Believing that rich musky colognes are for men and powdery floral perfumes are for women is a little like thinking blue’s for boys and pink’s for girls - it’s just not the case in the modern day. Instead, let us introduce you to the world of deliciously addictive unisex fragrances.
Until recently, it was a world completely steeped in traditional gender norms. Now, though, the gender barrier is becoming increasingly blurred, with a whole host of progressive perfumeries creating blends that purposefully balance masculine and feminine notes for unisex scents that are much more interesting and complex than their gendered counterparts.
If you’re browsing at Le Labo, Byredo or Boy Smells, you’ll find no men’s or women’s sections of the website. Instead, you can choose exactly the scent you think suits you best. Whether you consider yourself earthy or woody, fruity or spicy, each of the perfumes in this list offers a depth that’s superior to anything you’re likely to find from the usual fragrance suspects.
And, at the end of the day, perfume acts as an extension of our personality - telling the world who we are before we even speak. So, whether you identify with the lightness of jasmine, the freshness of bergamot, or the smokiness of tobacco, we’re sure you’ll find something to suit within the gender-neutral selection below.
We caught up with Isabelle Pierre-Emile, Senior Vice President at unisex label Malin + Goetz to get her insight into the world of genderless fragrance.
What makes a good unisex scent?
A scent you’d want to steal from your friend or partner. Our Strawberry eau de parfum is a great example of that. It’s simple, easy and uncomplicated. It also feels fresh, new and ripe for the season.
Are there certain notes that are characteristically unisex?
We don’t label notes according to gender and our portfolio is not formulated to be traditionally feminine or masculine. Instead, we take into consideration the interpretation of notes and how they make you feel.
For example, our Strawberry EDP is far from being sweet and juvenile like you’d expect. Instead, this scent evokes a sense of familiarity and belonging thanks to the layered notes of fresh bergamot, warm musks and soft orris root.
When the fragrance first launched and sold out, almost half of the sales came from those who identified as male.
Why do you prefer to make everything you sell unisex?
We have always taken the approach to offer a gender-neutral range of luxury self-care products that makes your life easy. Each product is created to look good, feel good, smell good and perform well - starting with the most sensitive skin, regardless of gender.
Also our products were born from the perspective of our founders living in a big city sharing a small living space. As such, our products are designed to be shared with the people we live with, whether it’s partners, friends or room mates.
Keep scrolling for the best.
Best luxury perfumes for her to shop in 2023
Best floral perfumes: Fragrances for women you’ll want to wear all the time
Best perfumes for men: 19 long-lasting fragrances to obsess over
Best colognes for men in 2023: Top scents to smell like a gent
Best heatwave-ready unisex colognes to splash out on
Best wedding perfumes: Find the perfect fragrance for your big day
Best women’s fragrances and perfumes to buy for under £50
Le Labo Thé Noir 29 eau de parfum
In recent years, Le Labo has become a cult favourite - and for good reason. All of the New York-based perfumer’s unisex scents boast an intriguing, addictive blend that keeps you coming back for more - and, from my experience, are sure to garner many a compliment on every wear.
Thé Noir 29 is one of the best sellers thanks to its masculine depth of cedar wood, vetiver and musk, which is lifted with more feminine notes of bergamot and bay. It is then peppered with the dry, tobaccoy goodness of black tea leaves. A real winner.
Buy now £157.00, Selfridges
Malin + Goetz dark rum eau de parfum
All of Malin + Goetz products are unisex, from the shampoo to the skincare - and any fan of the brand will be familiar with the inticing sweet yet spicy dark rum aroma. A scent you can get as a body wash, candle, body lotion or soap bar, it’s clearly an all time favourite.
Balancing the sweetness of ripe plum and bergamot with the warmth of leather and rum, it’s reminiscent of long days spent soaking up the summer sun in a far-flung destination. A perfect scent for the warmer months.
Buy now £82.00, Cult Beauty
Byredo Bal D'Afrique Perfume
Byredo is the word on every perfume-lovers’ lips right now. Bal d’Afrique – one of their best-selling fragrances – was imagined from 20’s Paris and the African culture, art, music and dance which influenced it.
