Commandeer Everyone's Attention With a "Beast Mode" Perfume
TikTok’s latest obsession is not for the faint of heart.
Have you ever been at dinner or on the subway when suddenly your attention—or rather, your nose—is drawn elsewhere? There’s a strong aura of vanilla or rose in the air, and you find yourself craning your neck, hoping to catch a glimpse of the bold, improbably chic woman who commandeered your thoughts with just her luxurious scent. But she’s nowhere to be found. That’s because she hasn’t yet entered the room—only her fragrance has.
Scroll for any amount of time on TikTok and you’ll likely come across creators raving about these loud, attention-grabbing scents. Only they refer to them by a different name: “beast mode” perfumes. In a video viewed over 800,000 times, fragrance reviewer Mae West shows off her “long-lasting perfumes with beast mode projection.” Scent Takes, a popular fragrance creator, raked in 2.5 million views on a video about her favorite long-lasting fragrances.
The descriptor, coined by Marshawn Lynch, used to be in the vernacular of jocks and finance bros, but clearly it's struck a chord among fragrance-loving women. Just look at the FemFragLab Reddit board, which has several posts dedicated to the topic. One user posted, "What are your most beast mode fragrances?" calling specifically for "long-lasting, great projection" scents. Another popular post asked for "beast mode vanilla fragrance" recommendations. These long-lasting, powerful perfumes are shaping up to be one of the biggest fragrance trends within the scent-obsessed community.
Not just any fragrance can be considered beast mode (dousing yourself in your regular perfume will only make it run out quicker!). "'Beast mode' refers to the projection and strength of a perfume’s sillage (the scent that radiates from the wearer)," explains Sable Yong, a beauty writer and co-host of the Smell Ya Later podcast. These popular scents typically share higher-than-average concentrations of perfume oils and heavy base notes (as for the specific concentrations and base notes, more on that later). You might’ve guessed it with a moniker like “beast mode,” but these fragrances are not for shy olfactory personalities, instead geared toward those who want all eyes on them without having to say a word.
"Basically, it’s a perfume that has a wide and inescapable reach—it makes a scent into a stench," adds Yong.
While potent fragrances aren’t anything new, the events of the last few years (the pandemic ring a bell?) may have something to do with their rise. According to Guerlain perfumer Delphine Jelk, the fragrance trend may have cropped up thanks to the effects of COVID-19. “Some people who got sick and lost the sense of smell, they got depressed, and so they noticed how important this is for your mental health to smell,” she explains. The pandemic subsequently sent consumers on a fragrance-buying frenzy: perfume sales were up 45 percent in the first quarter of 2021 versus the year prior, according to Business Insider. Essentially, consumers wanted to smell, and smell a lot, post-pandemic.
It’s a perfume that has a wide and inescapable reach—it makes a scent into a stench.
Needless to say, the current economic environment is in play, too. Demi Rawling, content creator and co-founder of the fragrance discovery app Sniff, says global tariffs and increased costs of goods may also have customers longing for stronger scents. “People want more bang for their buck,” she says.
Some of the most popular beast mode perfume recommendations may cost upwards of $300 (and in some cases, even $600), but when you only need one spray to smell amazing all day long, you’re getting a much better cost per wear than a perfume that requires multiple sprays or reapplication. "Perfume is an expensive, luxury category, so people want to feel like they’re getting their money’s worth," agrees Yong. "A perfume that can’t be smelled an hour after applying seems like a poor investment."
Rawling also believes that the social media landscape, which she says heavily favors compliments and virality, has contributed to beast mode fragrances taking off. “A lot of people tend to choose fragrances based off of what is going to get complimented. They’re not necessarily choosing a fragrance because it’s something that they really love themselves,” she explains. Beast mode scents are inherently difficult to ignore due to their strength, so you’re more likely to get a compliment from a stranger on the street than when you’re wearing a demure light fragrance.
Finding a beast mode fragrance isn’t as simple as pursuing the Sephora fragrance aisle and looking for a perfume labeled as “long-lasting.” That’s because how long a fragrance lasts and its strength isn’t a cut-and-dry formula. “There are many factors that make a fragrance last longer, for instance, the choice of ingredients, or a perfume’s concentration, but also how it is composed technically,” says Aurélien Guichard, creative perfumer and co-founder of Matière Premiere.
