Unisex Perfume History: From Shared Scent to CK One

Unisex perfume is not a modern invention. Perfume was worn by people of all genders for most of recorded history. Separate scents for men and women became established around the turn of the twentieth century. The first fragrance widely sold as unisex, CK One, launched in 1994. Since then, gender-neutral launches have grown into a large part of the market.

This guide sets out the sequence in order: shared use, the split, early crossovers, the 1994 launch, and the current market.

TL;DR

• Before roughly 1900, perfume was generally intended for both men and women.
• Gender-targeted fragrance is recent: a women’s perfume appeared around 1900, and a men’s fragrance, Mouchoir de Monsieur, in 1929.
• Jicky (1889) was made for women and adopted by men. It is now sold as unisex.
• CK One (1994) brought the unisex label to a mass audience.
• Gender-neutral launches rose from 17% of the market in 2010 to 51% in 2018.

Table of Contents

• Timeline at a glance
• Before gender labels: perfume as shared custom
• The split: how scent became “for him” and “for her”
• Early crossovers: Jicky, Le Sien and Eau Sauvage
• 1994: CK One and the unisex label
• From 2010 to now: gender-neutral becomes mainstream
• What unisex means in practice
• How to apply the history when choosing a scent
• Our perspective
• Explore the range
• FAQ
• Sources

Timeline at a glance

Before gender labels: perfume as shared custom

The first point in the history is a negative one: there was no gender division to begin with. Scholarship on eighteenth-century France and Britain states that perfume was worn by female and male courtiers, among others. It served as a fashion accessory that signalled social status and discerning taste.

The pattern is consistent across sources:

• Scent signalled rank and taste, not sex.
• Ingredients were not sorted into male and female groups.
• The same perfumer served customers of every gender.

Jonathan Reinarz of the University of Birmingham, writing in a historical study of smell, says that distinctions between masculine and feminine scents were less clear in many historical contexts. He describes the male/female scent distinction as a relatively recent invention.

The Independent reports that perfume was generally intended for both men and women until around the turn of the twentieth century. At that point the first perfume made specifically for women appeared.

The split: how scent became “for him” and “for her”

The split came from the way perfume was sold, not from the materials. The Guardian reported in 2015 that no inherent feature makes a perfume masculine, feminine or both. Those categories are shaped by marketing and by learned associations:

These pairings are conditioned perceptions. They are not properties of the molecules.

The first fragrance made for men is dated to 1929 with Mouchoir de Monsieur, according to The Independent. From then, shelves, adverts and gift guides were divided in two.

In 2020 the Guardian quoted industry figures on the same point. A founder of a niche house said people were beginning to understand that ideas about what is gender-specific come from marketing. A perfume archivist said scent should be chosen without gender entering the equation.

The Nez cultural magazine makes a related point: reading notes as masculine or feminine derives from cultural context. It notes that Jicky’s gender was assigned in hindsight, after the arrival of Shalimar.

Early crossovers: Jicky, Le Sien and Eau Sauvage

Even after the split, some scents crossed the line. Three are documented.

Jicky (1889)

Jicky launched as a women’s fragrance. Men took it up, including Sean Connery and Rod Stewart, and it is now sold as unisex, as The Independent records. Its date places it before the gendered market formed, which supports the view that the label came later than the scent.

Le Sien (1927)

This citrus fragrance was marketed for female athletes. Nez reports that it was described as also suitable for men. A fresh, sporty citrus profile was already crossing the line in the 1920s.

Eau Sauvage (1966)

The perfumer Edmond Roudnitska conceived Eau Sauvage as a unisex fragrance. The house that released it marketed it to men, but both sexes wore it. The intent was unisex. The label was not.

The pattern across all three: the composition was shared and the packaging said otherwise.

1994: CK One and the unisex label

The question “what was the first unisex perfume” has two answers, depending on the definition.

The Guardian reported that CK One’s 1994 launch popularised the then-called unisex perfume, with a clean, citrus-led scent that blurred conventional gender lines. The Independent adds that the campaign was high profile and attracted a younger market than perfume counters had seen before.

Two features explain its effect:

1. The scent was citrus-led and clean, a profile that avoided strong gendered cues.
2. The label said unisex outright, so the category had a name.

Some sources date the “first” unisex perfume differently, often by naming a different launch from the 1990s. The safe reading is that CK One was the mass-market breakthrough, and earlier crossovers existed without the label.

From 2010 to now: gender-neutral becomes mainstream

The change in numbers is large. The Guardian reported that gender-neutral fragrance launches grew from 17% of the market in 2010 to 51% in 2018.

Other indicators:

• Market size. The global unisex fragrance market was valued at $19.75 billion in 2023, with a forecast of $33.42 billion in 2031.
• UK behaviour. Grand View Research reports that many UK consumers, especially younger generations, are moving away from “for him” and “for her” labels toward fragrances anyone can wear.
• Personalisation. The same report notes that customisable perfumes and scent-matching services are growing in popularity in the UK.
• Brand strategy. Mintel states that brands can challenge gender norms to cater for fluidity in mood and identity.
• Growth at one brand. A gender-neutral lifestyle brand reported a 450% increase in sales since 2019, as covered by Glossy.

The forecast figures are a market-research estimate. Treat them as direction, not certainty.

What unisex means in practice

British Vogue’s 2026 guide says a good unisex fragrance aims for an inclusive balance rather than leaning strongly towards traditionally masculine or feminine profiles. It lists adaptable note families:

• Citrus
• Herbs
• Fresh florals
• Woods
• Spices
• Amber and resins

For a fuller definition, see our guide to what unisex perfume means. For the note structure behind it, see how perfumers balance notes.

How to apply the history when choosing a scent

The history gives a practical method.

1. Ignore the label. It is a marketing category, not a chemical one.
2. Read the notes. Look at families, not at “for him” or “for her”.
3. Test on skin. Lisa Hipgrave, Head Perfumer at DIEM and Director of IFRA UK, told British Vogue that the practical test is to sample and wear a scent on your own skin, because it can develop differently on each person.
4. Wear it through a full day. Early and late stages differ.
5. Sample before a full bottle. A discovery set lowers the cost of a wrong guess.

For a structured checklist, use the five tests for a truly unisex perfume. For the wider independent sector, see what niche perfumery is and niche perfume trends.

Our perspective

We make unisex perfume because the history supports it. Shared scent was the norm. The split into two shelves came later, and it came from marketing.

Our fragrances are designed without a gender target. We start from a memory or a story, then build the composition around it. Notes are chosen for what they evoke, not for who is expected to wear them.

We are an independent house. Our perfumes are cruelty-free and vegan, and we work with sustainable practices. Some carry a cause: the Palestine Collection tells a story of cultural significance, and our Scent for Gaza advocates for a social issue.

We offer discovery sets because we believe the choice is personal. Wearing a scent on your own skin is the only reliable test, and a sample set lets you do that before committing to a bottle.

Rook

Explore the range

Rook Perfumes sells niche, unisex, cruelty-free fragrances direct online. The range covers Eau de Parfum, Parfum and Extrait in the perfume collection, plus the Palestine Collection.

Home fragrance is available in the room and ambient spray range. Discovery sets let you try scents before choosing a full bottle. Current prices are on each product page.

FAQ

What was the first unisex perfume ever released?

It depends on the definition. Perfume was shared across genders long before the label, so no single first scent can be dated. The first widely known fragrance sold explicitly as unisex was CK One in 1994. Jicky (1889) predates it as a scent that crossed over, but it was originally a women’s fragrance.

Was perfume always split into men’s and women’s?

No. Historical scholarship shows that eighteenth-century perfume was worn by male and female courtiers. The Independent reports that perfume was generally intended for both sexes until around the turn of the twentieth century. The first fragrance made for men dates to 1929.

What does it mean when a perfume is unisex?

It means the scent is not built to lean strongly towards a masculine or feminine profile. British Vogue describes it as an inclusive balance. Citrus, herbs, fresh florals, woods, spices, amber and resins are all described as adaptable families. The label is a guide, and skin testing decides the fit.

Why did gender-neutral perfume grow after the 1990s?

Several factors are documented. CK One popularised the idea in 1994. Industry figures say gender categories come from marketing. UK research reports that younger consumers are moving away from “for him” and “for her” labels. Gender-neutral launches reached 51% of the market by 2018.

Sources

• Seduction and Subversion: Gender and Smell, Oxford Academic
• The Science of Scent and Business of Perfume in Paris and London, University of Toronto
• Tried and Tested: Share Options, The Independent
• Beauty: why unisex fragrances are not to be sniffed at, The Guardian
• Smell like you: why gender-free is the future of fragrance, The Guardian
• The gender of scent, Nez
• The Very Best Unisex Fragrances To Try Now, British Vogue
• UK Perfume Category, Voice of Consumer Report, Grand View Research
• Unisex Fragrances Market Size, Trends, Report 2031
• The Future of Fragrance: 2024, Mintel
• From candlemaker to lifestyle brand, Glossy

Recommended

• 5 Tests to Tell If a Perfume Is Truly Unisex