My unhealthy relationship with perfume is widely known and as a consequence, people often ask me for advice. In addition to the endlessly irritating “so, what’s the best perfume?”, there is the much more thoughtful “where should I start exploring?” The people who ask the latter often have quite a bit of experience with mainstream perfumes (and are often disappointed in it) and want to try something different.

The world of niche perfume has exploded in recent years and some traditionally niche houses are becoming very well-known. For the purposes of this post, however, I will consider everything you cannot buy in an average department store a niche brand. At the same time, I’ll not go into the difficult-to-access super niche and indie territory, as the point is to make it easy for people.

Below are some brands that I often suggest to those who are new to niche scents or even any serious sniffing in general. Please note that I don’t think these are the best niche brands, just potentially good places to start. I often prefer lines that have a very limited number of scents, but for phase one, more options is better – it makes it easier to figure out what you like. So in no particular order, here are seven brands worth checking out.

1. If you just want to smell nice, but wouldn’t mind knowing what you’re smelling: Jo Malone. This is not where I started, but I think Jo Malone is one of the best cross-over brands. Many would probably say it’s not really niche any more, but if you live in Estonia or Malta, you’d definitely say it is. Malone scents are almost universally likable and wearable and they often rely on a couple of main ingredients that also feature in the name of the perfumes. This makes it easy to figure out which notes you are drawn to and which ones not so much. I believe English Pear & Freesia is the bestseller, but my favourites are Blackberry & Bay and Mimosa & Cardamom.

2. If you are a stylish person put off by ‘old-fashioned’ perfumes: Byredo. I have my issues with this brand (they release too much and the scents are not always good enough to justify the price), but they certainly have made perfume appealing for many people who find most classics and mainstream offerings too convoluted and fluffy and have an allergic reaction to crystals and flower caps. Fair point. Byredo is modern and cool and Swedish and does moderately interesting perfumes with occasional flashes of brilliance. Pulp and Flowerhead are stand-outs for me and one of the first releases, Gypsy Water, has a great story and smells interesting. As I’ve said before, I love their candles and body products and they make great gifts.

3. Same as the above, but if you like the French better than the Scandinavians: Diptyque. In niche perfumery terms, Diptyque perfumes (and the candles, certainly) are already classics and maybe no longer as exciting as they used to be, but I still recommend them often. They do the best fig scent (Philosykos), one of the best sandalwoods (Tam Dao) and the most accurate rendition of the smell in a greenhouse on a hot summer day – L’Ombre dans L’Eau. I also like the recent Florabellio that many found underwhelming, but I think it’s bizarrely compelling. Diptyque is also great if you happen to like solid perfumes, as they have a wide selection.

4. Still pretty much the same as the above, but if you are either in the USA or like unobtainable exclusives: Le Labo. This is my least favourite brand on this list, but I can seethe appeal. They have this fake-pharmacy aesthetic that looks really good (totally works on me, too) and even better, you can have your name on the bottle. I always give bonus points for that. I get annoyed with their hipsterish ways and the unnecessary fuss they make about blending the perfume on the spot, just for you. Plus they names don’t necessarily reflect the scents very well. AND they have those extremely irritating city exclusives that are impossible to get elsewhere. By this point, you might wonder why I have included them here at all, but while Le Labo is not necessarily a great fit for me, not everybody is looking for the same thing I am – meaning mostly big white florals or edgy leather scents. Actually, come to think of it, they happen to do a great edgy leather that is for some reason called Patchouli 24. This smoky statement is my favourite, but I bet Santal 33 and Rose 31 are the bestsellers.

5. If you secretly like classic, well-made perfumes but don’t want to wear anything too mainstream: Frederic Malle. This French line is all about great quality and excellent execution, there is nothing revolutionary, but nothing boring either. The brand has quite a lot of options by now, but the selection is well curated and very diverse. Carnal Flower is one of the best tuberoses in existence, En Passant is possibly the best lilac, Une Fleur de Cassie and Noir Epices are wonderfully weird and L’Eau d’Hiver is pretty universally loved as a soft comfort scent. My appreciation of Malle has recently increased markedly because everything is now available in 10ml travel sprays, making an otherwise aspirational brand more accessible – even if only in small doses – than ever. And the coffret with all the scents is the ultimate gift to any perfume lover.

6. If you’re a rebel or you were once a rebel or you like to think you’re a rebel: Lush. Of all the brands here, Lush Gorilla perfumes have the most indie spirit. Even if you don’t generally like Lush, but are looking for unconventional perfumes that aren’t super difficult to access, definitely check these out. When the brands above are all polished and pretty un-crazy, to make the transition from mainstream to niche easier, then Gorilla perfumes are much more raw and DIY. The line-up changes frequently and frustratingly, but my favourites include the intense and inexplicable Breath of God, the jasmine-bomb of Lust and the calm and pretty normal (but decidedly un-sweet) Kerbside Violet. They also do small sizes and solids, always a plus.

7. If you don’t have patience for a transition period and you want to get to the good stuff immediately: Serge Lutens. When I first smelled Lutens perfumes, the only one I sort-of liked was Sa Majeste la Rose – probably because I could recognise the rose in it. I thought it was all very weird. Seven (?) years later, I’ve bought close to ten bottles and have samples and decants of many more. The brand is particularly known for rich, complex orientals, but there’s also the definitive iris (Iris Silver Mist), the definitive cedarwood (Feminite du Bois) and TWO amazing jasmines (A la Nuit and Sarrassins). Lutens export line has become pretty widely available in recent years and if you have any interest in perfume, I recommend smelling as many as you can. Unfortunately, many of my absolute favourites are in the hard-to-get bell jars, but you can still smell several scents mentioned above, plus the widely loved La Fille de Berlin and Santal Majuscule – a great rose and a great sandalwood, respectively.