Something of an Introduction (and a Top 7 Winter List Too)

There is something else I need to be writing, something very important to both my academic and professional career. Yet the many distractions, both large and small, at play with my laughable ability to prioritize and focus have all turned my academic mind into mush. The next best option will be to read more of my research materials, and I will (seriously), but first I will go ahead and waste a bit more of my own time.

    I have many hobbies and interests, including films, video games, comic books, TV shows, history, cooking, etc. But my more niche hobby relative to my friends and family is collecting and curating fragrances. Am I going to talk about how this became a thing for me? Absolutely not. If these useless write-ups are going to be something I decide to do regularly, then perhaps that is a story that will come about organically. For now, all that needs to be known is that collecting fragrances has been a hobby of mine for couple of years, having fallen victim to a few destructive hype trains. It was the phenomenon of the “fragrance influencer” that led me to foolishly purchase my first dozen bottles in an extremely small timeframe. I have grown a bit disillusioned from the voices of “fragcomm,” trusting the influencers less and my own nose more, though there are still a handful of voices that I respect.

    Thankfully, I got off the destructive train before things really got out of hand. So many people from influencers to enthusiasts on Fragrantica.com have amassed collections of hundreds to thousands of bottles. The need or desire to collect to that capacity is something that was often discussed in a history course I had taken for my masters (still pending). This was a seminar about the history of collections, ranging from the plundered goods displayed during Roman triumphs, cabinets of curiosities, the collection of Hans Sloane, and even some of the more mundane collections of the world. Of course, a question that frequently occurred in this class was: what is the difference between collecting and hoarding? There was never a simple answer.

    Why would anyone need thousands of bottles of perfume? It made a bit of sense for some influencers, as it tied directly to their livelihood—it is a job, after all. But for some of those Fragrantica users who just amass collections for their own enjoyment, at some point we must ask why. Even if one wore perfume every single day, the likelihood of them finishing every single bottle in a 100 or 200 bottle collection in their lifetime seems slim, with their chances shrinking with every bottle added. Even if the goal isn’t to wear everything, what exactly is the plan for these bottles of perfume at the end of one’s lifetime. I shouldn’t care really, it’s their business, but the larger point is that these are the questions we must ask ourselves when getting into this hobby.

    It was after my collection consisted of more than 60 bottles that I realized something needed to change. There were too many things that I owned that I didn’t like, or weren’t impressed with, or I hardly used. They were a waste of money and space, and so I began a decluttering project. Through gifting and selling, I was able to reduce my collection down to 45 bottles. The good thing is that out of that 45, I genuinely enjoy all of them. Still, the eventual goal is bringing the collection down to a maximum of 25, which is still a bit excessive in my opinion, but it is a number that is reasonable in the context of years spent collecting. I want to be able to fully enjoy everything I own throughout the seasons and not leave a massive collection behind for someone else in my family to figure out how to manage. This doesn’t mean I still won’t be open to purchasing new fragrances either, but the collection must still find a way to shrink.

    Anyway, to the main event I suppose. Some fragrances in my collection get more attention than others. To remedy this, I have decided to create a starting lineup of 7 fragrances for each of the 2023 seasons. This is the winter list (hoping we actually experience winter temperatures here in New Jersey, where it is currently 53° in January).

 

Montblanc Individuel

Starting the list with an (in)famous cheapie, this is a fragrance that was released in 2003 but hyped to the moon and back in the late 2010s. I cannot help but feel as if this remains a bit misunderstood. “It’s a refined Joop Homme,” “it’s super synthetic,” “it’s cloying,” are all things you might hear from detractors. While it is fair to not like this scent DNA, I will argue that it is situation and climate-specific. Individuel smells like freshly cleaned and dried laundry. Many find it similar to a dryer sheet, and I don’t disagree. In fact, that’s why I love it in the winter. In the past it was something I reached for to wear in the office during the cold months as well as casual scenarios, and it will continue that function this winter.

 

Bvlgari Man in Black

I’m not saying anything particularly new or unique when I say that this fragrance encapsulates the holiday season. Similar in vein to both Viktor & Rolf’s Spicebomb and Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille while being a more refined experience, Man in Black is a near perfect medley of sweets, spices, and rum. To my nose, it is a bit reminiscent of Jamaican fruit cake. While this can be worn in a variety of winter scenarios, I will be reserving this primarily for both office and casual wear this season.

