Find your signature scent amongst these renowned perfume stores

Words Mika Geronimo
March 1, 2024

Nothing beats a head-turning fragrance. Whether it's to leave a lasting impression or harness an untapped image from within, the right scent can bring out a whole new, alluring dimension in anyone who wears it.

TikTok hype and collectors' communities aside, a signature scent remains an undermined staple in one's everyday self-care routine. With more standalone perfume boutiques opening up shop in Metro Manila, shopping for fragrance has never been this simple and accessible. Here are 8 brands you should consider visiting in search of your signature scent.

Diptyque

Diptyque’s products are manufactured with both quality and experience in mind, each scent brought to life by intricate drawings and “dancing” letters that spell out its name. Apart from its perfumes, Diptyque’s scents also linger in the form of candles and diffusers.

Jo Malone London

Good things come in pairs; the same can be said about Jo Malone London’s line of perfumes. The UK-based brand is known for combining its clean and crisp fragrances in two’s, as seen in its expansive line of perfumes, as well as bath and body products.

Jo Loves

Behind the same founder of Jo Malone London is Jo Loves, the former’s younger, more adventurous sibling. Jo Loves draws inspiration from Jo Malone’s own cherished memories and passions, echoing the notion that scents frame our precious moments and vice versa.

Officine Universelle Buly

Anchoring on both timelessness and innovation, the French heritage brand transports its patrons to the past by way of its sophisticated Makati location in Greenbelt 3. Officine Universelle Buly offers a variety of subtle yet complex scents, each laden with an equally eye-catching illustration on every bottle.

Maison Margiela

Maison Margiela’s fragrances bank on nostalgia, both lived and imagined, particularly through its line of lucid Replica scents. Maison Margiela Replica replicates memories and sights, whether that may be being seated At the Barber’s in 1992 Madrid or exchanging Whispers in the Library in 1997 Oxford.

Guerlain

The Guerlain beauty brand has been around for five generations since being founded in 1828. Its signature scent Guerlinade has left an indelible mark on the industry, comprising an exquisite blend of vanilla, bergamot, tonka bean, iris, rose, and jasmine. Guerlain taps into four central themes for its key collections, namely art, nature, love, and masculinity.

Nishane

The Istanbul-based niche perfume brand takes pride in its one-of-a-kind scents, with quite a few drawing inspiration from various feats in storytelling. Nishane’s "Collection Imaginative," for instance, mimics the spirit of the beloved French novella The Little Prince, while their "Shadow Play Trilogy” originates from the traditional Turkish shadow play Karagöz & Hacivat.

Le Labo

While Le Labo’s first branch in the Philippines is yet to be unveiled to the public, the New York-based brand’s loyal following is itching to catch their iconic scents in-store. Le Labo has been cited by many celebrities as their fragrance of choice, and it’s safe to say that we’re looking forward to taking a whiff for ourselves. And with every standalone store, there’s also their City Exclusive scents to be all the more excited about. What do you think Makati’s exclusive scent will smell like?