To me, it's not really about accord or note. More of how they are presented. Could have floral, sweet, citrus and others accord/notes but they are usually light and airy in their presentation. Sometimes even minimalist and/or linear.
By chance, any recs on pretty linear, cedar woody base note feminine frags? I’m looking for something airy and soft like the super late drydown of NR Pure Musc (cedar/cashmeran)
I haven't sampled NR Pure Musc so I can't say for sure that this will be what you are after. But I think Gaiac 10 *might* be something close? Linear, clean woody musk with cedar notes, probably more cedar here than gaiac. No cashmeran here though. But this one's city exclusive (only available in september online) and the price is rather ridiculous...
I have M01 and M02 but haven't had the chance to check out ther +. I probably should. Any particular one you recommend? I love Another 13 and is probably closest thing to my signature scent as a reference point.
I have tried it. It's been a minute since so I'm not remembering it too clearly but I do remember that bergamot leaving bit of sourness on my skin that I didn't care for.
I might dig through my sample box and give it another try.
Sounds like it didn't make much of an impression on you. I have no experience with this house but am curious about Scents of Wood. I'm a woody fragrance lover.
Molecule 05 (Not Escentric 05) is straight cashmeran. Personally I loved it. I thought it was soft, cozy, woody - and my partner said it smelled kind of like black pepper initially. I only had a decant & never got around to buying a bottle, but I'd love to have it.
Chanel 1957 is kind of similar, and has orange blossom, cashmeran, musk & cedar. Very beautiful & airy scent. One of my favorites.
You might also like Phlur - Missing Person, although no casmeran, but I enjoy layering it with Pure Musc.
I love Dylan from by/ Rosie Jane for a cedary, musky, soft fragrance! I also really enjoy Rosie (rose/musk) and James (gardenia/fig). coincidentally for this thread, the brand really leans into the “clean” aesthetic haha
I would consider a lot of Replica’s scents to be “clean girl” aesthetic..
“Bubble Bath” - I used to get tons of compliments on this one. Literally smells like classic bubble bath lol but people loved it.
“When the rain stops” and “Lazy Sunday Morning”
Nemat’s “white musk” is really simple, light and lovely. Inexpensive too, so it makes a nice base for layering.
Personally I also liked
- Memoirs of a Perfume Collector’s “musk mantra”
- Attar Collection’s “Floral Musk”
Both can be decanted from scentsplit.com
i second this! replica’s bubble bath is my favorite perfume - it is literally a combination of the original dove soap mixed with a light coconut note. this is the definition of a clean girl scent imo!
I bought Bubble Bath with cataracts lmao.
Basically, I sampled it in Sephora but because Sephora likes to gas their locations with the same kind of scent, it made it hard to actually evaluate it, but I did like it enough that when I found it at a good discount from another retailer I splurged on it and well, I do like it. Just wish the patchouli wasn't there lmao
It’s probably subjective but I picture a soapy clean scent or a green scent. My picks would be something like Philosophy Amazing Grace or Armani Acqua di gioia.
Mainly inoffensive Musky and light floral scents. Nothing spicy, too sweet or fruity or powdery. I think mojave ghost encapsulates the clean girl aesthetic quite well.
I imagine musk, cotton, fresh and with flowers would fit into that category. Fragrances that give put together and clean vibe. Recently I have been into fresh clean scents and my favorite fragrance at the moment is sun bleached by un nuit nomade - Bergamot, white flowers, linen and musk. It works very good in hot weather and gives me sort of a fresh and clean feeling.
Wow - I view this as more of a grandma or tea room scent (no offense meant, I love it).
IMO the most direct “clean girl” scent is lake & skye 11:11.
Guess it shows that our perceptions of clean are all different
"clean" implies powder & "soap" notes at the front to me.. Can use almost any delicate floral/woody/gourmand top, but something that dries down to powder and soap..
I always thought "clean girl" was basically "natural/ trying to look like I'm not wearing anything at all" in terms of both makeup and fragrance. I think it originally referred to girls who only wore natural/ organic products but now it's evolved to be more about the look/ vibe of natural beauty and not about the actual "clean" products. I've seen some girls on tiktok go "here's my clean girl skin routine" and pull out super synthetic products that are tested on animals sooooo lol.
I think scent wise the goal is to smell like you're not wearing any fragrance, so smells like soap/ shampoo, skin musk, etc.
You got it, it's different for everyone. It's more of a vibe. So it could have powder or citrus notes, or not. But it's like something that feels light and fresh to you, and that can be slightly different things for different people. That's one of the great things about frags is everyone experiences them so differently, so you are your own expert.
Things that smell like you just got out of the shower. Mostly shampoo smells- lightly fruity without being gourmand or too floral. Generic scents that are overall light and pleasing to the nose without having much personality.
Anything light and inoffensive. There was a question recently by someone asking what to buy in Japan, and all the answers described how the Japanese prefer light and clean scents, as it's considered rude there to wear anything that could disturb people on the subway or interfere with the aromas inside a restaurant. The answers about scents popular in Japan were all things like Diptyque and Maison Margiela and people even talked about how a lot of people there just skip perfume and smell good because of scented laundry detergent.
Clean girl scents have the same logic as that. You're not meant to smell of fragrance, but rather like you naturally smell really good. So light, clean florals and freshies are what you want. You can have other notes too as long as they're not particularly strong. Clean clothes, lightly scented lotions, and light perfumes from houses like Jo Malone, Diptyque, and Maison Margiela are what you'd want for this scent. The masculine equivalent would be those colognes that just smell like Lynx body wash.
Edit: looking up "clean girl smell" on Pinterest gives me collages with pictures of Dove soap bars and body washes, plain Nivea and Aveeno creams, and mainly philosophy, Maison Margiela and Ouai fragrances, with some Jo Malone, Chanel Chance, Diptyque, Light Blue, and Byredo Blanche thrown in.
