Burning Barbershop. Gypsy Water. Pencil Shavings. Anyway. Cowboy Grass. They sound like incantations spoken over a bubbling cauldron, or a surreal shopping list recited in your sleep.

They are in fact the names of niche perfumes that are staking out a serious claim in the fragrance world, making up 10 per cent of sales in an industry worth about $US49 billion ($68 billion).