Hair fragrances vs perfume — everything you need to know about scents and your hair

NBC News

29-04-2025

Some hair care products are all about function, like shampoos that brighten grays or nourishing leave-in conditioners. But hair fragrances are a little different. While they can sometimes moisturize hair and protect it from the sun, they're mostly used to give hair a nice scent, leaving it smelling like your favorite floral, gourmand or musky perfume. They offer the sensorial experience of your usual eau de parfum or eau de toilette, but in a formulation that makes them more suitable for hair. Here's what you should know before you spritz.
How I picked the best hair fragrance
There are essentially two types of hair fragrances: those that are all about the fragrance but otherwise no frills, and those that pair scent with some kind of added benefit for hair. To make this list, I looked for both to suit a wider variety of preferences. In addition to looking for a range of fragrance profiles (since scent can be subjective), I also kept an eye out for:
Moisturizing ingredients: Ingredients like botanical oils, glycerin and biotin can lend shine and softness to hair
UV protection: Some ingredients in hair fragrances absorb UV light, which can help prevent fading caused by the sun.
I also looked for a broad range of price points, since, as with actual fragrances, they can be more expensive. And finally, I made sure that each pick has at least a 4.0-star average rating — or has been tested and loved by an NBC Select staffer who's happy to recommend it.
The best hair fragrances in 2025
Sol de Janeiro Hair & Body Perfume Mist
You might already know of this hair mist, which has legions of fans and a 4.6-star average rating from 77,362 reviews on Amazon. It was once the scent of the brand's bestselling Brazilian Bum Bum Cream — itself an NBC Select-staff favorite, in part for its fragrance. Of the Bum Cream, NBC Select editorial director Lauren Swanson says: 'It smells like you're on vacation — poolside, morning sun on your skin and drinking a banana smoothie. It's tropical without being nauseating or cheap.' The gourmand hair fragrance smells just the same, with food-inspired notes like pistachio, almond, vanilla and salted caramel, and comes in two sizes, 3.0 fl. oz. or 8.1 fl. oz.
You can find Ouai's beachy scent across its lineup of hair- and body-care products — as well as in this standalone hair and body mist. Inspired by the titular Caribbean island of St. Barts, the scent brings together notes of orange oil, orange blossom and dragon fruit — for a juicy feel — and grounds them with amber and musk for extra warmth, according to the brand. NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio is a fan, saying that the St. Barts body cleanser, which has the same tropical scent, 'is perhaps one of my favorites in my collection.' It also comes in two sizes, 3.3 fl. oz. and 8 fl. oz.
This new multipurpose hair and body mist is alcohol-free so it shouldn't dry out your hair, according to Ceremonia. The tropically-scented mist has top notes of guava, lemon zest and peach and is 'genuinely transportive,' says NBC Select editor Lindsay Schneider, who received a sample from the brand. 'I've always loved the guava scent in their leave-in conditioner — it smells so sweet and citrusy — and this fragrance is really similar. It definitely evokes a beachy, summer night and always transports me there mentally. Even though the scent profile is strong (there's not a lot of ambiguity to it) I never find it overpowering.'
Celebrity hairstylist Kristen Ess turned the fragrance from her eponymous hair care line's Signature Shampoo and Conditioner into a stand-alone hair perfume, a warm floral with notes of ambrette seed, white amber and magnolia. It also has glycerin, sunflower extract and panthenol, which can help smooth hair and minimize frizz, according to the brand. It has an 4.6-star average rating at Ulta.
If you've used Moroccanoil's hair care products, which are known for popularizing argan oil, then you might recognize the scent of this mist that pairs spicy amber with sweeter florals. With an average 4.6-star rating from 4,034 reviews on Amazon, the formula's infused with argan oil, vitamin E and polyquaternium-59, an ingredient to absorb UV rays; together, they moisturize hair and protect it from sunlight, according to the brand. The nozzle also releases an ultra-fine mist, so it won't disturb your hairstyle, according to the brand.
Designed for both body and hair, this mist delivers a warm, woody scent to strands. It incorporates notes like lemon zest, violet and vetiver to help promote feelings of calm and comfort, as well as biotin and niacinamide, which work to soften hair and add shine, according to the brand. It has a 4.1-star average rating from 1,141 reviews at Sephora.
