Sunday dispatch
Recommendations, thoughts on taste, and inspiration for merch!?
I just got back from a work trip to Charleston, South Carolina, which is a very lovely, if not complicated, place. The smells were good. The first day I smelled an ashy burning in the air and wondered if that was a Charleston thing, but a tour guide told me it was likely from a wildfire a few miles away. Things were just starting to bloom, so I got to see a little bit of their state flower, yellow jessamine (which our tour guide pronounced like jasmine), just starting to show its face. It had a very faint smell but apparently is much stronger at peak season, when it’s exploding everywhere. The gardens were orderly and manicured and very British. Azalea bushes were everywhere in pinks and reds. The Spanish moss made things feel mystical and very Southern. The trees were giants, full of history.
I recorded an episode with Josh and Michy of The Fragrance Files which you can watch on YouTube or listen to on Spotify. I talk a lot about writing and community and of course we nerd out on some fragrances we’re all loving right now.
I really enjoyed reading Brooke Belldon’s latest piece on her Substack, Against Virality. Belldon is the founder of Sainte Cellier, and after years working in the industry, it’s interesting to read her perspective. In the essay, she argues that viral perfume culture has created a kind of creeping monoculture, where taste is performed and rehearsed rather than genuinely discovered, and where we start wanting things through repetition instead of paying attention to our own instincts.
You’re about to read a bunch of my recommendations. I love sharing what I’m liking, but it’s also why I always encourage you to smell things for yourself. Online culture is incredible for discovery and has helped bring attention to brands and indie perfumers who might not have been found otherwise, but nothing replaces your own taste. The fun is in trying things out and seeing what actually moves you.
“For fragrance to hold an important place in one’s life, that place should be self-authored. Your skin exists outside the inverted reality of the online world. Perfume it accordingly.” - Sainte Cellier
Fumed is happening in Chicago right now and I have FOMO but appreciate all of the photos and DMs I’m getting from friends there. I love that there are more and more of these perfume gatherings and events happening. Speaking of, you can get your tickets for ScentFest SF now too. That’s happening June 26 - 28 at Fort Mason Center and I’m thrilled it will be in my backyard here in San Francisco.
Serviette has a new release, Priscus, which is a fun departure from the rest of their line up. Leave it to Trey Taylor to release a fruit scent that is nothing like so many overly sweet fruit fragrances already on the market. This is a heady, boozy scent, that makes plum the star. I asked Trey to tell me a little about Priscus and what kind of mood it brings to the Serviette line.
Priscus is a lot more playful, a loosening of the collar in a sense. Up until this point, Serviette has explored tension through contrast, pairing more classic note structures with unexpected twists.
Priscus complicates the idea of “taste.” Plum, especially in its sweeter registers, risks being seen as “obvious” or even gauche. I mentioned somewhere my fascination with the global popularity of a note called ethyl butyrate, which is present in plum. But here the plum is handled with a sort of boozy restraint—suggesting that good taste isn’t about avoidance of sweetness, but about how sweetness is framed (i.e. how close one can get to excess without tipping into it). So I see Priscus offering a bit of a playful decadence to the existing lineup, expanding its range without abandoning its restraint.
Serviette feels like a natural companion to Brooke's argument. Founder Trey Taylor built the brand around exactly the tension she writes about, using scent to question established ideas of taste and encouraging people to develop their own idea of what "good" taste actually means, rather than taking cues from someone else.
I know I mentioned the new releases from Alloy Studio, but did I tell you how much I love Luster? It’s a sweet potato pie scent that strikes just the right balance of sweet and savory. It has a beautiful mix of spices that make the dry down feel rich, savory, and thick. It reads a little starchy to me, very reminiscent of the fall months, which makes it all the more cozy and comforting. Bryson just keeps getting stronger as a perfumer, and it’s really fun to watch what he and Eddie are creating with Alloy, one of the most original houses out right now.
I was pleasantly surprised by Debaser in Bloom. I’m Gen X, so the cassette tape, Pixies, summers roaming free inspiration for Debaser has always spoken to me. But even as a fig lover, it’s not a scent I reach for often.
