Pleasing Perfumes: Reviewed by a Beauty Editor

April 11, 2025

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Pleasing Perfumes: Reviewed by a Beauty Editor

(Image credit: Pleasing)

I’ve been a beauty editor for just under 10 years and a Harry Styles fan for even longer (Cut to me circa 2012, blasting a well-worn One Direction CD in my car on the way to school). Despite this, I’ve never ventured into the world of Pleasing—Harry Styles’s beauty and lifestyle brand. I know, I know. That makes me a bad fan and an even worse beauty editor. That’s exactly why I sought to change it.

As a perfume-obsessed person, I thought the best way to introduce myself to Pleasing would be via its four original fragrances. I’d heard good things about them on the internet, but I’m picky about the scents I wear. (For years, I’ve stuck to a semi-strict rotation of go-to perfumes, including Phlur’s Missing Person, Frédéric Malle’s Portrait of a Lady, and The 7 Virtues’ Coconut Sun). So, while I had high hopes, I wasn’t automatically convinced that any of the four Pleasing perfumes would earn a coveted spot on my vanity.

Spoiler alert: They did earn a spot on my vanity. In fact, I was blown away by the brand’s special scent profiles and the strong memories and emotions they evoked. These aren’t just any old perfumes, and they certainly don’t seem phoned in, the way other celebrity fragrances might. They’re unique, intentional, and one of a kind. And there’s one in particular that I can’t stop wearing. It’s currently causing all of my other favorites to collect dust. Ahead, find out which one it is.

#1: Closeness Eau de Parfum

Pleasing

Closeness Eau de Parfum

Notes: Australian pink pepper extract, cardamom, clean sheets, orris butter, carrot seed, bamboo, Indian papyrus, cashmere woods, salted musk

I think this “clean-sheets-and-musk fragrance” is, hands down, one of the most unique scents I’ve ever sniffed. Equal parts fresh and spicy, it reminds me of the indie boutiques that line South Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas (I used to live there, so forgive me for making such a specific reference). The boutiques in question have an undeniable cool vibe, often selling unique, handmade items while wafting incense into the air. This scent has a similar aura of unbothered effortlessness.

Even though I’m single, this scent immediately struck me as one I’d share with a significant other because 1) I’m obsessed with it, 2) it’s a true genderless scent, and 3) I’m pretty sure couples who choose a signature scent together stay together. Regardless, I’ve been wearing it non-stop since it first came across my desk. Suffice it to say, this is my favorite Pleasing perfume.

Shop the Closeness Candle:

Pleasing

Closeness Candle

#2: Bright, Hot Eau de Parfum

Pleasing

Bright, Hot Eau de Parfum

Notes: Plum, tobacco leaves, orris butter, marine accord, cedarwood, tonka bean absolute, Madagascar vanilla, amber

If I had to describe this scent in three words, I would say, “fresh, cheerful, and uplifting.” Even though it’s not technically a citrus scent, I get a similar effect from it. Maybe it’s the combination of fleshy plum, sweet orris butter, and breezy marine accord, but it’s giving sepia-toned smiles under the summer sun. (Believe it or not, I wrote this before checking Pleasing’s official fragrance description. The brand describes it as such: “Fading into sleep beneath the hot sun […] Time slips away, basking in a midday reverie.” Similar vibe, right?)

Funnily enough, this is described as a “woody amber” scent, and while it certainly has, well, woody amber notes, I don’t think I’d describe it that way. To me, it’s much more bright and joy-inducing than other woody-amber perfumes I’ve worn. I love it, and I don’t say that lightly.

Shop the Bright, Hot Candle:

Pleasing

Bright, Hot Candle

#3: Rivulets Eau de Parfum

Pleasing

Rivulets Eau de Parfum

Notes: Ambrette seeds, lemon, Madagascar black pepper, white linen accord, poplin blossom, ambroxan, skin musk

Clean and breezy, this scent is as refreshing as spring rain. Notes of lemon, white linen, and poplin blossom give it a fresh laundry vibe (in the best way), while the addition of ambrette seeds and skin musk evokes just-showered skin.

Honestly, I feel bad placing this third. It’s too good to be third, but then again, I love Closeness and Bright, Hot so much that they have to be first and second. Do you see my conundrum here? I think it comes down to which scent profile you usually gel with. If you like sophisticated skin scents, I’d go for Closeness Eau de Parfum. If you like bright, citrus-esque scents, choose Bright, Hot Eau de Parfum. Finally, if you like clean-smelling scents, opt for Rivulets Eau de Parfum.

Shop the Rivulets Candle:

#4: Welcome Dreams Eau de Parfum

Pleasing

Welcome Dreams Eau de Parfum

Notes: Indonesian clove buds, caramel, jasmine petals, agarwood essential oil, Indonesian patchouli fraction, Madagascar vanilla absolute, black amber

Lastly, I want to discuss the brand’s newest fragrance, Welcome Dreams Eau de Parfum. To me, it smells well-worn and comforting, like a thick blanket pulled from a linen closet. The clove and caramel notes are the most potent, followed by resinous patchouli and creamy vanilla. It finishes off with an ever-so-subtle, uplifting note of jasmine.

Thanks to its woody and earthy notes, I’d say it’s more traditionally masculine than feminine. However, I wouldn’t let that stop me from wearing it (at the end of the day, scent is genderless). Plus, the floral and gourmand notes—namely, jasmine, caramel, and vanilla—give it a smooth, sweet, and slightly sensual nuance.