The Perfume Shop, the UK’s largest specialist perfume retailer, is seeing a shift in the way people approach perfume, with shoppers increasingly experimenting with different combinations rather than relying on one signature scent.
From pairing perfumes together to combining scent with body lotions, shower products and hair mists, layering gives people more ways to wear the perfumes they love and adapt them for different moods and occasions.
Karla Woolley, Head of Buying at The Perfume Shop, said: “We’re seeing people become more creative with the way they wear perfume. A signature scent doesn’t have to mean just one bottle anymore; it can be about having different combinations that suit different moments.
“Layering gives people the opportunity to explore the perfumes they already love and discover new ways to wear them. Whether that’s adding warmth, freshness or a different dimension, it’s about making scent feel personal.”
Why perfume layering is growing
As people become more interested in experimenting with the way they wear perfume, layering is offering a simple way to change the character of a familiar scent. Rather than treating each perfume as something to wear on its own, different scents and scented products can be combined to create a more personalised way of wearing perfume.
Social media has also helped introduce shoppers to new combinations, with scent communitiessharing recommendations and tips for experimenting.
“Social media has definitely helped people discover new ways to wear perfume, with scent
communities sharing combinations, recommendations and tips,” says Karla.
“But layering doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as pairing a scented body lotion with a favourite perfume, adding a hair mist or combining two perfumes with complementary notes.”
Finding a combination that works
Layering is all about experimenting with different notes and seeing how they develop together.
Warmer notes such as vanilla and musk can add depth to a scent, while citrus and floral notes can bring freshness.Because perfume develops differently on each person’s skin, the same combination can also smell subtly different from one person to another. Trying different pairings allows people to find combinations that suit their own taste.
“The best thing about layering is that there are no rules, ” says Karla.
“There isn’t one perfect combination because scent is completely personal. It’s about experimenting, finding what you enjoy and creating something that feels like you.”
Whether combining two perfumes or adding scented body products to a usual routine, layering gives people new ways to enjoy the perfumes they already own and change how they wear them from one moment to the next.
