These 6 'Mermaidcore'-inspired perfumes will make you think you're under the sea

Channel your inner Ariel with these aquatic-themed 'Mermaidcore' perfumes

Mermaidcore perfumes: fragrances pictured from Maison Margiela/Jo Malone/ZARA/ Diptyque and Sol De Janeiro in a water template
(Image credit: Maison Margiela/Jo Malone/ZARA/ Diptyque and Sol De Janeiro)

With Halle Bailey's The Little Mermaid finally hitting theatres, the 'Mermaidcore' trend is rightfully consuming our entire aesthetic—right down to our fragrance game. So, to help us be part of *that* world, here are some of the best 'Mermaidcore' perfumes...

When it comes to selecting the best perfume for you, it can often be helpful to suss out which perfume notes, in particular, are trending. And naturally, with the popularity surge around all things mermaid-related—thanks to Halle's rendition of Ariel—there's a big ol' demand for sparkling, beachy scents. In fact, some of the best vacation perfumes for 2023 include some rather salty blends.

So, if you're looking for a new Ariel-inspired scent for summer (or perhaps a niche office perfume?), these are our pick of 'mermaidcore' fragrances...

Best 'Mermaidcore' perfumes to evoke seaside vibes

Recommended notes: salt, bergamot, cirtus, coconut, marine accord and woods

Before we delve into what notes really make a mermaid-approved scent, we've rounded up a few of the best ocean-esque fragrances—including some floral perfumes—that would definitely leave Prince Eric singing on the shoreline for you (IYKYK)...

What is a 'Mermaidcore' perfume?

To put it simply, a 'Mermaidcore' scent is what a mermaid might smell like, so salty but also with hints of exotic flowers that might grow in the deep. To put it another way, these oceanic scents are effectively perfumes for wearing to the beach or if you want to embody that coastal grandmother or coastal cowgirl vibe.

Now of course, when we say ocean-themed perfumes, we don't mean that seaweed and fishy scent that's often associated with the beach but rather the smell of salt water on your skin and hair, the milkiness of sunscreen and that warm, intoxicating (yet hard to pin down) aroma of hazy summer days and holidays past.

If you're really looking to embody the deep blue, salt notes are your best bet, as The Fragrance Shop's Natalia Ortiz explains: "Like a burst of sea air on your skin, salt notes are used to add a zing to aquatic, wood and gourmand fragrances. It’s the perfect warm weather note as it adds a tang to otherwise sweet notes. Think chocolate, praline, vanilla and caramel. It creates a really wow contrast."

You should also look for marine accords, or citrusy scents of lemon and orange, to really capture that sun and sea feel. May every day smell like a beach day!

Naomi Jamieson
Lifestyle News Writer

Naomi is a Lifestyle News Writer with the Women's Lifestyle team, where she covers everything from entertainment to fashion and beauty, as well as TikTok trends for Woman&Home, after previously writing for My Imperfect Life and GoodTo. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied illustration at Plymouth University but lept into the media world in 2020, after always having a passion for writing and earned her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ.

Before working for Future Publishing’s Lifestyle News team, she worked in the Ad production team. Here she wrote and designed adverts on all sorts of things, which then went into print magazines across all genres. Now, when she isn’t writing articles on celebs, fashion trends, or the newest shows on Netflix, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping.