Despite bordering on functional, SOAPY scents do have their fans. These people appreciate fragrances that offer a lasting “fresh out of the shower” feeling – clean, yet elegant. Of course, there are varying levels of soapiness. In the first part of this article, we discuss fragrances with a soapy aspect, and at the end, we list ten fragrances that replicate the smell of soap itself. While there isn’t a clear line separating soapy scents from powdery (more cosmetic-like) and musky (more laundry-like) ones, the focus here is on the former.
Both natural and synthetic ingredients can make a fragrance soapy. One of the pioneers in the latter category are aldehydes C10, C11, and C12, also known as fatty and metallic aldehydes, which have been produced since the early 20th century. Highly diffusive and long-lasting, they enhance the bright, radiant quality of florals. Over time, the “aldehydic floral” subfamily was epitomized by the groundbreaking Chanel N°5 (1921), though Houbigant’s Quelques Fleurs, released in 1912, had already introduced the style.
Chanel N°5 is a great example of aldehydes intertwined with other early aroma chemicals available to perfumers: ionones, discovered in 1893 and known for giving a powdery effect, and musk ketones, discovered in 1888. This combination creates a vintage, retro vibe. Much later, the molecules Lilial (1956) and Lyral (1958), which mimic the scent of lily of the valley and also provide a soapy quality, further enriched the perfumer’s palette.
With the exception of Dolce & Gabbana (1992) and the modernized Chanel N°5 Eau Première (2008), aldehydic florals largely disappeared by the 1970s. Examples include: Chanel N°22 (1922), Lanvin’s Arpège (1927), Worth’s Je Reviens (1932), Madame Rochas (1960), Hermès’ Calèche (1961), Rabanne’s Calandre (1969), Yves Saint Laurent’s Rive Gauche (1970), Van Cleef & Arpels’ First (1976), and Estée Lauder’s White Linen (1978).
Some popular non-aldehydic soapy florals are: Estée Lauder’s Pleasures (1995), Cacharel’s Noa (1998), Ralph Lauren’s Romance (1998), Philosophy’s Pure Grace (2003), and the new Balmain’s Ivoire (2012). Pure Grace is often cited as the quintessential soap-in-a-bottle fragrance, particulary in the United States.
There are chypres rich in soapy aldehydes, such as Givenchy III (1970), Jean Couturier’s Coriandre (1973), Balmain’s Ivoire (1979), Ungaro’s Diva (1983), Givenchy’s Ysatis (1985), Estée Lauder’s Knowing (1988), and Van Cleef & Arpels’ Tsar (1989), as well as ambery woody fragrances like Chanel’s Bois des Îles (1926), Giorgio Beverly Hills’ Giorgio for Men (1984), and the late Karl Lagerfeld’s Photo (1990).
Classic fougères can have a soapy character whey they incorporate not only aldehydes but also bergamot, lavender, and coriander, which are rich in a soapy-smelling molecule – Linalool. This effect is further heightened when combined with notes of rose, geranium, and neroli (orange blossom), along with ionones and musks, creating a subconscious olfactory association with traditional soaps.
Examples include: Mäurer & Wirtz’s Tabac Original (1959), Geoffrey Beene’s Grey Flannel (1975), Royal Copenhagen Musk (1976), and Yves Saint Laurent’s Kouros (1981). On the more modern side, noteworthy examples are Joop Homme (1989), Prada Amber pour Homme (2006), and Amouage’s Reflection Man (2007), as well as the late Givenchy’s Insensé (1993) and Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fleur du Mâle (2007).
When focusing on an accord of bergamot, neroli, and orange blossom, along with musks, citrus scents can have an especially soapy quality, evoking the revitalizing sensation of a fresh shower. This can be said of fragrances like Gendarme (1983), Mugler Cologne (2001), Creed’s Original Vetiver (2004), Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino (2007), Acqua di Parma’s Colonia Essenza (2010), Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Aqua Universalis Forte (2011), and John Varvatos’ Artisan Pure (2017).
Here is a list of fragrances that capture a soapy scent in various forms – sometimes mimicking a bubble bath, at other times evoking the experience of a barbershop visit, or even resembling the famous Marseille soap* (made from pure olive oil, soda ash of vegetable or mineral origin, salt, and water).
Penhaligon’s Castile, 1998 (orange blossom, bergamot, petitgrain, musk)
Byredo’s Blanche, 2009 (aldehydes, rose, peony, violet, orange blossom, sandalwood, musk)
Laurent Mazzone’s Aldhèyx, 2016 (aldehydes, bergamot, heliotrope, musk)
État Libre d’Orange’s Exit the King, 2020 (aldehydes, rose, lily of the valley, jasmine, musk)
Maison Margiela’s Bubble Bath, 2020 (bergamot, lavender, jasmine, rose, coconut, musk)
Comme des Garçons’ Marseille*, 2021 (neroli, orange blossom, musk, woods)
Amyi 2.11, 2021 (aldehydes, cashmeran, lily of the valley, woods, ambrette, musk)
Milano Fragranze’s Naviglio*, 2021 (bergamot, neroli, petitgrain, lavender, woods, musk)
Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s 724, 2022 (aldehydes, bergamot, jasmine, musk, sandalwood)
Acne Studios by Frédéric Malle, 2024 (aldehydes, peach, orange blossom, sandalwood, musk)
(text by Daniel Barros)
