In much the same way I wouldn’t sneak a pot of truffle dust into a Michelin-starred restaurant to sprinkle over a dish created by the head chef, I respect the art of the perfumer. This means I have always been resistant to the idea of layering my fragrances. Silly me.
When the trend for scent stacking first re-emerged a few years ago I scoffed, imagining it as a cynical move to flog more fragrance to an unsuspecting public. However, a little research has shown me the error of my ways. In fact, the practice of layering different scents dates back to ancient Middle Eastern tradition, when different oils and oud would be combined as part of a daily ritual.
I suspect its current popularity is more a reflection of our collective quest for originality – if that isn’t too much of an oxymoron. In 2026, we want our scent to reflect our individual essence. Bespoke is a key marker of luxury and what is more bespoke than a fragrance so exclusive and personalised it comes from more than one bottle?
There are a lot of orthodoxies that, the older I get the more I realise are up for debate, so I was thrilled to get the chance to ask perfumer Gabriela Chelariu for her best advice on mastering the art. Gabriela has worked with uber-cool fashion house AllSaints (allsaints.com), transforming the edge and attitude of their iconic leather jackets into the hugely popular fragrance, Shoreditch Leather, as well as other bestsellers, Ravaged Rose and Sunset Riot Intense.
Perfumes are made up from notes (single scents, eg vanilla, ylang ylang, patchouli) and accords (blends of two or more notes that create their own recognisable profile – marine, for example, or chypre). My first question to Gabriela was whether there are any combinations of notes and accords that pair particularly well? “There are notes that naturally work well together and enhance each other, like woods with vanilla and spices, you could try flower and fruits, and also citrus and aromatic notes.”
And any combinations that should be avoided at all costs? Here she is more circumspect, and I realise that the question is a bit redundant: after all, scent stacking is about the individual, and there’s no right and wrong in personal preference. Gabriella confirms this, “there are notes that contrast and create a clash that is also very interesting, like watery notes with gourmand notes, floral notes and leather, milky notes and green notes to give some examples. I think there are no restrictions as long as one is curious and open to stand out.”
How about the order, is there a magic formula to successful layering? “There aren’t really any rules,” Gabriella reassures me. “It is about creating a signature that feels personal and a little unexpected. The idea is to be playful with the mixing. You could wear Shoreditch Leather all day then layer it with Ravaged Rose if you are feeling delicate. Or spray Sunset Riot Intense over it for the evening to be more glamorous." Trying this out for myself I recognise that the impact of sensual spices and confident woody notes from AllSaint’s signature scent is made powdery and sweet with the beguiling bloom of latter and then gets dialled up to eleven when paired with the former and its pops of pink pepper, bright white florals and sexy musky base notes.
Gabrielle concurs. “With AllSaints, pairing Ravaged Rose and Shoreditch Leather lets you play with contrast – floral against leather, softness against depth. You can wear them directly on skin or layer them over a body lotion to subtly shift how they bloom.”
I think I’m getting the hang of this now, and using different product types to achieve my scent nirvana sounds like common sense. Again, Gabriella is happy to guide me: “The general approach is to start with your favourite body products – lotion or oil – to create a scented base that can help the fragrance project and last longer. Hydrated skin will also help longevity. Add your parfum on top of that and throughout the day spray your body mist – mists can be used for subtle layering or accentuating specific notes. For example, vanilla oil under a floral eau de parfum to make the floral appear warmer.”
The idea of accentuating individual notes is helpful because it returns me to my cooking analogy. I have my main ingredient – let’s say rose – and use the ‘seasonings’ at my disposal to make a little magic. I have two rose-based fragrances at hand to put this to the test. The first, from Aussie independents Goldfield & Banks, is Rose Magnitude which has a delicious saline quality inspired by Australia’s pink salt lakes (selfridges.com). It is hot and spicy rather than velvety and rounded, so I’m intrigued to discover what happens when I add a misting of Jean-Charles Brousseu’s classic, Ombre Rose L’Original (fiole.co.uk), to its dry depths.
Ombre Rose L’Original is a classic floral, dating back to the early 80s and in many ways truly evocative of the era with its delicately pretty Lalique-inspired glass flagon. It has an unabashed, powdery femininity which adds a gentle sweetness to the rock’n’roll of Rose Magnitude. Emboldened by my success I try both against AllSaint’s Ravaged Rose. Will this be a sensory overload or a rose-tinted enlightenment? Once each settles, the resulting dry down is really rather wonderful. All the facets of the rose but playing off my own unique skin chemistry. Back in culinary terms, I feel like I’m on Masterchef serving up duck three ways: succulent seared breast, confit leg, and a bonbon made up of the sweetbreads. All happily coexisting on the same plate and each adding a new interpretation of the original.
My experiments, inspired by Gabriella, remind me that in fact I’ve actually been a happy-stacker for some time. During the month of February I was asked to be one of the judges for The Fragrance Foundation’s annual awards in the Perfume Extraordinaire category. This year, the honour has involved testing over 60 vials of fragrance. The inevitable consequence of trialling so many different new launches in a four-week period is that inadvertent layering can occur. It’s easy enough to be careful not to mix the scents on my skin, but it is very hard to prevent my clothing retaining traces of the different perfumes I’ve been testing. The result has been an exuberant symphony of fine fragrance, resulting in multiple compliments. I’ve been stopped on the street more than once to be asked: ‘what fragrance are you wearing?’. ‘Sorry’, I smile back, ‘I honestly couldn’t tell you. It’s something of a bespoke blend’.
