How Phlur Is Reshaping The World Of Modern Fragrance

Phlur isn’t just having a moment, it’s rewriting the rules of modern fragrance. Under the new leadership of CEO Elizabeth Ashmun, appointed last year by Chriselle Lim who took over the brand in 2022, Phlur has experienced explosive growth: its year-on-year sales doubled between 2024 and 2025. The brand’s success comes as the global fragrance industry itself is booming, with sales projected to grow 7% annually through 2028, according to a McKinsey study. Yet Phlur isn’t merely capitalizing on market dynamics—it’s shaping a new era of modern fragrance defined by playfulness, quality, accessibility, and emotional storytelling.

Writing A New Chapter In The Fragrance Category

Traditional and legacy fragrance brands, with their lavish marketing campaigns and celebrity-backed endorsements, no longer resonate like they once did. Minimalist, niche brands such as Byredo or Le Labo have captured consumers’ attention with understated branding that marks a new era of luxury, while TikTok’s “PerfumeTok” community has become a significant engine of brand discovery for younger audiences. The way people engage with fragrance has also evolved dramatically: rather than sticking to a signature scent, individuals are looking for various scents to match their moods and occasions. And Phlur noticed.

“We did extensive research that showed that our consumer has 5+ fragrances in their wardrobe. We are finding that they are engaging in that concept of fragrance wardrobing. We see it with every product launch, whether it’s new or existing clients, they love to mix and match,” shares Ashmun, Phlur’s CEO. This trend towards “fragrance wardrobing” reflects a behavioral shift that is redefining how we interact with fragrance and adjacent categories. As Amy Rueckl, North America Fine Fragrance marketing director at IFF (International Fine Fragrance), reaffirms this shift in an interview: “This leads to a wider interest in mood-boosting scents, where consumers can choose their fragrance based on their specific emotional needs each day”. Phlur is not only capitalizing on this shift, it’s reinventing how a modern fragrance develops, launches and positions products.

“Designer brands, celebrity brands, and even value brands are very traditional in their approach, launching one SKU a year and focusing on a precious, aspirational product”, says Ashmun. “The category is going through an interesting time. It’s clear Phlur was doing something different and it was the opportunity to democratize the fragrance category and disrupt the market,” she adds. Designed as one of the first clean fragrance brands, Phlur stands out as a brand that offers high quality scents at reasonable prices. They are developed by leading perfumers, including Frank Voelkl (who developed many of Le Labo’s iconic scents) and Jérôme Epinette (with collaborations involving Byredo and Van Cleef & Arpels) and ingredients are mindfully chosen with intention. Yet Phlur’s price positioning is significantly more accessible than the brands just mentioned.

“We felt like we could come in and pioneer the concept of accessible luxury”, Ashmun shares with us. The difference in price positioning is striking: Phlur’s 50mL perfumes retail for $99, compared to $280 for a Byredo fragrance or $235 for Le Labo’s Santal 33. This allows consumers to buy more into Phlur’s line and experiment with different scents and categories based on moods and occasions, democratizing not just fine fragrance but its usage too. In doing so, Phlur gives consumers permission to play and interact with scents more often and more authentically.

According to her, “consumers are coming into the brand both through fragrance and body mist. They are coming in through multiple ways – deodorant,body oils – depending on the usage occasion. They may start their day with a perfume and will later add-on or use body mist throughout the day – often used on-the go or before bed.” Speaking of which, body mists have become a significant segment for Phlur. Designed to be lighter and more casual than its fragrances, the body mists are formulated with a high enough fragrance load to keep the scent long-lasting and sophisticated for all-day use.

Scent is at the core of the Phlur experience, but functionality is equally as important, which has allowed the brand to venture into adjacent categories. “Deodorants have been a runaway success, just as body oil. We really make sure we are being innovative and disruptive with our formulas: for our deodorant, we knew we had to use the best technology, free of irritants and baking soda, to provide not just scent, but real function,” Ashmun explains.

High-quality scents and standards of production are inherent to the brand, as each and every scent seems to be cherished with open arms by customers. PerfumeTok, cuustomer reviews, beauty publication awards and editors are all unanimous: Phlur’s scents are addictive, captivating, unique but approachable. A beauty director for online publication WhoWhatWear said it best: “What’s shocking is that, after snagging all of Phlur’s fragrances, I want to keep all nine of them, and I actually want to wear every single one.” In fact, Phlur customers more often than not own multiple scents – possibly encouraged thanks to an attractive price point and value proposition – which is quite unique for a fragrance brand.

A Brand Reborn With Emotional Storytelling

Every cult brand has something that elevates them from a casual favorite to an absolute must-have. In the case of Phlur, it’s not just its value proposition, variety of scents or chic, timeless packaging. It’s really about emotional resonance. When Chriselle Lim relaunched Phlur, her first release, Missing Person, went viral and sold out almost instantly. Inspired by the sense of longing she felt during her divorce, the scent captured a universal feeling of missing someone. As Lim shareed on Instagram: “Missing Person was inspired by my own personal story- the longing of a person, memory, a moment in time. Incredibly nostalgic and familiar. It’s a delicate yet addictive fragrance that evokes the lingering scent on your lover’s skin.”

The storytelling behind each fragrance really sets the brand apart. Each scent resonates with customers for different reasons, but they all link back to an emotional connection. Phlur has managed to blend modernity and nostalgia, creating scents that trigger memories while being meant for the present moment. The description of each scent is so evocative that it helps consumers buy online despite not smelling the product, which is no small task for a fragrance brand. “Our brand is mainly sold online…blind buying is so interesting: storytelling helps build an emotional connection with our consumers, who know our juices are never what you expect exactly but they always fall in love with that they are. It’s a combination of trust to deliver what you would love and of proper storytelling,” says Ashmun.

Less than three years since its relaunch, Phlur is redefining the fragrance category. By making high-end scents both accessible and playful, the brand is democratizing luxury fragrance for a new wave of consumers. TikTok may have amplified its reach, but Phlur’s success is rooted in intention: a clear value proposition, emotional storytelling, and timeless packaging. While viral moments have helped spark growth, CEO Elizabeth Ashmun’s pace for the brand is measured: “We are focused on building a solid foundation and really winning with our customers before expanding our distribution.” A deliberate approach that positions Phlur to lead the next chapter in modern fragrance.