Paris perfume 2025: it’s about self-expressing not impressing… perfume is no longer only about seduction or luxury in Paris …
Fragrance in Paris has always been part of the city’s unspoken language, and now it is more about self-expression than ever before. Wearing perfume is on the rise in Paris, spearheaded by young people, and it’s all about identity and confidence, rather than seduction or luxury. Cosmétiquemag published a study on perfume use in October 2025 in collaboration with Ipsos BVA. The research focused on 18–25-year-olds across France, and one result stood out immediately: “95% of young men now wear perfume, nearly matching women at 97%, and more than half say they use scent more than they did five years ago.” Beauty rituals are converging between the genders who now share many of the same grooming and self-care habits but with different emotional motivations. And it isn’t about impressing others. Across genders, 83% of young people see beauty as a way to feel good, rather than to please others. For example, 80% of young men use skincare or grooming products regularly, with 40% using makeup occasionally. Perfume fits into this beauty shift. Perfume is no longer “for him” or “for her.” It’s for “today” or for “this mood” or for “this version of myself.” For 63% of young men, perfume plays an important role in everyday life, and 74% say it helps them affirm their personality and identity. In other words, perfume has become a form of self-expression, almost like a signature. The study also reveals that 60% of young people have bought a cosmetic or perfume after seeing it on TikTok. But there’s tension too. Nearly half say they feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of products and advice online, not to mention the price. Enter the rise of affordable dupes inspired by duplicating luxury scents. Over 75% of study respondents say dupes are good because they democratize access to luxury. And yet, despite the accessibility of dupes, luxury perfume hasn’t lost its magic. A beautifully made bottle or a carefully composed scent still carries emotional weight for young people. It still feels like a luxurious gift to others or to oneself. Perhaps that’s why this perfume research is timely. In a world of algorithms and scrolling, perfume remains wonderfully analogue. I use the French eau de toilette, Ô de Lancôme, launched in 1969, but I like to add one extra perfume as an alternate. At Christmas, I was gifted Yves Saint Laurent’s Libre perfume (it means “free”), launched in 2019, and with a 50-year difference, the scent is unmistakably modern. YSL Libre feels emblematic of the 2025 shift from luxury to lifestyle: from the distinctly feminine fragrance of Ô de Lancôme to the category-defying scent of Libre; a scent for a mood, a scent for a state of mind. What I really received was the scent of storytelling. Paris, perfume, perfectParis is not pretentious about perfume. Scent lingers in stairwells It lingers in cafés Perfume here is not worn, A trace of lavender Left behind on a chair after the person has gone, Perfume is not seduction here. And who you remain Paris understands Paris. Like a walk without a destination. Like love. Additional articles: What Your Paris Perfume Says About You (by arrondissement) Five Scents That Smell Like Paris (to wear in 2026)
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