Getting a powerful whiff of eau de parfum — or subjecting others to your scent du jour — isn't everyone's cup of tea. However, that doesn't mean you can't participate in the perfume game. In fact, barely-there scents — aka ambient fragrances, skin scents, or "your skin but better" perfumes — are gaining a solid following. Today we're showcasing a few of our faves.
Image via @glossier
Luxury haircare brand, Oribe, has made a name for itself with its high-quality, salon-approved products. These products are infused with the brand's signature scent — Cote d'Azur — a light fusion of Calabrian bergamot, crisp jasmine, warm sandalwood, Sicilian orange, tuberose, and amber. It sounds like a lot, but the scent is quite low-key. In 2018, Oribe launched a Cote d'Azur perfume that smells exactly like the products, and it's super subtle and dreamy.
The name says it all. This earthy fragrance from Juliette Has a Gun is an EDP minimalist's dream. It features one note, and one note only: cetalox, a synthetic and hypoallergenic ambergris that gives off the faintest, most elegant warm and woody scent.
Like the last fragrance, this one from Escentric Molecules also consists of a singular note: molecule Iso E. It's meant to enhance your skin's natural scent, perhaps making it the most subtle scent of this roundup. Interestingly, people who use it have said that when they wear it that they can't smell much at all, but that others compliment the fragrance.
Glossier launched You in late 2017 and to date it's their only foray into fragrance. It was a major project for the brand that required three years of hard work, but it ultimately culminated in a highly reviewed, award-winning EDP. Glossier You features a light musky base that changes according to your skin chemistry, so it smells different on everyone (hence the name).
