If you’re looking for a less expensive alternative to your pricey fragrances, consider the best hair perfumes. They might not be as concentrated as your average eau de parfum (which we find as a plus, honestly—some scents, trending or not, are simply too intense!), but each spritz lightly covers your strands in subtly scented concoctions that make every hair flip smell salon-fresh. Plus, they’re not as drying as most traditional fragrances, which tend to be packed with alcohol. Translation: more scent and more shine.
Many of these formulas happen to be airier, more affordable plays on best-selling scents (hi, Byredo, Diptyque, and Maison Francis Kurkdjian), so if you’re looking to save money on your next fragrance purchase, consider one of these options—most of our picks happen to be under $100, by the way. If you’re on a fragrance kick and looking to expand your collection, give one of these hair perfumes a go—maybe you’ll ditch your standard eau de parfum for good.
Our Top Hair Perfumes
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Gisou Honey Infused Hair Perfume
Why it’s worth it: Gisou adding a honey-infused hair fragrance to its lineup is hardly surprising, but being predictable is fine when all of your products are nourishing, luxurious, and smell so. Damn. Good. Made with jojoba oil and honey from the Mirsaleh bee garden in Holland, Gisou’s Honey Infused Hair Perfume hydrates hair and tames frizz while adding a touch of sweetness to whatever perfume you’re wearing that day (or, if you prefer a subtly sugary scent, you can wear it on its own).
Tester feedback from Allure commerce editor Sarah Han
“This makes my hair smell so scrumptious, masking the fact that I’m three days late to washing my hair. I can sometimes be sensitive to strong scents, but the honey notes are just the right amount.”
Best Fruity: Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa ’68 Beija Flor Perfume Mist
Why it’s worth it: Sol de Janeiro has a stacked lineup of hair and body sprays, but our editors’ favorite pick is the viral Cheirosa ’68 Beija Flor Perfume Mist. Like most of the brand’s fragrant finds, this rendition has a base of creamy, warm vanilla and hazy musk—but it’s given a fruity-floral remix with top notes of pink dragonfruit, lychee, jasmine, and hibiscus. Cheirosa ’68 also has a hint of salty ocean air accord to balance its hyper-fruity body.
Feedback from Allure tester Talia Gutierrez
“The sheer baby pink bottle racked up some serious street credit on social media after customers started comparing this $38 bottle to Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris Baccarat Rouge 540. Both are floral fragrances that feature jasmine (which I’m a sucker for) as the primary top note, but Cheirosa 68’s inclusion of dragonfruit packs a bit of a sweeter punch than Baccarat Rouge 540. I reach for this pink bottle when I’m running out the door for an errand or coffee with a girlfriend.”
Best Woodsy: Byredo Mojave Ghost Hair Perfume
Why it’s worth it: The beauty of Byredo’s Mojave Ghost is how subtle it is for a woodsy fragrance, and its hair-perfume variation is all the more subtle (and affordable!). Like a classic woods-inspired perfume, the Mojave desert-inspired scent features a base of cedarwood and musk (albeit chantilly musk, a slightly sweeter take on the skin-like note) lingering in the background, but the powdery violet and magnolia flowers soften the usually pungent edges of the more intense notes. The top note’s combination of warm ambrette and fruity nesberry makes this fragrance all the more unique and captivating—like a crisp, early morning in an arid landscape.
Feedback from Allure tester Jennifer Hussein
“I have just about every form of Byredo’s Mojave Ghost scent, but the hair perfume is the one I reach for daily. Even if I washed my hair for the day, I can’t resist spritzing this soft-wood scent on my strands.”
Key notes: ambrette, nesberry magnolia, sandalwood, violet, cedarwood, amber, chantilly musk
More scents: Gypsy Water, Blanche, Black Saffron
Available sizes: 75 ml
Best Amber: Phlur Amber Haze Hair & Body Fragrance Mist
Why it’s worth it: As its name suggests, the first thing you’ll notice about the Phlur Amber Haze Hair & Body Fragrance Mist is its warm, sharp body—that’s all amber’s doing. To turn up the warmth of this hair and body mist, earthy saffron and sweet vanilla are added to its mix. At the heart of this fragrance is jasmine, a white floral that adds a hint of powderiness to this fragrance.
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“I’m not a big fragrance girl, but when I do want to add a little scent, I usually reach for a floral. This one is warm and grounded on first spritz, but as it settled into my hair, I picked up more of the jasmine. And it’s super-subtle—only I can really smell it.”
