When you think you’ve found your new signature scent, the most disheartening thing is discovering somebody else wearing it.
You may walk past them in the street, cross paths in a restaurant or catch a whiff in the office lift and you’ll know instantly that your secret aroma is not secret after all.
For this very reason, fragrance enthusiasts are turning to niche fragrances to find a distinctive olfactory experience where premium, rare and exclusive ingredients are favoured over the mainstream. Niche fragrance tend to be crafted by hand with a variety of different components that give a dynamic, intriguing and deep scent experience.
In direct contrast to the mass-produced celebrity or designer perfumes, these aromas are individual, not as widely known and you’re unlikely to find anyone else wearing it – so long as you don’t give the game away.
Created in-house by artisan perfume houses, the creation of niche fragrance prioritise quality over quantity. Fragrance enthusiasts will delight in discovering premium perfumes that are typically more potent, longer lasting, and decidedly unique.
There are niche labels aplenty on the market and many of them you will be very well acquainted with. Take Le Labo for example. It started as a niche label and is now one of the most ubiquitous aromas that you’ll catch a whiff of as you walk through the streets of London – whether it’s the iconic Santal 33 or Thé Noir 29.
This tends to be the case when a niche label brand is bought out by international conglomerates like Estee Lauder (Le Labo, Tom Ford, Jo Malone), Puig (Penhaligon's and L'Artisan Parfumeur), LVMH (Maison Francis Kurkdjian) or L'Oréal (Atelier Cologne) as well as when a scent becomes so legendary like Creed’s Aventus or Diptyque’s Philosykos, Tam Dao, Eau Rose or Do son that the brand has to be redefined.
See our selection of niche fragrance brands to know below
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Escentric Molecules
Bestseller: Escentric Molecules Molecule 01
When Geza Schoen founded Escentric Molecules, he did so with a unique idea. Instead of layering a top, heart and base of different notes, he decided to spotlight just one ingredient to create non-fragrant fragrances. The Iso E Super is set alongside just one additional element in each of the five variations in the collection. This woody, velvet synthetic molecule interacts with the wearer and the result is an entirely unique smell that is unisex and made up predominantly of original ingredients like lime peel and fresh musk.
Buy now £95.00, Selfridges
Kilian
Bestseller: Kilian Angels Share
Harnessing the notes of woody casks and sweet ageing alcohol that defined his childhood, Kilian Hennessy, the heir of one of the top four Cognac houses in France, unveiled his namesake label.
These aromas are intermingled with those Hennessy discovered as an adult in Paris, resulting in a dynamic duality that will keep your olfactory stimulated and always guessing. The brand may now be part of the Estee Lauder group, but it has retained its niche status with premium concoctions that are unlike anything else on the market. Angels’ Share counts Beyonce as a fan, while Rihanna is said to wear Love, Don’t Be Shy.
Buy now £185.00, Cult Beauty
D.S. and Durga
Bestseller: St Vetyver
The husband-and-wife duo behind D.S. & Durga set what was once believed to be contradictory elements together to create eclectic, immersive aromas where each has its own story. Born out of Brooklyn, the founders are self-taught perfumers and thus are not constrained by any conventions, instead crafting each scent to evoke a fantastical world. Transport to the fruit groves of the Mediterranean with Italian Citrus or slap bang in the middle of Mumbai under the Bandra heat with Radio Bombay.
Buy now £148.00, Cult Beauty
TRUDON
Bestseller: Mortel Noir
Cire Trudon has been making candles since 1643. Said to be one of the oldest candlemakers in the world, it would provide the illumination for the royal court of Louis XIV and churches across France.
As popular for their room-filling bougies, as they are for the status-making vessels, the brand expanded into eau de parfums, bringing the Trudon reputation for expertly crafted aromas using the finest ingredients to the world of personal scenting.
Revolution is designed to capture the emotion on the streets of Paris during the French Revolution – the smoky clouds, the woody notes, the anticipation, while Mortel Noir is a spicy scent that is warming and erotic with the combination of black pepper, incense, myrrh and benzoin.
Buy now £220.00, Selfridges
Vyrao
Bestseller: Free 00
Yasmin Sewell charges each of the Vyrao fragrances with an individual Herkimer crystal to revitalise the wearer with every spritz. Promoting the power of positivity, each of the aromas is uplifting and designed to evoke joy and happiness. Sewell demonstrates how scent can transform our mood, bringing fragrance into the wellness space.
The Free 00 aroma gives that summer feeling all year round with citrus top notes, a heart of jasmine and vanilla and a base of sandalwood and waterlily – a combination that the brand says should ‘inspire courage of heart’.
Buy now £135.00, Vyrao
MEMO PARIS
Bestseller: African Rose
The striking designs on the front of each of the MEMO PARIS bottles are a clue of the alluring scent within. The brand was founded by explorers John and Clara Molloy, capturing their wanderlust in fragrance form where each is reminiscent of a far-flung landscape. Discover the world through the power of scent with the luxurious scent palate of the range.
The African Leather transports you to an African savanna with rich notes of cardamom, green, floral geranium and smoky leather, while Moon Fever draws on the feeling of freedom when travelling with bitter orange, woody vetiver and deep, rich leather.
Buy now £440.00, Selfridges
Fugazzi Fragrances
Bestseller: Goudh
The names of the fragrances will be enough to draw you in (think Sugardaddy, Workaholic, In Love with the Cocos) but it’s the unexpected nature of the perfume within that will keep you coming back for more.
The Fugazzi aromas are androgynous, boast real lasting power and are so striking that they ignite questions from passersby. Each of the nine aromas is unique and statement-making in its own right but Goudh is one of the most popular no doubt for its heady notes of Indian sandalwood and oudh combined, contrasted and complimented with mandarin and grapefruit.
Buy now £130.00, Cult Beauty
Laboratory Perfumes
Bestseller: Amber
The minimalist line-up at Laboratory Perfumes extends to just five fragrances. Among the range that includes citrusy Gorse, aromatic Samphire, warm Tonka and smoky Atlas is the bestselling Amber, a sensual scent with earthy notes of wood and ambergris. The brand was founded to pay homage to the British countryside – whether the Cotswolds or Peak District with real lasting power and pared-back packaging.
Buy now £80.00, Cult Beauty
