2 fragrance experts dish on the best Valentine’s Day scents

Much can be credited for the category’s surge. For example, there was an increased consumer interest in niche fragrances, which ushered in a new wave of indie brands to answer the growing demand. There was also the evolution of the idea of a signature scent. Now, instead of one go-to scent, shoppers, especially in younger demographics, are building robust scent wardrobes that speak to their ever-changing mood and aesthetics.

“It used to be all about your signature scent — that one scent you wear every single day,” Chriselle Lim, owner and creative director of fragrance brand Phlur, said at Glossy’s Beauty and Wellness Summit in November. “For this generation, their [choice] scent is all about their moods, fashion and outfits.”

So, this year’s fragrance sales leading up to Valentine’s Day, for which a fragrance has long been a go-to gift, are set to be high. In 2023, market research company NPD reported that prestige fragrance sales in the two weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day 2022 reached nearly $270 million, up 24% year-over-year. Brick-and-mortar stores accounted for 80% of fragrance sales for Valentine’s Day.

The company attributed the uptick to the fact that a fragrance is longer-lasting than, say, flowers or candy, offering more bang for the buck.

For a preview of the fragrances expected to be hot gifts this Valentine’s Day Glossy spoke with two rising stars in the fragrance world, Lim and Brianna Arps — the latter is the founder of fragrance brand Moodeaux and Black in Fragrance, aimed at giving more Black fragrance founders a platform to grow their businesses.

Chriselle Lim

“Fragrance is much more than just scent. It’s typically tied to some sort of memory, and that’s the fundamental basis of how we built Phlur — creating a mood, emotion, memory or moment in time in your life. [Fragrance] can create an emotional connection with someone that you’re gifting it to, whether it be a girlfriend or boyfriend or simply just a friend. [The type of fragrance you gift someone] is all dependent on who you’re gifting it to. … They’re going to smell good, but I think it’s so personal as far as what someone associates as smelling comforting or attractive.”

Feminine-Leaning Scents

“On February 6, Phlur is launching a scent called Strawberry Letter. We didn’t necessarily develop it for Valentine’s Day, but [we wanted it] to represent love, which is perfect for this occasion. It’s a fruity amber [scent] — the top note has strawberry, so it opens up very sweet, but the base is earthy and woody and has tonka bean, which has that dry down of something more comforting. Another one that immediately comes to mind would be [Phlur’s] Missing Person — it represents love and feeling loved. And [Phlur’s] Not Your Baby — it’s very sweet and has a milky-like tonic, and it smells kind of powdery. There’s nothing like it, because it’s a very innocent but spicy scent.”

Masculine-Leaning Scents

“I have a partner who is very particular about scent, and he’s French so he sleeps in fragrance. Dries Van Noten has an amazing collection of fragrances. And the packaging is beautiful and refillable. The one that he uses, and that I absolutely love, is called Cannabis Patchouli — which is strange because I’ve never heard that mix. [He also likes] Santal Greenery, which is also very beautiful. And Phlur’s Father Figure, which is a very beautiful fragrance. It’s actually our first green fragrance, as well.”

Splurge-Worthy Fragrances

“I fell in love with the work of Jérôme Epinette, one of our perfumers, when he was at Byredo. He created this scent called Mix Emotions while at Byredo. It’s a perfect gift option. It has a sweetness, but then there’s a little bit of black tea in it, so it’s a bit of an unexpected juxtaposition with the woodiness. … There’s also a fragrance called New Look by Christian Dior that I’ve never smelled before, but I’m dying to know how that smells like. It has ambery notes, and I’m really into ambery notes. I would be very excited if I got that gifted [for Valentine’s Day].”

Shop Lim’s picks below.

Brianna Arps

“Fragrance is very expressive. You can say a lot with a little, and it’s highly adaptable. Sometimes, shopping for other people or picking out fragrances for other people can get scary. But really, [based on] the fact that fragrance is subjective, and it really adapts to the wearer, I think it’s a fun way to experiment with showcasing your love for someone. … It helps you to write your own love note to someone. So [it makes sense] that it’s a really popular gift item not just around Valentine’s Day, but for holidays, in general.”

Feminine-Leaning Scents

“I see someone who’s more feminine-leaning opting for a more literal Valentine’s Day approach [when it comes to their fragrances], such as [choosing] Love, Don’t be Shy by Kilian. Another alternative that I don’t think gets enough credit and falls in the same bucket is BonBon by Viktor & Rolf. One that is more feminine-leaning is Apricot Privée — it’s so good. It’s not what a typical Privée would smell like; it’s not too candy-like. It also has an element of spice in there, which adds an extra edge to the fragrance so it doesn’t feel juvenile.”

Masculine-Leaning Scents

“Punkstar by Moodeaux is definitely androgynous. A lot of guys gravitate toward it.”

Splurge-Worthy Fragrances

“A super splurge-worthy and almost cliché fragrance purchase would be Tom Ford. The Tobacco Vanille [scent] is a popular option, and I’d say Lost Cherry. … Last year, we had a cherry boom and their Lost Cherry fragrance was one that a lot of people emulated — it’s pretty sexy. Eauso Vert also has a scent that I am obsessed with, called Purple Noon. It is so mysterious and divine.”

Shop Arps’s picks below.

Plus, shop more Pop-approved products at the Glossy Pop Shop, here.