How to Make the Most of the 'Smellmaxxing' Trend in Your Home

Smell always has been, and always will be, an integral part of any ambient experience—including in our own homes. It’s why we splurge on bougie candles that promise excellent throw, relish in the aromatic experience of baking bread or brewing coffee, and keep our linens laundered, trash kept, and couches cleaned. Smellmaxxing, a growing trend on TikTok among Gen Z and millennials, has given a catchy name to the concept and perhaps even elevated it further. 

What Is Smellmaxxing? 

Smellmaxxing is the art of optimizing your personal scent routine to create a one-of-a-kind, memorable impression. “It goes beyond simply wearing one perfume,” explains Octavia Morgan, fragrance expert and founder. “It’s about strategically layering complementary fragrances and scented products to boost projection, longevity, and complexity throughout the day.” 

She adds the goal is to curate a personalized "scent aura" that surrounds you, evolves as you move, and becomes part of your personal brand. This is a particularly popular concept among younger generations.

Christophe Laudamiel, master perfumer at Generation by Osmo, says that the fragrance boom among younger generations is not by accident. People have always been interested in fragrance, but more than ever, we have access to countless launches and a bounty of information. With strong values around individuality, the desire to create an olfactory identity just makes sense. 

Applying Smellmaxxing to Your Home 

Naturally, there’s been an evolution of the smellmaxxing trend where people are applying the concept to their homes. 

“The same principles of personal fragrance layering, building complexity, enhancing longevity, and creating a distinct signature work beautifully for creating an immersive home scent experience,” Morgan says. “Instead of body oils, mists, and perfumes, you’re layering candles, diffusers, room sprays, and even fabric mists to create an evolving scent story in your space.”

In addition to bringing in outside fragrances, layering in naturally occurring home scents—like natural woods, leathers, fresh linens, and baking smells—further adds to your home’s personalized scent profile. 

6 Expert Tips on Smellmaxxing Your Home

There’s a difference between lighting a bunch of random candles and curating a truly customized olfactory experience. Follow these expert tips on smellmaxxing your home. 

Reset Your Space 

A clean slate is a great place to start. “Open windows and doors to let fresh air circulate for several hours,” Morgan suggests. “Temporarily remove candles, diffusers, incense, air fresheners, and plug-ins so they don’t influence your assessment.” 

Laudamiel adds that you can also get a better “picture” of your home’s scent profile by leaving for a few days and coming back with a deciphering nose; this is obviously only doable if you have a trip planned—but if that’s the case, then take advantage!

Either way, observe any notable, dominant smells. This could include wood floors and furniture, cleaning agents, lingering cooking smells, unpleasant smells, fresh laundry, art supplies, etc. 

Decide on a Direction 

Factoring in all the above observations, determine how you want your house to smell. "Once you know the 'base notes' of your home, you can choose to enhance them," Morgan explains. "Lean into what’s naturally there—or counterbalance them by adding scents that shift the mood, season, or style of your space."

This is the fun part, and you can always switch things up in the future depending on your mood, preferences, or even the season. 

"A minimal interior could invite a minimalistic clean fragrance … while baroque décor could invite a mystical scent and amber potpourri," Laudamiel suggests. Or if you live in a coastal area, maybe it’s fresh air and sea salt, or if in the desert, it could be dry cedarwood and sage. 

The seasons are also an excellent source of inspiration. Morgan offers these scent profiles: 

• Spring: airy florals, citrus, and fresh herbs
• Summer: marine, tropical fruits, and light woods
• Fall: warm spices, amber, and creamy vanilla
• Winter: balsam, incense, and deep resins 

Build from the Base 

While “base” notes are often subtle, they do influence everything else. These include things like your preferred floor and surface cleaners, laundry detergent, fabric refreshers—essentially any everyday product that carries a scent. 

Configure the Middle 

The “middle” of your scent profile is where you can incorporate home fragrance products. Morgan says, “You can add a steady background aroma via a reed diffuser, essential oil blend, or slow-burn candle in your preferred scent family.” When layering multiple scents, be mindful of how the fragrances play together. 

Add the Top Layer 

Top layers are where you have more flexibility. These are “short-lived” scents that add to the overall profile. They might include a home fragrance spray that you spritz just before guests come over, a seasonal bouquet of fresh flowers, a simmer pot on the stove, or even a brewing pot of coffee or freshly baked cinnamon rolls. 

Top notes give you an opportunity to shift the mood. Morgan says, “This creates depth and ensures your home always smells intentional rather than one-dimensional.” 

Evolve as Necessary 

The beauty of fragrance is that it’s never static. It evolves with you and the season, so change things up depending on your mood and the season. Morgan says you can even anchor seasonal scent changes to major dates, like the first day of fall, holiday gatherings, or spring cleaning. This builds anticipation and emotional connection, making the shift a very natural part of your home’s rhythm.