The Biggest Perfume Trends for 2024: Scents, Styles, and Standouts
From nature-inspired botanicals to innovative musks and next-gen oud, discover 2024’s most exciting perfume trends shaping fragrance’s future.
The Biggest Perfume Trends for 2024
The fragrance world is embarking on a new aromatic chapter in 2024, with perfume houses and indie brands alike introducing scents that reflect changing tastes, bold ideas, and an embrace of both nature and technology. From the dominance of green botanicals and clean musks to the rise of niche brands and playful layering, these are the seven standout perfume trends shaping 2024’s olfactory landscape. Here, we break down each trend, highlight expert picks, and showcase the perfumes redefining the way we spritz and experience scent this year.
How We Identified This Year’s Top Perfume Trends
These trends are backed by months of meticulous research and testing by fragrance editors and industry experts. In mid-2023, beauty teams consulted with perfumers and fragrance specialists, compared insights from leading brands, and personally tested over 100 fragrances—spanning body sprays, eaux de parfum, oils, and more. Their final list was narrowed to the top 26 scents, selected for their unique profiles, longevity, price, packaging, and their fit within 2024’s dominant trends.
What follows is your guide to the scents, styles, and product picks that will have everyone talking (and smelling) their best this year.
Perfume Trend #1: The Botanical Explosion
Forget artificial florals and generic blends. 2024 marks a surge of botanical-inspired perfumes celebrating the tangy, leafy, and earthy notes of the natural world. Perfume lovers are gravitating to fragrances that evoke freshly-plucked stems, sun-warmed leaves, and even garden vegetables. The result is green, dewy, sometimes vegetal fragrances that feel as if you’ve just stepped into a greenhouse at dawn.
- Key notes: Green tea, tomato leaf, fresh grass, wild herbs, galbanum, and dewy florals.
- Scent profile: Crisp, realistic, and often unisex.
- Expert insight: According to several leading perfumers, the demand for botanical realism is partly a reaction against synthetic overload and a desire for fragrances that feel healthy, calming, and close to nature.
Top Perfume Picks in This Trend:
- MALIN+GOETZ Strawberry Eau de Parfum — Fresh, green, and juicy, capturing the garden setting without excessive sweetness.
- Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Milk Eau de Parfum — Twists creamy vanilla with a leafy green opening, creating a garden-and-kitchen hybrid scent.
- Boy Smells Violet Ends — A lush mix of violet leaf and orris root, bringing cool, green energy instead of traditional powdery florals.
Perfume Trend #2: Soft, Clean, and Modern Musks
2024 signals the return of musk—but not the powdery, old-school version. This year’s musks have evolved: they’re airy, soft, blended with fruits or florals, and haunted by sheer woods or tea notes. These new musks feel like clean T-shirts, creamy skin, or gently sun-warmed cashmere.
- Gone are: The heavy, choking-loud musks of decades past.
- Arrived: Modern, elegant, and surprisingly youthful musk compositions.
- Why it’s trending: The shift toward subtle, comforting, and universally appealing scents for everyday wear.
Editor-Approved Musky Perfumes:
- Phlur Father Figure Eau de Parfum — Juicy fig, clean musk, and green cassis. A contemporary take on musky florals.
- Dedcool Smiley Face Garden — Reinvents rose-musk as earthy and cottagecore (think guaiac wood and sandalwood, not grandma’s powder room).
- Louis Vuitton Spell On You — A modern floral-musk with iris and violet leaf. Chic and understated.
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Perfume Trend #3: Next-Gen Oud
Once a niche ingredient reserved for the bold, oud is going mainstream in 2024. This resinous, complex, and sometimes smoky note is being reimagined: balanced with candied fruits, flowers, and sparkling spices for wearable sophistication. Designer houses and indie brands alike are launching creative oud blends that invite everyone to wear this once-intimidating note.
- Notable ingredients: Oud wood, saffron, amber, rose, cherry, and spices.
- What’s new: Oud is used in lighter concentrations, or layered with sugar, citrus, or leather to soften its animalic edges.
Best Next-Gen Oud Perfumes:
- Tom Ford Oud Wood — Smooth, spicy, iconic; oud for daily wear.
- Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood — Luminous oud with vanilla and violet; rich but easy-going.
- Guerlain Oud Nude — Part of a whole series of oud explorations, blending with suede, musk, and cherry for versatile moods.
Perfume Trend #4: Wellness-Infused and Mood-Enhancing Scents
Perfume is no longer just about smelling alluring — it’s about feeling better. The wellness fragrance trend focuses on blends designed for uplifting, calming, energizing, or even centering oneself. Ingredients with known aromatherapeutic benefits (think lavender, neroli, sage, and tea) are taking center stage.
- Common features: Soothing blends for sleep, energizing citrus for mornings, and anti-stress formulas for stressful days.
- Appeal: Fragrance as self-care, with mood-boosting claims gaining traction on social media and among wellness brands.
Favorite Feel-Good Perfumes:
- The Nue Co. Functional Fragrance — Formulated to lower stress, this green, herbal scent is all about calm.
- Wicked Good Lemonilla — Comforting vanilla meets lively lemon; a top choice for zesty morning motivation.
- Glossier You — Warm, inviting, and universally uplifting. A go-to for signature scent minimalists.
Perfume Trend #5: Scent Layering and Hyper-Personalization
The days of a signature scent are giving way to personalized scent “wardrobes”. Thanks to social media and niche brands, scent layering (combining several perfumes, oils, or mists) is going viral. Perfume users are blending different notes to create their own bespoke scent, sometimes switching daily to match mood, weather, or occasion.