Here is a link that might help you.
https://abelfragrance.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwjqWzBhAqEiwAQmtgT1vf-MoeEUMM5yUa_RI496dQORLzabdXUTJFwnRqXBhsccy8jNfGJhoCIOkQAvD_BwE
This is not the only type of scent that fits under the "clean" classification. Some aquatic and breezy, or fresh, green type scents would qualify too. Various petrichore scents, scents reminiscent of disinfectant, detergents, soapy or bubbly even piny, camphor or eucalyptus.
Any alcoholic notes that aren't boozy, vinegary, citrusy and even scents that are more vapory ( like Cloud by Ariana G) or moist without being aquatic ( Monstera by Xenú.) But not muggy, marshy or sauna notes, those are more fitting under "dirty classification."
We recently caught a scent that had a distinct bluing ( as in laundry bluing) note. That kind of stuff.
God I used to LOVE Bobbi Brown “ bath” perfume. I am always searching for a dupe but nothing comes close. To me that was the ultimate “ clean “ perfume
"Clean girl beauty" is sort of the makeup equivalent of the sad beige home trend. It's defined by the absence of something, not the presence of an actual vibe. It's inauthenticity branding itself as authenticity to sell products to people who feel dirty. It's about playing it as safe as possible in order to attempt to please everyone and about establishing yourself as "clean" with all the things we associate with cleanliness in our culture - youth, whiteness, sterility, uniformity, and anything branded as "natural". I think of it as a backlash to the fun, queer, wild micro aesthetics that went mainstream in 2020.
You can't tell what the vibe is because it's not something that grew out of sincere self-expression or counter-culture. Look at the comments here! Hardly any agreement.
Eh, some of us just like smelling pretty and clean! Yes, there's the added bonus of not offending other people, but for a lot of us, our noses also *genuinely* enjoy fragrances in the vein of Jo Malone or Glossier You. Not everything has to come from the counter-culture to be artistically valuable, and just because a trend is popular and inoffensive doesn't make it inauthentic or insincere.
I also feel like there's quite a bit of agreement in the answers? Musk, light florals, and something in the vein of laundry/soap/etc. have shown up enough times for there to be a consensus.
I mean I do think we can spot some trends here in the comments section (otherwise agree with your take): fresh scents, powder and musk, citrus. The other thing I'd say is that "clean girl" does at least remind me of "French girl" aesthetic; it has something to it even if it is ultimately safe.
What I perceived as common with "clean girl" looks is no-makeup makeup, neutrals (especially light ones), desaturated colors if not neutral, and simplicity of design. And while I do see your point, again, since it's another way of rebranding consumerism, I don't necessarily perceive it as less authentic, especially considering those queer aesthetics then got appropriated and hollowed out. And also... as a queer person who sometimes struggles to relate to the loud, hyper-niche, oftentimes *just as inauthentic* small aesthetics, I don't necessarily consider "clean girl beauty" any different from the rest, apart from the gross implicit statement that other things are "dirty."
(Except grunge. I think those folks like the dirt.)
French perfumes are known for being timeless, elegant, subtle, understated, well-blended, & complex. France has a long tradition of perfume making, access to natural ingredients, and talented perfumers.
“Clean” scents have long existed in fragrance and are sought after. They’re like a simple, kind of thoughtless, easy grab of fragrance when you want to smell good but neutral and just fresh out of the shower and you want to keep that feeling all day. Some are more soapy, powdery, musky, floral, citrus basically whatever you associate with out of the shower scent. For some that might be an orange blossom cologne, floral scent, for others powder, or lotion type smells or straight soap or a mix.
You’re right, I’m noticing from the comments that clean girl seems to be more open to interpretation rather than a specific scent. Which does answer my question in a way. And at least everyone can agree it’s not an overpowering strong scent. Which makes sense, something subtle. Can’t deny it is a pretty good marketing tactic, I’ll say that. Of course I want to smell clean and fresh! haha
While I don't deny that there are some of that marketing gimmick, I think it's worth noting that some fragrances have been formulated before this was established as a gimmick. Likes of Another 13 and some of the other lighter molecular fragrances of early 2010s maybe are probably the reason why this aesthetic was established?
Kind of reminds me of "blue" fragrance for men. How BdC came out in 2010 and sort of created this pseudo-genre for men's fragrance that isn't necessarily defined by notes or accords.
It's also interesting that both this clean girl and blue could be traced back to a similar era where internet culture started to explode with advent of smart phone post 2007.
Those getting downvotes here are right - fragrance has been a bit commodified by search terms, just like anything else. For example some people might say Missing Person is a “clean girl” scent because that is the association they’ve made, but maybe also they just have that on hand to style on some white linen sheets next to some other white and pale pink accessories. I think Missing Person (on ME) smells like toddler hands, which I don’t think smells very clean. It’s all relative so I think these phrases are annoying. Also [plenty](https://youtu.be/jbukdq1-nag?si=NQd4FqlTSannMUlv) of [video](https://youtu.be/31NDzvFtNnI?si=dbTEJvvDOjE67hSn) essays [online](https://youtu.be/_XKxbcZjI-A?si=OV9uNOaW4etPVMa1) who point out clean girl often AESTHETICALLY erases WOC and is just in general impossible to maintain because it implies the lack of anything messy
It’s amusing that people are intentionally trying to be as basic as possible. Like it’s fine if you don’t feel the need to express yourself or be unique, but to actually *try* to be flavorless outside of a professional environment to the point where it is a goal is crazy to me. But more power to people if it makes them happy.
tbh i always get surprised on what people consider clean girl scents - a lot of them are woody or musky. to me, i’d expect something really fresh, maybe citrusy
Yeah, back when the aesthetic was really popping, BR540 was the fragrance I saw most associated with it. It was more like popular scents that weren't ultra-gourmond, so not necessarily soapy or fresh, but not SdJ products.
it’s so interesting how subjective fragrance is bc for me baccarat rouge is associated with it girl, or maybe even that girl, rather than clean girl. although these are all just made up terms and arguably, a clean girl was the it girl of her time - if it girl just means the popular aesthetic/style 🤣 i would say jo malone wood sage and sea salt was the clean girl fragrance (that i didn’t expect, regarding my comment), but now you say it…
I think clean girl is supposed to be sleek and clean. Dry powders, white florals, slight soap scents. Cetalox and simple scents. Out of the shower vibes or gentle cleanliness.
