Aperfume wardrobe is much more than the sum of its parts. Whether you’re an avid collector or prefer to keep things tight-knit, layering — or ‘cocktailing’ — can completely transform your collection.

Layering is the technique of combining two or more perfumes to create a unique and personalised fragrance. While it’s a chance to let your creativity run wild it also opens up many practical benefits too — not least the means to enhance and reinvent what you already have.

Of course, there’s nothing to stop you blending any two fragrances together. Mixing like-for-like — fragrances of the same or similar profile — can overlay in perfect harmony. However, the most striking outcomes can be found when mixing perfumes of contrasting styles.

For this the basic principle is simple: rich, heavy scents pair best with light and fresh. In other words, woods and ambers coupled with fresh and floral. In principle, it’s a continuation of the Olfactive Pyramid, distinguishing between lighter top notes and heavier base notes.

Rich, heavy perfume, characterised by woods, resinoids and spices, forms an ideal base and should be applied to the skin first. For best results apply to warm pulse points on the body. Next, a light and fresh fragrance, characterised by citrus, floral, fruit and aquatic notes, should be sprayed over the top.

In essence, perfumes of lighter profile tend to sit above those that are heavy and rich. Fragrances that compliment each other develop on the skin in a more balanced way, and it’s precisely this contrast that allows the space for something new and dynamic to emerge.

Layering can empower us to create something truly distinctive. By combining perfume in new and innovative ways we can uncover something refreshingly original, compelling and complex. It’s a method of crafting a fragrance that stands out from the crowd, a spectacular new signature scent waiting in the wings.

Wearing multiple fragrances at once can also increase longevity. When two perfumes interact they can enhance one another’s performance to create a longer-lasting scent — great for longer days or when a quick on-the-spot touch up just isn’t possible.

Ultimately, perfume layering broadens our horizons. It can double — even triple — our wardrobe, breathing new life into an otherwise predictable rotation. With layering, one new addition can give rise to multiple new perfumes. And best of all: each creation is yours, and yours alone.

Try our Top Three Layering Suggestions