Looking for the best goth fragrances to wear this Halloween and beyond? You're in the right place, babe. It's always a little bit moody in my house, but in an attempt to appease the SEO gods and the algorithm, I'm making a little list of some of my all-time favorite dark, romantic, and downright vampiric perfumes. Now of course, there's no one definitive goth scent, but rather this is a collection that I identify with, and for my version of goth really evokes something. So there's a bit of everything, from haunting woodsy scents to dark roses that feel like a scene from Queen of the Damned, to something a little bloody.
If you enjoy this, might I suggest my "Fetish as Fragrance" (for the goth freaks), or my perfume pairing with all of Nine Inch Nails' discography.
At any rate, happy smelling babes.
Blood Berry by Heretic
Now of course I had to start with perhaps the most goth perfume brand on the market, or at least the most embracing of goth culture. Heretic has countless scents that could essentially make the goth cut, from Poltergeist to Nosferatu or one of my brand favorites, Coeur Noir. But Blood Berry is different. It's the fragrance of Queen of the Damned, specifically the scene of the rose petal bath between Lestat and Queen Akasha. It's a dark romantic goth fragrance that lingers. I love wearing it while wearing crushed velvet or listening to H.I.M.
Now while it may be called Blood Berry, it's far more of a rose scent to me, with hints of raspberry. Its notes include raspberry, damask rose, black currant buds, grapefruit, bergamot, and geranium. It starts very fresh, but after about 15 minutes it develops into a wet rose with light notes of berry. So as you can see, it's primarily why it reminds me so much of petals on water. It's got a nice wear time at about five hours, and a fairly decent projection.
Buio by Meo Fusciuni
I also think Meo Fusciuni is an incredibly goth brand, but far more sinister and brooding—the decaying death kind of goth. Buio (which translates to "dark" in Italian) is certainly that. It's an insomniac madness, or perhaps "trapped inside a coffin" would be a better analogy? I would say experience this with caution; it's incredibly polarizing and nuanced. It's also incredibly strong—its projection is pretty potent.
Its notes include cade, carrot seeds, frankincense, osmanthus, peony, labdanum absolute, amber, vetiver, patchouli, cedarwood, musk, leather, and sandalwood. It starts heavy on the cade oil, and eventually goes into a leathery woody place, with some pops of patchouli and peony slightly livening it up and bringing it a little more earthy. Sample here.
Tears by Regime des Fleurs
I had to put this on the list because this is my personal fragrance I wear in the warmer months when I want to feel very connected to my torturous goth side. I love it for when I want to feel powerful, perhaps mostly because I find its name "Tears" to be quite fitting. But these are the tears of someone else. Likely someone you've trapped in your web.
It feels approachable at first, something you can dip your toes into, and then it consumes you—which is actually how I love to have people feel about me. Its notes include musk, ambergris, lilac, orris, olibanum, mandarin, orange flower, pink pepper, and green cognac. It is rather floral, very dominant lilac that does have hints of feeling dewy and green. I think the cognac also helps it from feeling too much like a flower bomb; it's where that sticky trap comes in. It does have a pretty lovely wear time of about 6 to 7 hours on skin, although I can usually smell it on my clothes I've worn the next day. Lovely when paired with a cashmere sweater. Sample here.
It's My Pyre by Treading Water Perfume
If you've ever wondered what a coven in the woods smells like at night, well lucky for you it's been bottled. This perfume features notes of cinnamon, black spruce, cypress, cold woods, and campfire. So there is this sort of smoky woodiness to it. The cinnamon pokes through and almost feels like some type of conjuring. Ideally I think this is something that could be really lovely in the colder months—the cinnamon can pull it a little fall/winter, and on the dry down comes through very predominantly. But I still think there's a very nice smokiness to it that keeps it from veering into gourmand territory. Overall a very lovely option for those who love to dance in the moonlight.
With the Candlestick by Clue Perfumery
This fragrance perfectly embodies an evening with a glamor witch. It's sultry and dangerous, deeply compelling, and rather nuanced. Its notes include cherry communion wine and cinnamon leaf in the top, labdanum, melted wax, and burning church incense in the middle, and extinguished candle and hot musk in the base.
For me it goes one of two ways depending on the season. Sometimes it feels very heavy on the cherry, coming across like a cherry waxy lipstick, but in an elevated way, mostly due to the cinnamon. I think cherry can sometimes go overboard in the artificial sense, but I don't think this goes there. Other times I get this very waxy cherrywood pew, like somewhat Catholic, eroticized Catholic guilt. Which tbh is kinda goth if you ask me. This is a really interesting option with great projection. Horny and sinister. Sample here.
