What’s your perfume aesthetic?

Signature scents are hard to come by and trad fragrance families (woody, floral, fresh etc) can feel a little vague and ambiguous. Instead, identifying your perfume aesthetic could be the easiest route to discovering a scent you truly can't get enough of.

Instead of zoning in on individual notes, seeking out your perfume aesthetic zooms out and centres on how you want to feel and who you want to be. Of course, just like your mood, that can change day to day, but there will likely be a handful of themes you'll gravitate towards on a regular basis. For instance, you'll know if you tend to head in a light and airy direction, versus something deep and heavy.

Finding your aesthetic can help to drill down further. If you're on team balletcore, your perfume aesthetic would likely fall under a soft, delicate, pretty-pink remit, while a grunge girl may lean toward something earthy and grittier. If you love a mob wife moment, you'll appreciate a little loud luxury with a scent that's bold, sumptuous and sexy (skin scents could simply never), meanwhile minimalists will favour fragrances that are fresh, light and uncomplicated.

So, check out out favourite perfumes for some of 2026's most popular aesthetics below…

A softer evolution of the mob wife aesthetic , this taps into the glamorous and covetable style of Italian nonnas, blending comfort and elegance with the confidence that comes with age. Expect practicality, like warm woollen triangle scarfs draped over shoulders, or tied under the chin, alongside cosy knits and big coats. But also expect audacious elements of personal style and an unashamed enjoyment of maximalism, from faux fur jackets to statement shoes and bags and big blow dries. Depending on how you translate it, the style can read understated or OTT, but it's self aware and playful with it, which we love. Instead of fuddy powdery scents, this one is giving fun grandma, so a nonna perfume needs to have glamour, confidence and warmth. Kilian's Angels Share is perfect for this. It's a show-stopping glug of boozy vanilla that smells sweet, welcoming and just plain rich. It has addictive rum and raisin vibes, warmed up with tonka and a dash of cinnamon spice for a scent that demands compliments.

If pink florals are not your bag, we see you. The grunge aesthetic may be more your speed. The non-neat approach means messiness is welcome and smudgy eyes and ripped tights are actively encouraged. Instead of vanilla puffs and petal confetti, something sexy with an edge is best. Le Labo's Thé Noir has a rawness to it that just works. Majoring on a black tea note, it has an earthy freshness that's lifted with a squeeze of citrus up top, but grounded with smokiness in the base. It's herbaceous, it's aromatic and it manages to feel smooth and gritty at the same time. It has the feel of a worn-in leather jacket: soft but strong.

The lighter rendition of dark academia, light academia centres around intellectual curiosity without the brooding. If your ideal day would include afternoons in the library, wandering around a gallery, or exploring the history of an old city before settling down to a good book, light academia could be your vibe. Here to bring an idealised interpretation of soft parchment, is Diptyque's L'Eau Papier. It's a bibliophile spin on a skin scent with soft, nuzzly musks bringing the base and the pulpy scent of pages on top. It manages to blend just the right amount of lightweight musty nostalgia with the fresh possibility of a blank sheet of paper.

Diptyque L'Eau Papier Eau de Toilette

Prim, dainty, silhouettes are infiltrating the runways and our wardrobes with an aesthetic that harks back to ‘50s glamour, ’60s tailoring and occasion wear. It calls for a feminine fragrance with built-in elegance and prestige. Despite only launching in 2017, Parfums de Marly's Delina has a vintage feel that catapulted it to classic status in a few short years. It's a powdery rose with notes of lychee and rhubarb that manages to feel both modern and timeless. Plus, it generates compliments like no other scent we've tried.

Sporty varsity influences and preppy nostalgia have been inspiring fashion trends (think technical jackets, baseball caps, sweaters over shoulders from legacy sporty brands like Ralph Lauren, Lacoste and Tommy Hilfiger). Scent-wise, it requires something fresh, airy and ideally, nineties. Launched in 1996, Tommy Hilfiger's Tommy Girl fits the bill. American, classic, cool, it's a legacy in its own right and it feels just as relevant today. Notes of citrus, spearmint and florals feel perfect for everyday.

The power player aesthetic is all about taking up room with oversized tailoring, wide leg trousers and jackets with shoulder pads that reference what our mums were wearing in the ‘80s. The decade is a good starting point for finding your scent and YSL’s spicy, smoky Opium was the ultimate ‘80s power perfume. For a modern take, Black Opium has presence thanks to its powerful scent trail and staying power. It’s a sexy going-out scent that in the day time feels extra bold, but the sweet floral and vanilla notes paired with a warm coffee and patchouli base feel warm and wearable.

Sexy, feminine, mysterious, the dark romantic aesthetic sees moody tones like deep burgundy, black cherry, and straight-up black take centre stage. Gothic details like lace and feminine silhouettes worn with oxblood nails, dark lips or midnight eyeliner bring the drama. For a scent that translates all of the above, a thorny red rose is best and Byredo's Rose Noir feels earthy, mossy and so atmospheric. It's a beautiful statement scent that feels dark and bewitching, but not heavy.

Balletcore pays homage to the pretty signature look ballerinas have cultivated around their rehearsals. Think: wrap tops, bodysuits, chiffon skirts and dainty ballet flats. It's a natural, sophisticated evolution for athleisure, especially if you're looking to embrace a style that's hyper-feminine. As for scents, the aesthetic calls for soft pink petals like rose and peony. Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle is a perfect match. It's elegant, delicate and romantic but still feels fresh and youthful. The rose, ylang ylang and orange blossom give a dewiness but the patchouli in the base leaves an alluring trail.

Heavy on minimalism, the clean girl aesthetic is about as far from fussy as you can get. In terms of beauty, the trend takes a more natural approach with glowy skin and no-makeup makeup as a signature look. It tracks that the minimalist's scent of choice would also subtly enhance what you've already got. Glossier You is all about celebrating individuality in a low-key way with an understated skin musk that reads differently on each wearer. It's a just-showered spritz that's hard to pin down (baby powder, rain, soap, musk). It melds with skin but still has an enticing projection that will make strangers ask after you.

For more from GLAMOUR's Senior Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk