When it comes to standing out, niche fragrances are where the real magic happens. China has been a particularly dynamic market with a growing interest from scent connoisseurs for its niche local brands, especially among Gen Z who likes to experiment with scents. As a result, Chinese fragrance brands have been gaining a lot of attention on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, China’s equivalent of TikTok.
Infused with cultural heritage, refined craftsmanship, and modern innovation, these labels offer a distinct olfactory experience. They often incorporate traditional ingredients like lotus, bamboo, mugwort, and magnolia, drawing inspiration from Chinese art, literature, and nostalgia. From tea-infused notes to earthy fragrances, these Chinese perfume brands deserve a place in your collection.
handhandhand
Founded by three designers in Shanghai, handhandhand features an uber-chic, modern aesthetic that’s impeccably seen through its product and retail design. Its perfume range includes cult favourites – Black Sheep, which has notes of lentisk, labdanum, and incense; if you’re up for something a little exotic, and First Blush, a rose-based scent that smells like a gorgeous bouquet – amongst others. Aside from fragrances, the brand offers a home fragrance line as well as its collection of scented sachets that’s created in collaboration with international artists.
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To Summer
One of the most well-known brands in the Chinese fragrance scene right now, To Summer produces Eastern scents, revolving around botanical notes like osmanthus, gardenia, orchid, jasmine, honeysuckle, pu’er tea, and bamboo. The brand has worked with international experts including French perfumer Jerome Epinette and German perfumer Frank Voelkl. For something truly unusual, try Leisure, which fuses angelica root with floral and woody tones, and Ink, an intriguing woody scent that features ink as a note.
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Melt Season
Melt Season blends Eastern and Western influences, subtly weaving Chinese aesthetics into chic, cosmopolitan scents of florals and wood. The brand collaborates mostly with French perfumers resulting in scent concoctions that are light, clean, and not too imposing. Recently, its First Frost perfume, known for its fresh, green, eucalyptus notes, gained fame in popular Chinese drama “The First Frost”, where it was gifted by the male lead. For something a little fruity and spicy, pick up Revoir with punchy notes of yuzu and pink pepper.
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Documents
Documents features an edgy, contemporary vibe with its minimalist design. Its scents are mostly gender-neutral, with compositions that play on woody, resinous, and musky accords, often incorporating ingredients and smells that attribute to Chinese heritage. The brand’s signature perfume, Dystopia, merges deep, earthy notes with a whisper of spice, while Amber Wood offers a refined take on classic oriental warmth.
ImSole
Made in collaboration with perfumers Olivier Cresp and Florian Gallo, ImSole offers both women’s and unisex fragrances bottled within a sculptural design. The brand’s most famed scent, The Naif, sparks notes of green tea, peach, green apple and lemon leaf. Within the top, lies clove, which spices up the concoction. Meanwhile, Noiseless is a woody, cool-toned scent, a better fit for quiet and romantic nights.
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The Beast
The Beast’s perfumes and home fragrances inhibit Eastern influences – think bestsellers like Oriental Beauty, a fusion of florals like camellia, honeysuckle, and orchid with aquatic and citrus notes, and Osmanthus Oolong, a scent that blends oriental tea and floral notes with incense, almond, and leather tones. The brand started out as a florist, and has since become a treasure trove of lifestyle and home products, from furnishings to lounge wear, jewellery, and accessories.
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