Very little about the scent itself, in truth. “Unisex” is mostly a marketing and packaging decision, brands choosing neutral bottle design and gender-free advertising, rather than any specific ingredient or note combination that’s inherently more neutral than another.

The families that lean naturally neutral

That said, some note families do tend to read as less culturally gendered than others, at least in how UK shoppers typically respond. Woods, musks and ambers rarely trigger a strong “this is for him” or “this is for her” instinct the way a very powdery aldehydic floral or a classic barbershop fougère still does for a lot of people. That’s less about chemistry and more about decades of advertising having conditioned us to file certain smells one way or another.

The honest bottom line

Any perfume is, chemically, wearable by anyone. “Unisex” branding just removes the marketing signals that usually push people towards one aisle or another, letting the scent speak for itself. Our unisex fragrance guide and unisex range are worth exploring, alongside the complete guide to perfume.