The Best Single Note Perfume To Layer With Your Favorite Scent

The Twinkle Apothecary signature fragrance collection is simple by design. 

Each of our 15 perfumes is comprised of just 4 notes, and some of them even lack true top notes or base notes, actually, making them what most perfumers would refer to as an "accord" (a blend of 3 or more top, middle, or base notes, which would normally be blended in with more ingredients to make a traditional perfume.)

I designed them this way for three reasons:

 A) Sometimes a simple fragrance is all you need or want for everyday wear.

B) Simple recipes and blending techniques keep the cost low so I can offer my products at an affordable price. (I truly want to make natural perfume more accessible and fun for everyone!) 

And, 

C) It makes them simply PERFECT for mixing and matching! 

And it's not like you have to buy 2 or more perfumes at a time to start experimenting - I didn't design them this way to trick you into buying more! But like, say you've got your all-time favorite Florcore body oil on hand, and maybe you'd like to change it up by layering some French Girl perfume with it for fall, or, if you're not into body oil, you could pair the lavender body butter with a spritz of Basic, and etc., etc... 

The possibilities are pretty much endless... 

I don't know if many people read this far in the product descriptions, but if you go to any of my perfume or scented body care item listings there's a section called "Fragrance Notes" where I describe the scent in more detail and list suggestions for layering, mixing and matching. 

I do know that too much information can be overwhelming (sorry!) so here, I'm just going to make it simple and give you my very mostest tip top favorite single note perfume recommendations to layer with your favorite signature Twinkle scent. 

Obviously, this is just my opinion, and as always, I encourage you to experiment with whatever sounds good to you.  

It's like, bah-ZING! Zesty lime adds just the right amount of lift and sweet freshness at the top without detracting from the smoky, creamy base of Adore. Adore is one of my most popular fragrances, but it's just a bit too sweet for my personal taste, so I love brightening it up a bit!

Lavender is just the ticket for cooling down the earthy, spicy notes in Bad Hombre, giving it a much more herbal, fresh flair. I LOVE Bad Hombre on it's own, especially at Christmastime, but I can totally see pairing it with lavender in the summer or as we transition into fall. (Side note: why are my favorites never the popular ones? lol!) 

Okay, you've gotta trust me on this one. I know that my Basic customers aren't typically the same ones who go for patchouli, but OMG, this pairing is mind-blowingly good. Patchouli adds just the right amount of depth and grounding, mysterious sweet earthiness to an otherwise kinda plain Jane (but still lovely!) scent. 

notes: pine, sandalwood, clove, labdanum, patchouli 

Oh my oh my oh my... wowza... So, pine adds just the right amount of lift to this earthy blend of pretty much all base notes, giving it that sexy woodsy fresh forest lumberjack twist that you never knew was missing from your life. Try it only if you want to smell like the best thing EVER. It's practically euphoric. 

notes: neroli, frankincense, bergamot, rose, sandalwood 

To me, Blissed is pretty darn perfect. Give me a bright happy rose with all of the sensual sandalwood and I really don't need anything else, ever. So how does one improve upon perfection? With neroli, obviously! Neroli is just that holy grail of a sweet-yet-clean floral note that literally goes with ANYTHING. When in doubt, you can pretty much always add neroli. 

notes: jasmine, amber, lavender, bergamot, vetiver 

THERE'S MUCH YES IN THIS COMBO I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START! 

Real talk: I feel sorry for Close you guys. It's the one scent that people ask me if they can return the most often. (I don't do returns by the way - please buy the $5 samples first!) I think it's because people who aren't really familiar with fragrances see "lavender" and assume that it's going to be a safe bet. However, this is probably the most complex fragrance that I offer, so it's definitely not for beginners. Haha. But seriously, every time it happens I go back and try it on, and I just honestly can't see what's not to like! It's sweet, rich, and slightly powdery, but somehow also bright, fresh, and cool at the same time. The mix of amber and vetiver in the dry down is just amazing, and it's great for guys too. So if you're ready to play in the big leagues, add some jasmine. It's kind of like everyone's favorite cool blue whatever, except it's a MILLION TIMES BETTER. Boom.    