Including top notes of African marigold and bergamot, heart notes of cyclamen, jasmine petals and violet, and bottom notes such as black amber and Moroccan cedarwood, this eau de parfum is ‘essence of romance’ in a bottle.
Other worldly scents from the brand include Slow Dance, Sundaze and Mojave Dance.
Buy now £130.00, Selfridges
Boy Smells Marble Fruit
Marble Fruit eau de parfum from the cult fragrance label Boy Smells is an adrongynous scented dream. Blending together woody, spicy masculine scents, with fruity and sweet feminine accords to deliver a beautiful, and seductive result.
Initially, notes of pink peppercorn, pear and nectarine are warmed up with spicy cinnamon to give off a scent that smells almost like a freshly baked peach pie.
More fresh notes of jasmine, magnolia and wild freesia are marbled through the heart notes with musky cashmerean to bring this bestseller to life with a scent that clings to skin like a body lotion.
Buy now £105.00, Harrods
Escentric Molecules Molecule 01
This luxury unisex fragrance brand takes a different approach to its fragrance formulation. First and foremost, it uses Iso E Super (Molecule 01) - a specialised aroma-molecule that was created in a lab in 1973 - at its heart that is known for its smooth, velvet effect.
What is unusual is that it is rarely smelt by the person spritzing it but can be sniffed by others with a modern cedarwood note that adapts to each person for a truly personalised aroma that is cocooning, subtle and hard to pin down. Fans of the brand include Elton John, Rihanna, Beyonce, Kate Moss, Lizzo and Naomi Campbell.
Buy now £95.00, Escentric Molecules
Vilhelm Parfumerie Basilico & Fellini
Vilhelm Parfumerie’s fragrances are unmistakable - and you only need a couple of sprays for each of them to stick with you throughout the day. Our favourite is Basilico & Fellini, which is one of the greenest, freshest, herbiest scents we’ve ever tried.
From the top note of basil to the base of vetiver and green hay, as well as the distinctive minty kick, there’s not an ingredient sight that you couldn’t find growing in a luscious (deliciously smelling) garden - and who doesn’t want that?
Buy now £220.00, Liberty
Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne
A perennial classic, Jo Malone’s Pomegranate Noir should need no introduction. It oozes the richness of pomegranate, is injected with the spiciness of pink pepper, and warmed by the smokiness of guaiacwood.
A best selling scent from the luxury fragrance brand, it’s juicy, smoky, and the perfect option for anyone with a taste for the finer things. One thing we can guarantee? The signature monochrome bottle will elevate any mantlepiece, bookshelf or bed side table in an instant.
Buy now £110.00, Jo Malone
Aesop Hwyl Eau de Parfum
You may be well versed in Aesop’s range of deliciously herbaceous bodycare and skincare products - but what about the Aussie label’s unisex fragrance range? With nine to choose from, categorised under floral, fresh, woody and opulent, you’re sure to find something to suit.
Our favourite is Hwyl, which leans into more masculine smoky, earthy and woody accords with notes of thyme, pink pepper, suede, and cedar. A mysterious and intriguing aroma that will last all day and all night.
Buy now £110.00, Aesop
Tom Ford Black Orchid Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml
Does it get any better than a Tom Ford fragrance? The perfect blend of masculine and feminine, anyone who leaves clouds of Black Orchid in their wake exudes a certain understated sophistication that’s sure to turn heads.
Fusing floral notes of jasmine and gardenia with the strength of sandalwood and vetiver for distinctly blurred gender lines, it’s crafted using a high concentration of perfume oils so a little most certainly goes a long way.
Buy now £132.90, Sephora
Gabar No.III Swim Eau de Parfum 50ml
Established in Myanmar, Gabar offers three scents which are all inspired by Southeast Asian heritage - and our favourite is No.III Swim.
Green, woody, fresh and lush, it’s completely unique and unlike any other scent that I own. Mixing blackcurrant bud with sandalwood, it blends a feminine freshness with a masculine woodiness with a touch of musk for an aroma that’s unisex and entirely addictive.
Buy now £120.00, Liberty
