The best perfume shops in Melbourne

Lore Perfumery are “keeping Fitzroy smelling amazing”. Step through their Brunswick Street doors and enter a perfume wonderland, featuring over 700 niche fragrances to uncover. Sift through the treasure trove under your own steam or let the Lore Perfumery experts guide your journey to sublime and unexpected fragrances. Founded by Kleins Perfumery alumni Jess and Jade, Lore is an homage to the pair’s love of fine and niche fragrance, breathing new life into an at-times intimidating or old school industry. A must-stop on your tour of Melbourne’s best fragrance boutiques.

Originally only available online, Mihan Aromatics has recently opened its very first concession store on Chapel Street in Prahran. This luxe space – think chic industrial vibes with exposed brickwork – offers a curated experience where customers can sample the entire collection and get to know each fragrance's story and notes. Entirely created in Melbourne, each perfume is made using high-quality local ingredients, distilled with organic Aussie sugarcane. The newest parfum is called Sinful Rose – it's a gorgeous and deliciously sweet scent that features notes of Turkish rose, oud, vanilla and sandalwood. Romantic and elegant, it's guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on all those who pick up its scent. 

Flâner: a distinctly French term meaning to stroll, meander or drift at leisure, often used to describe moving through a city. This ethos of slowing down to enjoy the small things is at the heart of Flâner Fragrance, a local perfumer crafting vegan, cruelty-free and non-gendered scents. Roam to their store on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy and sample fragrances that aim to transport you. For example, mist yourself in Manhattan Cherry’s rich notes of maraschino cherry and red vermouth to evoke the dimly-lit speakeasies of Manhattan. Or, for a lighter touch, Vive la Fleur invites you to springtime in Paris with notes of grapefruit, bergamot and white apricot.

The scents of the natural world are heroed at this fragrance haven, with extracts from Australian flora distilled into essential oils to make their products. Essensorie offer perfume oils, solid natural fragrances, and even a perfumed hair mist. The fragrances are crafted with extracts from elements of nature like leaves, flowers, timbers and fruits – to create scents like mandarin sandalwood, pomelo petitgran and cedar oakmoss. In addition to wearable fragrances, the store also have a range of essential oils and products to make your home smell as good as you do, too.  

If you’re a perfume obsessive or exploring niche, rare fragrances for the first time, Libertine Parfumerie is the destination to experiment, learn and indulge to your heart’s content. In Victoria you can find Libertine Parfumerie stores inside several Myer locations, housing unique collections of fragrance brands within each one. Libertine fragrance experts can help you sample and fall in love with the avant garde and eclectic, or heritage, upper-crust fragrance houses. For the true fans, deepen your knowledge and take your infatuation to the next level by attending one of their masterclasses events.

They may be about more than just fragrance, but men’s grooming experts Men’s Biz belong on this list thanks to their exhaustive knowledge of cologne and perfume. While you can shop online, we suggest heading in-store for personalised guidance at one of their hybrid barbershop boutiques – in Victoria, these are located in Royal Arcade and Collins Square. Men’s Biz select stock with an eye for quality and sensory experience, so you can be certain each fragrance has their tick of approval. Prices range from the affordable to the high end, and their collection features uncommon and seductive fragrances you won’t find elsewhere.

For a first-class selection of niche fragrances from across the globe, get yourself to Oligarch in Caulfield. Their fragrance expertise is second-to-none, and paired with an encyclopaedic selection of niche and luxurious fragrances you’re sure to be matched with a scent you’ll love. Whether fragrance is your hobby, you’re looking to treat yourself or a loved one, or you simply want to own a fragrance that no one else you know will have, Oligarch has all bases covered. Sniff your way through best-sellers and hidden gems with insight from warm and inviting staff.

Hawthorn-based Peony Melbourne perfumery will transport you to the affluence, elegance and indulgence of a European perfume atelier, complete with antique décor and a beautiful collection of fragrances. A treat for the senses, Peony creates a space to celebrate and immerse yourself in a love of fragrance, with consultation services if you’d like a helping hand finding the one for you. Peony’s ‘slow fragrance’ philosophy puts a focus on sustainability, leaning towards brands that embody positive environmental impact, Fair Trade practices and high quality ingredients.

Have you ever wanted to create a bespoke signature scent? Something tailored to your personality, lifestyle and favourite fragrance profiles? Rather than layering two or more scents to achieve this effect at home, MetaScent’s perfume studio offers visitors the rare chance to be part of the artistic process from start to finish. Besides their create-your-own perfume workshops, which they call ‘olfactive design’, MetaScent also boasts a library of niche perfumes and an extensive range of in-house fragrances curated by master perfumers Janelle Donnelly and Huynh Hai Yen. Explore the studio by reservation for a truly personal fragrance experience.