Hair perfume probably hasn’t crossed your mind since the early 2000s – a Golden Age of fragrance when Britney Spears’ Fantasy and Victoria’s Secret body sprays dominated the scent scene.
Yet, the revival of hair perfume has boomed amongst Gen Z, as they continue to indulge in nostalgic beauty trends from the Nineties and Noughties.
“We first started seeing this trend of fragrance layering during the Noughties as a direct response to the perfume boom in the Nineties,” explains Milk & Blush‘s hair expert, Nicole Petty. “Body sprays became a big hit, so it’s only natural this evolved into hair mists to match.”
While Avril Lavigne highlights and frosted lips are yet to make a comeback, hair perfume is one of the fastest growing categories in the fragrance industry – partly thanks to its affordability in comparison to more concentrated eau de parfums.
Amidst a cost of living crisis, “One of the main reasons that hair perfumes are having a revival is because of their lower cost and the fact that hair can hold onto scent for a lot longer than it does on your skin,” explains fragrance expert Ant Robinson from Half Price Perfumes.
“Your hair acts as a natural carrier of fragrance, which releases scent throughout the day as you move around,” says Robinson.
“Hair perfume can also help to revitalise your hair in between washes, which provides a burst of freshness for those who try not to wash their hair on a daily basis.”
Unlike regular perfume, hair perfume contains far less alcohol (which is drying and damaging to the hair) whilst also including UV protection and oils such as vitamin E to treat the hair whilst making it smell wonderful.
“We are very much in the era of self-care,” explains Cosmetify’s beauty editor, Maria Mukaranda, “with ‘everything showers’, ‘clean girl’ routines and other wellness trends in the spotlight.
“Spritzing your hair with a favourite scent is just another way to dedicate time to looking, feeling and smelling your best.”
Perfumes boomed post-pandemic, as people began to forgo signature scents for a wardrobe of them – propelled by fragrance-obsessed Gen Z, who showcased mass perfume collections on TikTok, layering them like accessories.
Tailor-made hair perfumes are set to be the biggest fragrance buy for Christmas 2024 – in lieu of scented candles, body mists and traditional perfumes.
To some, this may sound absurd – you may have not even heard of ‘hair perfume’. But in fact, humans have been scenting their heads for centuries, with the ancient Romans trading honeysuckle oil specifically for sweet-smelling hair.
In 1955, Christian Dior launched la Siphonette, a tiny brush intended to scent your hair when dipped into a small vial of Miss Dior. The French designer later released the best-selling hair scent, J’Adore hair perfume, in 1999 which kick started the hair fragrance boom in the Noughties.
Celebrities, designers and beauty brands soon pounced on the trend. Chanel came out with Coco Mademoiselle Hair Mist in 2004. Tom Ford’s first Estée Lauder fragrance ‘Black Orchid’ was mixed into a Luminous Hair Perfume in 2008. By 2010, the New York Times reported hair scents to be “the next fragrance frontier”.
While the beauty product seemed to withdraw from the scene throughout the 2010s, it appears to have defiantly returned becoming a coveted beauty staple for 2024.
Hair perfume is a fun and new beauty product, and most importantly, not overdone. This is one of the many reasons it’s having a resurgence among Gen Z.
Hair scents are also a way to emanate aroma without going overboard – perfect if you’re new to perfume.
Here are some of the best hair perfumes to pop on your Christmas wishlist…
Best for fine or oily hair
Narciso Rodriguez ‘For Her’ Hair Mist – 30ml, £33, The Perfume Shop
Best all round
Gisou Honey Infused Hair Perfume – 50ml, £34, Cult Beauty
Best luxury
DIOR Miss Dior Hair Oil – 30ml, £40.80 (was £48), Sephora
Best budget-friendly
Percy & Reed Time To Shine Eau My! Shine & Fragrance Spray, 50ml, £12