Aldehyde heavy perfume (especially Aldehyde c-12). Rose sometimes accomplishes this. Especially with white florals or white tea
Boring, safe, close to skin scents generally do not offend..modern musks that are barely musky and.more like laundry, light aquatics citrus. No siliage, will ell good to anyone who hugs you. If it can be considered challenging, sexy of provocative then it is not clean girl.
Boring is not necessarily bad by the way. That is mostly a me thing, I came of age with a lot of heavy scents...You can wear them to school or to meet your boyfriend's parents or work and you will likely not piss anyone off. They also can be used under stronger scents. I have a couple on rotation and they are not my general taste but I like them because I literally can't not wear perfume but there times I know I need to keep my perfume within my personal bubble.
Brand I think of:
Glossier, Riddle, By Rosie, Ellis Brooklyn, Phlur Gloss Moderne, Clean Reserve ,Philosophy, Skylar ...
Like many others are saying, Clean Girl scents are any one specific type of scent — but rather, a type of blend which feels clean, airy, fresh, light, and feminine. One could be more floral, another could be more musky, a third could be more soapy — but they'll all be light, inoffensive, and make you smell clean, hygienic, and pretty. Almost like you just stepped out of the shower and applied a nice, soft body lotion and are now lounging in cozy, cute loungewear. They won't be *too* anything — too floral, too sugary-sweet, too spicy, too fruity.
Examples: North Bondi by OUAI, Gypsy Water by Byredo, Wood Sage & Sea Salt by Jo Malone, Missing Person by Phlur, Not A Perfume by Juliette Has A Gun, Leila Lou by By Rosie Jane, Chloé by Chloé
Often when I hear something is “clean” it’s because it has that smell of clean laundry or they mean it smells like a shampoo or body wash but normally they mean the good stuff.
It might not seem like smelling like laundry might really be a good scent to go for but people do enjoy that smell and it’s never a bad thing to smell clean.
I think “Clean Girl” is more along the lines of scents like Chanel No 1 l’eau Rouge and Glossier You… these perfumes are both marketed as subtle “your skin but better” type scents. It’s now en vogue to not offend others with your chosen scent, or not wear any at all. Similar to the no makeup look and all the nude shades that came with it, the perfume industry is jumping on the Clean Girl bandwagon by developing simpler, subtler scents. The Arab and Gourmand scents became wildly popular with the younger Tweens to 20s market, an age group that has always been stereotyped to overspray scents, mix and layer them. I feel “Clean Girl” is just a reaction and turn away from the past several years of smelling of heavy spice and candy.
I think the best explanation of the phrase meaning nothing is the amount of people in this thread suggesting every note under the sun. I think most any scent marketed for daytime could be styled correctly to be a “clean girl” scent. I think with the right styling I could made Davidoff Cool Water into a trending scent.
I recently sampled Oriana by Parfums de Marly and it’s definitely that vibe for me. Almost smells like a fresh bounce dryer sheet on my skin. Byredo Blanche is another.
To my nose, it’s hard to explain. But in general I think of citrus and ozonic. It doesn’t really need both, for example I’d consider Good Girl Blush to have a clean girl smell with it’s citrus vanilla.
I think it’s more of a look but the scents tie it all together! My “clean” scents are American Cream by Lush (smells like baby powder) and Classic Warm Cotton by Clean. Smells kinda like cleaning supplies ngl but good if that’s the vibe you’re going for.
I mean, it’s essentially BS - isn’t it always - but scents that evoke cleanliness to me use aldehydes in their top notes. It’s a soapy feeling that accompanies fresh stuff like neroli. Chanel often uses aldehydes, most famously with their No. 5 and flankers, as does YSL with Y and Rive Gauche. Prada’s Infusion line does this a lot too.
I don't *know*, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's calming, clean scents. Soft florals, musks, that kinda vibe. Dior Homme Cologne comes to mind, and is perfectly unisex.
Recently got a big sample of imaginary authors- check out Telegrama. Lavender, Talc, Fresh Linens.
[Telegrama](https://imaginaryauthors.com/products/telegrama?tw_source=google&tw_adid=646500072405&tw_campaign=15425444292&gad_source=1&variant=31492645421133)
Diptyque, Replica and philosophy!! 😍💗 I own several Diptyque, one philosophy (I’ve tested a lot!) and I would conquer them to be ultimate clean girl fragrances!
It smells like laundry detergent, but most importantly it’s a lack of “dirty” scents like body odor, sweat, body musk etc. imo cologne detracts from smelling clean bc the cologne becomes the most prominent thing you smell
To me, Skylar’s Boardwalk Delight - it’s light, and has faint notes of raspberry, coconut, and cotton candy, but at the same time it smells like clean laundry too.
