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Have you ever had a friend who seems to smell good all the time? They always smell clean, fresh and memorable, but you can’t tell if it’s perfume or maybe just their lingering shower gel.
Perhaps you’ve smelled perfume on a cool-looking girl walking past you and wondered to yourself, “What’s she wearing? What perfume is that? Is it even perfume?”
Chances are, the effortlessly-fresh vibe comes from a skin scent perfume. This scent family features a “second-skin” effect that doesn’t necessarily smell like a traditional perfume, but still has a pleasant, neutral scent.
Skin doesn’t naturally smell like vanilla, caramel and roses. Wearing a perfume scented as such can make you smell amazing, but your scent is obviously created by perfume.
Personally, I don’t think perfume obviously being perfume takes away its novelty, I love a nice floral or gourmand scent. But a skin scent can give the effect that you smell amazingly clean and fresh naturally.
This choice of fragrance is a no-brainer and perfect everyday reach.
The world of fragrance can be an intimidating place to navigate, especially as a college student who has limited access to Sephora, Ulta or other stores that provide in-person fragrance sampling. The good news is, skin scents are simple, neutral and often universally appealing, usually making them safe to “blind-buy” (buy without smelling in-person first).
If you’re looking to find a signature skin-scent that will keep you smelling freshly-showered without being overbearing, keep reading.
- Glossier You
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Kicking off this list with an ever-popular bang, Glossier You is one of the most popular skin scents out there. With notes of pink pepper and iris, this scent also features an amber base (amber smells like sweet, musky skin) that smells amazing on everyone.
Glossier You is one of the most recognizable perfumes in my opinion; I smell it on girls all the time, and it never fails anyone. It gives off a clean, enticingly warm vibe.
Despite its amazing scent, it is worth noting that because this perfume is so viral, you will inevitably twin with many others around you. Thus, if you’re looking for a signature scent that will stand out as uniquely yours, this may not be it.
However, I’ve been purchasing this perfume since 2019 and that hasn’t stopped me (I’m on bottle #3).
- Missing Person by Phlur
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Next up is my personal favorite and everyday scent. Missing Person is like Glossier You’s shy, mysterious sister. It’s woody, sheer and comforting, but has a beautiful fresh neroli note hidden within the middle. It settles into the skin with a drydown that is truly reminiscent of a warm hug.
Phlur’s website states that the perfume’s name explains its story, it’s supposed to smell “undeniably familiar” and evoke “the lingering scent of your lover’s skin.” The scent is supposed to remind you of someone you love.
Honestly, it’s a perfect gift.
- Anything from Clean reserve
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Clean Reserve is a brand that perfectly embodies the skin scent concept. Every perfume I have tried from them is beautifully delicate and natural, and captures that “is she wearing perfume?” vibe.
My personal favorites are Warm Cotton (clean laundry), Skin (self-explanatory), and Sparkling Sugar (fresh, sweet skin scent).
The best part is, Clean Reserve is always popping up at T.J. Maxx for discounted prices. I’ve seen full bottles of Sparkling Sugar (retail $110) go for $50 there.
- EOS Body Lotion in the scent “Fresh & Cozy”
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Lastly, I’ll round out this list with a $10 pick from Target. This lotion smells like clean laundry freshly washed with floral detergent (hence the name). Applying this to damp skin after a shower will allow the scent to melt into your skin and linger all day. Plus, this lotion is potent — the scent actually projects like a perfume would.
Tip: apply this lotion (or any lotion, even just Vaseline) to your pulse points before spritzing on a perfume — the scent will stick better on moisturized skin.
Hopefully, this list gave you inspiration for a new signature scent. You’ll be having people wondering “how does she smell so good?” in no time!