 

Versace Oud Noir

Another thing I detest about “fragcomm” is how pretentious it can be regarding certain designer fragrances, becoming obnoxiously snooty towards brands like Versace. Versace as a brand has a larger reputation of immaturity in both their fragrances and fashion. It is why offerings like Versace Oud Noir receive unfavorable comparisons to Tom Ford’s Oud Wood. The good news is that I do not care. While being similar in spirit to Oud Wood, Oud Noir goes in its own direction as something a bit sweeter and more mass appealing. Black pepper is what I smell most prominently, and it conjures up an image of maturity. As a bonus, it has some decent lasting power. This one has a special place in my heart as a gift I received, and I look forward to wearing it during these upcoming winter evenings. 

Dior Homme Intense

Dark chocolate and iris. I wore this only a couple of times last winter, but it was on that second wear that I really fell in love. The iris note at the forefront was a bit challenging, as it smelled a bit like my mother's old lipsticks. As my nose adjusted, the fragrance became increasingly rich and alluring, and vaguely reminded me of Dolce & Gabbana’s The One Eau de Parfum in its smooth and seductive quality. But where The One shines during date nights in autumn, Dior Homme Intense shines in the winter.

Versace Eros (EDT)

Oh look, another Versace fragrance, and an immensely popular one at that! Indeed, and as I stated before, I care little about people’s opinions regarding Versace. I have noticed an uptick in Eros hate, but it is painfully obvious that it is rooted in contrarianism. It is popular for a reason: it smells good, and very few things smell exactly like it. often described as being for parties with its loud projection and bold minty sweetness, I personally enjoy it for casual wear. In cold weather, the notes of apple, mint, and vanilla strike a balance of warmth and crispness. It is immensely pleasant, and special to me being a gift and the fragrance that started my journey as a collector (not my first actual fragrance, to be clear). 

Imaginary Authors A Whiff of Waffle Cone

Finally, a "niche" offering. Imaginary Authors is one of my favorite fragrance houses in terms of their creativity within their products and marketing. I don’t like everything they do, but objectively solid perfumery is almost always at play. As someone who liked Maison Margiella’s By The Fireplace but found it a bit too challenging and cloying in the first couple of hours of wear, I immediately fell in love with AWOWC. It takes a similar approach to the warmth, smoke, woods, and sweetness of BTF, but dials it all down to a softer, much more wearable experience. This lasts a good while on my skin while projecting softly, making it perfect for both office and casual wear.

Lattafa Oud Mood

A house known for producing inexpensive dupes of popular fragrances, This is not one of them, not entirely. It is inexpensive, probably the cheapest fragrance on this list even beating out Montblanc Individuel, but its price does not dictate its quality. I received Oud Mood as a gift from a friend after learning that she too had an interest in fragrance, often leaning towards offerings from Middle Eastern markets along with luxury western designers. During one conversation I explained why I gave away my bottle of Shaghaf Oud by Swiss Arabian—it was violently strong. Sometime later she gifted me Oud Mood, saying that I might like it more. She was right. With an opening similar to Shaghaf Oud and the more expensive Oud Bouquet by Lancome, the direct inspiration for both Shaghaf Our and Oud Mood, it eventually dries down to something a lot less floral and synthetic, becoming similar to By the Fireplace with smoke, woods, and caramel-like sweetness. It is also more gender-neutral to my nose whereas Shaghaf Oud leaned more decidedly feminine. Incredibly strong in performance, I am looking forward to wearing this on the most bitterly cold days.

I like to think of this list as a general guideline. While all of these fragrances cover just about every base I would ever need during the winter months, there will come days where I will not be in the mood for something sweet, warm, and/or heavy, and that is when I will select something outside of this list. The point is for me to give proper attention to what I have and not find myself locked into repeatedly wearing my absolute favorites. Furthermore, it will be good to reflect on this when it is time to establish the new lineup.

    I hope you enjoyed this nonsense born from the matter sloshing around in my skull. Let us pray that getting this out of my system will be enough to put me back on track to actually writing about important things and working on this MA. Until next time.

-The Fragrance Maven.