In just a short time, we will officially welcome 2026. As you map out your beauty and wellness goals for the new year, adding a signature scent is a thoughtful ritual worth embracing. The good news is that the local perfume industry continues to thrive, offering fragrances carefully crafted to suit our tropical climate while reflecting Filipino heritage and culture. From established beauty houses to niche and independent labels, these new local releases deserve a spot on your radar.

Let’s start strong with a limited-edition release from Lucky Beauty. The brand recently unveiled two eau de parfums, Vanilla Éclat and Ginger Rouge. Both deliver a warm, comforting aroma that feels like being wrapped in a cozy blanket during a quiet holiday escape. Among the two, Vanilla Éclat stands out as the more versatile and unisex option. It is clean, warm, and softly inviting without leaning too sweet.

Romantics will find plenty to love in Chu-Chu’s Heartstring Collection. This lineup features four eau de parfums: Just My Type, First Date, Skip a Beat, and Catching Feelings. Our top pick is Catching Feelings, a blend of vanilla, floral, and citrus notes that evokes the comforting scent of stationery paper. It recalls the moment you open a handwritten love letter, warm and floral, stirring butterflies in the stomach.

Just in time for the season, Blk introduced its eau de parfum collection in five scents that range from clean and sweet to soft florals. One standout is Quiet Amber, a favorite of Anne Curtis. It opens with a familiar garden-flower freshness, then slowly transforms on the skin, becoming more personal and distinctive as the hours pass. The result is a scent that feels both comforting and quietly memorable.

Longevity does not always rely on a single fragrance. Sometimes, a more holistic approach to layering makes all the difference. Issy embraces this idea with its EDP Body Collection, inspired by the success of its perfume line. The brand released body wash and body lotion versions of Scent of Familiarity, Scent of Possibility, and Scent of Intensity, allowing the scent journey to begin in the shower. For a more customized result, try mixing these scents across different product forms and see how they adapt to your skin chemistry.

Known for wearable, emotion-driven perfume mists, Wone features a thoughtfully curated range of scents. Volume 1 including soft musks, warm ambers, clean florals, and subtle citrus notes, making them easy to wear and ideal for layering. This scent label's understated yet expressive compositions reflect a shift away from overpowering perfumes toward fragrances that feel intimate and intentional—perfect for those redefining their signature scent this year.

A new local fragrance brand also emerged this year: Anino. The name, which means “shadow” in Filipino, serves as the core inspiration behind its scents, exploring dualities, hidden layers, and unspoken stories. For its debut, Anino introduced six fragrances designed to be layered. One of our favorite combinations is Seabed and Sigh. Together, they create a clean, salty, and refreshing blend that recalls a carefree summer by the sea. Fresh, breezy, and undeniably fun.

From the house of Gourmand Queen, A Haze of Golden Dust lives up to its name with gold flakes suspended in the bottle. This limited-edition scent feels fitting for welcoming a golden era in the year ahead. With vanilla and tonka at its heart, it offers a cozy sweetness that enhances your natural skin scent without becoming overpowering. The intricate bottle design alone makes it worthy of a spot on any perfume collector’s shelf.

Because perfume comes in many forms, Asia Perfume Awards 2025 nominee Sad Girl Scents introduces the Soft Life Perfume Balm. Designed for those ready to leave their warrior era behind, this balm invites a gentler pace, one rooted in care, ease, and intention. The scent recalls an early morning breeze drifting through a farm filled with fresh produce. It is fresh, calming, and unhurried. Worn close to the skin, Soft Life becomes a quiet reminder of the beauty found in stillness and the luxury of slowing down.

As 2026 draws near, these local fragrances remind us that scent is more than just an accessory. It is a form of self-expression, memory, and intention. Whether you are drawn to comforting gourmands, soft florals, or fresh, layered compositions, choosing a signature scent is a quiet yet powerful way to step into the new year. Supporting local perfume houses also means celebrating Filipino creativity, craftsmanship, and stories, all captured in a single bottle and carried with you wherever the year takes you.