Mysticism is booming among millennials and Gen Z, with many leaning on crystals, tarot and astrology for their spiritual hit. So it's telling that dark, witchy perfumes are also enjoying a moment in the fragrance spotlight with the search term “perfume witchy” amassing over 24 billion views – and just in time for Halloween, too.
More Amazon Prime Day 2023When you think about it, there's always been something mysterious about perfume. Its scent molecules creep into the unconscious part of the brain where memory and emotion are stored. Here they cast a spell on you, creating a powerful reaction of happiness or comfort whenever you sniff it.
Then there's the magical way that perfume transforms on your skin. You may start with a bracing rush of citrus, but then rose, vanilla and woods start to make an appearance – a little like you've dabbed invisible ink onto your wrists and the message eventually becomes visible.
Perfume is also grounded in mysticism, says Sarah Potter, a professional witch and tarot reader. “In witchcraft, we invoke air, water, fire, and earth – all elements that also make up a perfume – in rituals to heighten our senses and raise the energy,” Sarah explains.
Some perfume brands such Loewe have specifically created collections around these four elements, and the fragrant cues you might take from your star sign. Aire Anthesis is its latest uplifting addition.
“We may not be able to ‘see’ a scent, but we are aware of its powerful presence,” Sarah continues. “Historically, perfumed oils, resins, and incense featured in ancient ceremonies to appease deities. Now they are layered in perfumes to manifest an intention – to seduce, to feel more powerful, to feel protected – just as we use different ingredients to craft a spell.”
Modern day witchy perfumes are not, however, pungent potions, so there's nothing to fear. The trend is exactly as it sounds: scents that envelope your pulse points in a cloud of aromatic smoke or juices peppered with off-beat herbs that sound like they've come straight out of a spell book.
According to Yasmin Sewell, founder of fragrance brand Vyrao, their appeal lies in how they “help you feel more courage and creativity and help you tap into intuition and positive emotions." For the brand's latest perfume The Sixth, Yasmin collaborated with a psychic. “The Sixth was created to open up your intuition and has scientifically proven ingredients for mindfulness,” she says. “Working with my psychic made absolute sense as she chose specific ingredients she uses to channel her psychic abilities and we incorporated them all into an incredible, enlightening elixir.”
When it comes to witchy perfumes, few perfumers can resist the siren call of smoky incense and palo santo, which are arguably the most ritualistic of all smells. But instead of smelling like damp Italian cathedrals, these scents conjure up more primal ceremonies.
Eilish No.2 is inspired by what Billie Eilish describes as a “darker, rainy world” via wet poppies and a jolt of earthy papyrus, spicy black pepper and puffs of smoky palo santo.
Byredo has one foot firmly in the other-worldly. De Los Santo pays homage to Dia de los Muertos, a 3,000 year-old plus festival during which the line between the living and the dead is supposedly blurred and the spirits of the dead are believed to return home. Wait a beat after spritzing for the delicate tendrils of smoke to create a strangely haunting effect.
While its latest juice Animalique, which is undercut by feral suede, amber and tobacco leaf, was inspired by the idea “that a spirit animal resides beneath the intricate layers of our truest selves,” says founder Ben Gorham. Perhaps Halloween is the time to unleash it?
For more from Fiona Embleton, GLAMOUR's Acting Associate Beauty Director, follow her on @fiembleton.
Below, our pick of the best witchy perfumes:
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