Filipinos and Fragrance: The Rise of Unisex Perfumes in the Philippines
Quick answer: More than 60% of Filipinos re-apply perfume at least once a day, which makes them some of the most scent-conscious individuals in Southeast Asia. The most popular scents in the Philippines are clean and fresh. With gender-neutral purchasing on the rise, unisex perfumes are increasingly selling better with younger shoppers than the traditional divide between the sexes.
Smelling good is serious business in the Philippines. It always has been. Walk into any Filipino home and you'll likely find a lineup of colognes on the bathroom counter, a travel-size spray tucked into every bag, and at least one person in the household who considers their signature scent a non-negotiable. This isn't vanity — it's culture.
It's nicely summed up in the Filipino phrase "amoy bagong ligo." It literally means "fresh from the shower," and it refers to the clean, just-showered smell that Filipinos actively seek and deeply associate with looking good, feeling confident, and being ready to go out with friends. In this case, fragrance is care. It shows work. It shows that you care.
Now this cultural norm is coming into conflict with a worldwide development happening rapidly: the proliferation of perfumes for men and women. In the Philippines, more and more people are shifting away from gendered perfume retailers, and toward smells that smell pleasant on everyone. That difference can be observed in the real numbers at New York Army. User-generated evaluations on the site reveal a 40% jump in buyers searching for gender-neutral solutions. This trend is accelerating among Filipino purchasers 18 to 35 years old.
In this essay, we explain why this is happening, how regional preferences effect smell preferences around the island, and what New York Army fragrances are popular with Filipino buyers today.
What Does the Data Say About Filipino Fragrance Habits?
There is no doubt about what the numbers mean. The perfume market in the Philippines was worth USD 191.01 million in 2025, and it's expected to be worth USD 348.30 million by 2034, which is a growth rate of 6.90% per year (IMARC Group, 2021). Long-term growth like that doesn't happen in an area that people don't pay much attention to.
They don't have Filipinos. It's no surprise that more than 60% of Filipinos who wear perfume reapply it at least once during the day. This is because the country has a warm, humid environment and a strong grooming culture. Filipinos have formed a practical relationship with fragrance because humidity speeds up the spread of scents and shortens the time they last. They know when to send in another. They have extra bottles with them. They have a plan.
A study released on arXiv in 2024 that looked at how Filipinos use designer and expensive perfumes found that Filipinos use fragrance for a clear reason: to improve their social appearance, to express their personal identity, and to feel confident in public. People choose their scents, they don't just wear them.
This is important for brands to remember. Filipino buyers don't just sit back and do nothing. Like with skin care or fashion, they look into, compare, and buy fragrances with great care.
Why Fresh and Clean Scents Dominate Local Preferences
Ask a Filipino what their ideal perfume smells like and the answer will almost always circle back to the same idea: clean. Light. Like you just stepped out of the shower.
This preference for amoy bagong ligo scents — fresh, aquatic, and airy fragrances — is more than personal taste. It's a practical response to geography. The Philippines sits in a tropical climate zone where temperatures regularly exceed 30°C and humidity remains high year-round. Heavy, resinous, or intensely warm fragrances tend to amplify rather than counteract heat. Fresh profiles, by contrast, feel aligned with the body and environment.
Here are some fragrance notes that are always a hit with Filipino buyers:
- Aquatic and Marine Accords - cold, oceanic and instantly refreshing
- Citrus top notes – bergamot, lemon & mandarin that open bright & clean
- Green notes – bamboo, green tea and freshly cut herbs
- Light florals – jasmine, white tea and muguet rather than strong rose or oud
These are not merely popular in the Philippines. They're what fragrance experts call "easy-wear" profiles – fragrances that breathe easily without requiring your attention, that meld seamlessly with the natural heat of the skin, that last through lengthy commutes, work hours, and outdoor adventures.
New York Army's fresh perfume collection reflects this directly, offering a range of clean, long-lasting Eau de Parfum options built around these exact note families.
The Gender-Neutral Shift — Why Unisex Fragrance Is Growing in the Philippines
Globally, the unisex fragrance segment has been one of the fastest-growing categories in the beauty industry over the past five years. The Philippines is tracking that trend with particular momentum.
User reviews on New York Army's platform show that 40% more shoppers are now actively searching for gender-neutral fragrance options compared to two years prior. The drivers behind this shift are worth understanding clearly.
Millennials and people in Gen Z think it's old-fashioned to think that florals are "for women" and woods are "for men." They choose smells based on how they smell, not where they came from. The unisex scent section of TikTok Shop Philippines has grown a lot, with thousands of TikTok artists adding gender-neutral options every week.
Bottles are being shared by couples and families. Practical economics is a factor. A wise buy is a single, well-chosen unisex scent that both couples appreciate. This is seen in the data from New York Army, where gift packages and unisex bundles are always among the top-performing SKUs.
