{"id":3420,"date":"2026-03-05T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/?p=3420"},"modified":"2026-03-05T06:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T06:00:00","slug":"how-to-master-perfume-layering-according-to-fragrance-founders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/?p=3420","title":{"rendered":"How to Master Perfume Layering, According to Fragrance Founders"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ready to reinvent your signature scent? Here\u2019s how industry insiders do it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"a<\/div>\n

Fast forward to 2026, and the notion of a singular signature feels almost reductive. Today, individuality is expressed not through one bottle, but through a blend. Smelling unique isn\u2019t just about claiming a singular signature scent, but in the art of layering multiple.<\/p>\n

\u201cI first became aware of fragrance layering while traveling in the Middle East, where it is deeply rooted in perfume culture, and after talking with people and friends from the region who shared their knowledge with me,\u201d says Thibauld Crivelli, founder of Maison Crivelli.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a shift being driven by a younger, more experimental consumer. According to a 2,000-person Unilever survey, 29 percent of Gen Z respondents layer multiple scents, while Pinterest reports a 125 percent surge in searches for \u2018perfume layering combinations.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter launching the brand [in 2018], many customers started to ask me how to layer Maison Crivelli<\/a> perfumes altogether, and I started to look at the different combinations which could work well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"a
\u00a9Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Aur\u00e9lien Guichard, perfumer and founder of Mati\u00e8re Premi\u00e8re<\/a>, fragrance layering can be gratifying.\u00a0\u201cI think it\u2019s important to keep in mind that layering is personal,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s always easier to enjoy layering two things that you already like on their own. You might be surprised by how well they work together.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to layer perfume like a pro<\/h2>\n

But where do you start? What notes are worth pairing? Is there a limit to how many you can layer? Elite Traveler <\/em>asked Crivelli and Guichard to share their tips on how to master fragrance layering, whether you\u2019re new to the trend or not.<\/p>\n

See also: How Henry Jacques is Revitalizing the Fragrance World<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Start with a base scent<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Think about your favorite fragrance note and start with the perfume that really champions that scent profile. This might mean moving away from more complex fragrances and opting for a niche single-note scents that aren\u2019t as layered.<\/p>\n

Guichard likes to start with the base note, which can be \u201cthe part of the fragrance that lasts the longest. If that’s the case, then you should use ingredients that are long-lasting, such as woods, amber, musk, or notes that have heavier molecules. If the base scent is meant to define the main identity of the fragrance, then it has more to do with the olfactory profile and your personal taste.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crivelli adds that, from his experience, \u201cdeeper and warmer ingredients such as woody and amber notes are a great base for layering. They are textured and can welcome the additional facets brought by complementary ingredients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t overdo the layers<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"scent
\u00a9Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cStart layering by spraying a perfume extract and topping it up with a lighter eau de parfum,\u201d says Crivelli. \u201cIt\u2019s a rule I always follow.<\/p>\n

\u201cVivid notes (e.g. spices or citrusy florals) make a perfect top up as they add a hint of freshness,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

Guichard, meanwhile, argues that \u201cyou shouldn\u2019t combine things that are too similar or too complex, in order to maintain a modernity to your layering. I usually like to combine ingredients that are long-lasting with others that are more transparent.\u201d Think: smoky notes under a white musk scent. He recommends layering two or three scents as a maximum. \u201cBalance is essential,\u201d says Crivelli. \u201cThe idea is to enhance and amplify the characteristics of each fragrance without overpowering one another.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re worried about overcomplicating things, consider sticking to what you already like. \u201cI also prefer to combine perfumes which have a common ingredient or facet, as I believe that it creates a thread between the two formulas,\u201d Crivelli adds. So if your base is a floral scent, try cutting it with another floral one.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Have fun with it<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ultimately, fragrance layering is about experimenting, and Guichard believes it shouldn\u2019t be taken too seriously. \u201cLayering is all about being yourself and being unique \u2013 it\u2019s about how you feel. For me, combining ingredients is very personal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fragrances react to your skin chemistry when they\u2019re first applied, so layers will smell different on you than they will on a fragrance blotter.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cNow I follow my intuition,\u201d Crivelli says about how he goes about layering fragrances. \u201cThis gives me a unique approach based on knowledge shared by friends in the Middle East, but also infused with a very personal perspective.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ready to reinvent your signature scent? Here\u2019s how industry insiders do it.\u00a0 Fast forward to 2026, and the notion of a singular signature feels almost reductive. Today, individuality is expressed not through one bottle, but through a blend. Smelling unique isn\u2019t just about claiming a singular signature scent, but in the art of layering multiple. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3421,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","beyondwords_generate_audio":"","beyondwords_project_id":"","beyondwords_content_id":"","beyondwords_preview_token":"","beyondwords_player_content":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_delete_content":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_status":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3420"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3420\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/facesjournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}