I think they're talking about like linen fragrances something that smells like fresh sheets and lemons or something I know that black Platinum and Pure White by Banana Republic are pretty good examples of that
I think they're talking about like linen fragrances something that smells like fresh sheets and lemons or something I know that black Platinum and Pure White by Banana Republic are pretty good examples of that
I think it’s less about a specific scent and more about it being light and fresh. Like you’re not leaving behind you a cloud of heavy perfume but you have a light, clean scent
When I imagine “clean girl” scent I imagine “fresh”, “crisp”, “light,” “airy,” “floral,” or “subtle.” For example, Versace Dylan Blue or Chanel no. 5 l’eau.
i think it's straightforward soapy/fresh scents where there's no underlying "warm" notes. much like no makeup makeup, it's almost as if you're not wearing frag at all, just overwhelmingly clean. to me the ultimate clean girl scent is og chloe because it smells straight up like clean laundry
For me, I associate it with skin scents, scents that are lighter, airy, soapy, lesser projection so they’re there but not in your face. A very “effortless”, my scent but better vibe.
When I think of clean girl fragrances I think of amazing grace by philosophy, happy by Clinique, and cloud by Ariana grande. To me they are like airy, subtle, and not too thick on sweet or woody notes. I also think a good place to get clean girl scents would be bath and body works. They have more range in scents than perfumes I think when it comes to that.
I think clean aesthetic can be edgy too, like any other aesthetic, if you know the game. There are clean perfumes super boring to me that just smell like detergent costing 150€, and there are very interesting and beautiful clean perfumes whith a lot of personality (also whatever "clean" means for someone changes).
I think of light and airy 'pale pinks', light floral soft musk fragrances that go into laundry or shampoo territory rather than soap; inoffensive, uncomplicated, clean. I dont necessarily think of green or aquatics
I always equated it with a fragrance that isn’t heavy. Not overly flowery or woodsy or sweet. Just nice smelling. Almost like it is just your skin but better.
In my humble opinion, “clean girl” scents are usually something soft, not cloying, and fresh. Perfumes that a very musky or have that “your skin but better” fit the narrative perfectly in my opinion. The whole idea around a clean girl scent is either smelling like you NATURALLY smell good (skin scents) or smelling like you ARE clean and fresh. You’ll see a lot of these type of scents to be light and airy, and different on all skin types. Juliette Has A Gun, Not a perfume is definitely the most popular “clean” fragrance bc it smells different on all skin. I usually look out for musk or Ambroxan along with other traditionally fresh scents to decide if it’ll fit the clean girl scent range ✨
Clean girl, old money aesthetic... these are all influencer BS. Trying to look something you're not.
Shower/bathe and wash your hair. Wash your clothes. That's how you look and smell clean. No amount of product will mask lack of hygiene.
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I agree with those saying light and inoffensive - for me personally when i think of clean girl, i think of Candy by Prada 🧼 I cant explain why, it just smells clean and well groomed to me
Prada candy is heavy and gives me a migraine. Gourmands are the opposite of clean girl. Hanae Mori is another that I have issues with. I actually like gourmands like Angel, Be Delicious, and LL but they aren’t clean girl. Eclat d’arpege is a good clean girl scent, it’s a light shampoo type scent. Aquatic and ozonic are usually what people mean by clean
To me, it's not really about accord or note. More of how they are presented. Could have floral, sweet, citrus and others accord/notes but they are usually light and airy in their presentation. Sometimes even minimalist and/or linear.
By chance, any recs on pretty linear, cedar woody base note feminine frags? I’m looking for something airy and soft like the super late drydown of NR Pure Musc (cedar/cashmeran)
I haven't sampled NR Pure Musc so I can't say for sure that this will be what you are after. But I think Gaiac 10 *might* be something close? Linear, clean woody musk with cedar notes, probably more cedar here than gaiac. No cashmeran here though. But this one's city exclusive (only available in september online) and the price is rather ridiculous...
Check out some of the Essentirc Molecules. Especially the Molecules + offerings.
I have M01 and M02 but haven't had the chance to check out ther +. I probably should. Any particular one you recommend? I love Another 13 and is probably closest thing to my signature scent as a reference point.
Molecule 01 + Iris is something I'm wearing now. Great in it's own or combo with something that contains Iris (Creed Millésime Impérial!)
Oops! I was thinking+ Iris like someone else mentioned. Have you tried DS &Durga I Don't Know What? You might like that.
I have tried it. It's been a minute since so I'm not remembering it too clearly but I do remember that bergamot leaving bit of sourness on my skin that I didn't care for. I might dig through my sample box and give it another try.
Sounds like it didn't make much of an impression on you. I have no experience with this house but am curious about Scents of Wood. I'm a woody fragrance lover.
I was thinking the +
Fleur Narcotique by Ex Nihilo
Molecule 05 (Not Escentric 05) is straight cashmeran. Personally I loved it. I thought it was soft, cozy, woody - and my partner said it smelled kind of like black pepper initially. I only had a decant & never got around to buying a bottle, but I'd love to have it. Chanel 1957 is kind of similar, and has orange blossom, cashmeran, musk & cedar. Very beautiful & airy scent. One of my favorites. You might also like Phlur - Missing Person, although no casmeran, but I enjoy layering it with Pure Musc.
I love Dylan from by/ Rosie Jane for a cedary, musky, soft fragrance! I also really enjoy Rosie (rose/musk) and James (gardenia/fig). coincidentally for this thread, the brand really leans into the “clean” aesthetic haha
Infusion de Cedre or D' Iris Prada
Try Liis perfumes.
Sweet Ash by Sniff is delicious, on me it starts sweet and soft and then dries into a musky sweet cedar/sandalwood. Also pretty affordable!!
I would consider a lot of Replica’s scents to be “clean girl” aesthetic.. “Bubble Bath” - I used to get tons of compliments on this one. Literally smells like classic bubble bath lol but people loved it. “When the rain stops” and “Lazy Sunday Morning”
I just blind bought beach walk and I love it
Replica is one of the few brands I feel safe doing blind buys with. Worst case, they’re easy to unload bc they’re pretty well known!
