Counter Clean Eau de Parfum Review

Beautycounter is back and rebranded as COUNTER! Read my updated 2025 blog post about it here.

Clean Eau de Parfum Review: I am ecstatic to share all about these EWG-verified, industry-disrupting fine fragrances.

Photos by Cramer Photo

Beautycounter launched its amazing fragrance line in spring of 2024 and closed to become Counter in 2025. While the fragrances are on pause for now (there are a few in the Vintage Clean section of the website!), we do expect some of them to return! Here’s an overview of Beautycounter’s fragrances and what makes them safer, clean, and unique.

I am a smell gal. Wait, no no no… not a smelly gal, I mean I am a scent gal. I love love love fragrances, from laundry detergent to perfume.

When I took it upon myself to get educated on using safer products on my body and in our home, one main element was avoiding fragrances. I actually have an entire blog post all about fragrance and why I steer away from most fragrances in products.

I was pretty bummed when I learned that all the divine scents I love – from my shampoo and body wash to the laundry soap lingering on warm clothes – may not actually be that healthy for you.

But when you know better, you can do better.

The Fragrance Loophole

So now that you have a general understanding of the “fragrance loophole” and the secrets that are lurking in so many scents, I am excited to share that Counter has entered the chat with their industry-disrupting clean eau de parfum that’s been over 10 years in the making!!

Clean Eau de Parfum Review

I’ll start with my personal review before we get into the technical reasons why these are great fragrances to buy. Because if you don’t LOVE the smell, you’re not going to wear the perfume no matter how awesome the brand is.

I first tried the Counter fragrances with last year’s holiday collection. Sun Spill and Miles Away were good, but I just knew neither was going to be my signature scent. Then they announced three new scents: Second Skin, Hyper Rose, and Pacific Dreams. I got the below scent wheel as part of our training materials and did some research based on previous perfumes I have loved: I knew Floral Amber was my favorite type of perfume. I couldn’t wait to try the new scents and was confident I would like at least one enough to wear it regularly.

Let’s Talk Scents

What are top, middle, and base notes?

A fragrance consists of a complex blending of multiple scent layers called “notes.” Together, they create a unique profile.

Top Notes: These are the “first impression” notes that you smell first. Top notes make an impact and evaporate quickly.
Middle Notes: These are the “heart” of the fragrance. Middle notes add character and help connect top and base notes.
Base Notes: These are the richest notes. Base notes round out the fragrance and linger the longest.

My Favorite Scents, In Order

As it turns out, I was right! Floral Amber is my favorite category. And Second Skin is my absolute favorite!

Second Skin – floral amber

Layers of sweet citrus peek through a gauzy and elegant blend of white jasmine, silky vanilla crème, and dewy, dainty muguet infused with comforting notes of buttery-soft sandalwood.

Top: Bergamot, Pink Grapefruit, Blood Orange, Lemon
Middle: White Jasmine, Rose, Cinnamon Leaf, Lily of the Valley
Base: Vanilla Creme, Sandalwood, Musk, Amber

Kath’s Notes: Second Skin reminds me of my all-time favorite perfume (Joan Vass Amethyst) and others say it’s similar to Coco Mademoiselle. It’s definitely not a super strong perfume, and there isn’t a lot of musk. I find it very wearable and it’s now my signature scent I’m putting on every day when I get ready.

Hyper Rose – soft floral

Juicy apple blossom, sweet gardenia, and tangy cassis cut through a blooming, full-bodied bouquet of Turkish rose, wrapped in cashmere wood for a warm and sultry softness.

Top notes: Bergamot, Cassis
Middle notes: Turkish Rose Absolute, Gardenia, Apple Blossom
Base notes: Cedarwood, Cashmere Woods

Kath’s Notes: Hyper Rose is the sweetest of them all. It’s floral but not overtly “rosey.” I am always a little weary of rose smelling too “strong” (forlackofabetterword) and this one is sweet and balanced with just a hint of rose. It reminds me so much of Le Labo’s Rose 31 scent.

Pacific Dreams – citrus aquatic

A sparkling blend of lemon and bergamot bring a warm and sunny sweetness to the salty aromas of marine accord elevated by fresh Egyptian jasmine, crisp musk, and grounding cedarwood.

Top notes: Sparkling Lemon, Bergamot, Lavender
Middle notes: Orange Flower, Jasmine, Marine Accord
Base notes: Cedarwood, Vetiver, Crisp Musk

Kath’s Notes: Pacific Dreams reminds me so much of D&G Light Blue! It’s VERY “aquatic” and cool, the most musky, and the one I’d say is perfect for a date night or party. You will get noticed wearing this scent! I really love it once it has worn off a little, like if I put on a sweatshirt that had it on the day before. Some men are really liking it too!

