They Don't Shout, They Whisper—These Soft Perfumes Are My Secret to Understated Elegance

Key notes: Aldehyde, rose centifolia, peony, violet, musks, sandalwood

I wear this perfume basically every single day, regardless of what I’m doing or where I’m going. Its beauty lies in how it balances a striking freshness with an almost skin scent-like warmth—it’s like slipping between freshly-washed linen sheets. For me, the delicate muskiness means that it smells a bit like just stepping out of a really good shower. You smell clean (and really, really good) but not like you’ve spritzed yourself with any obvious fragrance. In fact, I’ll often put this on straight after the shower and then layer on a more statement perfume later on before leaving the house.

Key notes: Bergamot, pear, ambrette, aldehydes, jasmine, rose, rosemary, violet, orris, vanilla, musk, moss

Possibly my favourite fragrance launch of the last year—and certainly my most-recommended—Merit Retrospect manages to be both a soft and easy-to-wear fragrance without compromising on its rather complex scent profile. This has all the juiciness of a freshly-picked pear and sweetness from vanilla and musk, while also capturing a nostalgic element in the form of some classic vintage florals—jasmine, rose and violet. It feels both familiar and modern all at once, yet never threatens to overwhelm. And it smells way more expensive than its £79 price tag too.

Key notes: Pink pepper, iris, ambrette seeds, ambrox

The ultimate skin scent, Glossier You is something of a modern classic and undoubtedly one of the best soft perfumes that’s ever been made. It smells different on everyone, which is why it’s hard to really understand the appeal of this scent unless you’ve tried it on, but at its heart it’s a clean, powdery perfume that has an almost musky sweetness to it. Imagine bottling the smell of a newborn’s head, then adding a sprinkling of amber warmth, sparkling some pink pepper and you’re almost there.

Key notes: Blackcurrant, poppy, barley

A beautifully unique and lightweight floral fragrance, this uplifting perfume from Jo Malone captures the vibrancy of an English meadow in bloom during the summer. It has all of the sweetness of ripe, juicy blackcurrants, but rather than being overly floral it actually has a verdancy from the poppy bouquet. The thing that makes this an incredibly subtle perfume though is the woody earthiness from barley—it grounds the entire perfume in an almost milky, cotton-like warmth that is subtle yet delicious.

Key notes: Iso E Super

I know lots of migraine sufferers who really struggle to wear perfume, but swear by Molecule 01. It’s really unique in that it contains just one note—Iso E Super—which blends with your pheromones to enhance your natural scent. The result is a truly subtle fragrance that’s almost barely-there. In fact, lots of people report that they can’t actually smell it on themselves yet have been paid compliments by strangers about their perfume. For me, it’s gentle, musky and slightly woody, and feels a little like wearing a cosy (yet chic) comfort blanket.

Key notes: Red mandarin, orange, yellow elemi resin, green cedar, blue almond flower, indigo grass, violet, vetyver, vapors

Bottling the essence of a rainbow might not sound like the obvious place to start when creating a soft perfume, but it’s precisely the aim of this beautiful scent from D.S. & Durga. It uses notes of every colour in the rainbow to capture the spectrum of fragrance that you might expect from a natural wonder—yet while it is definitely complex, it isn’t overpowering. Instead, what I can smell is a misty, almost aquatic freshness with an earthy freshness that’s almost like just-fallen rain after it hits a mossy woodland. Fresh, delicate and unique.

Key notes: Bergamot peel, mandarin, freesia, jasmine petals, waterlily, vanilla orchid, amber, sandalwood, musk

I toyed between including this or Phlur’s cult Missing Person perfume—which is arguably even softer—but the lesser-known nature of Soft Spot means it’s perfect if you hate smelling like other people. It’s still something of a skin scent, but this one has much more of a floral bouquet than its predecessor and more freshness too. I love the twist of citrus with the aquatic florals and the way that it pairs with warm amber and soft musk. It definitely whispers rather than shouts, but there’s still a distinctiveness to it which appeals.

Key notes: Pear, lily of the valley, aldehydes, iris, rose, orange flower, patchouli, ambrette seeds, white musks

Just like the name suggests, this really captures the spirit of a laid back, easy-breezy weekend. To me, it’s the kind of perfume that you’ll spray on before brunch with friends or a sunny afternoon unwinding in the garden with a book as it really captures that relaxed familiarity. It smells like opening your bedroom window and letting the breeze drift in—there are warm linen sheets drying on the line outside, a soapy mist from a just-run shower, and walls dappled with sunlight. It’s fresh, clean and comforting, and I adore it.

Key notes: Cetalox

Celebrating its 15 year anniversary, Not A Perfume is the ultimate understated fragrance. Containing just one note—the synthetically produced cetalox, created to reproduce the popular ambergris note—it enhances the wearer’s natural skin scent for a clean, comforting and almost sensual fragrance. Of course, its simplicity means that it’s naturally subtle, but the fact that it wears differently on everyone means it’s incredibly adaptable and also feels totally timeless. Here’s to another 15 years of wear.

Key notes: Plant-based white musks, botanical base notes

The composition of key notes in this pared-back perfume is actually a secret, but in essence it’s a veil-like blend of musks and botanicals. As such, it makes a beautifully soft perfume when worn alone—it has an almost pure and earthy freshness—but it also plays nicely when layered with other scents. It’s totally natural and vegan too, so if you often do find perfumes a bit overwhelming then this really makes a great option.

Key notes: Nigerian ginger extract, egyptian basil, Chinese spearmint, Chinese eucalyptus, Egyptian geranium, ambroxan, wet grass, white woods

A slight wild card in the fact that this perfume definitely has a bit more oomph than others on the list, but I’m including it because after the initial menthol splash this really does dry down into a peaceful delight. If you’re feeling foggy or a little blue, then this aromatic perfume will cleanse the senses and uplift your mood with a herbaceous blend of spearmint, eucalyptus and basil. It might sound unusual, but trust me—it’s grounding, calming and beautifully soft.

Key notes: White musks, mimosa, blonde woods accord, rice steam accord

Finally, it’s no surprise that a perfume inspired by the blank page is soft in nature, but don’t be fooled—it might be a quiet scent, but it still smells incredibly luxurious. It’s refreshing and bright, capturing that crispness that you’d expect from a sheet of paper, yet it also has elements of white musk and blonde wood to create an almost milky softness. (Think a well-worn paperback rather than a glossy magazine.) It’s a go-to perfume for many of my fellow beauty editors and I think that speaks to the way that it oozes elegance rather than screams to be the centre of attention.