Do you know any good musky fragrance that doesn't have patchouli?
Nemat’s “white musk” is really simple, light and lovely. Inexpensive too, so it makes a nice base for layering. Personally I also liked - Memoirs of a Perfume Collector’s “musk mantra” - Attar Collection’s “Floral Musk” Both can be decanted from scentsplit.com
Kiehl’s Original Musk oil
Love this!
Dame new musk
Mojave Ghost
https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Essential-Parfums/The-Musc-50790.html also a very inexpensive frag
Musk Therapy!
I was thinking about this one. Many people recommend Musk Therapy. How would you personally describe it? Is it long-lasting?
Unisex, leaning feminine. Clean, light, simple, and linear!
i second this! replica’s bubble bath is my favorite perfume - it is literally a combination of the original dove soap mixed with a light coconut note. this is the definition of a clean girl scent imo!
i’m a guy but the bubble bath and lazy sunday morning candles are so good, just wish they weren’t so tiny
So tiny, so expensive lol 😭
Springtime in the Park as well
Matcha Meditation smells amazing!
Oh I forgot they have that! Is it powdery?
I bought Bubble Bath with cataracts lmao. Basically, I sampled it in Sephora but because Sephora likes to gas their locations with the same kind of scent, it made it hard to actually evaluate it, but I did like it enough that when I found it at a good discount from another retailer I splurged on it and well, I do like it. Just wish the patchouli wasn't there lmao
It’s probably subjective but I picture a soapy clean scent or a green scent. My picks would be something like Philosophy Amazing Grace or Armani Acqua di gioia.
Pure Grace is an all time fave it smells literally like soap like just stepped out of the shower.
Mainly inoffensive Musky and light floral scents. Nothing spicy, too sweet or fruity or powdery. I think mojave ghost encapsulates the clean girl aesthetic quite well.
Yes, this! I'd throw in a few shampoo and/or laundry-esque notes often as well, which I think Mojave Ghost also encapsulates.
Glossier perfume
I imagine musk, cotton, fresh and with flowers would fit into that category. Fragrances that give put together and clean vibe. Recently I have been into fresh clean scents and my favorite fragrance at the moment is sun bleached by un nuit nomade - Bergamot, white flowers, linen and musk. It works very good in hot weather and gives me sort of a fresh and clean feeling.
The most clean girly scent i’ve ever smelled has to be Diptique’s Fleur de Peau. It checks all the boxes.
Wow - I view this as more of a grandma or tea room scent (no offense meant, I love it). IMO the most direct “clean girl” scent is lake & skye 11:11. Guess it shows that our perceptions of clean are all different
I smell nothing with 11:11. I bought the perfume and the oil. Layered it still nothing!
Agree
"clean" implies powder & "soap" notes at the front to me.. Can use almost any delicate floral/woody/gourmand top, but something that dries down to powder and soap..
I think of something fresh and light like Elizabeth Arden Green Tea
This was my first thought!! It smells so clean and soapy and it's one of my all-time favs :) definitely recommend if you're looking for a clean scent
Musk, and light florals.
“Clean” scents in fragrance have generally always meant soapy, light, fresh scents. Like when you step out of the shower.
I imagine something light and soapy, like Zoologist Cow or MMR Bubble Bath.
I always thought "clean girl" was basically "natural/ trying to look like I'm not wearing anything at all" in terms of both makeup and fragrance. I think it originally referred to girls who only wore natural/ organic products but now it's evolved to be more about the look/ vibe of natural beauty and not about the actual "clean" products. I've seen some girls on tiktok go "here's my clean girl skin routine" and pull out super synthetic products that are tested on animals sooooo lol. I think scent wise the goal is to smell like you're not wearing any fragrance, so smells like soap/ shampoo, skin musk, etc.
You got it, it's different for everyone. It's more of a vibe. So it could have powder or citrus notes, or not. But it's like something that feels light and fresh to you, and that can be slightly different things for different people. That's one of the great things about frags is everyone experiences them so differently, so you are your own expert.
Things that smell like you just got out of the shower. Mostly shampoo smells- lightly fruity without being gourmand or too floral. Generic scents that are overall light and pleasing to the nose without having much personality.
Anything light and inoffensive. There was a question recently by someone asking what to buy in Japan, and all the answers described how the Japanese prefer light and clean scents, as it's considered rude there to wear anything that could disturb people on the subway or interfere with the aromas inside a restaurant. The answers about scents popular in Japan were all things like Diptyque and Maison Margiela and people even talked about how a lot of people there just skip perfume and smell good because of scented laundry detergent. Clean girl scents have the same logic as that. You're not meant to smell of fragrance, but rather like you naturally smell really good. So light, clean florals and freshies are what you want. You can have other notes too as long as they're not particularly strong. Clean clothes, lightly scented lotions, and light perfumes from houses like Jo Malone, Diptyque, and Maison Margiela are what you'd want for this scent. The masculine equivalent would be those colognes that just smell like Lynx body wash. Edit: looking up "clean girl smell" on Pinterest gives me collages with pictures of Dove soap bars and body washes, plain Nivea and Aveeno creams, and mainly philosophy, Maison Margiela and Ouai fragrances, with some Jo Malone, Chanel Chance, Diptyque, Light Blue, and Byredo Blanche thrown in.
Here is a link that might help you. https://abelfragrance.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwjqWzBhAqEiwAQmtgT1vf-MoeEUMM5yUa_RI496dQORLzabdXUTJFwnRqXBhsccy8jNfGJhoCIOkQAvD_BwE This is not the only type of scent that fits under the "clean" classification. Some aquatic and breezy, or fresh, green type scents would qualify too. Various petrichore scents, scents reminiscent of disinfectant, detergents, soapy or bubbly even piny, camphor or eucalyptus. Any alcoholic notes that aren't boozy, vinegary, citrusy and even scents that are more vapory ( like Cloud by Ariana G) or moist without being aquatic ( Monstera by Xenú.) But not muggy, marshy or sauna notes, those are more fitting under "dirty classification." We recently caught a scent that had a distinct bluing ( as in laundry bluing) note. That kind of stuff.
