Solid perfumes are exactly what you would imagine them to be: congealed and creamy wax-based formulas infused with your favorite fragrances. While the idea of solid perfume is nothing new, we're seeing more beauty brands incorporate solid fragrance options into their product lineups, like Fenty Beauty's recent launch of the Fenty Eau de Parfum in solid form. A quick search for solid perfume on TikTok also reveals the accepted-yet-debatable characteristics of these products, such as extended wear time compared to their liquid counterparts.
Why try a solid perfume? Below, we're diving into the world of solid perfumes and addressing the five Ws and one H of one of the biggest fragrance trends with helpful input provided by one of the industry's leading experts. Take notes—you may end up finding your perfect solid-scent match.
The Best Solid Perfumes, Listed
- Diptyque 34 Boulevard Saint Germain Solid Perfume
- Noyz The Solid Fragrance Pair
- Fenty Beauty Fenty Eau de Parfum Solid Perfume
- A'ddict Solid Perfume in Naked Tuberose 420
- Heretic Parfum Amber Butter
- Earth Tu Face Geranium + Vetiver Botanical Perfume
- Sabé Masson Zazou Stick of Skincare Solid Perfume
- Commune Seymour Solid Perfume
- Fulton & Roark Palmetto Solid Fragrance
- Lush Rose Jam Solid Perfume
- Glossier Glossier You Solid Perfume
- Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia Scent to Go
1. Diptyque 34 Boulevard Saint Germain Solid Perfume
Fragrance Type: warm florals
Key Notes: amber/patchouli accord, rose, cinnamon, black currant buds
We highly recommend this solid version of one of our all-time favorite fragrances from Diptyque that is juicy, warm, and a little bit spicy. For long-lasting wear, the brand recommends you apply it on your main pulse points: wrists, neck, behind the ear, décolleté, inside the elbows, behind the knees, etc. It's also refillable, making it one of the most sustainable options in this edit.
2. Noyz The Solid Fragrance Pair
Fragrance Type: Unmute: spiced gourmands; Love Club: fruity florals
Key Notes: Unmute: black plum, clary sage, cinnamon, cashmere woods, incense, vanilla, amber; Love Club: saffron, pepper, mandarin, leather, rose, patchouli
This limited-edition set by Noyz offers its wearer two of the brand's scents—Unmute and Love Club—in an alcohol-free formula that melts with the warmth of your skin, releasing long-lasting scent throughout the day. Both fragrances come in a refillable, minimalistic case that can be tucked away in a bag for easy access.
3. Fenty Fenty Eau de Parfum Solid Perfume
Fragrance Type: warm florals
Key Notes: magnolia, musk, Bulgarian rose, tangerine, patchouli
When Fenty Beauty launched its first fragrance last summer, I fell in love with its powdery-fresh and warm scent profile. Created in partnership with perfumer Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud in the heart of Grasse, France, this solid perfume balances spicy, zesty, and sweet and layers beautifully with other fragrances.
4. A'ddict Solid Perfume in Naked Tuberose 420
Fragrance Type: warm florals
Key Notes: white florals, vanilla, amber
Your hunt for the perfect soft and subtle fragrance is over. A'ddict offers an extensive line of solid perfumes with formulas similar to lightweight lotions, including its delicate Naked Tuberose 420 scent. This nontoxic, alcohol-free solid perfume melts into the skin, leaving behind a long-lasting scent that lingers wherever you go.
5. Heretic Parfum Amber Butter
Fragrance Type: warm amber
Key Notes: bergamot, geranium, frankincense, amyris, elemi, cistus, tonka bean, vanilla, labdanum, cypress, patchouli, guaciawood, fossilized amber
Some solid perfumes, like Heretic Parfum's Amber Butter, come in a balm-like formula. This rich, buttery perfume is crafted using fossilized amber oil blended with cistus and elemi. All of the brand's perfume butters use a 25% concentration of pure essential oils, absolutes, concentrates, and waxes.
6. Earth Tu Face Geranium + Vetiver Botanical Perfume
Fragrance Type: aromatic woods
Key Notes: geranium, vetiver, ylang-ylang, lavender, and patchouli
As if the stunning seashell compact wasn't enough to get you to pull out your credit card, this organic, botanical-based fragrance will seal the deal. The brand makes multiple scents, but this is our favorite floral profile. In fact, the ingredients are so healing you can dab it on as an impromptu scar treatment.
