The best fragrances to layer include Jo Malone, Amani, and Aqua di Parma. Some perfumes such as those made by Jo Malone are specifically blended for layering and the manufacturer recommends mixing them. Others are mixed accidentally or experimentally with different results.
Perfume-makers are either fine with perfume layering or they’re against it. A traditional perfume-maker is never going to accept a final work of art as a fragrance to be mixed with another blend. But fragrance layering is still happening. There are entire online communities based around this concept.
Best fragrances to layer
I used to believe perfumes needed to be simple in order for them to layer properly. While I still believe this is true to some extent, it’s almost impossible not to find a good blend of perfumes even in complex compositions. Here are a few of the best fragrances you can layer that are also easy to source.
| Fresh layering fragrances | Kiehl’s Cucumber Spray |
| Bvlgari Man Wood | |
| Creed Green Irish Tweed |
| Sweet layering fragrances | Chanel Coco |
| Armani Code Profumo |
| Unisex layering fragrances | Kenzo Flower |
| Jo Malone Sage & Sea Salt |
| Light layering fragrances | Jo Malone Amber and Lavander |
| Jo Malone Grapefruit |
| Heavy layering fragrances | Tom Ford Black Orchid |
| Lalique Encre Noire |
| Attractive layering fragrances | Dior Addict |
| Giorgio Armani Code EDP |
What fragrance types layer the best?
In practice, almost any layer combination is possible with fragrances. You can use their notes to complement each other or to enhance them further. For example, an oud fragrance such as Juliette Has A Gun Midnight Oud mixes well with another oud fragrance such as Al-Rehab Al Sharquiah. But the final result might be a bit too much for people living in the West were oud is still somewhat misunderstood.
A simple approach is to combine types of fragrances. Fresh perfumes mix well with other fresh perfumes or those which come with intense base notes such as woody notes. Sweet fragrances tend to blend well with other perfumes, even with salty perfumes to my surprise.
Many Aqua di Parma fragrances can also be mixed together as most are spectacular in the summer heat. The final result is layering which works well together. You can also add an Aqua di Parma fragrance to a citrusy fragrance if you’re looking for more a cologne-like spin to your final perfume mix.
If you want to try out layering your own fragrances, here are a few other possible combinations to try out.
- Orientals + floral + floral orientals
- Balsams + ambery fragrances
- Musk intense + floral perfumes
- Fresh aquatic + floral perfumes
- Fresh aquatic + citrusy perfumes
- Aquatic perfumes + salty perfumes
- Amber + amber
- Patchouli + floral fragrances