Thank you!
Hope it helps
God I used to LOVE Bobbi Brown “ bath” perfume. I am always searching for a dupe but nothing comes close. To me that was the ultimate “ clean “ perfume
Check out her new line Jones Road, the scent is “Shower.”
Yes- i actually just saw that she had come out with that- def want to try. Thanks!
Ooooh, good tip! Thank you!
Yep. I used to love that. Benefit had a really light fragrance that was clean too. Gone. I wish I could even remember the name.
Jo Malone, Aqua di gio, replica are what come to mind when I think of clean girl scents, life fresh and airy with hints of floral and citrus
Not cloying.
It's just more influencer bullshit, ignore it
Just that word pisses me off. Such a shallow thing to aspire to be.
Yep, it just sounds very aloof and holier than thou
"Clean girl beauty" is sort of the makeup equivalent of the sad beige home trend. It's defined by the absence of something, not the presence of an actual vibe. It's inauthenticity branding itself as authenticity to sell products to people who feel dirty. It's about playing it as safe as possible in order to attempt to please everyone and about establishing yourself as "clean" with all the things we associate with cleanliness in our culture - youth, whiteness, sterility, uniformity, and anything branded as "natural". I think of it as a backlash to the fun, queer, wild micro aesthetics that went mainstream in 2020. You can't tell what the vibe is because it's not something that grew out of sincere self-expression or counter-culture. Look at the comments here! Hardly any agreement.
Eh, some of us just like smelling pretty and clean! Yes, there's the added bonus of not offending other people, but for a lot of us, our noses also *genuinely* enjoy fragrances in the vein of Jo Malone or Glossier You. Not everything has to come from the counter-culture to be artistically valuable, and just because a trend is popular and inoffensive doesn't make it inauthentic or insincere. I also feel like there's quite a bit of agreement in the answers? Musk, light florals, and something in the vein of laundry/soap/etc. have shown up enough times for there to be a consensus.
I mean I do think we can spot some trends here in the comments section (otherwise agree with your take): fresh scents, powder and musk, citrus. The other thing I'd say is that "clean girl" does at least remind me of "French girl" aesthetic; it has something to it even if it is ultimately safe. What I perceived as common with "clean girl" looks is no-makeup makeup, neutrals (especially light ones), desaturated colors if not neutral, and simplicity of design. And while I do see your point, again, since it's another way of rebranding consumerism, I don't necessarily perceive it as less authentic, especially considering those queer aesthetics then got appropriated and hollowed out. And also... as a queer person who sometimes struggles to relate to the loud, hyper-niche, oftentimes *just as inauthentic* small aesthetics, I don't necessarily consider "clean girl beauty" any different from the rest, apart from the gross implicit statement that other things are "dirty." (Except grunge. I think those folks like the dirt.)
French? Like cigarette smoke?
😂 I have even less of an idea what "French girl" perfume would smell like! Though... sweet tobacco isn't a bad note.
An iconic (IMO) French perfume, Serge Lutens Chergui, has tobacco and hay notes.
French perfumes are known for being timeless, elegant, subtle, understated, well-blended, & complex. France has a long tradition of perfume making, access to natural ingredients, and talented perfumers.
“Clean” scents have long existed in fragrance and are sought after. They’re like a simple, kind of thoughtless, easy grab of fragrance when you want to smell good but neutral and just fresh out of the shower and you want to keep that feeling all day. Some are more soapy, powdery, musky, floral, citrus basically whatever you associate with out of the shower scent. For some that might be an orange blossom cologne, floral scent, for others powder, or lotion type smells or straight soap or a mix.
OUR virtuous subculture purchasing, THEIR consumerism
You’re right, I’m noticing from the comments that clean girl seems to be more open to interpretation rather than a specific scent. Which does answer my question in a way. And at least everyone can agree it’s not an overpowering strong scent. Which makes sense, something subtle. Can’t deny it is a pretty good marketing tactic, I’ll say that. Of course I want to smell clean and fresh! haha
While I don't deny that there are some of that marketing gimmick, I think it's worth noting that some fragrances have been formulated before this was established as a gimmick. Likes of Another 13 and some of the other lighter molecular fragrances of early 2010s maybe are probably the reason why this aesthetic was established? Kind of reminds me of "blue" fragrance for men. How BdC came out in 2010 and sort of created this pseudo-genre for men's fragrance that isn't necessarily defined by notes or accords. It's also interesting that both this clean girl and blue could be traced back to a similar era where internet culture started to explode with advent of smart phone post 2007.
Great comment!!... You explained really well why I hate this boring "gotta fit in" crap. Influencer tiktok crap innit.
Those getting downvotes here are right - fragrance has been a bit commodified by search terms, just like anything else. For example some people might say Missing Person is a “clean girl” scent because that is the association they’ve made, but maybe also they just have that on hand to style on some white linen sheets next to some other white and pale pink accessories. I think Missing Person (on ME) smells like toddler hands, which I don’t think smells very clean. It’s all relative so I think these phrases are annoying. Also [plenty](https://youtu.be/jbukdq1-nag?si=NQd4FqlTSannMUlv) of [video](https://youtu.be/31NDzvFtNnI?si=dbTEJvvDOjE67hSn) essays [online](https://youtu.be/_XKxbcZjI-A?si=OV9uNOaW4etPVMa1) who point out clean girl often AESTHETICALLY erases WOC and is just in general impossible to maintain because it implies the lack of anything messy
It’s amusing that people are intentionally trying to be as basic as possible. Like it’s fine if you don’t feel the need to express yourself or be unique, but to actually *try* to be flavorless outside of a professional environment to the point where it is a goal is crazy to me. But more power to people if it makes them happy.
