Second-Skin Scents Are the ‘Sweet Nothings’ of the Fragrance World

Bold, statement-making fragrances have their time and place, but for daily wear, many of us stick to signature scents that feel like us if we were melted down into a perfume. Second-skin fragrances, also known as skin-hugging fragrances or simply skin scents, have spiked in popularity over the past couple of years, even though they’ve been around for far longer.

Featured Experts

• Kara Kowalski is the Head of Product & Scent Development at Snif
• Romy Kowalewski is the Creative Director and Founder of 27 87

What Is a Second-Skin Fragrance?

Ultimately, many fragrances labeled as second-skin are referencing the presence of musky notes. “They get their name from fragrances that feel like a natural extension of one’s self—or more precisely—their own skin. They aren’t overtly fruity, floral, sweet or ambery. They exist on your skin and smell like a part of you,” says Kowalski. “Depending on how the fragrance notes and musk ingredients pop on your skin, it can amplify certain characteristics and diffuse a scent that’s unique to you.”

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Musks are the most common note in skin-hugging fragrances and there are many different types, says Kowalski. “Each fragrance house offers multiple musk ingredients in their palette for perfumers to use as they create fragrances. Some musks have ambery facets, while others come off slightly sweet and sugary.” She notes that some clean musks also lean fresh and woody.

A bonus about musk is that it lingers for a long time because the molecules are heavy. “When you wear a fragrance with a lot of musks in it, you can spray it on in the early morning and still smell them at night, in the shower and even on your skin or clothes the next day,” says Kowalski. In addition to musks, Kowalewski says smooth woods and soft, radiant molecules are also common in second-skin fragrances. Think: clean, minimal, elegant. “Each note is crafted for connection rather than projection,” she says.

Why Are Second-Skin Fragrances Trending?

“Musks have been popular for quite some time. Over the years, they’ve been reinvented in many ways. As an industry, we experiment with different ingredients and olfactives and see what sticks. A trending olfactive group normally stems from a combination of right timing and what’s going on culturally,” says Kowalski. She notes that in times of uncertainty people tend to crave comfort. “While for many that sense of comfort comes from gourmands, for those that don’t like sweet scents, they can look to musks for the same feeling. They have that hug-like quality where you feel wrapped up and comforted.”

Kowalski notes that a fellow perfumer who came from the flavor industry told her about the term “moreishness,” which refers to the ‘cravebility’ of a product. It makes consumers want to keep eating more of it.” She feels musks have a ‘moreishness’ quality to them. “Just like gourmands—they are edible and addictive. Musks are a craveable comfort.” Additionally, the simplicity we’ve seen trending in makeup can be seen reflected in fragrance. “Confidence no longer needs to be loud. People want simplicity, calm and scents that feel like themselves. True luxury is presence without excess,” says Kowalewski.

Second-Skin Fragrances to Try

1 / 5

Kowalski recommends this comforting, woody, addictive fragrance that features a blend of musks that give the fragrance its close-to-skin signature scent. “Mixed with a mossy back note and creamy sandalwood, the musks wrap the ingredients and create this cocooning effect on skin. It’s effortless while still being complex and intriguing. That’s why we say it smells like ‘you’, but better.”

2 / 5

Glossier You can be credited as part of what drove the recent second-skin fragrance trend. When Glossier launched this ‘smells-like-you-but-better scent,’ it went viral quickly. Pink pepper, iris, ambrette and ambrox deliver a soft, warm, familiar scent that sits a little differently on each person.

3 / 5

This scent from 2010 has stood the test of time and remains one of the iconic brand’s bestsellers to this day. Notes of ambroxyde, a synthetic animal musk, contribute an “addictive dirty” scent mixed with jasmine and moss to create a completely unique fragrance.

4 / 5

Created by famous perfumer Michael Carby, this scent was adopted as Drake’s personal scent, which he kept as his little secret until the pair launched the candle and subsequently the perfume oil into the world. It features 13 distinct musk ingredients alongside lily of the valley, ambergris, and amber woods.

5 / 5

“Built on the most refined musks of modern perfumery. It’s luminous, calm and intimate,” Kowalewski says of the recent launch. “A quiet glow that moves with you through the day.”