7. Sabé Masson Zazou Stick of Skincare Solid Perfume
Fragrance Type: fruity floral
Key Notes: citrus, lemon, grapefruit, neroli, cypress, orange blossom, cedarwood, musk, amber
If you like multitasking products, you'll love Sabé Masson's Stick of Skincare Solid Perfume. It's made from a nourishing mixture of natural oils and waxes blended with the essential waxes of clary sage and blue lotus for a product that not only delivers moisture to the skin but also scents it.
8. Commune Seymour Solid Perfume
Fragrance Type: citrus woods
Key Notes: grapefruit, lemongrass, geranium, clary sage, lavender, galbanum, hiba wood, cypress
Inspired by the the lush landscapes of Somerset, Commune's Seymour Solid Perfume is crafted with potent botanicals, offering a citrus-soaked, woody scent. Made in the U.K., this solid perfume is 100% natural and alcohol-free and comes in a personalizable perfume compact.
9. Fulton & Roark Palmetto Solid Fragrance
Fragrance Type: woody citrus
Key Notes: pink pepper, grapefruit, magnolia flower, neroli, cedarwood, incense
Fulton & Roark is a treasure trove for solid fragrances, but of the 16 amazing scents currently offered on its website, Palmetto is the perfume that stands out to us the most. A complex blend of Brazilian pepper, cedarwood, and magnolia, this scent is clean and citrusy, but it is also brimming with warm notes.
10. Lush Rose Jam Solid Perfume
Fragrance Type: classic floral
Key Notes: rose absolute, lemon, geranium
Lush has a number of sleeper-hit solid perfumes that deserve more love. One of our favorite fragrances, Rose Jam—which is infused with Pakistani rose absolute, rose oil, zingy lemon, and geranium oil—has had a long legacy with the brand, so it should be no surprise that we love wearing it in a solid perfume.
11. Glossier Glossier You Solid Perfume
Fragrance Type: sheer spices
Key Notes: pink pepper, iris, ambrox
This wouldn't be a fragrance roundup without at least one mention of an intoxicating Glossier fragrance. The Glossier You Solid Perfume features an alcohol-free, anhydrous wax base that that melts into the skin, leaving a warm, sheer scent in its wake. It feels exactly like being enveloped by your favorite cashmere sweater.
12. Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia Scent to Go
Fragrance Type: fruity florals
Key Notes: King William pear, freesia, patchouli, amber, woods
Pear is a perfume note that's often overlooked but adds the perfect pulpy sweetness that can round out a scent and make it extremely unique. The English Pear & Freesia Scent to Go plays up the just-ripe pear and white freesia in a new lightweight and portable design.
Does solid or spray perfume last longer?
Haisam Mohammed, founder and creative director at Swedish fragrance house Unifrom, tell us solid perfumes earned their reputation of being long-lasting because they use less alcohol than spray fragrances and are less volatile. This means that the scent develops more slowly and lingers a little longer with the wax base, lasting between three to six hours on the skin. "Sprays can give you that big, instant burst of scent, but they also tend to evaporate faster due to the alcohol," he says. "With solids, the scent stays closer to you, almost like a private whisper, which makes it perfect if you prefer something a bit more discreet and personal."
How should solid perfume be applied?
Getting the most out of your solid perfume is all about choosing smart places to apply the product. According to Mohammed, "you simply rub your finger over the perfume to warm it up and dab it onto your pulse points—wrists, neck, behind the ear." These areas naturally warm the fragrance, helping it unfold throughout the day. Mohammed describes these unique placements as a "tactile, intentional way of wearing a scent" because the experience of applying product feels so personal to its wearer.
Are there any disadvantages to using solid perfume?
Solid perfume definitely sounds like an easy solution to making fragrance last all day, but it also has limitations. Because solid perfumes are wax based, they melt when exposed to hot climates. Once they cool, these perfumes will return to a solid form without a change in fragrance. "Solid perfumes don't have the same projection or silage as sprays. While a spray can fill a room, a solid perfume is more subtle, staying closer to your skin for a more intimate experience," Mohammed explains.
Not convinced solid perfume has more pros than cons? In 2023, Unifrom released a limited-edition solid perfume, which sold out within days of the product's launch. "We honestly didn't expect such a reaction, and even now, people are still asking when we'll restock them. That's why we've decided to not only bring them back but also improve the formula and redesign the packaging," says Mohammed. You can expect to see the scent make a return with an improved formula and package redesign inspired by how frequently consumers reapplied the product and enjoyed displaying it. The proof is in the numbers!
