For those who want to leave a lingering and luxe impression wherever they go, layering your fragrances is a very good trick and this year, hair perfumes seem to be the go-to for such a thing - especially on the red carpet.
While the 2026 fragrance trends are championing unusual banana perfumes and whisper-soft skin scents, we've spotted another popular genre emerging. From the Golden Globes to the Oscars, hair perfumes have gotten a fair few mentions across celebrity hairstylists' social media posts, when showcasing their A-list clientele's looks. Thus, in a very Carrie Bradshaw sort of way, 'we can't help but wonder' if perhaps they're onto something. When worn alone, a hair mist can offer a lighter scent, compared to a parfum, clinging to your strands and remerging with every breeze or hair flick.
That said, when layered with a matching or complementary fragrance, a hair perfume can indeed push the staying power of your favourite long-lasting perfumes. So, if you have an event or just want to smell red carpet-ready at all times, these are the hair mists we've spotted celebs wearing - along with a few of our team's personal picks...
The 3 trendy hair perfumes scenting the red carpet this year
RRP: £70 for 75ml | Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, white peach, orange flower, nympheal, vetiver, akigalawood, ambrofix and musk
Boasting delicate notes of peach and warm musks, Valaya is the perfect finishing touch for an evening look, and Demi Moore has been known to wear it on the red carpet.
RRP: £87 for 50ml | Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, white magnolia, cassis, white sandalwood, white musk and rose musk
This ambery number kept Jessie Buckley company as she scooped the Best Actress award at the 2026 Oscars, and is a lovely and very sophisticated scent to layer with other woody and musky blends.
RRP: £70 for 75ml | Notes: Turkish rose, lily of the valley, peony, lychee and cashmere wood
Another Parfums de Marly hair perfume loved and worn by celebs is Delina, which boasts a delicate blend of classic florals, sweet lychee and a luxe base of cashmere wood. Both Demi Moore and Amal Clooney have previously worn this scent on the red carpet.
From Amal Clooney to Demi Moore, hair perfumes seem to be the ultimate finishing touch for occasion beauty prep, with both stars having worn a Parfum de Marly fragrance on the red carpet. Their hairstylist, Dimitris Giannetos, has shared that Clooney wore the French brand's iconic Delina scent to the 78th Annual Cannes Film Festival. Meanwhile, Demi Moore has previously worn the popular peach perfume, Valaya, in her lusciously long hair.
The 2026 Oscars were similarly scented with hair perfumes. Jessie Buckley reportedly wore one of Initio's chic scents - Musk Therapy, to be exact.
As mentioned, hair mists are ideal for perfume layering, as they help to double-up on your favourite fragrance notes, but also, having been sprayed into your hair, you'll find that they remerge and waft around beautifully - every time you move. Most perfume houses, like Chanel and Diptyque, for instance, offer their most popular blends in matching hair mist iterations, for the very purpose of wearing them together.
That said, if you find parfums too heavy or perhaps just aren't in the mood for them day to day, a hair perfume offers a more airy and softer option. They also tend to be much cheaper than their parfum and toilette counterparts. So they're a good way to trial or treat yourself to a designer blend, for less.
Our hair perfume picks
RRP: £62 for 30ml | Notes: iris and ambrette
A favourite of Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson's, this hair mist boasts the same notes as one of the best Diptyque perfumes, Fleur de Peau, as well as nourishing and shine-boosting camelia oil.
RRP: | Notes:
Gisou is home to several popular hair perfumes, but the original Honey is our favourite. It's warm and decadent, with nourishing ingredients like Mirsalehi Honey working to hydrate and boost the shine of your strands while you wear it.
RRP: £40 for 30ml | Notes: King William pear, freesia and atchouli.
If you're already a lover of the best Jo Malone fragrances, the brand also offers a number of its most iconic and well-loved blends in hair perfume form.
