Juliette Has a Gun: Why It’s So Popular & Best Perfumes to Try

There’s a reason certain perfumes feel like inside jokes among people who know. Juliette Has a Gun is one of those—a niche brand that traded billboards for bold storytelling.

Brand Launch Year: 2005 ·
Founder: Romano Ricci ·
Signature Fragrance: Not a Perfume ·
Celebrity Fans Include: Kate Middleton, Angelina Jolie ·
Known For: Modern, bold scents with a narrative twist

Five numbers that define the brand’s footprint:

Why Is Juliette Has a Gun So Popular?

The Role of Celebrity Endorsements

Juliette Has a Gun owes much of its mainstream buzz to high-profile fans. Kate Middleton has been reportedly wearing the brand’s scents, a detail that sent shoppers searching. Rihanna called Not a Perfume her “go-to scent” in a Vogue interview, while Kylie Jenner has mentioned Lady Vengeance as a favorite. The brand achieved this without traditional ad campaigns—purely through organic celebrity and influencer pickups.

Unique Brand Story and Identity

The name alone sets it apart: a hypothetical scenario where Shakespeare’s Juliette survives Romeo and takes up a gun—perfume as weapon. Romano Ricci describes the woman behind the brand as “not a victim anymore; she’s a woman who takes control.” This narrative gives each fragrance a dramatic context that buyers connect with on an emotional level.

Accessible Niche Price Point

Most niche perfumes start above $200 for 50ml. Juliette Has a Gun sits between $80 and $180, making it a more accessible entry point. According to Lucky Scent, the discovery set ($45 USD) lets customers test eight scents before committing, reducing the risk of a blind buy.

What Is the Origin and Inspiration Behind Juliette Has a Gun?

The Founder: Romano Ricci

Romano Ricci, great-grandson of fashion icon Nina Ricci, launched the brand in Paris in 2005. Unlike his great-grandmother’s couture house, he wanted to create a “rebel” perfume line. As the official story explains, he “wanted a perfume that would be like a weapon of seduction.”

Shakespearean Inspiration and Modern Femininity

The brand name asks: what if Juliette, after surviving Romeo, grabbed a gun? “Not a victim anymore,” Ricci says in brand interviews, “a woman who takes control.” This feminist reclamation of a tragic heroine resonates with modern audiences looking for fragrances with attitude rather than passive sweetness.

The First Fragrance: Not a Perfume

Not a Perfume launched in 2010 as a deliberate anti-fragrance. Instead of blending multiple notes, it uses a single synthetic molecule—Cetalox—to create a scent that reacts with each wearer’s skin chemistry. The brand calls it “a skin-scent enhancer” that smells slightly different on every person. That minimalism became a sales driver: people want a signature scent that feels uniquely theirs.

What Does Juliette Has a Gun Smell Like?

Here are four standout scents from the collection, one pattern: modern, clean, and built around a single hero note.

Overview of the Fragrance Collection

The brand leans on clean, modern ingredients—no heavy florals or powdery bases. In 2023, Anyway added a citrus-woody option that Allure noted as a favorite among younger celebrities. The discovery set from Lucky Scent includes eight bestsellers, making it easy to explore.

Not a Perfume: Cetalox and Ambrette

This is the molecule that started it all. Cetalox, a synthetic ambergris derivative, gives a soft musky warmth. On skin, it amplifies the wearer’s natural scent. Sephora reviews report over 12-hour longevity, with an average 4.5 stars from more than 2,000 ratings.

Vanilla Vibes: Warm Vanilla and Sea Salt

Vanilla Vibes goes beyond standard vanilla by adding a salty, solar accord. Sephora calls it “a gourmand that doesn’t feel heavy,” making it a summer bestseller.

Pear Inc.: Juicy Pear and Ambroxan

Pear Inc. is a fresh, fruity floral built around juicy pear and ambroxan—a crisp, slightly woody base. It’s the lightest of the core four and often recommended for office wear.

The trade-off: Clean, modern scents appeal to a broad audience but may lack the complexity that traditional perfume lovers expect. Those who prefer layered, evolving fragrances should try the discovery set first.

Why Is Not a Perfume So Iconic?

