About This Site

I fell into my "pandemic obsession" years before the pandemic (my pandemic obsession was skincare, for the record - mostly Korean). One day in the early '10s, something went off in my brain and I went down the rabbit hole of fragrance, taking in as much information as possible about my newfound love, spending way too much amassing an eclectic collection, and even dedicating travel to fuel my pursuit for the next perfect little vial of wonder.

Pretending like I'm going to buy a full-size bottle at EPCOT's Guerlain store

I quickly became known in my social circles as a scent guy and always had a suggestion (or a decant) for any friend who asked. Countless nights out with friends gave me plenty of opportunities to vary what I wore and I started building relationships with the scents themselves, as if they had their own personalities and magic they could provide with just a spray.

You see, fragrance hadn't been a part of my life for SO long before that time. I'm asthmatic and have spent the majority of my life in Florida, which holds an untold number of allergens that my body enjoys expressing hate for daily. Other than a brief foray into Old Spice aftershave and Stetson cologne at the beginning of puberty (yikes, what a combo!), taking fragrance out of the equation seemed to make sense, as I was surrounded by enough triggers.

Once I got my allergies and asthma under control in my early 30s (thank you, modern medicine!), I had this wild hair to start trying scents - just to see if my body rebelled, or if I'd be able to handle it. I started with some essential oils and then tried a couple of Lush products, each with no issue. Then, on a random shopping trip with a good friend, I picked up a bottle of Marc Jacobs Bang and the rest is history (so is that scent!).

Ten years into my fragrance journey, the pandemic hit. I went from working in offices and going out with friends to working from home...and mostly being at home. Sure, I'll spray on something here and there, but mostly I just look over and see a big collection of fancy liquid that I'll never use up at this rate.

So, here's the thing: these scents aren't getting any fresher, and I desperately need a creative outlet that isn't a work project, so I'm going on a mission to reconnect to each of these bottles. Were they just a sample I politely accepted and shoved into a drawer? A vial of enchantment to charm and delight? Or, as Luca Turin aptly put it, “the most portable form of intelligence”?

You might ask, "Are these actual perfume reviews?" and I'll reply, "I don't see how they could be!" I'm borderline anosmic (and COVID didn't make that any better), a lifelong snorer, and already struggle with applying adjectives to wine, so I'm not about to offer up to you what I'm positioning as a finely calibrated nose - I couldn't even tell some of the Trésor samples apart at "The Art of Scent" at MAD in 2012 (my secret shame).

What I can offer you is a bit of flash fiction, a bit of personal experience, and a bit of humor. Due to my overactive imagination, every scent has a personality and a feel - some let you down at the weirdest moments or evoke something you never expected. I'll share my experiences and, if I didn't have a strong relationship with the perfume before, we will go on some dates together and I'll report back; it's like "The Bachelor", except for the part where I'm truly and spiritually alone, dating perfume that lives in my bedroom.

I also wanted something to remind us to have FUN with fragrance. Sure, there's always a time and place for pomp and circumstance - and I can totally appreciate the thrill of an exclusive experience or a limited run - but, if you're like me, you just naturally reject anything too snobby or gate-keepy. It's an industry dealing in euphoria - let's have a bit of fun, folks! And let's actually use this precious stuff we've been collecting - it's only art if it's experienced!

In other words, this is not a critical treatise on perfume - I'm not qualified for that. But I can tell you how they make me feel or what they evoke. You can do that too, and you don't need to listen to anyone else to do it.

It's a love letter.
It's a walk down memory lane.
It's a WTF moment shared with others.

It's a burn book if I must.

It's a reminder and celebration that fragrance is created to be enjoyed!

Ready to join me? Well, this is a public website, so I can't stop you - welcome!

❤️ - Keith