Soft-focused close-up shots on parted lips, intertwining limbs on a yacht surrounded by azure waters, a man leaning into a slender neck, young models running through orange groves, rooftops and bucolic gardens. So. Much. Running.

These images – mostly made by men and mainly targeting women – once sold us the allure of fragrances. But now, the perfume scene is changing. After the era of minimalist fragrances in the 1990s, and the gourmand takeover of recent years, a new cohort of compositions is emerging: ones inspired by aphrodisiacs, sensuality and closeness, created by women.

And while scents have long been used to seduce (see: Cleopatra and her penchant for roses), this time around, it’s female noses and founders who are redefining what it means to smell sexy.