Women Share Their Favorite Colognes to Challenge Binary Fragrance

Before unisex scents were mainstream in the fragrance world, there was something taboo about a woman wearing men's cologne. Doing so very stereotypically implied that the wearer played by her own rules, inhabiting a rugged beauty that was self-determined and powerful (though, the irony is, of course, that determination and power are harnessed regardless of the way a woman smells).

Coupled with our primal gender-bias olfactory associations is the marketing behind a fragrance, which Belinda Smith, perfumer and founder of ST. ROSE, a clean unisex, and luxury fragrance line, explains can be very compelling. "How a fragrance product is packaged, the bottle, the name, the marketing around it… that sets the tone for how it will be perceived," she says. "Having preconceived masculine or feminine ideals can certainly impact our impression of a fragrance, even our decision before we experience it firsthand." 

So what types of scents do fragrance brands deem male-specific? Jacynthe René, founder of Maison Jacynthe, a clean beauty and lifestyle brand says, "Vetiver essential oil is one of my favorite for men. All the resins, especially myrrh and pine, as well as woody notes and citrus, are traditional masculine scents."

On the other end of the spectrum, Smith says when it comes to female scents, you'll often see "florals, like lily of the valley or jasmine, as well as soft musks, which have always been seen as 'feminine.'"

There is no such thing as an intrinsically masculine or feminine smelling fragrance, but that doesn't mean we don't attribute certain scents to the gender binary, perhaps, even unconsciously. "Some men love rose—the scent moves them, makes them feel taken care of," says René. "Some women, like myself, love woody notes and resins, as they promote self-assurance."

Getting hung up on the "gender" of a fragrance can have limitations, especially as one of the most determining factors in finding your signature scent is how the scent wears on you. "The trick with fragrance," says Smith, "is that it also has to love us back—our skin is truly the most important factor in how a scent will ultimately wear."

Fragrance can be wildly transformative, and what allures you might just be a delicious paradox. "What you are drawn to and your own predilections are unique," says Smith, "just like you might fancy sweet or savory foods." When it comes to scent, she urges people to think about the "invisible juice inside." She continues, "That’s what people are going to fall in love with; dream with. It will transport, seduce, or ground you." So, what's your pleasure? If you're looking for some gender bending inspiration when it comes to your next cologne, ahead, real women sound off on the fragrances marketed for men that they love the most.