More hair perfumes we love:
Best Floral: Parfums de Marly Delina Hair Mist
Why it’s worth it: The Parfums de Marly Delina Hair Mist is a less concentrated form of the brand’s viral eau de parfum, but we love it just as much. This airier version features the same notes as the original and features an aromatic bouquet of Turkish rose, lily of the valley, and peony. As it settles onto your strands, you’ll notice hints of tangy lychee, citrus-forward bergamot, and sweet vanilla make their appearance.
Key notes: rose, lychee, cashmere wood essence, lily of the valley, peony, bergamot, nutmeg, rhubarb, lychee, vetiver, incense, cedarwood, vanilla, musk
More scents: Valaya
Available sizes: 75 ml
Best Powdery: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Hair Perfume
Why it’s worth it: For all things unwaveringly chic, classy, and display-worthy, you can’t go wrong with the Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Hair Perfume. Pretty bottle aside, the scent that lives inside is noteworthy, too. One whiff and you’ll instantly notice a burst of powdery rose, but also expect to catch whiffs of citrusy orange and woody patchouli, too.
Best Solar: Diptyque Eau Rose Hair Mist
Why it’s worth it: The simplistic design on the bottle of Diptyque’s Eau Rose Hair Mist is so easy on the eyes that it almost doesn’t matter what it smells like, but we all know the French perfume house isn’t one to slack off when it comes to scents. This floral fragrance is light and delicate, with notes of damascena and centifolia roses, fruity lychee, and warm ambroxan (a synthetic form of amber) that transport you straight to the Mediterranean coast. To moisturize your strands, this lightweight perfume also contains camellia oil.
Best Airy: Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris Aqua Universalis Scented Hair Mist
Why it’s worth it: From the brand that gave you the famed Baccarat Rouge 540 (which also comes in a hair perfume format, by the way) comes the Aqua Universalis Scented Hair Mist. Lucky for you, it is just as breezy as the original eau de parfum it’s based on. You’ll smell notes of bergamot, white flower, and musky wood, but in a subtle form to ensure the mist moves with your hair and never comes across as too in-your-face. The cold-pressed lemon adds a crisp brightness to the scent—great for refreshing second-day hair.
Best Warm: Juliette Has A Gun Not A Hair & Body Mist
Why it’s worth it: Yes, you read that right: The TikTok-famous, hard-to-pin-down fragrance Juliette Has a Gun also comes in hair mist form. This formula shares the scent of its musky sibling eau de parfum, but it’s alcohol-free and even more subtle. The warm woody notes in the bottle mix with your natural scent for an olfactory result that’s all your own.
Key notes: synthetic ambergris
Available sizes: 75 ml
Best Layerable: Rare Beauty Find Comfort Body & Hair Fragrance Mist
Why it’s worth it: So you want to try a hair perfume, but are afraid of it weighing your hair down? That’s precisely why we love the Rare Beauty Find Comfort Body & Hair Fragrance Mist. It has a mist applicator that makes it virtually impossible to over-apply, and it’s so lightweight both in feel and in smell that it can be layered with other scents for your very own custom fragrance. As for said scent, it features notes of lemon zest and jasmine, leaving behind a trail of rich freshness that you’ll feel inclined to spritz on your body too. Feel free to wear it on its own, but its lightweight, subtle scent begs to be layered with your favorite vanilla perfume.
Key notes: lemon zest, jasmine, cashmere wood
Available sizes: 100 ml
Best Budget: Pacifica Perfumed Hair & Body Mist
Why it’s worth it: Too many choices can often be a bad thing, but that’s not the case with Pacifica’s Perfumed Hair & Body Mists. With over 20 unique scents, you can take your pick of these alcohol-free mists without breaking the bank. Island Vanilla (pictured above) is inspired by the intoxicating goodness of Tahitian vanilla and costs less than $15.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a hair perfume different from other fragrances?
How does hair fragrance compare to regular perfume, you ask? While they’re not a monolith, there are a couple of traits to look out for while perusing and deciphering cryptic scent descriptions. “Hair perfumes or mists usually contain hydrating properties like hyaluronic acid and other natural ingredients that cover odor, have UV ray protection, and give your hair just the right texture and shine,” writes New York City- and Columbus, Ohio-based hairstylist Mia Santiago. Keep an eye out for hair-loving ingredients to tackle frizz and dryness, on top of making your hair smell impeccable.