The 5 Best Hair Perfumes, According to Editors
5 Hair Perfumes to Add to Your Fragrance Wardrobe
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If you want to spruce up your fragrance routine, a hair perfume is a great way to do it. Still, it's one of those categories that isn't taken very seriously, especially when many people believe you can just spray some of your normal eau de parfum over your head and call it a day. But the distinction between hair perfumes and normal, alcohol-heavy sprays is an important one.
"Hair and regular perfumes are designed with different purposes in mind and their formulations reflect these distinctions," November Nichols, founder of Chémin, tells POPSUGAR. Some key differentiators between the two are the ingredients used, the concentration of fragrance in each formula, and the longevity.
"Regular fragrances typically contain a higher amount of alcohol, which can dry out the hair and scalp," Nichols says. "Hair perfumes, on the other hand, if formulated correctly, [can] be less drying and include moisturising ingredients to nourish the hair and protect it from damage."
Are Hair Perfumes Safe to Use?
If you're new to the world of hair perfumes, you may be wondering if they're safe to use. The answer is dependent on a few variables. "It's important to choose ones that are specifically designed for use on that area," Nichols says. "These products are formulated to minimise damage and dryness, which can be caused by the higher ethanol content in traditional fragrances."
Additionally, hair perfume tends to be formulated with ingredients that hydrate the hair, whereas regular formulations have to find a balance of scent and cost-effective ingredients that will allow them to turn a profit on the product. This can lead to the presence of ingredients like propylene glycol, which is fairly inexpensive but evaporates quickly. "For true nourishment along with scent, look for ingredients in your hair perfume like glycerin, plant alkanes, and plant oils," Krupa Koestline, chief cosmetic chemist and founder of KKT Labs, says.
If you're on the hunt for a hair perfume to add to your fragrance wardrobe, we went ahead and rounded up a few of our favourites. From scents that could replace an actual bottle of your eau de parfum to others that will make your hair smell like a fresh garden, keep reading for the best hair perfumes to consider purchasing, according to our editors.
Best Luxury Hair Perfume
Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady Hair Mist (£150)
This hair perfume could almost be worn as a stand-alone fragrance — that's how strong it is. Frédéric Malle's iconic Portrait of a Lady perfume is transformed into a milky, lightweight mist that will coat your hair in a delicious combination of rose, raspberry, and patchouli that will mingle with your real perfume to create the most delightful scent bubble. Trust us, the compliments won't stop rolling in with this one.
Best Hydrating Hair Perfume
Gisou Mini Honey Infused Hair Perfume (£34)
Honey is a natural humectant, and luckily for us, Gisou made a hair perfume that features the hero ingredient. In the latest floral edition, the subtle-sweet smell of honey will fuse with the additional notes of bergamot, rose, and vanilla to provide not only an almost gourmand scent but also a glossy shine.
Best Spicy Hair Perfume
Balmain Hair Perfume - Ginger 1974 (£110)
Are you a fan of more spicy scents? Blamain's Ginger Hair Perfume is likely for you. Ginger oil, vanilla, cashmere wood, and suede are some of the notes that make up this fragrance. With a combination like that, we won't blame you if you sneak a few sprays onto your body after dousing your entire head. (Your secret is safe with us.)
Best Cult-Classic Hair Perfume
Parfums de Marly Delina Hair Perfume (£65)
Turkish rose, ambroxan, and vanilla will combine to make you the best-smelling person in the room, all thanks to this hair product from Parfums de Marly. Modelled after one of the brand's most popular perfumes, Delina, the mist smells incredible, and the adorable pink packaging will make a home on any vanity it lands on.
Best Floral Hair Perfume
Kayali - Déjà Vu White Flower Hair Mist (£34)
Smell like a bed of flowers with this floral masterpiece from Kayali. Gardenia, jasmine absolute, tuberose, and vanilla will take your hairstyle up a notch, especially if you can be a little overzealous with the hot tools and can't quite get the smell of burnt hair to go away. (We've been there.)
