Best Unisex Perfumes That Are Gender Neutral Scent Proof| Good+Good

Back in 2004, when men’s and women’s beauty and skin care products were strictly divided into male vs. female divisions—and the packaging was blue or pink to prove it—Andrew Goetz and Matthew Malin launched Malin + Goetz. The unisex line had clean, nondescript packaging and the focus was on the effectiveness of the product, not who uses it.

“When we were growing our business, we were looking at how we could remain unique and fill a gap in the market, and part of that had to do with the fact that a lot of beauty was aimed at women,” Malin says. “There was a small, growing segment at the time focused on men. There wasn’t anything that lived in the space that wasn’t gendered or unisex.”

18 years ago, this genderless approach to personal care was a game changer. But now, styles are becoming less and less divided into “masculine” and “feminine”—and it’s unisex fragrances that have stolen the spotlight.

The future of perfume is gendered

Until recently, “masculine” fragrances were often woody, aquatic scents represented by a campaign featuring a rugged young man driving a boat, while women were expected to smell like delicate flowers or alluring and seductive.

“In the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, perfume was sexualized because it was used as a tool of seduction — specifically, a tool to seduce people of the opposite sex,” says Steve Mormoris, CEO of Scent Beauty, which partnered with the Phluid Project. . to launch a line of gender-inclusive fragrances in the summer of 2020. “… But what’s interesting now is that consumers are instead using perfume to create an individual signature. It’s similar to getting a tattoo or wearing a special piece of jewelry. clothing that they belonged to a grandfather or an ex-boyfriend – it’s another signature feature.”

The idea of ​​an “everyman” perfume may feel new, but it’s actually rooted in a centuries-old beauty tradition that dates back to before Calvin Klein launched his unisex CK One ($65) in the ’90s. “If you look at pharmaceuticals 100 or 200 years ago, you didn’t go in and say, ‘I’m a man, give me the treatment of a man,’ or ‘I’m a woman, give me the treatment of a woman.’ ” says Malin. “You went in and said, ‘Here’s my problem,’ and the chemist made you something in a bottle. That’s what we were trying to communicate with our fallback approach.

Now, traditionally masculine notes like patchouli and leather are featured in women’s fragrances while feminine notes like rose and white flowers are found in colognes—and people everywhere are flocking to perfumes that defy gender expectations. Case in point? When Malin and Goetz launched its Strawberry Eau de Parfum ($95) in 2021, the founders were of the opinion that the fragrance would be more popular with women than men. But they were in surprise: It was an even division.

This shift toward gender-neutral fragrances comes at a time when the world beyond the beauty industry is rethinking its perspective on gender: A 2021 survey by advertising agency Bigeye found that 50 percent of Gen-Zers and 56 percent of millennials are traditional. gender roles and bisexual labels are outdated. And as consumers have begun to challenge stereotypes of “masculine” and “feminine,” fragrance offerings have risen to counter them.

“We use the word ‘gender,’ which is the opposite of genderless,” says Matthew Herman, founder of Boy Smells. “That can be really bad and it’s like we don’t recognize that gender exists at all. I like ‘gender’ because it expresses the wholeness of masculinity and femininity and celebrates gender diversity. People are using more ‘gender water’ for products— I really like that word. “

How brands create fragrances that feel like they’re right for everyone

Creating a fragrance that transcends gender expectations does not come without its challenges. “It’s like music: our perfumers are like composers who try to avoid the odd pop songs or classics that they grew up with, so they had to think outside the box to create a perfume mix that brings something completely different from ‘masculinity’ or ‘womanhood’ in the traditional sense,” says Mormoris.

“We’re rooted in the idea that we can reinvent gender stereotypes and stereotypes, and part of the reason why Phluid is spelled ‘ph’. it’s because each of us can find balance… in masculinity and femininity and all the qualities that come with being male and female,” adds Rob Smith, founder and CEO of Phluid.

Boy Smells, which was launched in 2016, was created with the same values ​​in mind. “When we decided to make a fragrance for boys, we called it ‘Scent of a Boy,’ but we put it in a pink box, and it’s a statement of, ‘I like the color pink, there are aspects of my identity that are feminine, but I’ve been told by society that I have to get rid of my identity because I’m a man,'” says Herman. “For me, it was taking a chance again to create these candles and perfumes that combine masculine and traditional feminine genders to show the complexities of a more modern identity than the one that came before.”

Ultimately, everyone—regardless of where they fall on the gender spectrum—is invited to the perfume party, and there’s a lot more to gender and scent. “Our fragrances reflect the identity of my friends, people I follow on Instagram, and people who are important to culture today,” says Herman. “Identity is a much more diverse, organized, and interesting canvas than it was before. Fragrance is reaching that level of diversity, and we hope to feel more inclusive.”

Shop our favorite gender-inclusive fragrances

Want to be the first to hear about the latest (and greatest) SHOP product offers, special collections, discounts and more? Sign up to get intel sent straight to your inbox.