The clean girl aesthetic has transcended its TikTok origins and made its way into the mainstream. Defined by no-makeup makeup (which may, in fact, comprise a lot of makeup), slicked-back hair, early rising, and copious consumption of green tea, the clean girl aesthetic has come to represent the latest in the genre of seemingly effortless beauty. When it comes to scents, proponents of the clean girl aesthetic are all about smelling, well, clean. Not in a conventional industrial detergent kind of way, but in a freshly laundered sheets, light florals, rainforest after the rain, just showered kind of way.
The allure to clean, fresh fragrances is their ability to let you smell like you, but better. Steer clear of heady fragrances (like those with oud, leather, and overly musky or woody notes) and opt for gentle skin scents that don’t overpower the senses. Fresh, breezy, soapy, and a little optimistic, these are the best clean girl fragrances to try.
1. Clean Reserve Warm Cotton
The olfactory equivalent of sliding into freshly laundered sheets, Clean Reserve Warm Cotton is crisp, bright, and fresh, thanks to an abundance of green and ozonic notes. One for the minimalists.
Scent notes: aldehydes, watery notes, ginger, ozonic notes, green notes, floral notes, mint, pepper, musk, vetiver, incense
2. Byredo Blanche
Another fragrance that draws olfactory inspiration from fresh laundry. An ode to the colour white, Byredo Blanche is a slightly warmer, sweeter take than Clean Reserve’s Warm Cotton (despite the name). White florals, rose, and aldehydes contribute to a soapy, fresh, radiant scent.
3. Henry Rose Sheep’s Clothing
Sexy yet clean, Henry Rose Sheep’s Clothing is simultaneously warm and light. Like an intimate caress on warm bedsheets, Sheep’s Clothing is both seductive and comforting, with bright pink peppercorn opening into a subtle, almost mysterious rose before drying down to a warm amber on the skin.
Scent notes: pink peppercorn, rose, orange flower, rose absolute, orris, amber woods, ambrette absolute, musk
4. Vilhelm Parfumerie Opus Kore
Vilhelm Parfumerie Opus Kore sits in the aromatic space between a sophisticated shampoo and a cabin in the countryside during spring. A fresh opening of acai and lemon intermingles with sweet yet gentle raspberry, violet, and violet before settling into sensual sandalwood and subtle skin musks.
Scent notes: lemon, acai, raspberry, magnolia, violet, sandalwood, skin musks, amber
5. Maison Margiela Lazy Sunday Morning
More freshly laundered sheets! Maison Margiela Lazy Sunday Morning evokes the unparalleled joy of waking up with the sun, carefree and devoid of responsibilities. Soft and breezy, white floral notes meet cosy aldehydes and rose, with a base of white musk lingering on the skin.
Scent notes: aldehydes, lily-of-the-valley, pear, rose, iris, orange blossom, white musk, ambrette, patchouli leaf
6. Who is Elijah His | Her
Spicy, woody, and floral, Who is Elijah His | Her has often been touted as a dupe for Le Labo Santal 33. However, it takes on a brighter, lighter tone, with bergamot and floral accords contributing to a lighter fragrance. A strong opening of cardamom with a hint of violet swiftly makes way for a heart of florals, which are underscored by sandalwood, musk, and amber. Who is Elijah His | Her stays close to the skin, making it an ideal clean girl fragrance.
Scent notes: violet leaf, cardamom, floral notes, fir, sandalwood, musk, amber, oud
7. Glossier You
The epitome of a skin scent, Glossier You was designed with the intention of smelling like — you guessed it — you. Soft and powdery, Glossier You enhances the natural warmth and sweetness of your skin, with pink pepper, iris, ambrette, and ambroxan, working to create a subtle, almost nostalgic skin scent.
Scent notes: pink pepper, iris, ambrette, ambroxan
8. Creed Silver Mountain Water
A unisex scent inspired by the fresh mountain air, Creed Silver Mountain water is crisp, cool, and a little aloof. Watery notes of green tea, blackcurrant, and bergamot are underscored by musk and sandalwood.
Scent notes: bergamot, mandarin orange, green tea, blackcurrant, musk, petitgrain, sandalwood, galbanum
9. Diptyque Do Son
Alluring and captivating yet relaxed and breezy, Diptyque Do Son balances heady tuberose with fresh and creamy notes of white florals.
Scent notes: orange flower, rose, iris, tuberose, pink pepper, benzoin, musk
10. Aerin Aegea Blossom
The refreshing scents of verbena, mandarin, and bergamot take centre stage in Aerin Aegea Blossom, underscored by white florals and clean musky notes to create a fragrance reminiscent of a seaside holiday.
Scent notes: verbena, mandarin, bergamot, orange flower, neroli, jasmine, musk, sandalwood, vetiver
11. Fresh Life
Citrusy notes of grapefruit, bergamot, and orange meet crisp, clean notes of grass and cucumber, underscored by soft florals and moss to create a scent that’s akin to a breath of fresh air. Bucolic and beautiful.
Scent notes: grapefruit, orange, bergamot, grass, cucumber, water notes, magnolia, lilac, cypress, moss, amber
12. Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
A quintessential fresh fragrance, Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue has been a standout in the category for over two decades. Crisp, fresh, and citrusy, it’s the ideal summer scent. Lemon, apple, and cedarwood make for a decidedly approachable yet nonchalant fragrance that taps into the vibe of the clean girl aesthetic.
Scent notes: lemon, apple, bellflower, bamboo, jasmine, white rose, cedarwood, musk, amber
13. Maison Margiela Bubble Bath
Maison Margiela Bubble Bath takes a different approach to seduction, evoking the intimacy of relaxing in a warm bubble bath. Embodying the clean girl aesthetic in the most literal way, soapy and floral notes create a cosy and calming scent that just smells clean.
Scent notes: Soap bubbles accord, pink pepper, bergamot, rose, lavender, jasmine, coconut, patchouli, white musk
14. Versace Dylan Turquoise
A sensual fragrance for summers on the yacht. Zesty citrus notes of lemon and mandarin meet white florals, with musk and woods balancing it out. Reminiscent of salty days spent on the Mediterranean coast, it evokes effortless cool girl energy.
Words by AR Staff
