Alcohol-free perfumes: how they work and which brands/products to buy

1. Hermetica Megaflower EDP, $175 – $265, from Robinsons Heeren

1/5

This floral, oriental fragrance smells like sparkling orange flowers that is balanced with warm vetiver oil. The scent is pretty intense when you first spray it on, but it does mellow out without a significant change in fragrance notes because of the way alcohol-free perfume house Hermetica creates it, where it uses both natural and synthetic molecules to ensure the scent’s stability and longevity.

2. Diptyque L’Ombre dans l’Eau Perfume Oil Roll-On, $72.00, from Escentials

2/5

Perfume oils are a common variant of alcohol-free perfumes. This blackcurrant, rose scent from Diptyque comes in a convenient rollerball format.

3. Hermes Twilly d’Hermes Alcohol-free Deodorant Stick, $89.00, from Escentials

3/5

Deodorant sticks like this one from Hermes is a good alcohol-free alternative to your usual department store or luxury brand fragrances. Twilly d’Hermes is a refreshing floral scent with notes of ginger, tuberose and sandalwood.

4. Le Labo Bergamote 22 Liquid Balm, approx. US$101.38 (S$139.50), from Net-a-Porter

4/5

Luxury niche fragrance brand Le Labo’s alcohol-free perfume comes in a balm, rollerball format. This handmade balm has notes of vetiver, orange blossom and cedar wood, and a base of safflower oil and candelilla wax.

5. Lush Inhale, $39, from Lush

5/5

With notes of melon, neroli, rose and ylang ylang, this is a fruity floral fragrance oil. The alcohol base is substituted by jojoba oil, to help the scent settle and linger on skin.