notes: clove, lime, neroli, patchouli, vetiver 

Clove adds just the right amount of warm, rich, sweet spiciness to this bright-yet-earthy scent. It's just the ticket for going into fall, or for fancying it up a bit a night. It kind of reminds me of a cocktail, actually... like a sexy mojito with a dash of bitters vibe? IDK, but it's good y'all. (Side note - I make my spicy single note perfumes - clove, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper - slightly less concentrated in hopes to avoid any issues with sensitive skin, but I still recommend keeping them away from delicate areas as there's a chance they could cause a warming sensation!) 

On it's own, Duchess is the only sent I offer without a fixative or base note element. I specifically made it for all of the people who were asking me to make them something sweet and fresh and light and clean. Adding a little vanilla can really help anchor down this scent and add some rich depth, without moving into more earthy base notes. It's really lovely - kind of like Basic, but sweeter and more wintry.  

Holy moly this is surprisingly delicious! The clary sage adds an earthy depth that's still fresh enough to let all of the flowers shine though. It really makes this light scent so much more dimensional and like... wow, what is that you're wearing?? Bonus points: it's a serious mood lifter and a combo you might want to consider having on hand when you're PMSing. Reason number 9000 to love essential oil based fragrances: functionality! 

notes: ylang ylang, rose, amber, patchouli, sandalwood 

Ylang ylang is another one of those handy floral notes that pairs well with pretty much everything, but it can be pretty intense. This intensity makes it just right for pairing with bold, earthy, powdery French Girl. It makes it just that much more sophisticated and mysterious and très femme fatale... if you know what I mean. (It's an aphrodisiac.) 

Coffee adds a dry-yet-rich depth and complexity to light, fresh Goddess. It somehow manages to enhance everything that's good about this scent (which is everything) without overpowering the lightness of the orange, palmarosa, and geranium. It doesn't so much smell like coffee, but rather, something really delicious that you can't quite put your finger on. This is one of my absolute favorite scent parings. You have to try it! 

notes: lemon, vanilla, jasmine, ginger, vetiver 

Aw yeah... lemon is just the ticket for brightening up this heady, sweet, rich scent. It adds an almost candy-like quality while freshening it up at the same time. Gourmand fragrance lovers - this one is for you. I want to make it into a tea and drink it! 

notes: orange, bergamot, neroli, jasmine, sandalwood 

So, one easy way to approach fragrance layering is to imagine what you're thinking about adding to each of the other notes separately. Like: orange + bergamot = yes, orange + neroli = yes, orange + jasmine = yes, orange + sandalwood = oh hellll yes. BINGO. You can't lose! 

notes: rose, frankincense, lavender, patchouli, cedar wood. 

See what I mean? rose + frankincense = yes, rose + lavender = yes, rose + patchouli = yes, rose + cedar wood = yes. This is a great way for everyone who loves Nasty Woman because it's so fresh and clean to start dipping their toes into that sweet, sweet, sultry rosewater. It puts a more feminine twist on this almost cologne like scent. Come to the dark (floral) side, my friends...  

notes: vetiver, grapefruit, rose, black pepper, violet leaf 

I'd say that in terms of complexity, Pink Mafia is second to Close. It's fruity and floral, yes, but the delicately grassy green violet leaf and spicy black pepper give it a punch that is truly unique and bold and interesting. Adding earthy vetiver kind of tones down the sweet fruity floral element and makes it just that much more complex, deep, and longer lasting.

And it really doesn't matter - it's whatever you prefer! I photographed the perfumes here to make it simple, but you could mix and match any of the perfumes with any of the body care items, roll-ons, or sprays. You can roll one perfume on one wrist and one on the other and rub them together; roll one on and spray another on-top, or layer two sprays (spritzing them both on at the same time sounds kinda fun, no?) The point of fragrance layering is to get creative and have a little fun making something unique to you, so I don't think there should be any rules.

(In fragrance layering or perfume in general, actually...) 

Have fun playing!  

-XO- 

Stefanie