To spot a likely beast mode scent, take a look at its composition. In a nutshell, fragrance is composed of top, middle (or “heart”), and base (or “bottom”) notes. Base notes are where you’ll see a common thread among long-lasting fragrances. “If you want a fragrance to last long, you need to have a lot of bottom notes,” says Jelk. Base notes are heavy molecules, so they'll stay on your skin and clothes for many days. Guichard says to look out for base notes like vanilla, incense, styrax, myrrh, sandalwood, or patchouli. Rawling adds oud, tobacco, musk, and honey to the list. "The more of these earthy, rich base notes in a perfume, the more likely the fragrance is to be long-lasting and have projection," says Yong. Fragrances with a concoction of these base notes, such as the TikTok-viral blend of vanilla, honey, and musk, Giardini di Toscana Bianco Latte, can last on the skin for 12 hours or more.
You'll also likely find a beast mode perfume in a highly concentrated fragrance. A typical perfume will have anywhere from 15 to 20 percent concentration of perfume oils (colognes and eau de toilettes have an even lower concentration, at two to 15 percent). However, a scent labeled as “parfum,” “extrait,” or “absolu” will have a much higher concentration at over 20 percent. Matière Premiere’s eau de parfums, for example, have an average perfume concentration of 20 percent, whereas the brand’s recently launched extrait collection has an average concentration of 30 percent, so you can expect the latter to pack a mightier punch. When you find a fragrance that not only has a high perfume oil concentration but is packed with heavy base notes, you have a beast mode scent on your hands.
If you want to be known as the main attraction, going “beast mode” with your fragrance is the surest way to command attention. To help you find a scent that will announce your arrival, I’m sharing the most nuclear perfumes worth adding to your collection. Many of the below are new beauty launches from over the last year, proving brands have been meeting consumers’ demand for stronger perfumes with higher concentrated formulas.
Vanilla "Beast Mode" Perfumes
The name on every fragrance TikToker's lips, Bianco Latte is a vanilla perfume lover's dream. This confectionary delight of caramel ribbons, syrupy honey, and vanilla sits on a cloud of white musk that lasts for well over eight hours.
Those wanting a more sensual take on YSL's iconic Libre can find it in the Intense version. It features the line's signature orange blossom and lavender, with a warm, sensual vanilla bourbon essence specially crafted for the house.
Aptly named, Followed is designed to leave a trail of admirers lusting after you. Coffee and chocolate provide an energetic burst of fragrance before sweet caramel and vanilla leave you in a warm, comforting embrace.
Vanilla is pushed to its limits in this extract (which boasts a 30 percent concentration). Some reviewers have called this the "holy grail" of vanillas as it's not too sweet, warm, or spicy, striking the perfect balance between all three.
As the name and bottle suggest, you can expect a heady floral explosion of jasmine, rose, and orange blossom from this new, more intense version of Viktor&Rolf's most iconic fragrance. It's grounded by vanilla bean extract for a sweet, ultra-feminine blend.
Sandalwood "Beast Mode" Perfumes
Matière Premiere combines one natural ingredient at its highest dosage with a few carefully chosen complementary notes to create its blends. In Santal Austal Extrait, Guichard added black cardamom absolute Nepal, exclusively developed for the brand, to take the spicy, vibrant intensity of sandalwood to new heights.
Ask any beauty editor, and they'll tell you Amouage Guidance ranks high on their lists of best fragrances of all time. The new extrait version holds a staggering 46 percent fragrance oil concentration, and it shows in its 12-hour wear.
Valaya was already a show-stopping fragrance, but this flanker is even more so with the additional intensity of creamy almond. Warm, powdery notes blend with the floral, woody makeup you know and love, resulting in a blend that's pure sophistication for hours on end.
When I think of "beast mode" fragrances, Kilian Paris is a brand my mind immediately goes to. Its latest release, a raspberry liquor-infused Angel Share flanker, is a two-spray max and one I reserve exclusively for date nights due to its amount of sex appeal.
