From shower scents to strategic layering, this is how I build scents that evoke the sensation of dessert, sunshine, and buttery softness, all at once.
Building scents is a deeply personal ritual. On some days I want to smell like power in a bottle — sharp, fresh, and maybe just intimidating enough to turn heads. On other days, I want to wrap myself in warm, sweet, creamy notes that make me feel soft. The kind of scent that lingers in rooms and on bedsheets, and has loved ones leaning into my hugs a little longer.
Building this kind of scent is a process. A delicate one between skin prep, body care, and layering fragrances that complement each other without overpowering the senses. When I get it right, my aura is subtle, but impossible to ignore.
The foundation of how I build scents lies in cleansing. I start in the shower, using products with complementary scent profiles that are warm and sweet. Think cocoa butter, vanilla, oat milk, almond, or even soft floral hints grounded by wood or musk. Every product contributes to the final scent. Then I layer: rich body creams, body butters, fragrance mists, and perfumes that blend rather than clash. I love the balance — softly feminine and with enough depth to feel grown. Warm, sweet, and creamy is a delicate mood that needs depth without heaviness.
If you’ve ever wanted to smell like honeyed vanilla with a touch of sandalwood and a whisper of toasted sugar, you’re at the right place. This is my warm-sweet-creamy scent recipe — tried, tested, and completely addictive.
Read also: A breath of flowers: The lightest, warmest, and most elegant floral perfumes
Build scents with me
Shower time
The best way I build scents that last all day is to start in the shower. Your bath routine lays the foundation for how fragrance clings to your skin, evolves with time, and makes a lasting impression. Building signature scents starts long before you reach for your perfume.
I start with a moisturising beauty bar soap that blends nourishing ingredients like avocado and papaya. This creates a soft, fruity base that adds warmth and richness to the scent journey. Then I use a deeply hydrating body wash infused with vanilla extract and shea butter, which leaves my skin smooth and subtly sweet.
For the final cleanse, I reach for a shower gel that blends sparkling champagne, peonies, almond cream and amber to create a decadent scent. It’s the perfect layer to add floral warmth and a bit of sparkle to my base. It also delivers a moisturising cleanse that doesn’t strip my skin of its natural oils, keeping it soft and hydrated. The shower gel elevates the entire experience — luxurious, feminine, and ready to be enhanced by everything that follows.
This three-step cleansing ritual makes my bathroom smell like a bakery-meets-luxury fragrance store. It also leaves my skin soft, supple, and ready to build scents that linger all day long.
What I use:
Joy beauty bar soap
Dove body wash – Shea butter and warm vanilla
Bath and Body Works shower gel – A thousand wishes
Seal it in — Moisturise
After my shower, I move to the most important step to build long-lasting scents — moisturising. This is where I lock in softness, boost my natural glow, and lay down a base before adding perfume later on.
My go-to moisturiser is a rich cocoa butter body lotion. Cocoa butter is deeply moisturising and has a naturally warm, slightly nutty aroma. It melts into the skin and creates that creamy, warm feeling I’m going for.
On damp skin, I layer both the lotion and a nourishing body oil made with shea oil and infused with the warm, sensual notes of oud. Shea oil penetrates deeply, locking in moisture while the illuminating effect leaves a visible sheen. The oud infusion adds a layer of rich, smoky sweetness that blends beautifully with the cocoa butter to build a warm scent.
Then I reach for one of my favourites — a pure whipped shea butter which adds thickness and weight to my scent base. It softens dry patches and acts as a fixative for fragrance. On days when I’m going sleeveless or simply want extra shine, I finish off with a dab of shea butter balm on my pulse points. As a result, my skin gets a luminous finish and an added layer of warm fragrance. Plus, I carry it with me for on-the-go touch-ups.
When used in this order, these products work harmoniously to build scents that are inviting, long-lasting, and uniquely mine. This moisturising routine makes me smell good and feel deliciously cocooned all day.
What I use:
Nivea cocoa butter lotion.
Arami Essentials lumi oil in sweet oud – Shop here
R&R skincare intense whipped shea butter – Shop here
R&R skincare serene shea butter body balm – Shop here
Layer perfume to build scents that last
Now that my skin is soft, moisturised and already smelling like a creamy dessert, it’s time to seal the scent with perfume. On warm, feel-good days when I want to build scents that evoke softness, sweetness, and elegance, I reach for two perfumes that never miss: Yerwa’s Secrets – 24 and L’OBJET Oh Mon Dieu! Eau de Parfum.
A blend of vanilla, sandalwood and blonde woods, Yerwa’s Secrets 24 is creamy and slightly woody. It adds depth without taking away the comforting softness I’ve built from the shower up. On most days, I wear it alone because it’s just as powerful on its own and needs no layering. It’s one of those perfumes that announces your presence softly yet lingers with lasting power. Plus, its compact size makes it ideal for on-the-go top-ups.
On days when I want to lean all the way into sweet decadence with a grown, sexy twist, I reach for L’OBJET Oh Mon Dieu! This perfume is a blend of rich Cognac and caramel in the top notes, layered with plum, blackcurrant, and rose at the heart. It finishes with leather, incense, and oak moss. The scent is warm, creamy, and just the right amount of bold. It gives my skin that “expensive after-dark dessert” energy.
I absolutely enjoy layering scents — so I sometimes pair both perfumes for maximum effect. I begin with Yerwa’s Secrets to hold the warmth and sweetness close to my skin. Then, I follow up with Oh Mon Dieu! to add depth and make the scent last longer while still keeping it sweet and sultry. The result is a layered scent that smells like luxury, softness, and confidence all in one. This final touch brings the entire routine together.
What I use:
Yerwa’s Secret – 24. Shop here.
L’OBJET Oh Mon Dieu! Eau de Parfum. Shop here.
From cleansing to sealing and scenting, I’ve built an experience that smells soft, inviting, and comforting. That’s the beauty of learning to build scents. It’s not just about perfume but creating a ritual that lingers on your skin and in people’s memories.
