12 Best Dark Academia Perfumes You Must Know in 2024
When autumn comes, the weather gets colder, the sweaters and scarves appear in fashion and the forests turn into a tapestry of red, orange, and gold leaves. That´s when the culture of Dark Academia shows up.
Bringing back the appreciation for literature, art and history in dark and cold Gothic libraries, Dark Academia is an intellectual pursuit with an introspective and mysterious vibe.
This is a lifestyle for classy and intelligent women who constantly pursue the world’s mysteries through books and profound contemplation. Every woman has an introspective side. For this reason, everyone should know more about this culture!
But, to experience lifestyle completely, you´ll need a good and mysterious perfume. A smell that reminds you of old libraries, burned wood, or buildings with secret passages. That´s why we built this list! Here, you´ll find the best Dark Academia perfumes out there. Without any more talking, let´s go for the list!
The Best Dark Academia Perfumes
1. Bibliothèque – By Byredo
The name of this perfume says everything! Bibliotheque has and sophisticated and mysterious smell that reminds you of a very classy and luxurious library. It´s one of the best Dark Academia perfumes with violet and leather. The perfume has a blend of notes of:
- Top Notes: Plum and Peach
- Middle Notes: Violet and Peony
- Base Notes: Leather, Patchouli, Vanilla, and Musk
2. Memoir Woman – By Amouage
This luxurious Amouage fragrance has the perfect “smoky” vibe for autumn. It matches perfectly the Dark Academia aesthetic due to the presence of leather, wood notes, and amber. It´s one of the most luxurious Dark Academia perfumes on this list. It has a blend of notes of:
- Top Notes: Woemwood, Cardamom, Pink Pepper, and Mandarin Orange
- Middle Notes: Incense, Clove, Wood Notes, Rose, White Flowers, Pepper, and Jasmine
- Base Notes: Leather, French Labdanum, Castoreum, Styrax, Oak Moss, and Musk
3. L’Interdit Eau de Parfum Rouge – By Givenchy
L’Interdit Eau de Parfum Rouge has the perfect balance between femininity and mystery. It has a smelling blend of white flowers with wood notes and spiciness. The perfume has more of a “walking outside the campus” vibe. It has a mix of notes of:
- Top Notes: Ginger and Blood Orange
- Middle Notes: Tuberose, Jasmine, and Pimento Leaf
- Base Notes: Sandalwood, Patchouli, and Vetiver
4. Black Orchid – By Tom Ford
Black Orchid is the classic dark perfume from Tom Ford. To use this powerful fragrance, you´ll need maturity and composure. The heavy “earthy” notes with wood and sweetness, make it a very mature perfume. The fragrance is composed by:
- Top Notes: Black Currant, Jasmine, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Amalfi Lemon, and Truffles
- Middle Notes: Orchid, Spices, Gardenia, Fruit Notes, Ylang Ylang, and Lotus
- Base Notes: Chocolate, Patchouli, Vanilla, Incense, Amber, and Wood Notes
5. Eilish No 2 – By Billie Eilish
Eilish No 2 is a woody perfume perfect for the first Dark Academia perfume. It has no similiarites with the original Eilish whatsoever, despite having the same bottle. It has a fresh spicy wood identity, which makes it perfect for everyday wear. It has a mix of notes of:
- Top Notes: Bergamot and Apple Blossom
- Middle Notes: Black Pepper, Papyrus, and Poppy
- Base Notes: Palo Santo, Ebony, and Vanilla
6. Whispers in the Library – By Maison Martin Margiela
Whispers in the Library is the kind of fragrance that´ll make your reminds of book paper smell. It has a woody vanilla smell that suits well the Dark Academia vibe. It´s one of the best perfumes with vanilla you can find that reminds an old English library. It has a blend of notes of:
- Top Notes: Pepper
- Middle Notes: Vanilla
- Base Notes: Wood Notes
7. Black Perfecto – By Guerlain
This cherry perfume is the best one if you´re searching for a sweet and mysterious fragrance. It has the darkness of tonka bean mixed with leather notes and the sweetness of cherry. It´s a smell that makes Dark Academia more gothic. It has a composition of notes of:
- Top Notes: Cherry, Almond, and Black Tea
- Middle Notes: Cherry, Rose, and Licorice
- Base Notes: Leather, Tonka Bean, Patchouli, and Musk
If you love Cherry perfumes, check out this list we made for you!
8. Black Opium Extreme – By Yves Saint Laurent
For those who love black opium, this version is a must-try when we talk about Dark Academia. It has a darker and more intense coffee note that feels like you are drinking coffee in an old library. The fragrance has a blend of notes of:
- Top Notes: Coffee and Cacao
- Middle Notes: Jasmine and Orange Blossom
- Base Notes: Vanilla and Patchouli
9. Dark Amber & Ginger – By Jo Malone
Elegance and maturity are the best words to describe this perfume! Dark Amber & Ginger, as the name implies, has a ginger opening followed by wood notes and amber. This is the type of fragrance that reminds you of classy and old British palaces. It has a mix of notes of:
- Top Notes: Ginger, Black Cardamom, and Pink Pepper
- Middle Notes: Water Lily, Orchid, Jasmine, and Rose
- Base Notes: Sandalwood, Black Amber, Patchouli, and Leather
10. Coco Noir – By Chanel
Coco Noir is a classic perfume from Chanel and deserves its place on this list. With a heavy DNA of wood notes and fruits, the fragrance becomes one of the most pleasant Dark Academia perfumes on this list. It has a blend of notes of:
- Top Notes: Grapefruit, Bergamot, and Orange
- Middle Notes: Rose, Geranium, Jasmine, Narcissus, and Peach
- Base Notes: Patchouli, Sandalwood, Olibanum, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Clove, and Benzoin
11. Scandal Gold – By Jean Paul Gaultier
Scandal Gold is a very exclusive fragrance that is distinct from the others due to its note of Honey. It has the dark vibe of leather and earthy notes, but at the same time has the sweetness of honey. It´s one of the most exclusive Dark Academia perfumes on this list. The fragrance has a composition of:
- Top Notes: Saffron, Honey, and Cardamom
- Middle Notes: Cypriol Oil, Jasmine, and Rose
- Base Notes: Leather, Patchouli, and Sandalwood
If you love honey fragrances, check out this list we made for you!
12. Red Door – By Elizabeth Arden
This is the perfume that has the most feminine and sweet touch but can still be considered a Dark Academia fragrance. Red Door reminds you of a clean and old English noble house. It has a blend of notes of:
- Top Notes: Rose, Orange Blossom, Plum, Violet, and Peach
- Middle Notes: Honey, Carnation, Rose, Tuberose, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, and Flowers
- Base Notes: Amber, Benzoin, Musk, Heliotrope, and Wood Notes
Main Image by Alex Block on Unsplash
