Perfume might not be your thing for a numbers of reasons: It gives you headaches; it makes you feel like you’re trying to hard; it reminds you of your Great Aunt Dolores. Yet there are certain occasions that call for a special spritz or dab of…something. Here, five scents that are subtle, unexpected and just right—even for the most fragrance-averse wearer.
5 "Perfumes" for People Who Hate Perfume
Fragrance alternatives to try
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Published Aug 17, 2016
Essential Oils
Just because you don’t wear perfume, doesn’t mean you don’t like certain scents—like the smell of warm sandalwood or fresh pine. A dab of oil might be just what you need to bring you to your happy place.
Wild Rose Herbs ($26)
Herbivore Botanicals
Hair Perfume
A light misting over your mane will replace sweaty odors with fresh, floral ones.
Herbivore Botanicals ($12)
All-purpose Fragrance
Like Febreze, this can be sprayed in any room—and on any surface without staining. But unlike your standard air fresheners, this has a sophisticated scent.
Diptyque ($90)
Fragrance Primer
Perfume lovers use it to layer other fragrances on top. But you minimalists can wear it as a stand-alone, barely-there scent.
Maison Margiela ($55)
It Girl
Hypoallergenic Perfume
If you’re perfume-averse due to allergy reasons, here’s something to try. Composed of a single note called cetalox (which is typically used as a base in perfumes), this subtle scent is nearly undetectable by the wearer—but pleasantly fragrant for others.
Juliette Has a Gun ($100)
