While, as a beauty editor, I pride myself on having a diverse and varied fragrance collection, I have to admit, when it comes to my favourite I have a penchant for one fragrance family in particular—smoky perfumes. I’m unsure whether this love affair stems from a memory I’ve long since locked away (a master perfumer once told me that it’s for this reason we feel drawn to certain fragrance notes), if it’s because I love to be able to wear the same scent as my partner (some couples wear matching outfits, I like matching scents) or, maybe, it’s simply a perfume power move on my part. Whatever the reason, smoky fragrances are some of my favourites out there and, over the years, I’ve gotten to know most of them.
Because, you see, not all smoky fragrances are the same. While some contain smoke in its most literal sense, many fragrances also bring together more subtle smoky elements, courtesy of leather, tobacco and even incense. The beauty of smoky perfumes is that they can come in any and every form— can be smoked up, can have a smoky depth and even can come with added smoulder.
Whatever way you look at it, smoky scents are . When paired with resinous notes like or sweet tangy rum, they combine to create fragrances with a depth and darkness that . Maybe that’s the real reason I’m so obsessed with smoky fragrances, they just smell .
From fragrances that smell like you’ve stumbled into the back room of a private members club to perfumes that smell like a campfi.