- Social media: #Perfumelayering has gone viral, with millions sharing combinations and hacks.
- Brand reaction: Brands are launching layer-friendly perfumes—clean musks, single-note ouds, and minimalist florals.
Scents Made for Layering:
- KAYALI Vanilla 28 — A creamy gourmand perfect to add warmth to green scents or bold ouds.
- Molecule 01 by Escentric Molecules — A minimalist ISO E Super base that adapts to the wearer and enhances nearly everything.
- Dedcool Milk — A sheer musky-milky blend beloved as a layering accent on skin or clothing.
Perfume Trend #6: Playful Bottles and Bold Visual Design
Visual impact matters more than ever—perfume bottles are becoming art objects. This year’s launches feature sculptural shapes, whimsical colors, and materials designed to catch the eye and brighten vanities. Perfume is now as much about the shelf appeal as the scent inside.
- Common design choices: Pastel glass, crystal faceting, metallic details, eco-friendly minimalism.
- Trend insight: Eye-catching packaging is especially important for gifting, social media photography, and personalizing your beauty display.
2024’s Most Playful Bottles:
- Marc Jacobs Daisy Drops — Candy-colored and playful, echoing the scent’s youthful vibe.
- Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blush — A stiletto-inspired bottle, instantly Insta-worthy.
- Byredo Animalique — Modern lines and gold detailing—luxury with statement edge.
Perfume Trend #7: Fragrance for All—Genderless and Universal Scents
The gender binary in perfume is officially over. 2024 sees both designer and indie brands launching gender-neutral scents: wearable for anyone, anywhere. Botanical themes, green notes, tea, woods, and soft musks dominate these blends, which avoid pink/blue stereotypes in favor of inclusivity and freedom of expression.
- Notes to look for: Cucumber, rain, warm skin musk, fig, iris, sandalwood, and marine air.
- Market shift: More perfumes are sold as “for everyone,” breaking down outdated fragrance marketing rules.
Universal Fragrance Favorites:
- Le Labo Another 13 — A cult genderless scent: clean, musky, addictively strange.
- Glossier You — Subtle, skin-like, and loved by all genders.
- Maison Margiela Replica When the Rain Stops — Dewy and fresh, evoking rain on earth and made for anyone.
Comparison Table: 2024 Perfume Trends at a Glance
| Trend | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Explosion | Leafy, garden-green, realistic plant and veggie notes | Nature lovers, daytime wear, signature fresh scents |
| Modern Musks | Soft, clean, layered with figs or florals | All genders, office wear, subtle signatures |
| Next-Gen Oud | Smoother, blended with floral or sweet notes | Evening events, statement-makers, oud fans |
| Wellness Infused | Mood-enhancing, soothing, aromatherapeutic | Self-care, sleep scents, stress relief |
| Scent Layering | Blendable, simple bases, build-your-own | Personalization seekers, TikTok followers |
| Playful Bottles | Sculptural, bold, photo-ready packaging | Gift-giving, social media, collectors |
| Genderless Perfume | No gendered marketing, wearable for all | Anyone, anytime, inclusive fragrance fans |
Tips for Choosing Your 2024 Signature Scent
- Test scents on skin: Perfume changes as it interacts with your body chemistry. Try samples or test in-store before buying.
- Layer for uniqueness: Pair a botanical with a clean musk, or add a vanilla base to your favorite oud for a customizable blend.
- Consider mood and season: Fresh greens pop in spring, spicy ouds in colder months, and light musks in any weather.
- Display with flair: Don’t hide playful bottles—perfume can double as beauty decor on your vanity or bathroom shelf.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What types of perfume notes are most popular for 2024?
A: Botanical greens (like tea, grass, and tomato leaf), soft musks, next-generation ouds, and notes with wellness benefits (think lavender and citrus) are trending this year.
Q: How do I start layering perfumes?
A: Begin with a neutral base like a clean musk or gentle vanilla, then add a single botanical or citrus scent. Experiment with ratios to create a blend unique to your preferences.
Q: Are genderless perfumes really different from traditional scents?
A: Yes, genderless perfumes intentionally avoid marketing cues and rely on universally appealing notes, often making them more versatile and wearable for anyone.
Q: Which perfume bottle designs are trending for 2024?
A: Playful and sculptural bottles—often in pastel colors or with unexpected shapes—are on trend, alongside minimalist eco-friendly packaging.
Q: What is a wellness fragrance?
A: A wellness fragrance is designed to evoke specific feelings—calm, focus, energy, or relaxation—through thoughtfully chosen aromatherapeutic ingredients.
Final Spritz: The Fragrance Outlook for 2024
2024 is an extraordinary year in perfumery, one that sees creative boundaries pushed further than ever. From new interpretations of green botanicals and musk to playful bottles and the democratization of niche scents, now is the time to explore and express your uniqueness through fragrance. Whether you’re layering for mood, seeking wellness in a bottle, or mesmerized by sculptural designs, this year’s perfume trends invite you to rediscover what scent can truly be.
References
- https://moodeaux.com/blogs/featured-press/best-perfume-trends-2024
- https://wicked-good.co/blogs/clean-perfume/perfume-trends-2024
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a45792889/best-perfumes-trends-2024/
- https://www.harlembrands.com/blogs/press/cosmopolitan-7-best-perfume-trends-of-2024
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a64208304/dating-perfume-trends/
- https://www.aol.com/18-best-summer-perfumes-2024-161500015.html
- https://gb.readly.com/magazines/cosmopolitan-uk/2024-03-19/65f55fb84be11feae786bf1f
- https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/health/g60950849/best-new-perfumes-fragrances-2024/
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