Vassago by Fantôme
Wouldn't be goth without some blood. This fragrance is more medieval goth than like kinky bloody vampire goth. It's ominous and magical. Inspired by Prince Vassago, the third spirit of the Ars Goetia—a soft-spoken deity, he can reveal the past as well as the future and find things that are lost or intentionally hidden. He can teach advanced divination and has a deep connection to the tarot.
This fragrance features notes of clove, orange peel, red wine, blackberry, and a metallic blood accord. It's certainly something for worship.
Terroni by Orto Parisi
Keeping things sensual, but going a bit different—very much what the token goth at the strip club might wear, probably dancing to something horny like Deftones or "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails or something. It starts a bit sweet, but ends up going into a nice woody musk with hints of vanilla, and from time to time it almost gets a bit of a cigarette vibe to it. It isn't quite clean, but not quite dirty, just everything.
Its notes include raspberry, amber, birch, musk, vetiver, cedar, moss, tonka, and vanilla. Potent projection, perfect for catching your whale. Sample here.
Opus 1144 by Filippo Sorcinelli
For something completely different, something citrusy balanced with woods, look to Opus 1144. It's the Rick Owens kind of goth. Intentionally provocative, a bit of a showoff, and sure to get a second pass. It specifically reminds me of whatever situation Rick Owens and Tyrone Dylan seem to have when they vacation together.
Its notes include elemi, jasmine, bergamot, mandarin orange, iris, orchid, cashmere wood, musk, ambergris, vanilla, leather, sandalwood, benzoin, and styrax. It's very powdery to start, heavy on the cashmere and sandalwood, but eventually it livens up with some citrus and vanilla with some sensual smoke. Not quite what I'd expect—I've also smelled it on others and get much more leather notes, so I suppose it's just the luck of the draw.
Coven by Andrea Maack
Now I'm including this because the kitchen witches need something, and because I find this to be fresh and herbey. It feels so mossy and green, the actual embodiment of an earth witch. While it does start a bit woody, almost forest-like, after about 45 minutes it becomes almost like dried herbs.
Its notes include vanilla, whiskey, labdanum, cedarwood, oak moss, and clove. Naturally I do find the name lends itself quite well to the season, and could be perfect for someone who doesn't love something so heavy and on the nose.
Ink by Akro
If you're a goth that borders on punk, this might be your thing. Or if Suicide Girls are your thing, it's that too. Reminds me of screenprinting posters, definitely feels a bit like the squat house, but more elevated. There's almost this cold medicinal-ness to it—sometimes I've heard some people say it borders metallic. Not my experience.
Its notes include black ink, tar, vetiver, and jasmine. It's meant to smell like tattoo ink, which I suppose I could see, I'm not in the industry enough to know. Nice enough projection, and I got a few hours out of it.
Black Afgano by Nasomatto
This fragrance is the perfect embodiment of a corporate goth on the weekends. Probably on an edible, buying a $9 coffee, and then browsing an apothecary or vinyl store. Its notes include saffron, resins, coffee, tobacco, amber, incense, tonka, cedar, oud, musk, and amber. It's very lived in and authentic. I do wish that it lasted a bit longer—I got about 3 hours out of it, but I have found that it's pretty versatile, and the bottle and its contents are extremely goth. Sample here.
Dirty Milk by Born to Stand Out
Listen, this is very goth mommy milkers. It's creamy and sensual, the kind of sensuality only a goth femme can provide. It's also rather like an elevated skin scent. Its notes include milk, caramel, black pepper, condensed milk, cashmeran, iris, akigalawood, vanilla, musk, and tonka bean. It has this softness to it that is quite romantic and nurturing in its own essence. I do think this wears closer to your skin, but still lovely. Perfect for when you want to feel soft but make it goth.
Light by Neandertal
This fragrance is a very particular kind of goth. It's cold and metallic, borderline medical, like a clean sterile, very bright white room. So med play freaks, this will prob scratch some itches. On the flip side, it also feels like the embodiment of silver jewelry.
Its notes include violet leaf, hinoki wood, galbanum, and coriander in the top, metallic notes and orris root in the middle, and ambergris, leather, musk, patchouli, and cedar in the base. There's something that feels so alluring about the metallic note—comforting but dangerous at the same time. Very compelling.
So there you have it—my definitive guide to goth fragrances for Halloween and every moody day after. Whether you're drawn to bloody berry roses, witchy woods, or eroticized Catholic guilt (hot), there's something here for every shade of darkness.
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