Haven’t heard of Phlur? Let us fill you in. The cult fragrance brand originally launched back in 2015 but was later bought by fashion stylist and influencer Chriselle Lim in 2021. With a focus on sustainability, the modern fragrance and body care brand has since gained a long list of celebrity devotees including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Marianna Hewitt, and Miranda Kerr.
Each one of Phlur’s gorgeous fragrances is inspired by memories, experiences and feelings but one has captured the attention of the masses: the musky Missing Person. After causing a sensation on TikTok, the first batch sold out within five hours, but it's back in stock and mercifully available to buy in the UK
Grazia caught up with Phlur’s Chriselle Lim to discuss 2022’s most famous fragrance:
On Launching A Viral Fragrance
‘The inspiration for Missing Person was my own personal story of heartbreak,’ Chriselle explains. ‘It stemmed from this feeling of longing, for someone or a specific moment in time. I knew we’d made something special when we saw how relatable and tangible the fragrance was for everyone - universally, not just me.’
Earlier this year, make-up artist Mikayla Nogueira uploaded a video about the fragrance on TikTok to her 13.6 million followers. ‘I don’t know how to explain this; it smells like a person that you love and that you miss,’ she said while visibly tearing up. Missing Person went on to completely sell out in the five hours that followed, amassing a 200,000-stong waitlist of customers then signing up to be alerted when the fragrance came back in stock.
‘We all have a missing person in our lives. The beauty of the fragrance is that it’s inherently nostalgic and emotionally takes people back to a moment in time,’ says Chriselle.
‘I was in Paris when we launched Missing Person, during fashion week and I was out having drinks with a friend. My phone started blowing up from my team saying we went viral on TikTok and went out of stock. Everyone was freaking out. I definitely felt so grateful that my first fragrance launched with Phlur just hit home for so many people.’
Luckily for us, Phlur’s Missing Fragrance has been replenished and you can pick up a bottle via Selfridges.
Shop: Phlur's Iconic Missing Person Fragrance
Phlur Missing Person - Grazia 2022
1 of 1Phlur Missing Person Eau de Parfum, £96
The notes blend together so seamlessly in this comforting-smelling fragrance that it's hard to pick them out. It's described as a floral musk, with neroli blossom and orange flower at its heart. The first hit you get is light but warm - bergamot nectar and a touch of jasmine. Leave for a few hours and you'll get woods and musks.
What does Phlur Missing Person Eau de Parfum smell like?
With notes of musk, bergamot, sandalwood and jasmine, ‘it’s a fragrance that captures the warmth of someone’s skin on yours,’ Chriselle tells Grazia. ‘I wanted to bottle that feeling up - that light, airy but still musky scent.’ It’s soft, familiar and totally nostalgic. A cult classic if we’ve ever smelt one.
Why is did Phlur Missing Person Eau de Parfum go viral?
‘I think it became almost like a therapy fragrance for people. It opens them up and inspires them to embrace the emotions they’ve been going through and talk about the ones they miss. It’s such a comforting, cocooning scent, it can create something quite meaningful as a reaction.’