Genderless perfume: enough with pink on the left and blue on the right
La Versateam
The perfume aisle. On the left, pink bottles and flowers “for her.” On the right, blue bottles and woods “for him.” How about we stop? A scent has no gender. Neither does a warm croissant. Here's why all our perfumes are genderless.
What is a genderless perfume?
A genderless, or gender-neutral, perfume is a perfume designed to be worn by everyone. No “women” or “men” target on the bottle. Just a scent, and whoever feels like wearing it.
People also say “unisex.” We prefer to say: this perfume smells good, it's original, genderless, vegan and made in France.
Has perfume always been gendered?
No. For centuries, men and women wore the same scented waters, the same flowers and the same spices. In the 18th century, eau de Cologne was worn by everyone alike.
The split took hold in the 20th century, mostly for marketing reasons. Flowers and sweetness were assigned to women, woods and freshness to men. Invented codes, not laws of nature.
The clichés we can't stand anymore
- “Flowers are for women”: rose, jasmine and orange blossom are among the most widely used materials in so-called masculine perfumes.
- “Woods are for men”: sandalwood, cedar and vetiver are at the heart of countless so-called feminine perfumes.
- “Gourmand is for girls”: coffee, cola and rum don't ask anyone's gender before smelling good.
- “A men's perfume has to be powerful”: power is a matter of taste and moment, not gender.
We've rounded up all the industry's clichés in No more clichés in perfumery.
At Versatile, no pigeonholes
No more pink bottles on the right and blue ones on the left. Since 2021, all our products have been genderless, perfumes and body care alike. The same bottles, the same white label, for everyone.
And we go even further. We never classify our perfumes into olfactory families. Why? Because “floral” or “woody” is already a box that steers your choice before you've even smelled anything. No influence, no pressure. You smell it, you love it or you don't, period.
Instead, each perfume is a moment in life: breakfast, a date, happy hour, a lazy day. Moments we all live, whatever our gender.
Our versatile muses
No supermodels, no stars, no airbrushed square jaws. The faces of Versatile are real people, of every gender and every style. Our versatile muses. Because perfume is worn on real skin.
How do you choose a perfume without thinking about gender?
- Start from a craving, not an aisle. What are you in the mood for? A creamy coffee? A sunny lemon? A vanilla cola?
- Think about the moment: for yourself, every day, or for going out and getting noticed?
- Test it on your skin, at home, over a whole day. Not on a scrap of paper, not under a salesperson's watchful eye.
A few moments to get you started: Croissant Café for breakfast, Rital Date for a date, Gueule de Bois for the morning after, Accrodisiaque for the night.
The easiest way is still to smell everything with our Discovery Boxes. Choosing means giving something up. Buying a perfume you actually love is better.
FAQ
Can a man wear a perfume “for women”?
Of course. And vice versa. The only question that matters: do you love this scent on you?
What is a unisex perfume?
A perfume designed to be worn by everyone, with no gender target. All Versatile perfumes are genderless.
Does a perfume smell different on a man and on a woman?
A perfume smells different on every skin, depending on its warmth, how hydrated it is or what you eat. Not on the “man” or “woman” box on the label.
