FRESH TAKES is an olfactive tell-all written by fragrance enthusiasts for fragrance enthusiasts. Fans of scent will share secrets, obsessions, and unfiltered insight into their take on perfume.

My nose has always been in other people’s business. As a young girl, I would sneak into my mom’s closet and raid her collection, stealing fragrances for my own until begrudgingly giving them back when she noticed their absence. My curiosity piqued through adolescence when my friends started bringing perfumes in their backpacks and misting themselves on their way to class. During this time I started dabbling in a few perfumes of my own, albeit mostly body sprays. I got my first ever “big girl” perfume from a duty-free shop in the Madrid airport on a choral trip in sophomore year. It was a flanker of Marc Jacobs Daisy, and swore it my signature scent from that day on. (Disclaimer: that only lasted a few months).

There are two things I love about fragrance: the art and the community.  

The art of fragrance goes without saying. While the blends of notes are the craft, there is variability within a single note. For example, jasmine. You can get indolic jasmine (Vilhelm’s Don’t Tell Jasmine) or fresher jasmines like in ELDO Jasmin et Cigarette (although the tobacco wouldn’t classify as ‘fresh’). There are even trends in fragrance the way that you see in fashion. Lately the fragrance game has seemed to be defined by molecular fragrance notes like JHAG Not A Perfume and I Don’t Know What by DS & Durga. Part of the fun is trying all the different blends and figuring out which scent profiles complement your skin chemistry. I, for example, smell great in gourmands or green citrus fragrances but cannot pull off something on the powdery side.

The community behind fragrance is what truly confirmed my passion. I accumulated most of my information on the subject through scrolling internet forums and watching every possible YouTube video. Last year I began an Instagram page centered around fragrance. I was bored in quarantine and wanted to take up a hobby. Through the platform I met some friends and bonded through memories, experiences, and recommendations. When I eventually expanded to Tiktok, the video platform style allowed me to express my emotions much more authentically. A few months later here I am, connecting on a daily basis with people who are as enthusiastic about the art of scent as I. 

Cheers, 
Emma