I'm not big into fragrance, but I still love this hair and body mist, which feels warm and cozy. It blends saffron notes with jasmine absolute — a bold floral note — and amber, vanilla and mask, which makes for a sultry scent that works well for date night. It doesn't seem to dry out my hair (although I regularly use leave-in conditioner before air-drying), and I find that it lasts most of the day without fading.
The French fragrance house Diptyque, which is known for its perfumes and candles, also offers hair perfume. It borrows notes from the brand's Eau Rose — which is a fruitier, brighter take on the classic floral note — with this iteration. The formula pairs the scent with sweet almond and camellia oils to add softness and shine to hair, according to the brand, and it has a 4.6-star average rating at Nordstrom
Ingredients of note: glycerin, sweet almond oil, camellia oil | Scent notes: rose, geranium, lychee, white honey
How to shop for hair fragrance
Hair fragrances are mostly about the scent: If there's a certain fragrance profile you like, such as florals, warm musks or fruity scents, then that's the best starting point. Look at your existing fragrance collection to see either what you gravitate toward or, on the other hand, what you might be missing. (Hair fragrances often come at lower price points than eau de parfums and eau de toilettes, so they can be a good way to experiment with a new scent.)
Then, consider whether you might want or need moisturizing ingredients in your hair fragrance. 'A well-formulated hair mist can be both a sensory experience as well as a light leave-in treatment,' says Erwan Raguenes, a perfumer at Dsm-firmenich (a company that manufactures fragrances for home and personal-care products). 'Many hair mists are formulated with conditioning agents that provide added benefits, such as hydration and softness, shine and and protection against UV or other environmental aggressors.'
That UV protection, which frequently comes via antioxidants, is just as important for the formula as it is for hair. 'Fragrance chemicals can be prone to oxidation especially with exposure to heat and light, shifting in color and odor,' says independent cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos. 'If the spray is in a clear bottle, additional antioxidants or UV protectants may be part of the formula to help preserve the fragrance.' (Essentially, they pull double-duty to protect both the hair fragrance and your hair.) There's no harm in wearing them if you plan to be in the sun; the UV protection is primarily for extending its shelf life in the bottle.
As with traditional perfumes, hair perfumes have alcohol. This may dry out your hair, so 'look for brands that add oils to moisturize and nourish your hair, like argan oil,' says Darryl Do, a senior perfumer at Delbia Do Fragrances & Flavors. Speaking of oils, they offer another advantage: 'Oils like to coat the hair,' says Laura Lam-Phaure, an independent cosmetic chemist. That will allow formulations with oils to last longer, which is worth noting since hair fragrances are less potent than and therefore don't last as long as traditional perfumes.
However, that doesn't mean that hair fragrances without moisturizing oils aren't helpful. In fact, they may be the better option if you're working with an updo or more complicated hairstyle. 'If you've already styled your hair, too much moisture can destroy all the work you've done,' says Dobos. No matter what, she recommends only using hair perfumes in a spray nozzle, which ensures the droplets aren't too large and don't inadvertently weigh hair down.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Darryl Do is a senior perfumer at Delbia Do Fragrances & Flavors in New York, NY, where he focuses on fragrance creation and regulation.
Erwan Raguenes is a perfumer at dsm-firmenich who graduated from the Grasse Institute of Perfumery.
Kelly Dobos is a cosmetic chemist who serves as a consultant for beauty brands. She's also an adjunct professor of cosmetic science at the University of Cincinnati.
Laura Lam-Phaure is a cosmetic chemist and founder of Lam Phaure Beauty, where she guides ingredient selection and oversees product development for beauty brands.
Why trust NBC Select?
I'm a freelance beauty writer and editor who's been covering beauty and health for more than a decade, including topics like retinol body lotions and prebiotic skin care. For this article, I spoke to two perfumers and two cosmetic chemists about what to look for in a quality hair perfume and how they're different from other fragrance formulations. I also highlighted their recommendations for the best options to consider and included some personal favorites along with some NBC Select editors have tried.