How TikTok and Instagram Are Changing the Fragrance Market

Fragrance is no longer just about luxury ads and glossy magazine spreads; it's about going viral. From TikTok’s fast-moving dupe culture to Instagram’s polished brand aesthetic, social platforms are rewriting the rules of how scents are discovered and purchased. Here's how brands are keeping up.

The Fragrance Brands Dominating Instagram are not the Same Ones Making Bank on TikTok

Instagram and TikTok are driving fragrance brand visibility in very different ways. While luxury and aesthetic brands shine on Instagram, dupe brands dominate TikTok Shop thanks to creator-driven strategies. Here's what you need to know:

• Parfums de Marly led Instagram fragrance engagement in May, with strong sales growth and a new boutique launch in NYC.

• Kilian, Tamburins, Pauline Rochas, and Dolce & Gabbana also ranked high on Instagram, benefitting from curated product strategies and polished campaigns.

• On TikTok Shop, brands like Lattafa ($4.9M), Oakcha, and Armaf outperformed in sales, fueled by third-party sellers and viral discovery.

• Brands with flexible, distributed creator partnerships perform better on TikTok than those focused on tightly controlled brand images.

• Phlur is a rare crossover success, blending aesthetic visuals on Instagram with a creator-rich presence on TikTok. The brand has worked with over 3,800 creators in 2025 YTD.

"The biggest driver of success on TikTok is your creator strategy...We’ve seen this dynamic where more established, traditional brands tend to do worse on TikTok, because they have this desire to maintain a lot of control around their brand image and the creators they’re working with. And that doesn’t really work.”

- Alex Nisenzon, CEO of Charm

Read the full article

Fragrance Dupe Brand Dossier Is Opening Stores

Dossier, the viral fragrance brand known for affordable perfume dupes, is expanding beyond ecommerce with its first standalone retail store in New York City. Here's what you need to know:

• The brand is launching a 1,300-square-foot retail location at 242 Elizabeth Street in NYC's NoLita neighborhood.

• Dossier joins other high-profile fragrance boutiques in NoLita, including Le Labo and Aesop.

• Dossier gained popularity on TikTok for its “Impressions” line, which offers affordable alternatives to designer scents. Products in the line include Ambery Saffron, a $49 dupe of the $335 Baccarat Rouge 540.

• The store will also feature Dossier’s “Originals” line, a collection of non-dupe scents priced at $39.

• Charm data shows that Dossier drove $4.4 million in U.S. TikTok Shop sales in 2024, and has driven $2.4 million on the platform in 2025 so far.

• This store opening marks Dossier’s shift from digital-first to physical retail, aiming to boost discovery and in-store experience.

Read the full article

The Top Fragrance Brands Selling on TikTok Shop

Based on total U.S. TikTok Shop sales in May 2025.

1. Lattafa, $4.96 Million

A fragrance house known for its rich, luxurious scents that blend traditional Middle Eastern perfumery with modern appeal, all at accessible prices.

2. Oakcha, $1.4 Million

Specializing in high-quality fragrance dupes, Oakcha offers long-lasting, affordable alternatives to niche and designer perfumes with impressive accuracy.

3. Phlur Fragrances, $1.27 Million

A clean, contemporary fragrance brand blending sustainable ingredients with stylish storytelling, Phlur has gained cult status for its modern, gender-neutral scents.

4. Armaf, $1.26 Million

Renowned for its bold, budget-friendly designer-inspired fragrances, Armaf delivers standout scents with strong projection and staying power.

5. Intense Oud, $1.17 Million

Focused on rich, opulent oud-based creations, Intense Oud offers perfumes alongside home fragrances and scented body care products.

Want more ecommerce insights like these? Request a demo of Charm today.