The Solid Perfume Trend Is a Renaissance-Coded Call for Longer-Lasting Fragrance
A chic swipe to stay scented for hours.
Beauty loves a comeback—look at the resurgence of bar soap, the return of artisanal hair brushes, and the way gua shas and jade rollers—two traditional Chinese medicine techniques—have worked their way into everyone's routine. Now, perfume is getting in on the nostalgia. While fragrance houses have been busy experimenting with AI-generated scents (look to brands like Future Society that reverse engineer the smell of extinct flowers) and even edible perfumes, they're shifting their focus to something much older: solid perfumes, which date back to ancient Egypt around 3000 BCE.
Unlike traditional spray perfumes, solid fragrances are wax-based, meaning they're easy to travel with and more discreet to apply, explains fragrance expert Kudzi Chikumbu. But the best part? Solid perfumes are touted as longer-lasting alternatives to their classic liquid counterparts due to the slower rate of formula evaporation and the more potent concentration of fragrance.
While the concept may be ancient, today's formulas feel fresh, thanks to their sleek, cool packaging and skin-friendly ingredients. Whether you're drawn to the aesthetic and nostalgia, or just looking for a convenient, easy way to re-apply your signature scent, mark my words: the solid perfume trend is the next big beauty moment.
Keep reading for how solid perfumes work and my favorite products to hit the market.
Does a Solid or Liquid Perfume Last Longer?
A solid perfume can last longer than a traditional eau de parfum or body mist. The reasoning is that "with a solid perfume, the carrier is generally wax, which allows for slower diffusion," Chikumbu says. This can make it feel like the scent lingers longer, though its staying power "ultimately depends on the fragrance oil percentage."
Because solid perfumes are applied directly to the skin, they also react to body heat, which helps them melt and gradually release the scent throughout the day. To use a solid perfume, just swipe a little onto your pulse points—wrists, neck, behind the ears—and let it do its thing.
Shop the Best Solid Perfumes
I'm obsessed with a rose scent, but not one you'd find in your grandmother's perfume collection. Diptyque does it right with its fruity, floral profile that smells like real roses and is balanced out with fresher notes. Bonus: The luxe packaging is also refillable, offering a sustainable, cost-friendly way to get in on the trend.
Chikumbu is a fan of the NOYZ solid perfumes that he says came out last year and "developed a lot of fan-fare." I'm personally obsessed with the scent, Unmute, which has a warm vanilla amber profile and contains moisturizing squalane for the ultimate sensorial experience.
If you’re obsessed with the warm, slightly spicy aroma of Fenty’s signature Eau de Parfum like me, you’ll love this purse-size solid formula. The geometric design lends to its chic aesthetic, and the velvety balm melts into your skin upon application.
Another favorite of Chikumbu's is the Glossier You, as he notes that he can layer it with anything. It's a solid version of the famous You spray that was launched a few years back and has become a cult favorite across the beauty industry. The profile is marketed as a 'skin scent enhancer', and is designed to work with each wearer's unique scent chemistry alongside notes of pink pepper, iris, ambrette seeds, and ambrox.
This iconic fragrance is my go-to spring scent, and now it’s perfectly bottled up in an on-the-go design. The top note of pear blends beautifully with the heart of freesia and base of patchouli, creating a well-rounded, clean fragrance.
A favorite of Beauty Director Hannah Baxter's in the scent Thousand Palms, this solid perfume delivers on longevity and aesthetic.
Unlike the rest of the wax-based perfumes on this list, this one is a bit different thanks to its gel-like texture that feels super lightweight and not at all greasy on my skin. Though all of Longtake's perfumes have a lovely scent, the Basil and Vetiver is my favorite thanks to its herbal aroma that doesn't smell at all medicinal.
An iconic spring perfume, Miss Dior is a refreshingly bright floral-meets-fruity scent. While I find that the traditional eau de parfum spray leans more jasmine, this solid fragrance actually settles a bit more woody on my skin. If I’m really looking to double down: I’ll layer them both.
Clean beauty and wellness brand Sidia dropped one of my favorite solid perfumes that has a warm, musky scent that's not at all overpowering. It's also filled with jojoba and fruit oils for a super silky, moisturizing application.
One of Chikumbu’s favorite products on the solid perfume market is this stunning refillable design from Next Memory that can be customized with your initials. Choose from a variety of scents, all formulated with a moisturizing blend of shea butter and skin-conditioning vitamin E.
Meet the Expert
Sir Candle Man is the world's No. 1 home fragrance and candle creator, personality, author, brand consultant and curator with a mission to illuminate the world with scent, style and inspiration. A trailblazer with over 400K followers, Sir Candle Man is a curator of exquisite perfumes and candles and a connoisseur of travel and home decor, bringing elegance, scent, and style to every aspect of life. He has collaborated with many iconic brands like CHANEL, Target, and Walmart, wrote a warmly received book, "LET IT BURN" and created a candle with LAFCO which Forbes recognized as one of the best-smelling scents of 2023. Sir Candle Man has been featured in The Hollywood Reporter, NY Mag, House Beautiful, The Drew Barrymore Show, and GMA.com
