In keeping with Pride Month and smelling good, let’s talk about seven of my favorite LGBTQ+ owned fragrance brands. Because smelling hot is non-negotiable. Plus, some of my picks from the brands — from someone very dedicated to being hot, smelling good, and being just the right amount of financially irresponsible when it comes to fragrance.
If you’re looking for some of my favorite fruity (yeah, that kinda fruity) fragrance recommendations, feel free to check out this article. Alternatively, if you’re looking for some LGBTQ+ owned candle and home scent brands, feel free to check out this article. And lastly (shameless plug), if you're a kinky little freak, check out this guide matching fetishes with fragrances.
Happy Pride, babes.
Arquiste
Arquiste is one of my favorite fragrance brands. I really appreciate their inspiration for each scent — they often draw from different periods of time and create a story around it. A lot of their fragrances have a nice projection but generally wear a little closer to the skin. That said, all of the fragrances are exceptional quality, elevated, and a little escapist — in a good way.
As for my personal favorites, I really favor The Architect’s Club, a soft vanilla-woodsy scent with notes of bitter orange, cardamom, cedarwood, and vetiver. I also really enjoy Flor y Canto, a warm white floral fragrance with notes of tuberose, marigold, and vanilla bean, among others. There’s something very meditative and transformative about it. It’s incredibly versatile. I’m also dying to try A Grove by the Sea, modeled after a Mediterranean olive grove — it’s got fig and other herbs that keep it really interesting. I recommend checking out Ministry of Scent for some samples.
Treading Water Perfume
I really appreciate how unique — and quite frankly, curt — Treading Water is. It’s experimental in a way that grows on you over time. I find their fragrances extremely affordable, yet they don’t sacrifice quality. They also have a strong commitment to art and unique packaging, as their founder, Hayden, has a background in design. I think their scents project very well and last a good 8+ hours.
The real standouts for me are The Observer (violet, incense, black pepper, vanilla, oakmoss, sandalwood) and Morosexual (tobacco, vanilla, patchouli, jasmine, star anise, nutmeg). Although honestly, I think Déchets is the epitome of a truly raunchy, dominant, badass femme. It’s got notes of jasmine, tuberose, angelica root, saffron, and cardamom. A very dangerous white floral — absolutely lethal. The kind to make you fall hard and fast.
D.S. & Durga
D.S. & Durga makes complicated fragrances for nuanced people — people with a clear perspective and a commitment to being compelling. I also really value how the brand continues to explore and evolve. I have a number of scents from them and find that their projection and longevity are wonderful. Depending on the scent, I can get about six hours before it tapers into something much closer-wearing.
My personal favorite is Coriander — it’s so versatile. I love it for days when I just want to smell good but not fussy. Black Magenta (amber, tobacco, orange, black pepper) is perfect for late fall evenings and dates. I also reach for Italian Citrus (lemon, orange, oakmoss, and incense) quite a bit in the summer. It’s fresh and sophisticated. Lastly, I love their collaboration with the Carlyle Hotel — so luxe. Notes of moss, rose, neroli, and sandalwood make it feel authentically lived-in yet elevated. I love it for a nice afternoon lunch with friends. Very stimulating.
House of Bō
One of my favorite timelessly elevated, luxurious, yet deeply grounded fragrance brands. They make some really beautiful bottles, they’ll look absolutely lovely on a vanity. Each cap is marble stone, hand-sculpted by local Mexican artisans.
Founded by Bernardo Möller, the line focuses on gender-neutral fragrances featuring raw and locally sourced natural ingredients. I find the projection really nice — I always get compliments when I wear them. And I do love compliments.
I really enjoy INFINITOUD, an oud that makes me feel effortlessly chic and rather powerful, it’s very warm. I also really enjoy AGUA DE SANTOS — it’s much more meditative. I smell it and get a full-body feeling I can’t fully describe. It has notes of lavender, thyme, kumquat, vetiver, and neroli. I’m also dying to try ESPÍRITU, a woody musk with sage, leather, rose, and tobacco leaves.
Fantôme
For the babes with a deep desire to be led by the moon — Fantôme is for you. It’s whimsical, very much of the occult. Made with sustainably sourced, high-quality ingredients and produced in small batches. I’m very intrigued by the mystery of this brand. Wonderful for summoning Aphrodite or cruising at a bar.
I quite favor Faun in the warmer months — neroli, grapefruit, and iris, with some amber and vetiver in there. It’s versatile and would do wonders for browsing bookstores and gourmet little markets. Arashiyama is also really interesting, with notes of pear, cherry blossom, white tea, and ginger. It’s very clean and could work well in an office setting. I also suggest checking out some of their more occult-inspired scents like Vassago.
Malin + Goetz
Malin + Goetz has a bunch of different products — candles, skincare — there’s quite a lot of good in there. A lot of their scents are great for layering and very to the point, which I think works when you just want to smell good without overthinking it. They use cruelty-free ingredients, and all their scents are gender-neutral.
I really enjoy Dark Rum — it’s warm, boozy, and very cozy. Good for a makeout session at the bar. I love it year-round but especially with a cashmere turtleneck. Their Cannabis scent, while not really my thing, is very popular. It’s got bergamot, black pepper, and orange up top; a middle of cannabis accord, muguet, and magnolia; and a base of cedarwood, patchouli, sandalwood, amber, and musk. It’s earthy — think Virgo.
Snif
I think Snif is a really good intro to fragrance. They have a lot of crowd-pleasers and are great for experimenting. They serve a time and place, and I really appreciate the brand’s commitment to affordability and making something for everyone.
Now, I’ll admit I’m very partial to any fig scent, so I really enjoy Vow Factor, which has notes of ambrette seeds, fig, cedarwood, and rose. They also have quite a few gourmands like Tarte Deco (cherry) and House of 8 (chocolate with a smoked element), but they’ve also got a good range of floral and green scents. I find a lot of their fragrances lean toward the warmer months.
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