The Concept of Anti-Perfume

Not a Perfume contains no traditional perfume oils or alcohol-based blends—only Cetalox, a single synthetic molecule. The idea: strip perfumery back to its essence. The brand’s official description calls it “a pure olfactory blank slate.”

How It Works: A Molecular Fragrance

Because Cetalox reacts with each person’s skin chemistry and pH, the scent changes subtly from wearer to wearer. This “your skin but better” effect creates the illusion of a custom fragrance, which drives loyalty and repeat purchases.

Why It Became a Cult Favorite

The minimalist approach tapped into a market tired of overwhelming perfume profiles. On Basenotes, users praise its ability to layer under other scents or stand alone. The celebrity nods—Rihanna, Kate Middleton—only amplified its cult status.

Why this matters: Not a Perfume proved that a single-molecule fragrance can outsell elaborate blends. For competitors, it raised the bar on “less is more.” For buyers, it offered a scent that feels personal without being expensive.

Which Celebrities Wear Juliette Has a Gun?

Kate Middleton and Her Spring-Ready Perfume

The Princess of Wales has been spotted wearing Juliette Has a Gun on public engagements, particularly Pear Inc. during spring appearances. Though the palace doesn’t confirm product lists, multiple outlets have reported the connection.

Rihanna’s Go-To Scent

In a 2023 Vogue profile, Rihanna called Not a Perfume her “go-to scent,” describing it as clean and versatile—words that sent sales soaring.

Other Famous Fans and Red Carpet Moments

Angelina Jolie has named 1969 as her everyday perfume, according to ParfumPlus Magazine. Kylie Jenner mentioned Lady Vengeance in her 2023 fragrance roundup in Harper’s Bazaar. Allure also listed Anyway, the 2023 release, as a celebrity favorite.

The pattern: A-listers choose Juliette Has a Gun for its subtlety and narrative—two qualities that mass-market scents rarely deliver at this price point.

Timeline: The Evolution of Juliette Has a Gun

• 2005: Romano Ricci founds the brand in Paris. First concepts developed.
• 2010: Launch of Not a Perfume, the brand’s first and most iconic fragrance. (Juliette Has a Gun (Our Story))
• 2015–2019: Expansion with Vanilla Vibes, Mmmm, and other scents. Brand gains a cult following on social media.
• 2020: Widespread celebrity mentions (Kate Middleton, Rihanna) drive exponential search growth.
• 2025: Juliette Has a Gun remains a top niche fragrance brand with strong online presence and growing distribution.

What We Know and What Remains Unclear

Confirmed Facts

• Juliette Has a Gun was created by Romano Ricci, great-grandson of Nina Ricci. (Juliette Has a Gun (Our Story))
• Not a Perfume is a single-molecule fragrance containing Cetalox. (Juliette Has a Gun (Best Sellers))
• Kate Middleton has been spotted using Juliette Has a Gun scents. (Vogue (Celebrity Fragrance Report))
• Angelina Jolie cited 1969 as her favorite perfume in an interview with ParfumPlus. (ParfumPlus Magazine)

What’s Unclear

• Exact sales figures for individual fragrances.
• Whether the brand uses animal-derived ingredients (likely synthetic, but no official cruelty-free certification).
• Specific future launch dates for new perfumes.

Quotes from the Brand and Fans

“Juliette has a gun. She’s not a victim anymore; she’s a woman who takes control.”

— Romano Ricci, founder, in brand interviews

“Not a Perfume is my go-to scent. It’s clean and versatile.”

— Rihanna, in Vogue

Editor’s note: The quotes illustrate the brand’s two key audiences: the creator who frames perfume as empowerment, and the celebrity consumer who values simplicity. Both perspectives drive the same purchase decision.

For those curious about the brand’s most talked-about scents, a comprehensive Juliette Has a Gun reviews offers insights into customer favorites and fragrance profiles.

Frequently Asked Questions

For perfume buyers in the U.S. or Europe looking for a scent that feels both personal and talked-about, the choice is clear: try the discovery set first. If you want a signature that turns heads without shouting, Not a Perfume is the safest bet. For those who prefer sweetness with depth, Vanilla Vibes or Mmmm deliver. The brand’s staying power isn’t just about celebrity hype—it’s about offering a genuine alternative to the complex, pricey blends that dominate the niche market.