Welcome to Fragrance Friday, where each week weโll be keeping you abreast of the newest and most iconic releases in the dynamic world of menโs fragrances. Born out of the desire to showcase one of the most overlooked, yet versatile, elements of any discerning manโs style this weekly column will help you finesse your own signature scent. This week, weโre rounding up a few of the best unisex fragrances that work just as well for men as they do for women.
Men and women in a relationship never used to share fragrances, but in the past few years, brands are becoming more used to the idea of just marketing new perfumes as unisex. As such, itโs rare to find such a black-and-white idea in the world of perfumery nowadays and while there are definitely perfumes that skew either a bit too feminine (like Kilian Love, Donโt Be Shy โ Rhiannaโs favourite perfume) or a bit too masculine (like Amouage Interlude Man), for the most part, most modern perfumery can, and should, be considered unisex.
As such, Iโve decided to round up some of the best unisex perfumes Iโve been loving lately โ a simple, straightforward list that you should get across if you need to get over your stuffy sense of traditionalism.
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Best Unisex Fragrances
Casamorati Lira
Letโs start off with Casamorati Lira. Itโs a powdery, sweet profile helmed by master perfumer Chris Maurice, who has handled plenty of Xerjoffโs finest expressions in the past. For Lira, he has produced a cake-y smell reminiscent of a sweet chocolate-orange treat, lifted by the nuances of lavender flowers.
If you like gourmand perfumes, Lira is an unfailing crowd-pleaser.
Top notes: Bergamot, blood orange, lavender flowers
Middle notes: Rose, jasmine, cinnamon, licorice blossom
Base notes: Vanilla, musks, caramel
Tom Ford Lost Cherry
Upon first smell, many men would write Tom Ford Lost Cherry off as too feminine. Wrong. Thatโs also an archaic attitude that really makes you miss out on one of the labelโs finest Private Blends. Lost Cherry smells like, as youโd imagine, cherry, and is a sweet, gourmand stunner thatโs perfect for layering onto woody scents.
I usually use this on top of Tom Ford Black Orchid and itโs one of my personal favourite scent profiles.
Top notes: Bitter almond, liquor, black cherry
Middle notes: Sour cherry, plum, Turkish rose, Jasmine sambac
Base notes: Tonka bean, vanilla, cinnamon, Peru balsam, benzoin, sandalwood, cloves, cedar, patchouli, vetiver
Bond No. 9 Scent of Peace
This expensive New York-based brand is one of those very rare examples where a non-European perfumer really nails the art of consistency and creativity in the industry. Bond No. 9 has the excellent Scent of Peace for Him and Scent of Peace for Her, but the unisex version is arguably the best.
Top notes: Grapefruit, black currant
Middle notes: Lily of the valley, hedione
Base notes: Cedarwood, musk
Who Is Elijah? Haze
Smoked vanilla is what defines Haze, and while the rich billow of sweet smoke might be a bit too much for a lot of women to pull off, youโd easily consider this a unisex perfume on par with Who Is Elijahโs other excellent bottles like His | Her and Nomad.
Top Notes: Pink pepper, orange blossom, clove
Middle Notes: Chestnut, guaiac wood, juniper
Base Notes: Cedar, vanilla, Peru balsam, cashmeran