Scent identity is increasingly personal, not gendered. Filipino consumers are developing more confident fragrance vocabularies — they know what notes they like and seek them out deliberately. A man who loves light floral-green combinations shouldn't be limited by traditional marketing labels, and increasingly, he isn't.
The New York Army unisex collection was built with this evolution in mind — universal scents that transcend gender, inspired by the layered energy of New York City.
Regional Differences: How Location Shapes Fragrance Choices Across the Archipelago
The Philippines isn't a monolith. With over 7,600 islands, significant climate variation, and distinct regional identities, fragrance preferences do shift depending on where you are.
Metro Manila — Urban, Fast-Paced, Presentation-Driven
In the capital area, perfume is a big part of how professionals present themselves. People who have to deal with crowded subways and meetings right after each other need scents that make them feel confident without being too strong in small places. Clean musks, light citruses, and soft aquatics are the main scents. Metro Manila days are long, and reapplying in the middle of your journey isn't always possible.
Coastal and Beach Regions — Visayas, Palawan, Mindanao
In beach towns and cities along the coast, the desire is even stronger for water and the sea. Fresh features that feel at home near the water are needed because of the salt air, sun, and exercise. Oceanic tones, sea salt notes, and light lemon and green notes don't feel forced or artificial. In this place, scents tend to go with the outdoors instead of against it.
Cooler Highlands — Benguet, Sagada, Baguio
In places with lower temperatures, like those at higher elevations, people like warmer scents like light woods, crisp herbs, and green tea notes. People who live in these places only make up a small part of the market, but they have their own fragrance culture. For example, someone who likes aquatic scents in the summer will switch to something drier and earthier when the pine air gets cool.
Top New York Army Picks for the Filipino Lifestyle
New York Army was built on a simple premise: premium, inspired fragrances that don't require a designer price tag. With over 1 million happy customers across the Philippines and shipping available nationwide, the brand has become one of the most searched local fragrance platforms online.
Here are three standout scents matched to Filipino fragrance culture:
Crisp Bamboo & Bergamot — Unisex Collection
Notes: Bamboo | Bergamot | White Musk
A clean, gender-neutral Eau de Parfum that opens with bright bergamot and settles into a smooth bamboo-musk base. Crisp Bamboo & Bergamot is built for daily wear in a warm climate — light enough for office environments, fresh enough to satisfy the amoy bagong ligo standard, and structured enough to last through a full day. Couples frequently purchase this as a shared scent.
Best for: Daily wear, office settings, gender-neutral gifting
Oceanic Vetiver — Men's Collection
Notes: Aquatic | Green Vetiver | Crushed Mint | Sea Salt
One of New York Army's most-reviewed men's scents, Oceanic Vetiver combines a cool marine opening with the dry, earthy depth of vetiver and a clean mint finish. It's the fragrance equivalent of a sea breeze through a coastal forest — sophisticated, outdoorsy, and completely wearable in humidity. The vetiver base gives it genuine longevity, holding through long commutes and outdoor activities without turning heavy.
Best for: Coastal trips, outdoor settings, men who prefer clean-green over sweet or sweet-spicy profiles
Soft Jasmine Dew — Women's Collection
Notes: Green Tea | Morning Dew | Soft Musk | White Jasmine
Soft Jasmine Dew captures the exact amoy bagong ligo quality that Filipino women consistently seek — the feeling of fresh, clean skin with just the softest floral warmth. The green tea and morning dew accord keep it from reading as heavy floral; instead, it projects like clean air with flowers nearby. Romantic without being intense, and versatile enough for both weekday wear and weekend occasions.
Best for: Daily wear, date nights, gifting for women who prefer fresh florals over rich orientals
Find Your Signature Scent — Shop New York Army
Filipino fragrance culture is very specific, very unique, and very much a part of everyday life. People don't just like clean, fresh profiles because it's the cool thing to do; it's a practical standard shaped by environment, lifestyle, and the cultural value of looking good. The Philippines is seeing a rise in the popularity of perfumes for both men and women. As a result, people are talking about scents in a more honest way: does it smell good? How long does it last? Does it work for you?
New York Army was built to answer all three questions with a yes.
With over 1 million happy customers, city-inspired collections for men, women, and unisex, nationwide COD delivery, and premium Eau de Parfum at accessible prices — the scent wardrobe you want is one order away.
Shop Now at newyorkarmy.ph
References
Rinne, K. J. A. (2025). AI-Powered Customer Engagement : How Personalization, Chatbots, and Recommendation Systems Influence E-commerce Customer Satisfaction? https://core.ac.uk/download/657110248.pdf
What is the difference between eau de parfum and eau de toilette?. https://www.parfumo.com/Users/Scentimental/Blog
