My perfume layering guide

How to layer the perfume you already own.

Perfume layering means wearing two scents together, so they blend into one that is yours. The easiest way I know: a lightweight, scented body oil on your skin first, then the perfume you already own on top. This guide is everything I know about pairing the two: why I start with an oil, the three scents I made, the routine I follow every morning, and 40 perfumes you might have on your shelf, each with the Scent Primer that suits it.

Why layer with a body oil?

Perfume on dry skin sits on a bare canvas. My Scent Primer is a lightweight blend of seven ingredients: grape seed oil (more than 70%), argan, sea buckthorn and raspberry seed oils, plant squalane from sugar cane, coco-caprylate and vitamin E. It sinks in within seconds, with no greasy feel and no stains, and gives your perfume a soft, nourishing layer to sit on. Its own gentle note blends with your perfume into a scent that is yours alone.

I won’t promise your perfume lasts longer. I promise soft, dewy skin and a scent that feels more like you. A Scent Primer is made for layering, not for longevity.

Three scents, made to layer.

A vanilla flower on vanilla pods
No. 01 · The Hedonist

Solar Accord

Creamy coconut milk & warm bourbon vanilla

Warm, creamy & gourmand

Tropical paradiseWith solar florals (frangipani, tiaré, jasmine) or citrus (bergamot, lime): a beach holiday on your skin.

Warm spiceWith amber, sandalwood or vanilla perfumes: a cosy, seductive evening.

More about Solar Accord →
Hands holding a cup of green tea at a tea ceremony
No. 02 · The Minimalist

Tea Ceremony

Steeped green tea & quiet lavender

Fresh, herbal & calming

Clean & crispWith aquatic notes, eucalyptus, lemon or grapefruit: an invigorating morning.

Soft & etherealWith white musk, neroli or cashmere woods: a soothing, spa-like aura.

More about Tea Ceremony →
Fresh peaches, whole and sliced
No. 03 · The Siren

Peach Melba

Peach mousse & whipped cream

Juicy, bright & sweet

Lush floralWith rose, peony or white tea: the sweetness softens into an elegant floral-fruity scent.

Decadent sweetWith vanilla, tonka bean or amber: a warm, peach-cobbler mood.

More about Peach Melba →

My four-step routine

  1. 1

    Prep with hydration

    Right after the shower

    Apply it while your skin is still slightly damp: it spreads easily and leaves your skin soft.

  2. 2

    Apply the base layer

    Your sticky points

    Warm 3 to 5 drops of the 50 ml between your palms, or roll the 10 ml, and smooth it over your neck, collarbones, wrists and inner elbows.

  3. 3

    Let it sink in

    A minute or two

    Give the oil a moment to settle into your skin before you reach for your perfume.

  4. 4

    Spray your perfume

    Press, never rub

    Spray from about 20 cm over the same spots. Press your wrists together gently instead of rubbing them, so the top notes stay as they are.

Your sticky points

Neck, collarbones, wrists and inner elbows: the warm spots where your perfume sits best. Five sprays into the air are five sprays of wasted perfume.

The pairing list.

And now the fun part! Find the perfume you already own and see which Scent Primer it loves. The pairings follow the scent profiles, from designer to niche.

Designer perfumes

  • AlienMuglerJasmine, cashmeran wood & amberTea Ceremony
  • Black OpiumYves Saint LaurentBlack coffee, white flowers & vanillaSolar Accord
  • Chance Eau TendreChanelQuince, grapefruit, hyacinth & white muskTea Ceremony
  • Coco MademoiselleChanelOrange, rose, jasmine & patchouliPeach Melba
  • DevotionDolce & GabbanaCandied citrus, orange blossom & vanillaSolar Accord
  • Donna Born in RomaValentinoJasmine, bourbon vanilla & guaiac woodSolar Accord
  • FlowerbombViktor & RolfOrchid, jasmine, rose & patchouliPeach Melba
  • GoddessBurberryTriple vanilla accord & lavenderSolar Accord
  • Good GirlCarolina HerreraTuberose, jasmine & roasted tonka beanPeach Melba
  • Gucci BloomGucciTuberose, jasmine & Rangoon creeperSolar Accord
  • J'adoreDiorYlang-ylang, damask rose & jasmineSolar Accord
  • L'InterditGivenchyOrange blossom, tuberose & patchouliSolar Accord
  • La Vie Est BelleLancômeIris, patchouli, vanilla & spun sugarPeach Melba
  • Libre (EDP / Le Parfum)Yves Saint LaurentLavender, orange blossom & vanillaSolar Accord
  • Miss Dior (EDP / Essence)DiorCentifolia rose, peony & soft musksPeach Melba
  • My WayGiorgio ArmaniTuberose, orange blossom & vanillaPeach Melba
  • NomadeChloéOakmoss, freesia & mirabelle plumTea Ceremony
  • ParadoxePradaNeroli, amber & white muskPeach Melba
  • ShalimarGuerlainBergamot, iris, jasmine & vanilla-leatherSolar Accord
  • Baccarat Rouge 540 (EDP)Maison Francis KurkdjianSaffron, jasmine, ambergris & cedarTea Ceremony

Niche perfumes

The niche houses: smaller, bolder, and some of my favourite bottles to layer with.

  • Angels' ShareKilian ParisCognac, cinnamon & tonka beanSolar Accord
  • AniNishaneGinger, bergamot, Turkish rose & vanillaPeach Melba
  • Bal d'AfriqueByredoAfrican marigold, bergamot, violet & cedarwoodSolar Accord
  • Blanche BêteLes Liquides ImaginairesMilk accord, tiaré flower & incenseSolar Accord
  • Carnal FlowerFrederic MalleTuberose, eucalyptus, ylang-ylang & coconutSolar Accord
  • CoccobelloJames HeeleyPalm leaves, gardenia, tiaré, salt & coconutPeach Melba
  • Delina / Delina ExclusifParfums de MarlyLychee, rose, peony & cashmeranPeach Melba
  • Fleur Narcotique (Extrait)Ex NihiloPeony, lychee, orange blossom & musksPeach Melba
  • FrangipaniOrmonde JayneFrangipani, lime, water lily & cedarwoodSolar Accord
  • GuidanceAmouagePear, frankincense, hazelnut, rose & sandalwoodPeach Melba
  • Gypsy WaterByredoBergamot, juniper, incense & vanillaTea Ceremony
  • L'Air du Désert MarocainTauer PerfumesCoriander, petitgrain, amber & cedarTea Ceremony
  • Oud Satin MoodMaison Francis KurkdjianViolet, rose, Laotian oud & vanillaPeach Melba
  • Pas Ce SoirBDK ParfumsBlack pepper, ginger, quince & cashmeranSolar Accord
  • Passeggiata in GalleriaTrussardi Le Vie di MilanoHazelnut, coffee, tiaré flower & vanillaSolar Accord
  • PhilosykosDiptyqueFig leaf, wood, coconut & cedarSolar Accord
  • Portrait of a LadyFrederic MalleRose, patchouli, clove & incensePeach Melba
  • Soleil BlancTom Ford Private BlendCoco de mer, ylang-ylang & amberSolar Accord
  • Valaya / Valaya ExclusifParfums de MarlyPeach, bergamot, akigalawood & muskTea Ceremony
  • Wood Sage & Sea SaltJo Malone LondonAmbrette seeds, sea salt & sageTea Ceremony

Perfume names and houses belong to their owners and are mentioned only as examples of what you may already own. Hernas Beauty is not affiliated with them.

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How to layer perfume: my perfume layering guide · Hernas Beauty