral combo that makes me giddy just thinking about,” she says. After discovering what she calls a “jackpot of a fragrance cocktail,” it’s now her only approach to wearing florals.

Bianca Richards, social media manager

Want to be on your prime “bad bihh energy?” Give Richards’ three-step fragrance combination a try. Allure’s social media manager says she combines these three distinctive scents when she wants to evoke a sexier energy like, say, for date night.

Literally made for layering with other aromas, D.S. & Durga’s I Don’t Know What Eau de Parfum provides a subtle hint of notes you’d usually notice at the base of most fragrances, including fruity bergamot, warm amber, and creamy sandalwood. “[This perfume] really sets the foundation for how the body spray and fragrance settles into my skin throughout the day for a long-lasting effect,” Richards adds

By adding Sol de Janeiro’s fruity-floral Brazilian Crush Cheirosa ’68 Beija Flor Hair & Body Mist and Kayali’s ultra-juicy Eden Juicy Apple 01 Eau de Parfum into the mix, the aromatic recipe results in a well-balanced combination Richards can’t get enough of. “The Kayali Eden Juicy Apple is a refreshing and sophisticated fruity fragrance that is reminiscent of the classic DKNY red apple that was a fixture on my mom’s dresser when I was growing up (yes, I’d sneak spritzes behind her back),” she explains.

Sarah Hoffmann, commerce producer

If smelling like a farmer’s market fruit basket is more your vibe, Allure commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann suggests combining The Maker’s Wild Eau de Parfum with Parfum de Marly’s Cassili Eau de Parfum. Both scents feature peach as its star note, but Hoffmann describes Wild as a “more realistic” take on the fruit, whereas Cassili gives off fruity-sweet peach ring vibes. “When combined together, I love where the scent combination settles in the middle of their totally different takes on peach,” says Hoffmann.

Now that you’ve gotten the low-down on how to layer fragrances, it’s time to concoct your own: