Part 18: Fragrances Have Strict Gender Rules THE MYTH "Florals are for women, woods and leather are for men, and you should stick to the side of the counter that was meant for you." THE REALITY A fragrance can come across as masculine, feminine, or somewhere in between. Those descriptions can help us talk about how a scent feels. They don’t decide who gets to wear it. THE EXPLANATION I like florals. That doesn’t mean every floral is for me, but I won’t put down a sample just because it says rose or jasmine on the card. Give me a rose with dry woods, pepper, or a little smoke, and I’ll probably want to try it. The rose can be front and center. It doesn’t have to disappear into the background for me to enjoy wearing it. The same goes the other way. A woman who enjoys dry cedar, smoky leather, or earthy vetiver doesn’t need to find a softer version marketed to her. She might like the exact thing that got the fragrance labeled masculine in the first place. I still use words like masculine-leaning, feminine-leaning, and unisex in my reviews. If someone asks how a fragrance comes across to me, those words can be useful. But when I say something leans feminine, I’m sharing my impression. Another person might smell the same fragrance and notice the woods more than the flowers. And if you prefer traditionally masculine or feminine scents, there’s nothing wrong with that. I just wouldn’t let the label make the decision before you’ve had a chance to smell what’s in the bottle. THE TAKEAWAY Next time something catches your attention on the other side of the counter, give it a wear. See if you enjoy the drydown and whether you’d reach for it again. A label can tell you who the brand had in mind. You get to decide if it smells like you.

Allegedly inspired by Goldfield & Banks Australia Tales of Amber. This is, for sure, a niche, very particular aroma, and difficult to point out exactly what you are smelling, due to its unique and balanced blend. It offers a very complex, dualistic, and transitional experience. It opens with a bright freshness, a sugary fruity sweet, resinous, and a bit smoky. The dry down turns to a more vanillic sweet, powdery, resinous, woody, and ambery. For some reason from time to time, I was smelling similarities with Tom Ford Black Orchid. This is a fragrance that is rich but also subtle, fresh but also smoky, strong but also powdery and inoffensive. Cooler weather and any occasion appropriate, with good projection and longevity. A very nice and interesting DNA.