I am a huge fan of perfume. When I was younger, I inaccurately believed that a woman should only have one “signature scent.”
Not anymore.
I’ve learned a few things over the years about my preferences. I HATE vanilla, overly sweet gourmand scents (apparently that’s a thing), and overly strong florals. Of all the scent profiles out there, my favorite is the “clean girl” aesthetic.
If you’re wondering what that means, I gravitate toward fresh, airy scents, clean musk, soft woods, a little citrus, and that “fresh out of the shower” feeling. Something that smells good without announcing itself from across the room.
That’s my first preference, but it isn’t the only style I enjoy. My collection has a little variety. Okay, maybe more than a little.
A quick guide to fragrance profiles
If the descriptions sound like a different language, here’s a quick cheat sheet. These families and scent styles often overlap.
Fresh: Bright, crisp scents, from citrus and green leaves to watery or breezy notes.
Floral: Flower-led scents, such as rose, jasmine, or orange blossom. They can be soft or bold.
Woody: Cedar, sandalwood, and other wood notes, ranging from dry and earthy to smooth and creamy.
Amber: Warm, rounded blends, often with resins, spice, and sweetness.
Gourmand: Food-inspired scents, especially vanilla, caramel, chocolate, or other dessert-like notes.
Fruity: Juicy notes such as pear, peach, apple, or berries.
Musky / skin scents: Soft, close-to-the-skin styles that can feel clean, cozy, powdery, or sensual.
“Clean girl” is an aesthetic rather than a formal fragrance family. For me, it’s the fresh, understated end of this spectrum.
For a fuller guide, explore Michael Edwards’ fragrance wheel.
Some of my favorites are Another 13 by Le Labo, You by Glossier, Narciso Rodriguez For Her, Baccarat Rouge 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Missing Person by Phlur, and Not a Perfume by Juliette Has a Gun. I also just discovered Le Mar by House of Bō.
I never blind buy because this stuff ain’t cheap. I’ll try decants from places like Scent Split, or buy a travel size if I can find one on eBay.
And I track them all on a cool app called Aromoshelf.
I’m not sure why I posted this other than to say I have hobbies besides writing songs for fun and using AI to make them real.
Don’t even get me started on my love of traveling and my “travel accessories” collection. That’s a post for another day.
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