Sun Spill – citrus floral

Bright, uplifting notes of grapefruit and sweet neroli shine through a lush blend of rich jasmine, velvety rose, and spicy coriander, paired with grassy vetiver for a freshly cut finish.

Top notes: Grapefruit, Neroli
Middle notes: Rose Petals, Jasmine, Coriander
Base notes: Vetiver, Cedarwood

Kath’s notes: Sun Spill is the fruitist scent of the batch and literally smells like sunshine in a bottle. I like it, but I really miss that “amber” profile in this one. But if you don’t like ambers, this would be a great choice! It has been compared to Chanel Chance and Clinque Happy.

Miles Away – woody green

Zesty notes of lemon and Italian bergamot bring balance to a warm and woody blend of sandalwood, cedarwood, and juniper berry, infused with fresh jasmine and calming chamomile.

Top notes: Lemon, Bergamot
Middle notes: Chamomile, Jasmine, Juniper Berry
Base notes: Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Vetiver

Kath’s Notes: Miles away is very woodsy and perhaps the most masculine of the bunch. If you tend to like cool, woody scents – this one’s for you! It’s been compared to Le Labo’s Santal 31. It’s just a little too strong for me, but I like it mixed with other fragrances.

Why did Counter Make These Fragrances?

Counter created these fragrance formulas in hopes to inspire conventional brands to follow their lead by including safer ingredient selection, rigorous safety testing, and full ingredient transparency. They are confident that they have the cleanest formula on the market due to their prohibition of over 2,800 ingredients and precautionary approach to safety screening.

The work Counter and its community of Brand Advocates do to disrupt the cosmetics industry is working. Counter demands to confidently formulate clean eau de parfums that perform and meet their rigorous safety standards, and then to provide said ingredient transparency to you per their commitment to full ingredient disclosure.

Safety, transparency, and performance are core pillars central to the creation of Counter’s fragrances.

Safety: Hundreds of chemicals can be used to make a single fragrance, some of which are linked to hormone disruption, cancer, and skin allergies (among other effects). Counter goes beyond clean by screening each and every ingredient against 23 human health and environmental endpoints.

Transparency: “Fragrance” or “parfum” are terms you’ll find on the ingredient lists of many cosmetics products—an unfortunate and unnecessary industry practice that can hide hundreds of ingredients. For Counter, transparency equals trust, so you’ll find every single ingredient used to formulate Counter products listed on the packaging and website. As a reminder, just because an ingredient list is long—or even if you can’t pronounce some of the ingredients—it doesn’t mean the formula is unsafe. It just means there’s more that’s being disclosed, so you know exactly what you are putting on your body.

Performance: Counter fragrances were crafted in partnership with a leading fine fragrance house and top-tier international perfumers. They worked closely together to create high-performing scents that smell luxurious.

What is an “eau de parfum”?

Counter’s fragrances are eau de parfum. Fragrances are classified by type and longevity. Eau de parfums have an oil concentration of 15%–40% and typically last 4–6 hours. Most high-end fine fragrances on the market (i.e., Dior, Chanel, and Marc Jacobs) are all considered eau de parfums.

What does it mean to be EWG Verified?

Counter’s fragrance formulas are EWG Verified, giving them a valuable third-party stamp of safety approval. You can learn more about EWG’s scoring system here.

Are these fragrances safe for sensitive skin?

Yes, they have been tested and are safe for sensitive skin. However, if you have sensitive skin, patch test for potential irritation on the back of your neck or inside of your wrist, waiting 24 hours before a full application.

Why are the ingredients lists so long?

Counter fragrances disclose all of the ingredients used in each formula. Counter screened and assessed over 300 natural and synthetic ingredients during the development of the eau de parfums of which only about 20% were allowed without any restrictions. Certain other ingredients were restricted to address potential skin irritation and environmental impacts.

Counter continues to push for advocacy reform to close the fragrance loophole and is proud to have helped pass a law in California that requires some of the most toxic fragrance ingredients to be reported to the state, a meaningful step forward in transparency.

How much do Counter’s perfumes cost?

All five fragrances come in a full-size bottle and rollerball (which are perfect for travel).

Full-size Bottles: $96 each
Rollerballs: $35 each
Discovery Set: $35 for 1.8 mL sprays of all 5 fragrances

By choosing to buy these perfumes, you’re supporting a brand that prioritizes safety, sustainability, and transparency. You are sending a message to the beauty industry that clean beauty isn’t just a niche market, but a standard that should be accessible to all. I totally agree!

What scent are you most excited to try!?