Honeyed flowers unfurling in the evening heat; drinking lychee juice out of a wooden cup; walking on a beach under moonlight—these are the settings this ethereal fruity fragrance evokes. A hinoki and sandalwood base keeps this scent grounded and from crossing over into sickly sweet territory.
Amber 'Beast Mode' Perfumes
Commodity fragrances allow you to pick and choose how strong you want your scent to project. With its Bold line, scents are designed to be noticed. Toasted marshmallows over an open fire paint the warm, woodsy portrait that is Milk+ Bold.
Often imitated but never duped, this scent has fragrance reviewers gripped, despite its high price point. The mix of amber, dried fruit, tobacco, and wood notes is majestic enough that I wouldn't be surprised to hear real-life royals are fans.
To celebrate Gabrielle Chanel's astrology sign, Leo, Chanel created a fragrance that fully embodies the spirit of a lion. Amber, leather, patchouli, and vanilla make for a majestic, carnal scent. It comes with the stamp of approval of Rawling, who says it's "very strong, very rich, and very balsamic."
Mancera is a brand that constantly comes up in the "beast mode" fragrance conversation, and it seems the brand doesn't mind one bit. Intense Red Tobacco is Mancera's self-described "beast mode" fragrance with a thick, dense, leathery accord.
If you thought jasmine perfumes were grandmotherly, think again. In Paradoxe Intense, white florals amp up the sensuality, while moss and amber provide depth. It's a sweet fragrance you'll have a hard time finding anyone not a fan of.
Musk "Beast Mode" Perfumes'
This citrus perfume packs a mighty punch of orange, lemon, bergamot, and Mediterranean fruit for up to 10 hours on skin. Its heavy musky base, complemented by amber and vanilla, is the secret behind its intense lasting power.
As if Mojave Ghost couldn't get any better, Byredo boosted the intensity of violet and magnolia to create a powdery floral masterpiece. Fans of the original will love that one or two sprays of the absolu version will last you well through the night. I know I do.
A couple of sprays of this perfume will have you smelling like you just stepped out of the shower, and the effect lasts until you actually do a quick rinse. An overdose of white and pink musk creates an uplifting, velvety blend. Think of it as a mood booster in a bottle.
Cosmic Cowboy is a musk fragrance through and through, but don't let that sway you into thinking it doesn't have projecting power. Imagine a club on L.A.'s Sunset Strip in the '70s—you get all of that boozy smokiness in this blend full of whiskey, tobacco leaf, black musk, and suede.
Before cherry perfumes were a trend, Creed created this head-turning fragrance. Its base of myrrh, frankincense, amber, and musk creates a warm, captivating trail that will have others chasing you down to ask what you're wearing.
Oud "Beast Mode" Perfumes
Another TikTok favorite, this violet, rose, and oud blend is said to be so potent that you will have to shower it off. Two sprays are all you need to be surrounded by a floral cloud of elegance.
One of Rawling's favorite "beast mode" perfumes is a sweet floral blend from Lancôme. Oud Bouquet combines the richness of oud wood with gourmand vanilla and praline, and a touch of soft rose for a scent Rawling describes as "very sweet, very dense, and absolutely delicious."
In a tribute to love and romance, The Moon is a masterful blend of fruits, rose, leather, and oud that unfolds with every hour of wear. Take a look at reviews and you'll see words like "opulent," "rich," and "triumph" thrown around quite a bit.
Look up "beast mode" perfumes and you'll get several Montale recommendations, but the consensus among fans is that Arabians Tonka is the brand's most nuclear scent. Designed to entice lovers of rare perfumes, it leaves an intoxicating trail of Eastern ingredients including saffron, oud, tonka bean, rose, and amber.
All eyes (and noses) will be on you whenever you wear this swanky oud-forward fragrance. With a staggering 60 percent concentration of fragrance oil—the highest on this list—this scent from Born to Stand Out's Extreme Extrait collection is sure to turn heads with its potent smokey blend of oud, patchouli, cypriol, and akigalawood.
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