Skin scents are the ‘no make-up make-up’ of fragrance – these are our favourites

2023-02-10

Evoking the feeling of close physical contact, skin scents are gaining in popularity. Here are 11 of the best to shop.

Buying fragrance is extremely personal. From the specific notes we lean towards to the memories that perfumes can evoke, it’s safe to say that one specific scent rarely elicits the same reaction from whomever is smelling it. And while we all tend to have general fragrance favourites (think woody, floral, oriental or sweet), our perfume preferences are generally extremely individual – or so we are led to believe.

Because there’s a new perfume category that’s having a major moment right now – and it doesn’t neatly fall into the fragrance families we’re used to. They’re being called ‘skin scents’ and they can be thought of as a 2023 update to the pheromone-mimicking fragrances of the 90s.

While they’re technically not blended with pheromones (scientists are still not entirely sure whether pheromones even exist in humans), they do aim to elicit that same carnal response of attraction. Often heavily loaded with musk, plus salty or sweet notes that mimic a slightly sweaty edge, skin scents are fragrances that give off a feeling of close skin contact – a warm, comforting and cocooning sexy scent that ultimately draws you in for more. Think of skin scents as the ‘no make-up make-up’ of fragrance – they’re often subtle, giving off a ‘your skin but better’ smell.

If that sounds up your street, you’re not alone. In fact, TikTok has caught onto the phenomenon with #pheromoneperfume and #skinscents garnering more than 85 million combined views. So if you’re in the market for a sexy fragrance update, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we round up the 11 best skin scents that you’re guaranteed to want to nestle into…

Byredo Blanche

Clean and sexy, Blanche explores the smell of bodies slipping beneath freshly laundered sheets. It’s soft, musky and intimate – blending notes of sandalwood, delicate rose and musk.

Shop Byredo Blanche at Selfridges, £130

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D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What

Dubbed as a ‘fragrance enhancer’, this subtle eau de parfum can be worn alone to give off a soft, close-to-skin scent or layered under your favourite fragrance to boost its aroma and make your signature scent truly unique.

Shop D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What at Liberty, £148

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Escentric Molecules Molecule 01

Probably the most famous pheromone-mimicking fragrance, Eccentric Molecules was the first of its kind to champion the unique Iso E Super fragrance note – a molecule that evokes a velvety, cocooning effect on the skin.

Shop Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 at Cult Beauty, £79

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Narciso Rodriguez For Her Pure Musc

Addictive and sensual, this gorgeous scent blends white florals with musk to create a memorable and truly personal perfume.

Shop Narciso Rodriguez For Her Pure Musc at Sephora, £50

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Le Labo Another 13

Hypnotic and sexy, this seductive scent melts into the skin with its gritty ambroxan base. It’s more powerful than other skin scents but definitely just as alluring.

Shop Le Labo Another 13 at Cult Beauty, £60

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Juliette Has A Gun Not A Perfume Superdose

Clean and elegant, this is a perfectly manicured perfume. Formulated from one molecule, cetalox, it smells like freshly washed laundry and cool, clean skin.

Shop Juliette Has A Gun Not A Perfume Superdose at John Lewis, £130

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Bvlgari Allegra Magnifying Musk

This musk scent is another that’s designed to be layered with your favourite fragrances to add some oomph to your favourite fragrance. When worn alone, however, it’s deeply intimate and intoxicating.

Shop Bvlgari Allegra Magnifying Musk at Harrods, £160

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Glossier You

Glossier’s iconic You fragrance sums up the skin scents category – it melts effortlessly into the skin and smells a little bit different on everyone. A truly cult beauty buy.

Shop Glossier You, £49

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Commodity Paper

Blending Iso E Super with touches of sweet amber and musk, this clean-smelling scent is sheer, crisp and warm. “Paper Minus is also an ode to writing a letter to a loved one. I wanted to make this fragrance feel personal and very intimate,” says Jerome Epinette, the creator of Paper.

Shop Commodity Paper, £120

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Lush Lust

For something less subtle, Lush’s Lust is great. It blends floral notes like jasmine, rose and ylang ylang which melt into the skin giving a warm, intoxicating and seriously sexy vibe.

Shop Lush Lust Perfume, £30

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Phlur Missing Person

Another viral hit, Phlur’s Missing Person broke the internet when it launched into the UK last year. Blending musk, bergamot, sandalwood and jasmine, it lingers on the skin as a sheer, soft and familiar scent.

Shop Phlur Missing Person at Selfridges, from £26

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