I Want to Smell Like I’ve Just Stepped Out of the Shower—9 Soapy Perfumes I Swear By

Have you ever stepped out of a long, hot shower and immediately wanted to bottle the scent and make it last all day? You're definitely not alone. In fact, I had this feeling so often that at the beginning of 2025, I made it my goal to find the perfect perfume that has the same soapy and clean smell that a morning shower gives me. Equal parts fresh, simple, and effortlessly chic, soapy or fresh linen-like scents provide the perfect balance between having understated elegance for the minimalists amongst us and being interesting enough to earn you loads of compliments. And luckily for me, soapy perfumes are having a moment, meaning there were a number of options for me to choose from across a range of different price points.

What Is a 'Soapy' Perfume?

Aldehydes, Iso E Super and ambroxon are compounds that are found in your bars of soap and shower gels and give them that refreshing and clarified smell. These compounds are also often found in fragrances as notes that make up the base layer of a perfume, with heavier notes such as florals, citruses and ouds layered over them. A soapy perfume, however, uses these notes as the top and/or middle layer of its profile without heavier notes, giving the scent a clean, bubble-like smell. The result is a perfume that leaves you feeling refreshed and polished, often emulating the smell of a shower or newly-washed laundry.

The beauty of a soapy perfume lies in its ability to stay balanced. They remain fresh without overpowering citrus notes as well as clean with entering the sterile territory. Not to mention, they'll leave you smelling like you just stepped out of the shower all day long. So if like me, you're looking for an elegant, your-skin-but-better type of fragrance, I rounded up 9 of my favourite soapy perfumes that are perfect any time of the year. Keep scrolling on to read my reviews and shop the scents.

The 9 Best Soapy Perfumes According to an Editor:

1. Byredo Blanche Absolu, £190
2. Frédéric Malle Acne Studios, £290
3. Maison Margiela Replica Bubble Bath, £125
4. & Other Stories Nine Notes, £32
5. Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume, £150
6. Comme Des Garçons Marseille, £95
7. Jones Road Fragrance in Shower, £44
8. The Body Shop White Musk, £20
9. Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 , £70

Shop the Best Soapy Perfumes, According to an Editor:

1. Byredo Blanche Absolu

Byredo's Blanche became an instant favourite when it was released, but Blanche Absolu takes things to a new level. With aldehydes at the forefront, layered with rose absolute, ambroxan and black pepper, this scent smells like a clean, fresh laundry detergent. Not to mention that it lasts on the skin for hours.

2. Acne Studios by Frédéric Malle

When I first read the notes of this perfume, I was sceptical about whether it would be for me, but after smelling it in store, I instantly fell in love with it. It's a brighter fragrance than the other subtler soapy scents on this list, but the mix of aldehydes and Iso E Super with the peach and frankincense ensures that it remains the fresh, clean fabric scent that I was after.

3. Maison Margiela Replica Bubble Bath

Eau de toilettes don't usually get my attention, as I prefer something with a longer-lasting power, but I tried this on in the store one morning and was genuinely surprised at how long it lasted on my skin and clothes. With a blend of soap bubbles accord, bergamot and lavender, this is definitely the perfume to opt for it prefers feminine, more delicate scents.

4. & Other Stories Nine Notes

My fellow editors have been raving about & Other Stories perfumes for a while now, so I immediately knew I needed to try this when I started my search for the perfect soapy perfume. I would say this is one for the super-minimalist fragrance lovers, acting as an adaptable skin scent for those who take a pared-back approach to perfume. And at £32, you can't go wrong with this affordable scent.

5. Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume

Juliette Has A Gun takes minimalism to a new level with its Not A Perfume fragrance. It only has one note, ambroxan (a common ingredient in soap) which allows it to act as a your scent-but-better type of perfume. If you prefer a more elaborate scent profile, then I would suggest you give this one a miss however, I ordered a sample of this and will be using it as a layering scent underneath my other perfumes to give them that clean-smelling base.

6. Comme Des Garçons Marseille

Inspired by the South of France’s Savon de Marseille soap, Marseille by Comme Des Garçons features notes of soap, neroli accord, lychee and musk. The ambery base of the fragrance gives it just the right amount of depth to keep it away from the sterile-smelling territory, making it perfect for everyday use.

7. Jones Road Fragrance in Shower 

Jones Road's Fragrance in Shower was created to make the fresh-out-of-the-shower feeling last all day. The blend of sea spray, neroli, orange blossom and grapefruit creates a clean and sophisticated scent that will earn you compliments wherever you go.

8. The Body Shop White Musk

The Body Shop's White Musk has been a cult favourite for over 40 years now, and for good reason. With aldehydes, lily-of-the-valley and, of course, white musk, this lightweight fragrance leaves you smelling fresh and clean. The pared-back notes blend in with your skin to blend into it for a unique scent that smells different on everyone.

9. Escentric Molecules Molecule 01

Escentric Molecules' Molecule 01 has been popular among understated perfume lovers for a while now. It's only note Iso E Super is often found in soaps and shower gels due to its ability to enhance and improve your natural scent. And it's not just me who loves it, in fact, almost all of my fellow Who What Wear UK editors own and use this fragrance.

Shop More Soapy Perfumes I Love: