Like the boudoir of a prerevolutionary French courtesan with a bit of a perfume-hoarding habit, Aedes de Venustas is bedecked with a profusion of fresh-flowers scented candles ($35–$275). Fragrance lovers Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner opened the shop—which name means “temple of beauty” in Latin—in 1995 as a way to bring over high-end European scents not available in the U.S. They continue to stock more than 50 niche and haute lines, including Maître Parfumeur et Gantier and Thirdman.
Ready to find scents in the city? Just as you color your hair between seasons, there is no better time to swap out that tired body mist you’ve been spritzing every morning for one that is fresh, new and special to you. It seems like a new designer perfume comes out every week, but if you’re looking for a signature scent that you won’t smell on everyone else, these fragrance shops offer lesser-known and exclusive options. From shops that offer cool classes where you can customize your own aroma to stores that sell bottles from around the globe, you definitely won’t find the bulk of these scents in any given department store.