Perfumes used to be about wearing scents exactly as they were crafted but a new generation of fragrance fans is embracing a more flexible, playful, personalized approach with layering fragrances tailor-made for everyday experimentation.

As part of this shift, people are investing in perfume primers to add depth and complexity to their main fragrance. Rare Beauty’s Rare eau de parfum is a prime example, since this customizable vanilla-caramel launched alongside fragrance balms made to amp up the fresh, gourmand, woody or floral notes according to personal preference.

With fan-created “layering combos” going viral on social media, brands are embracing consumers’ love of mixing and matching by empowering them to take on the role of perfumer to craft signature scents. Snif’s Hot Cakes and Mists collection won over gourmand lovers by pairing a pancake-inspired fragrance with body mists inspired by popular edible fruity, creamy, chocolatey toppings.