Eau my gosh! What is ‘Smellmaxxing’?
How this Gen Z trend is spreading across generations and genders
Welcome to the world of ‘‘smellmaxxing,’’ where layering perfumes, body sprays, and even lotions isn’t just about smelling good, it’s about broadcasting identity. If millennials made skincare the religion, Gen Z has built a new altar: scent. Hence, smellmaxxing, a trend started by the young but appealing to other age groups as well.
The term started as Internet slang fueled by social media (thanks, TikTok), but it’s now a certified cultural wave. On PerfumeTok, videos tagged #smellmaxxing rack up thousands of views as creators show off their “scent stacks.” This could be a citrus spritz over musk and so on. In the beginning, smellmaxxing was “mostly young men trying to improve their smell with different colognes.”
In the US, there have been many unusual sightings of teenage boys scouring Sephora and other boutiques, purchasing a whole lot of perfumes. This might have been the case in the beginning, but smellmaxxing goes beyond young boys now, and draws in all genders and ages. The concept is also not new, just re-invented. It is less commercial — where everyone smells the same, or uses the popular perfume of the moment en masse. However, I know of many ladies who have been smellmaxxing for years.
Simply put, smellmaxing is about maximizing one’s personal scent to stand out, boost confidence and define one’s identity. It’s building your olfactory aura through layering scents, mixing fragrances (the more niche, the better), ending up with a signature smell.
For the younger generation raised on digital first impressions, scent feels radical because it’s offline. You can’t filter a smell. It’s intimate, personal, a little defiant in a world where everything is otherwise optimized for screens. It’s also, in a way, social currency. The right fragrance routine becomes a talking point, a way to signal taste and, yes, an excuse to post a GRWM (get ready with me) reel on social media.
Scent content is its own genre now. There are numerous videos where a creator mists themselves before a date, a night out and special occasions. It also taps into the love for customization. Smellmaxxing is the olfactory version of a DIY project: infinitely stackable, remixable, personal.
The market smells the money. In the US, fragrance was the fastest-growing beauty category in 2024, up 12 percent in sales. Meanwhile in the Philippines, fragrance sales are also growing, and many boutique and indie brands are being launched.
Jo Malone and the Indie scent boom
Brands like Jo Malone London and Le Labo are thriving because their scents are made for mixing. Jo Malone practically invented smellmaxxing with its light, layerable colognes. Estée Lauder even credits these brands for driving global fragrance growth.
Bryan Lim from Suyen Corporation, the retail operator of Jo Malone in the Philippines, provides information on the brand’s success.
“Since the launch of the first store in Greenbelt 5, Jo Malone London has steadily grown its presence, now boasting a total of 17 (Suyen) stores across the Philippines. This impressive expansion includes newly established boutiques in regions such as Visayas, Mindanao, and North Luzon, reflecting the brand’s commitment to making its distinctive fragrances and luxurious lifestyle products accessible to more Filipinos nationwide.”
Their primary local audience consists mainly of Gen Z and Millennials aged 26 to 45, accounting for over 60 perent of the business, with approximately 75 percent being female.
According to Bryan, ”the top Jo Malone London scent in the Philippines is Nectarine Blossom and Honey because of its sweet and juicy notes. Think sunshine in a bottle. English Pear and Freesia is another top scent, a great fresh and elegant fragrance that is perfect for everyday wear. Wood Sage and Sea Salt is a top scent for both men and women and is great to layer with.”
He adds, “Layering of scents has now gained popularity on the market, especially with the ‘fragheads.’ Scent layering is also a signature service and part of Jo Malone London’s brand DNA. It allows you to create a scent that is uniquely yours.”
Some of the brand’s favorite scent combinations include:
Wood Sage and Sea Salt + Peony and Blush Suede. When you layer these two, you get a fresh airy floral scent with a soft, elegant depth.
English Pear and Freesia + Mimosa and Cardamom. These two create a softly sweet and cozy combination, with a touch of spice, perfect for a young everyday scent.
Cypress and Grapevine + Wood Sage and Sea Salt. The two earthy scents mixed create a fresh and effortlessly natural combination. The fragrance exudes confidence and being free-spirited.
But there is also magic in the indie scents. Bon Voyage, a proudly homegrown perfume brand, was founded by young entrepreneurs Gab Reyes and Alonso Lim. Originally established in 2023 as a supplier for event giveaways, the brand gradually expanded its vision and offerings. As Bon Voyage grew, Bella Concepcion became an owner, leading its creative direction and marketing, and officially launched its debut collection, Arrival 0001, in September 2024.
Bon Voyage is dedicated to creating perfumes that balance luxury and practicality. Each fragrance is designed to be versatile, seamlessly transitioning from the classroom to the workplace, and from casual days to evening occasions. By crafting scents that fit effortlessly into daily life, Bon Voyage redefines fragrance as not just an accessory, but an everyday essential.
Bella Concepcion says, “We realized that the scent business is a pretty niche market and there are not a lot of local ones. Our tagline, ‘a scent of a new journey,’ captures our vision: that every fragrance can accompany you through different occasions and new chapters of your life. Each perfume is designed to feel versatile, memorable, and personal.”
She adds, “our perfumes are designed with Gen Z and millennials in mind. As we believe, this generation looks for scents that are modern, versatile, and easy to wear, whether for everyday use or special occasions. Bon Voyage creates fragrances that fit naturally into their lifestyle —simple, well-crafted, and memorable without being overdone. At the same time, we wanted to create scents that blend luxury-level quality and practicality so that more people can experience the joy of perfume without the intimidating price tag.”
Their signature scents come from their debut collection. These are: Femme, a vibrant blend of zesty citrus and aromatic herbs; Ivory, a comforting mix of creamy vanilla layered with rich woods; and Fuego, bold, warm, and fiery, with crisp marine notes balanced by fresh aromatics. All Bon Voyage scents are unisex and are currently priced at P750 each.
Even in Seoul, one of the new perfume frontiers, Tamburins, the design-driven brand from the Gentle Monster group, has made fragrance feel like installation art, with stores that look more like art galleries. Meanwhile, Born to Stand Out lives up to its name: bold bottles, unapologetic scent names like Dirty Rice and Drunk Saffron, and a mission to “rebel” against boring perfume culture. Being original is essential in smellmaxxing.
Not on the nose
“Smellmaxxing” isn’t about drowning in fragrance. It’s about editing your scent story. And in a world that’s always online, smell is the one flex you can’t screenshot. For the generation raised on Instagram filters and face apps, smell is refreshingly analog. You can’t airbrush a scent. It’s physical, intimate, and ephemeral. It also accurately represents who you really are. More importantly, a good fragrance is more than just your olfactory ID — it is your secret superpower.
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Jo Malone London stores are located in Greenbelt, Rockwell, Mall of Asia, SM Aura, Uptown Mall, SM North EDSA, Okada, Solaire, Abreeza Davao, SM Cebu, Nustar, SM Clark, SM Baguio, Greenhills, Opus Mall, Hann Resort, Trinoma, Podium.
You can shop for Bon Voyage scents through: IG: @bonvoyagemnl
TikTok: @bonvoyage.ph.
Le Labo boutiques are located in Greenbelt 5, and at the Mall of Asia.