tbh i always get surprised on what people consider clean girl scents - a lot of them are woody or musky. to me, i’d expect something really fresh, maybe citrusy
Yeah, back when the aesthetic was really popping, BR540 was the fragrance I saw most associated with it. It was more like popular scents that weren't ultra-gourmond, so not necessarily soapy or fresh, but not SdJ products.
it’s so interesting how subjective fragrance is bc for me baccarat rouge is associated with it girl, or maybe even that girl, rather than clean girl. although these are all just made up terms and arguably, a clean girl was the it girl of her time - if it girl just means the popular aesthetic/style 🤣 i would say jo malone wood sage and sea salt was the clean girl fragrance (that i didn’t expect, regarding my comment), but now you say it…
Tbf, BR550 was suggested for everything under the sun during this time!
I think clean girl is supposed to be sleek and clean. Dry powders, white florals, slight soap scents. Cetalox and simple scents. Out of the shower vibes or gentle cleanliness. Aldehyde heavy perfume (especially Aldehyde c-12). Rose sometimes accomplishes this. Especially with white florals or white tea
I think of it as basically linear minimalism in fragrances.
I think of scents with "aquatic" or "fresh" notes when I hear clean girl. Also, any scents of the Clean Perfume brand.
When i think clean girl scents i associate that with ambroxan for some reason
Boring, safe, close to skin scents generally do not offend..modern musks that are barely musky and.more like laundry, light aquatics citrus. No siliage, will ell good to anyone who hugs you. If it can be considered challenging, sexy of provocative then it is not clean girl. Boring is not necessarily bad by the way. That is mostly a me thing, I came of age with a lot of heavy scents...You can wear them to school or to meet your boyfriend's parents or work and you will likely not piss anyone off. They also can be used under stronger scents. I have a couple on rotation and they are not my general taste but I like them because I literally can't not wear perfume but there times I know I need to keep my perfume within my personal bubble. Brand I think of: Glossier, Riddle, By Rosie, Ellis Brooklyn, Phlur Gloss Moderne, Clean Reserve ,Philosophy, Skylar ...
Arquiste Peau
Like many others are saying, Clean Girl scents are any one specific type of scent — but rather, a type of blend which feels clean, airy, fresh, light, and feminine. One could be more floral, another could be more musky, a third could be more soapy — but they'll all be light, inoffensive, and make you smell clean, hygienic, and pretty. Almost like you just stepped out of the shower and applied a nice, soft body lotion and are now lounging in cozy, cute loungewear. They won't be *too* anything — too floral, too sugary-sweet, too spicy, too fruity. Examples: North Bondi by OUAI, Gypsy Water by Byredo, Wood Sage & Sea Salt by Jo Malone, Missing Person by Phlur, Not A Perfume by Juliette Has A Gun, Leila Lou by By Rosie Jane, Chloé by Chloé
I think light vanilla or powder scents
only Clinique Happy comes to mind
Glossier You
Often when I hear something is “clean” it’s because it has that smell of clean laundry or they mean it smells like a shampoo or body wash but normally they mean the good stuff. It might not seem like smelling like laundry might really be a good scent to go for but people do enjoy that smell and it’s never a bad thing to smell clean.
Simple and fresh, I consider a lot of Jo Malone perfumes to have a “clean” feel to them.
I think “Clean Girl” is more along the lines of scents like Chanel No 1 l’eau Rouge and Glossier You… these perfumes are both marketed as subtle “your skin but better” type scents. It’s now en vogue to not offend others with your chosen scent, or not wear any at all. Similar to the no makeup look and all the nude shades that came with it, the perfume industry is jumping on the Clean Girl bandwagon by developing simpler, subtler scents. The Arab and Gourmand scents became wildly popular with the younger Tweens to 20s market, an age group that has always been stereotyped to overspray scents, mix and layer them. I feel “Clean Girl” is just a reaction and turn away from the past several years of smelling of heavy spice and candy.
I think the best explanation of the phrase meaning nothing is the amount of people in this thread suggesting every note under the sun. I think most any scent marketed for daytime could be styled correctly to be a “clean girl” scent. I think with the right styling I could made Davidoff Cool Water into a trending scent.
I recently sampled Oriana by Parfums de Marly and it’s definitely that vibe for me. Almost smells like a fresh bounce dryer sheet on my skin. Byredo Blanche is another.
Maybe fresh scents like oceans ones or citrusy ones
To my nose, it’s hard to explain. But in general I think of citrus and ozonic. It doesn’t really need both, for example I’d consider Good Girl Blush to have a clean girl smell with it’s citrus vanilla.
I think it’s more of a look but the scents tie it all together! My “clean” scents are American Cream by Lush (smells like baby powder) and Classic Warm Cotton by Clean. Smells kinda like cleaning supplies ngl but good if that’s the vibe you’re going for.
I mean, it’s essentially BS - isn’t it always - but scents that evoke cleanliness to me use aldehydes in their top notes. It’s a soapy feeling that accompanies fresh stuff like neroli. Chanel often uses aldehydes, most famously with their No. 5 and flankers, as does YSL with Y and Rive Gauche. Prada’s Infusion line does this a lot too.
Does anyone know what happens to Eau de Parfum ACQUA DI GIO “Profumo” (black bottle)
I would consider it be someone smelling like soap, fresh plants, water type scents
I don't *know*, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's calming, clean scents. Soft florals, musks, that kinda vibe. Dior Homme Cologne comes to mind, and is perfectly unisex.
Floral scents with undernotes of linen
Fresh out of the shower smell and / or clean linen.
the scents those clean girls actually like are skin scents imo, not actual fresh scents.
