These are the bestselling fragrances of 2024, according to Australia’s beauty industry
image via @imaginaryauthors/instagram
words by lara daly
The most vanilla year ever.
An unexpected series of events happened in fragrance this year. Sweet, Y2K-inspired gourmands continued to soar. Bella Hadid launched Orebella and paved the way for spirituality scents with alcohol-free body sprays that reportedly stain your clothes. Glossier staged a TikTok stunt by sending influencers padlocked boxes of its two new perfumes. People got really into smelling like milk and puppy fur, and apparently, this means we’re all seeking comfort from the horrors of the world.
Speaking of, this week Donald Trump launched his new perfume line, Fight, Fight, Fight, with a ‘Victory’ cologne that’s meant to ‘capture the essence of success and determination’. I’m assuming it smells like fake tan, hairspray and embalming fluid.
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Jess Tate, founder of Lore Perfumery in Melbourne (kind of) agrees, saying her customers want escapism. “I think that given everything going on in the world right now, sweet fragrances feel comforting and can also alter your emotions. Sometimes they feel nostalgic, sometimes uplifting, sometimes all we want is to smell something delicious,” she says.
Theories aside, we were curious to hear from Australian beauty behemoths and boutique retailers what specific fragrances actually trumped sales in 2024. According to Sangeetha Smith, Mecca’s Fragrance Education Manager, gourmand fragrances have been clear favourites. “Notes of vanilla and fruits have been in high demand,” she says.
Jess agrees, noting the three bestsellers at Lore are all gourmands, listing vanillas, fruity fragrances and lactonic scents as the most sought-after. Over at Adore Beauty, Senior Beauty Editor Sadaf Razi says gourmand scents are remaining a key customer favourite.
Other trends of note this year include the rise of niche perfumes and ‘fragrance enhancers’ formulated to mix seamlessly with your unique chemistry, so they smell different on everyone. “They can also be layered with other fragrances for the ultimate personalisation in scent,” Mecca’s Sangeetha explains. Customers are also getting more savvy to ensure their choices last, “We’re seeing a rise in elixirs and the ‘intense’ versions of our popular fragrances as customers are shopping for longer-lasting perfumes,” says Sadaf.
Looking to next year, the experts agree gourmands and stone-fruit scents will continue to be reinvented. “[Expect] a fusion of nostalgia and comfort but with something new and interesting,” says Jess. “I also think people will be searching for scents that are similar to their luxe faves but at a more affordable price point,” adds Sadaf. So the allure of a dupe isn’t going anywhere then.
Below, breathe in the nine bestselling scents across Adore Beauty, Mecca and Lore Perfumery for 2024. Consider it a handy list if you’re looking to gift someone a fragrance, or a list if you want to avoid smelling like everyone else.
Imaginary Authors A Whiff of Wafflecone
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Dessert in a bottle. A Whiff of Waffle Cone blends rich vanilla, salted caramel, Saigon cinnamon and sandalwood, topped with orgeat for a nostalgic scoop shop delight. “People are still loving vanilla but they want it in a more interesting, quirky formulation than traditional vanilla, hence why A Whiff of Wafflecone was so popular,” says Lore Perfumery’s Jess.
Glossier You
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2024 was a big year for Millennials, with US beauty brand Glossier finally became available to shop IRL in Australia earlier this year. Despite the brand launching two new fragrances this year, its original ‘You’ scent, a creamy skin-like musk with a slight floral, was a bestseller at Mecca this year.
Kayali Vanilla 28
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Kayali Vanilla offers a sophisticated twist on vanilla, blending it with warm woods and white floral. “This scent garners the ultimate compliments while being subtle, yet long-lasting enough for everyday wear,” says Adore Beauty’s Sadaf.
Room 1015 Wavechild
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A watermelon fragrance but not as you know it. Inspired by surf culture, Wavechild by Room 1015 combines breezy notes of mandarin, watermelon, coconut and ambergris.
Le Labo Santal 33
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Of course Santal 33 made the list. Despite all the attempts at dupes, this clean yet smokey, cedar-heavy scent has a cult following for a reason.
Yves Saint Laurent Libre Intense
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YSL Libre Intense is the ultimate balance of feminine and edgy. Mixing notes such bergamot, lavender, jasmine and vanilla creates a warm and seductive scent.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge
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Baccarat Rouge 540 is another iconic luxury scent we weren’t surprised to see on Mecca’s bestselling perfumes list. Born from the encounter between Maison Francis Kurkdjian and Maison Baccarat, this decadent fragrance has a floral-meets-woody aroma that smells as expensive as it is.
Room 1015 Cherry Punk
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The sweet smell of counter-culture, bold cherry and leather. Room 1015’s Cherry Punk has notes of saffron, sichuan pepper, violet, patchouli, tonka and of course, black leather.
Prada Paradoxe EDP
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Prada Paradoxe is a refillable spring-style fragrance with a perfect balance of contrasting notes; top notes of tangerine, pear and calabrian bergamot mixed effortlessly with jasmine and white musk.
For more on fragrance trends of 2024, try this.
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