How To Choose a Niche Fragrance

In an ever expanding offering of luxury fragrances, where do you start when choosing the scent to suit you?

Words by Jennifer George


The world of fragrance has never been more exciting, with new niche brands entering bringing new ideas to the market and existing favourites growing their offerings with beautiful blends and surprising scents. But with so much choice, it can be difficult to know where to start. Rather than spending hours spritzing your way through the perfume halls, here are some tips to help you narrow down your options and, hopefully, find the fragrance of your dreams.

Where to Start

Naturally, the best way to shop fragrance is IRL, where you can spritz and smell to your heart’s content. You can also count on some expert advice, like that of Marcel Van Der Merwe, beauty retail manager at Harrods and fragrance aficionado. “In my experience if you are looking to expand your fragrance wardrobe to include lesser known, exclusive brands and fragrances, visit the team and have a consultation” he suggests. “This way you can discover first hand what your preferences are and discover what style of fragrance you are most drawn to. You can use this information as you explore more brands and it will give you confidence to talk about notes and fragrance styles.”

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Taking Notes

Can’t get yourself to the counters? Then a good place to start is delving into your current collection and pinpointing both the notes and fragrance categories that your scents fall into. “It’s helpful if you can narrow down what you are looking for using adjectives like: sweet, spicy, sensual, warm, fresh, woody…” says Marcel. You can look for these words when browsing. There’s the ‘gourmand’ category, for example, that are sweet or ‘food-like’ fragrances (think vanilla or almond) - things like Parfums de Marly Valaya or Killian Paris' Love, Don't Be Shy. Prefer things fresh or green? Acqua di Parma's Buongiorno , Erba Pura by Xerjoff or the zesty Wild Orange by Fragrance du Bois could be more up your street. Or, if you know you’re looking for something especially ‘feminine’ , traditional floral notes are usually a winner, like jasmine or rose. Something like Creed's Eladaria , for example.


Note down those notes too: from flowers to fruits, spices and woods. If a fragrance you already love leads with oud that might be a good place to start (and Maison Crivelli's Oud Maracuja a good option to try). Amber is another example of something with the strength to shine through in any formula, so if you like it already, look out for it in the list of notes; Montale and Mizensir both have stunning options.

What's the Occasion?

The other major thing to consider when shopping niche fragrances is where you think you’re going to be wearing it, and how strong you want it to be. “How do you want to feel and what reaction would you like from those around you?” asks Marcel. “For daytime, you might want a fragrance that is fresh and energising” he suggests, something like Impadia by BDK or Amouage's Outlands. On the other hand you could be looking for more of a ‘skin scent’ that is subtle but sophisticated, such as the iconic Escentric 01 by Escentric Molecules or Veronique Gabai's Le Point G. Notes like musk - found in Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Gentle Fluidity Silver or the flowering plant of patchouli that takes centre stage in Nicolaï's Patchouli Spirit (a Harrods exclusive) are famously alluring.


For the evening “you might want something richer and softer or sensual with a lot of projection” says Marcel. The clue’s in the name with Moonlight Cherry by Van Cleef and Arpels or De La Nuit by Roja Parfum , or The Hedonist by Ex-Nihilo screams to be worn on warm al fresco nights.

Read Our Expert Guides

Take inspiration from our curated edits, from the editor-approved niche fragrances that have stood the test of time to the one-of-a-kind scents that make a great gift.

Try Before You Buy

When you find the one, it might be a ‘when you know you know’ moment - love at first spritz. But if you really want to be sure when making an investment, the best thing to do is let the fragrance settle and make the decision once you’ve worn it for a little while (a lap of the store may be enough). Marcel suggests keeping things simple: “Always trust yourself: spray it the way you would normally spray it at home. Be it on your wrists, inside the arms, on the collar bone. That way you’ll be wearing it the way you will when you make the purchase. Wear it to see how it develops and if you enjoy the smell. If you receive compliments from other people, even better!” Every fragrance will settle and lose strength over time, but some ‘sit’ better on individuals than others, so see how things develop over 10 minutes, an hour, or even by the evening. A good quality formulation should linger, reminding you of the beautiful scent for hours on end. A final bit of advice from us? Don’t be afraid to experiment and try different styles of fragrances – this is the only way you will know what you really, truly love, and what might become your signature scent.

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