#17: The Fragrance Paradox

The best beauty experience is the hardest to write about.

I’ve wanted to talk about fragrance since the dawn of this newsletter but constantly questioned how to make it interesting. Or useful, for that matter, since it’s so personal. It’s one of my favorite categories to explore and experience, but I’m rarely inclined to read about it. It’s nice to evoke vibes and summon nostalgia, but a true sensory experience is essential. The nose ain’t optional. And while it challenges me as a writer, I actually love that it’s a rare thing that can’t be easily translated or flattened into the digital realm. (Those things are precious.) Conducting research online is a start, but the full journey requires time in the field; as much spritzing and inhaling as you can handle, seeing how a scent dries down, revisiting and reexamining it over time, charting patterns in what notes you like.

So where I’ve landed is culling a mini digest of brands doing interesting things, ones you should maybe stop and smell if you find yourself in the presence of, plus a quick roundup of the bottles I currently own. (A peek into someone’s scent wardrobe can be very revealing!)

WHERE TO GO SNIFFING

First and foremost, specialty stores with a wide assortment of niche brands are so, so fun. If you get the chance, hit Ministry of Scent in SF or Aedes in NYC—top-tier fragrance slingers with well-curated labels that only the real frag-heads have heard of.

The good thing about the proliferation of once-insider-y brands is they have lots of storefronts in major cities. I still ride for Byredo (love Super Cedar, De Los Santos, and the Summer Rain candle, Gypsy Water and Mojave Ghost are crowd-pleasers) and Le Labo (check Another 13, Thé Noir 29, Gaiac 10, and of course the ubiquitous Santal 33 if you’re not sick of it) and visit both often.

Sephora, obviously: My personal faves include Kilian, DedCool, Commodity, and Juliette Has a Gun (Not a Perfume is an all-time fave), but the big designer brands also always have interesting things going (I’m currently pondering a Prada Infusion d'Ylang purchase). Also, I’m here for the reprise of the body mist—very Victoria’s Secret Love Spell, all grown up. Salt & Stone and PHLUR are doing good ones.

Other brands I love but are harder to find IRL are Escentric Molecules (I’m an 01 girlie), Vilhelm (Dear Polly is on my wishlist), and Régime des Fleurs (Al-Dukhan is unreal).

MY CURRENT LINEUP

My preferred scent profile skews musky, woodsy, and mineral-y, with a strong affinity for things that mix well with skin (vs. giving an entirely inhuman/unnatural smell). Think: gender neutral and not overly sweet, floral, or aquatic. But of course, there are exceptions—I love jasmine, and sometimes find myself gravitating towards heady vanilla (explains my random love for Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor).

Blackbird Pipe Bomb ($90)—notes: saltwater, amber, metal. Hard to find anything else like this. I always restock during the factory seconds sale where they price slightly wonky-looking bottles for cheaper (the juice within is not affected). They offer a 1 mL sample for $5.

Byredo Super Cedar ($225)—notes: silk musk, cedarwood, vetiver. Let’s call it…“clean woods.”

Kilian Sacred Wood ($295)—notes: ambrette seeds, sandalwood, myrrh. This one’s definitely “rich woods.” While I don’t necessarily believe in seasonal scents, for the sake of description, this evokes a strong fall/winter vibe.

Xinú Copála ($109)—notes: pink pepper, mesquite wood, Mexican vanilla beans. I bought this in CDMX days before I found out I was pregnant, then developed an extreme aversion to it shortly thereafter. I’m starting to come back around, thankfully. It’s very strong though—probably a love/hate situation whether you’re with child or not.

Glossier You ($78)—notes: ambrox, ambrette seeds, iris, pink pepper. Popular for a reason—it’s really easy-wearing and hard not to like. Basically a skin-smell enhancer.

I also have Carlen Parfums Coco Flor (which appears to be discontinued, sad), the most amazing combo of coconut, jasmine, patchouli, and amber. I spritz it on every night before bed because it calms me and I’m a Taurus and require decadence at all hours. The brand does a discovery collection for $28.

I also have a top-secret roll-on oil I’ve been wearing since high school that I’ll tell you about if you ask IRL but can’t bring myself to publish online. (Some gatekeeping is really ok.) I so strongly associate it with myself that I feel I have ownership over it. (I am unhinged.) But also if you lived in the Indy metro area circa 2008 you probably know what it is.

SAMPLING STRATEGY

When in doubt, just ask for samples. Fragrance is an investment, so one must be wise. Byredo is usually generous about throwing some in for free, especially if you make a purchase, but I think it depends on who your sales associate is. Le Labo’s a hardo and makes you buy each sample for $8 (or maybe it’s more now! The special City Exclusives are $13 a pop), which I’ve actually come to appreciate as an effective way to evaluate desire. No matter store policy, I think it’s always worth the inquiry so you can live in a scent before shelling out the big bucks.

For-purchase sample sets and minis are also obvious, lower-stakes ways to experiment at your leisure. Sephora Favorites make a great gift, but are good starting points for a beginner’s personal journey too. Ministry of Scent offers options of the niche variety.

If you’ve made it to the end, I’m thrilled this didn’t bore you to death. You just read ~900 words on the topic I’ve struggled to put into words. (Was it really even that deep though?) THANK YOU. Happy sniffing.

For quick reference, my most-fave product links live here. Some are affiliate, including those in this email, which means I’ll make a small commission if you purchase (TY for your support!). Also worth stating that while this topic intersects with my day job, all opinions and recommendations are entirely my own. I just so happen to be my employer’s biggest fan :)