If you’ve ever spritzed a perfume and thought, Love it… but wish it felt a bit more me, welcome to the wonderfully fun world of scent layering. It’s the fragrance equivalent of mixing jewellery metals or pairing the perfect blazer with your favourite jeans — intuitive, personal and surprisingly addictive once you start.
And truly, who better to talk to about it than Jo Malone London, the brand that pioneered the modern art of fragrance combining long before it became a TikTok hobby? Their entire fragrance philosophy is built around simplicity, craftsmanship and playful self-expression — scents designed not just to stand alone, but to dance together. So, naturally, we went straight to the source.
We spoke to Sarah-Louise Jacob, Education Manager for Jo Malone London, to decode what scent layering actually is, how to do it properly and why it’s the easiest way to upgrade your everyday spritz.
“Our timeless colognes are stunningly simple, carefully crafted and made to combine to create a personal scented signature,” she explains. And that’s the heart of scent layering: taking two or more fragrances and blending them on your skin to create something that nobody else on earth is wearing.
So, what is scent layering?
At its core, scent layering is simply combining fragrances (or fragrance-infused body products) to customise the final result. It’s less chemistry set, more joyful extension of your personality.
Jo Malone London fragrances are intentionally crafted for this purpose — clean, elegant and built by master perfumers so notes don’t clash. Instead, they complement. They build. They surprise.
There are two main ways to experiment:
1. Layer across products
Start with a Body & Hand Wash, follow with a Body Crème, and finish with a different Cologne. This amps up longevity — hydrated skin keeps fragrance longer — and creates a subtle but distinctive “cocktail” of scents.
2. Double the spritz
Spray one fragrance first as your base, then layer another over top. “My tip would be spray on the deeper scent first and then spray the lighter scent on after with a 2:1 ratio,” says Sarah-Louise.
This approach gives you endless freedom to brighten, soften, deepen or completely transform a scent depending on your mood.
“The beauty of layering is that there’s no right or wrong combination — it’s about personal expression,” she adds. “It’s about a mood. It’s about the seasons. It’s about play.”
Why layer at all?
Because it makes your fragrance feel undeniably yours. Layering lets you:
- craft a scent that’s one-of-a-kind
- shift your fragrance for different seasons and occasions
- add depth and dimension
- boost longevity (hydrated skin = fragrance that lasts).
Jo Malone London’s tried-and-true pairings
Sarah-Louise let us in on a few of her favourites scent combinations:
- Myrrh & Tonka + Poppy & Barley: Warm, sensual, grounded — with a juicy blackcurrant spark.
- Wood Sage & Sea Salt + English Pear & Freesia: Airy, fresh pears with that signature sea-salt breeziness.
- Grapefruit + Wild Bluebell: Bright, green, playful — almost like a “just-showered” filter.
- Myrrh & Tonka + Dark Amber & Ginger Lily: Creamy vanilla-lavender depth meets sensual amber spice. Very “romantic dinner, dim lighting, mysterious glances”.
Whether you’re a fragrance minimalist or the kind of person who owns an entire shelf of pretty bottles, scent layering is the simplest way to upgrade your perfume routine. And if Jo Malone London says there are no rules? We’re happily following that lead.
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