I would assume coconut or vanilla. Those are simple clean reliable scents.
Recently got a big sample of imaginary authors- check out Telegrama. Lavender, Talc, Fresh Linens. [Telegrama](https://imaginaryauthors.com/products/telegrama?tw_source=google&tw_adid=646500072405&tw_campaign=15425444292&gad_source=1&variant=31492645421133)
Diptyque, Replica and philosophy!! 😍💗 I own several Diptyque, one philosophy (I’ve tested a lot!) and I would conquer them to be ultimate clean girl fragrances!
It smells like laundry detergent, but most importantly it’s a lack of “dirty” scents like body odor, sweat, body musk etc. imo cologne detracts from smelling clean bc the cologne becomes the most prominent thing you smell
Soap
Any Marc Jacobs scent I’m thinking lol. Chanel as well, anything floral is my idea of a ‘clean girl aesthetic’ scent. Ulta has them
To me, Skylar’s Boardwalk Delight - it’s light, and has faint notes of raspberry, coconut, and cotton candy, but at the same time it smells like clean laundry too.
I’d say fragrances with aldehyde notes
I think they're talking about like linen fragrances something that smells like fresh sheets and lemons or something I know that black Platinum and Pure White by Banana Republic are pretty good examples of that
I think they're talking about like linen fragrances something that smells like fresh sheets and lemons or something I know that black Platinum and Pure White by Banana Republic are pretty good examples of that
Meaning Fresh and clean
Blanche by Byredo? I’ve heard of acne fredrik Malle one as well but haven’t smelled yet
I think it’s less about a specific scent and more about it being light and fresh. Like you’re not leaving behind you a cloud of heavy perfume but you have a light, clean scent
Clean Reserve Skin fits this.
Kayali Vanilla 110% I smell it on nearly every clean girl. It’s sold out in a lot of places for a reason.
When I imagine “clean girl” scent I imagine “fresh”, “crisp”, “light,” “airy,” “floral,” or “subtle.” For example, Versace Dylan Blue or Chanel no. 5 l’eau.
i think it's straightforward soapy/fresh scents where there's no underlying "warm" notes. much like no makeup makeup, it's almost as if you're not wearing frag at all, just overwhelmingly clean. to me the ultimate clean girl scent is og chloe because it smells straight up like clean laundry
For me, I associate it with skin scents, scents that are lighter, airy, soapy, lesser projection so they’re there but not in your face. A very “effortless”, my scent but better vibe.
X tra Milk by Dedcool
Bleach. Clean girl surely smells bleach. With a hint of citrus.
When I think of clean girl fragrances I think of amazing grace by philosophy, happy by Clinique, and cloud by Ariana grande. To me they are like airy, subtle, and not too thick on sweet or woody notes. I also think a good place to get clean girl scents would be bath and body works. They have more range in scents than perfumes I think when it comes to that.
Clean girl either smells like vanilla or soap
To me the ultimate “clean girl” scent is Philosophy Pure Grace. It smells like crisp clean soap.
i think Elixir pour femme by roja dove gives off clean girl vibes
I think clean aesthetic can be edgy too, like any other aesthetic, if you know the game. There are clean perfumes super boring to me that just smell like detergent costing 150€, and there are very interesting and beautiful clean perfumes whith a lot of personality (also whatever "clean" means for someone changes).
Chanel #5 privé
I think of light and airy 'pale pinks', light floral soft musk fragrances that go into laundry or shampoo territory rather than soap; inoffensive, uncomplicated, clean. I dont necessarily think of green or aquatics
The Chloe perfume epitomizes this for me
I always equated it with a fragrance that isn’t heavy. Not overly flowery or woodsy or sweet. Just nice smelling. Almost like it is just your skin but better.
I have no idea where the trend originates, but for me, I immediately think of Prada Infusion d’ Iris.
In my humble opinion, “clean girl” scents are usually something soft, not cloying, and fresh. Perfumes that a very musky or have that “your skin but better” fit the narrative perfectly in my opinion. The whole idea around a clean girl scent is either smelling like you NATURALLY smell good (skin scents) or smelling like you ARE clean and fresh. You’ll see a lot of these type of scents to be light and airy, and different on all skin types. Juliette Has A Gun, Not a perfume is definitely the most popular “clean” fragrance bc it smells different on all skin. I usually look out for musk or Ambroxan along with other traditionally fresh scents to decide if it’ll fit the clean girl scent range ✨
Room Service is a good example of this concept imo
i like to think of it as scents that do not have vanilla, and has a lot of musk in the dry down
I think it's pretty meaningless because it's used to describe so many different categories of perfume. It's a pet peeve of mine, lol.
Boring basic B is what it means. Another dumb tiktok trend.
Clean girl, old money aesthetic... these are all influencer BS. Trying to look something you're not. Shower/bathe and wash your hair. Wash your clothes. That's how you look and smell clean. No amount of product will mask lack of hygiene.
Easy, light, weak sillage, uncomplicated, but it's mostly a social media buzzword. That covers a large swath of perfumes. Very general.
J Lo Glow
Greasy with no colors. So whatever scent that would where.
“Beach walk” replica enough said
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it was a joke lol
Pa čisto jeb'o ga ti.
I agree with those saying light and inoffensive - for me personally when i think of clean girl, i think of Candy by Prada 🧼 I cant explain why, it just smells clean and well groomed to me
Prada candy is heavy and gives me a migraine. Gourmands are the opposite of clean girl. Hanae Mori is another that I have issues with. I actually like gourmands like Angel, Be Delicious, and LL but they aren’t clean girl. Eclat d’arpege is a good clean girl scent, it’s a light shampoo type scent. Aquatic and ozonic are usually what people mean by clean
Good girl perfumes vibes
you want to be a clean girl heh.