Debaser in Bloom is smoother and more subtle than the original. I don’t see a ton linking the two, to be honest, but I understand why they would tie it to one of their best sellers. I still get purple fig skin at the top, along with something slightly fruity, like plum. There’s a creaminess to this one. It feels fluffier and more dreamy than Debaser. The floral notes come out in the dry down and they are really lovely, like walking by a gardenia tree in bloom without getting too close. Just a faint whiff that sweetens the air, not an overdose. A very solid release from David Seth Moltz and DS&Durga. There’s a sharpness that nods to Debaser, but it gives way to something more relaxed, like teenage stoned summer nights. An easy wear.
Teddy Haugen released two new scents to his collection and celebrated with a lovely party at Ministry of Scent. Leather in Paradise and Une Blonde are the new releases. Une Blonde was my favorite of the two, with a light, summery tobacco feel. It reads as a golden hay-colored scent to me, with a nice minty freshness from spearmint and a soft jasmine coming through. You can now order all five of Teddy’s scents through Ministry of Scent as well.
Two candles I received recently are in rotation at my house. I’m loving the big white florals in Superbloom from Ranger Station. I’m a big fan of their candles. They burn evenly and have nice hot and cold throws.
Superbloom seems to be a limited release and is still available, but they have a ton of candles to choose from, and all the ones I’ve tried have been really good. I’m especially a fan of Santalum, and I just saw that they also have a tomato candle. I may need to see if it comes close to my all-time favorite tomato candle.
The New Savant is newer to me, and I like how different they feel from other brands. Their candles come in tins and are a little smaller at 7 oz, which I like because you can get through them faster. Is it just me, or is there something really satisfying about finishing a candle? It weirdly feels like I’ve accomplished something when that happens.
I like Hellbound Heart, but I’m burning through Future Lovers faster. It’s a fresh, citrusy floral that makes my house smell great.
Liis just launched a body care line, and I can confirm it’s excellent. The scents are beautiful, of course, but it’s the formulas that really set it apart for me.
Co-founder Alissa Sullivan has a background in product development and has worked with brands like L’Artisan Parfumeur, Penhaligon’s, and Hourglass. She developed the formulas for both the soap and the lotion, and you can tell these are not just standard bases scented with Liis fragrances. Both leave my skin feeling smooth and hydrated. I’ve been using the soap in the shower and as a hand soap at my bathroom sink. Bo and In This World are available now.
I had the pleasure of meeting up with Dianna Cohen when she was in San Francisco for the Sephora Brand Summit. She’s built an incredible business with Crown Affair, and it was so interesting to hear more about the journey that got her there. She’s also just a lovely person with great style. I was obsessed with her clutch.
She kindly sent me a box of Crown Affair products, and I love the way the shampoo and conditioner make my hair feel and look. I’ve also been using the Texturizing Ary Dry Mousse and the Leave-In Conditioner, and I think they’ll both be staples in my routine. I’m a huge dry shampoo fan and can’t wait to try theirs too.
In things I am loving that are not fragrance related, I finally got one of the Alex Mill Monogramed Totes. I have a very reliable carry-on bag, so it was a bit of a risk to swap it out for this new tote on my trip to SC. But it served me well, doubled as a bag I could use daily on the trip, and is a lot cuter than my other carry-on. I have the weekday size, which is plenty big. I love it so much I kind of want it in all three sizes now.
I’ll be sad to see this nail set go. Now to decide what my birthday nails will be. I’m hoping the dress I land on provides some direction. This set was inspired by the artwork of Kelsey Wickwire. I love finding an artist to inspire my nail sets. It’s fun to see what Kim, my nail tech, does with it.
And if you’ve made it this far, here’s a fun early birthday present that André gave me. He wasn’t sure I would like it, because it didn’t turn out exactly how he had hoped, but I very much do. I’ve been thinking about making Dry Down merch for a while, and I think it’s time. Maybe I’ll have some things ready for SF ScentFest…
"I always encourage you to smell things for yourself." Love. Would also love a piece on how to develop my palette (new here)
We loved chatting with you so much!