How to master the art of fragrance layering
A personal way to pair scents
We’ve always been sticklers for the rules when it comes to fragrance, keeping a strict calendar of singular scents that revolve around each respective season.
We rarely stray from bright, fresh notes for summer and moodier blends for winter.
But we’ll be honest, we’d like to step out of our comfort zones and experiment.
We’re all about getting creative with makeup and manicures, but flipping the script on fragrance is a little more complicated by comparison.
However, Pinterest predicts that scent stacking is set to be the biggest beauty trend of 2026.
In fact, the social platform has reported a 125 per cent increase in searches for 'perfumer layering combinations' and a 75 per cent search increase for 'scent layering' — "Gen Z and Millenials are ditching one-and-done scents for bespoke notes, blending oils and perfumes to craft their very own fragrance formulas".
Which is why we’ve employed the help of Ciara Mahoney and Elle Wallace, the Founders and Creative Directors of SŚAINT Parfum. Here, the brand founders (and best friends) bless us with their expert knowledge on the tricky subject of pairing perfumes.
Why experiment with fragrance?
“There are two beliefs when it comes to fragrance,” says Mahoney and Wallace. “One argues that every finished scent is unique and should remain as it was originally created, [while] others believe in using perfume notes and blending scents to build an individualised signature scent.”
“The result is highly personal,” the pair admits. “And [it] captures the mood or personality of an individual.”
“There are so many brands producing beautiful fragrances at the moment,” they went on to say. “Why wouldn't you want to indulge in them all?”
Image credit: supplied by SŚAINT
The golden rules of fragrance layering according to SŚAINT
Mahoney and Wallace both admit that layering fragrance requires a bit of trial and error.
“Typically, two perfumes that are on the opposite side of the fragrance wheel (a circular diagram that represents every scent family — woody, floral, amber, and fresh — and then subfamilies within them) make good combinations,” the pair explains.
“For example, citrus scents and woody scents in your collection of fragrances work well together, as they tend to project smoothly and adapt to most notes”.
But their best advice is to simply “experiment and have fun while doing so”.
“It's helpful to know which fragrance notes you're drawn to,” they tell us. And then through layering your favourite notes, you can create “a custom signature scent of your own”.
Image credit: supplied by SŚAINT
How to avoid going over the top
There’s no warning signs or hard lines that can be crossed when layering fragrance. Again, it all comes down to experimentation.
However, if you’re planning on completely dousing yourself, Mahoney and Wallace say that having a shower nearby won’t hurt. The process “can certainly be hit-and-miss”, after all.
“Interestingly, when the pH balance of the skin differs slightly, it can change the way a scent smells [too],” says the SŚAINT founders. “Certain skin types can project a different scent when it comes to fragrance.”
Their advice? “Always check the effect of one fragrance on your skin before layering.”
Main image credit: @ssaint.official
Looking for fragrances from different families you can layer? These are fragrances inspired by the ocean, and spicy and gourmand perfumes we love too.
Briar Clark got her start in the media industry in 2017, as an intern for Marie Claire and InStyle. Since then, her keen interest in fashion and beauty has landed her gigs as a Digital Content Producer and Beauty Editor with titles like Girlfriend, Refinery29, BEAUTYcrew and beautyheaven. She loves the way seemingly innocuous topics like skin care and style have the ability to put a smile on people’s faces or make them think about themselves a little differently. A big believer in self love and experimentation, Briar has made a point of becoming the Australian beauty industry’s unofficial guinea pig for unusual treatments and daring hair trends. When she’s not testing out the latest beauty launches, Briar is big on broadening her horizons, mostly in the form of food but she’s also partial to travelling to new destinations both near and far (and of course, allocating an extra bag to bring their best beauty offerings home with her).
