Tag: gender

Fragrance’s New Frontier: How TikTok is Shaping the Future of Scent…

In our latest issue of The Scented Letter magazine, I delve into the fascinating world of young men who are reshaping the fragrance industry through their passion and engagement on TikTok. This digital revolution has sparked a scented awakening among teenage boys and young men, transforming how fragrances are discovered, discussed, and purchased.

 

 

 

 

As I explored this phenomenon, I was struck by the insights of Haydn Williams, fragrance writer, event speaker, and host of the Man in the Mirror podcast [you can find him @yousmellgreatwhatisit on Instagram]. Haydn observes, ‘The surge in interest from teenage boys into fragrance leads to a kind of cognitive dissonance in older generations – and as a 51 year old male, I definitely include myself in this! It just doesn’t quite tally with our memory of how things used to be, or how we imagine things to be now.’

Indeed, the stereotype of the smelly teenage boy is being shattered by a new generation of fragrance enthusiasts. These young men are not only collecting fragrances but also immersing themselves in the artistry behind them. From saving up for their first bottle of Montblanc Legend Spirit to exploring niche brands like Orto Parisi and Toskovat, as you will discover in my full feature, their perfumed passion is palpable.

 

 

 

Haydn Williams

 

 

Haydn notes, ‘I’m sure it helps that my wife and I love fragrance and talk about it, but, like most teenagers, the LAST people he would admit to being influenced by are his parents!’ This observation highlights the power of social media in shaping these young men’s interests.

‘Teen boy equals “Kevin and Perry”, a lack of personal hygiene, smelly socks and liberal use of cheap deodorant spray,’ Haydn reflects, challenging the outdated stereotypes many of us still hold. ‘The cliches (and the truths) of adolescence are hard-wired into us, so when we read that teenage lads are spending serious amounts of money on fragrance it doesn’t quite add up.’

 

 

 

 

 

The full feature in The Scented Letter magazine explores the journeys of several young fragrance enthusiasts, including Jay, Brandon, and William, each with their unique story of how they fell in love with scent. Their experiences offer a glimpse into how this new generation is approaching fragrance – not just as a means to smell good, but as a form of self-expression and artistry.

‘Of course the obvious place to start is social media and TikTok in particular,’ Haydn explains. ‘It has turned the most unlikely niche interests and people into celebrities (train spotting and Francis Bourgeois anyone?!) so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that some perfume content creators have made their mark and are connecting with younger men.’

 

 

Evan Jenkins for The New York Times

 

Recently, even The New York Times got in on the olfactory revolutions, reporting on ‘Smellmaxxing, Explained: Some teenage boys have grown obsessed with designer fragrances that cost hundreds of dollars.’

Haydn provides a thoughtful perspective on what drives this trend: ‘Some of the fragrance content can cater to a fascination with extremes – the most expensive, the biggest projection, the best dupe, the most animalic – and you can see this is just an extension of content that younger guys are consuming elsewhere on other channels such as mrbeast and sidemen. There is no doubt that money, consumption and “the flex” plays a part too.’

The article also features insights from Kenneth Green Associates, offering a behind-the-counter view of how this TikTok-driven trend is changing fragrance retail. It was utterly fascinating to hear the ‘news from the fragrance floor’ from Head of Training at KGA, Alex Goddard [who you can follow as part of the @theperfumepros team on Instagram], and the highly experienced KGA sales consultants, who share their experiences of young customers entering stores armed with knowledge from online research, seeking specific fragrances they’ve seen on TikTok.

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, not all retailers are catching up to the importance of making stores a place that opens their arms to these younger generations (who were perhaps eyed suspiciously by security guards as they entered in a perfumed pack), and Haydn raises an important point about retail experiences: ‘I’ve definitely seen more younger guys in stores and I know from people like “TJ Talks Scents” that they aren’t always made to feel welcome. I don’t know if this is because the staff think they won’t buy, that they just want to film content or even that they think they might shoplift? Whatever it is, retailers will need to work on this with training and staff development.’

As Haydn wisely points out, ‘In the same way that we encourage a love of reading and music in children, it can only be a good thing to foster a love of fragrance in boys, rather than sneering at it, or telling them they’re doing it wrong. It’s a joy that could and should be open to all, regardless of age or gender and one that can give a lifetime of pleasure.’

This TikTok-driven fragrance revolution is not just a passing trend but a fundamental shift in how the industry operates. It’s opening up new possibilities for creativity, self-expression, and even career paths in perfumery for young men.

 

The Scented Letter issue 62 A World of Ingredients

 

To read the full article – with quotes from some of the leading #fragrancetok (one of THE biggest trending hashtags on the social media channel) boys of the moment on their own experiences, and discover more about this exciting development in the fragrance world, be sure to pick up the latest print issue of The Scented Letter magazine!

Don’t want to miss out on future issues? Sign up for our free digital copy delivered straight to your inbox.

[And why not check out our magazine editor Jo Fairley’s gorgeously evocative piece on ‘The Scent of Mummy’s Handbag‘, which has just been shortlisted for another Fragrance Foundation Jasmine Award?!]

 

The fragrance world is evolving, and these young TikTok enthusiasts are at the forefront of this exciting change. As Haydn so eloquently puts it, ‘Ultimately, I’m of the (perhaps simplistic) view that pouring more people into the fragrance funnel at the top that can only be a good thing for the industry and for consumers. Some of these teenage boys will move on to other interests, but for some it will take hold and forge a passion for perfume that will see them branch out to discover new favourites and new brands…’

 

 

If you’re intrigued by this topic, you can hear more from Haydn Williams himself at the forthcoming Barnes Fragrance Fair [@barnesfragrancefair] on May 17th, 2025. Haydn will be hosting a panel discussion titled ‘Men Smell!‘ exploring what fragrance means to men and boys in 2025. He’ll be joined by an illustrious group of guests including Dariush Alavi (better known as @persolaise), one of the world’s most respected perfume critics; TJ from @TJTalksScents, a popular fragrance and lifestyle content creator; Vesa Kalho @vesakalho Head of Beauty Buying for UK Department Store Fenwick; and Adam Hurly, American journalist and founder of @blueprintgrooming. This promises to be a fascinating discussion that will further explore the themes touched upon in our magazine feature.

AND, while we’re on the subject of Barnes Fragrance Fair – I will also be there presenting two talks: ‘Top of the Morning’ – a Breakfast TV-style magazine format talkshow to kick the whole event off with a bang at 9:30am, with my fabulous On the Scent Podcast co-host Nicola Bonn; and I’m doing a fragrance fair round-up of my top picks of the brands exhibiting their scented wares at Barnes, with the brilliant Alice du Parq at 11am.

Later that day at 3pm, Jo Fairley is hosting ‘So You Think You Know Rose?’ with LMR-IFF Naturals. ‘This exceptional rose masterclass will demonstrate the depth, complexity and beauty of natural rose oils and how they are used in fragrance, featuring one of the world’s most important producers of natural roses oil – Laboratoire Monique Rémy (LMR).’

We can’t wait to see you there!

Witten by Suzy Nightingale

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity – a fragrant dance of two halves

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity – a duo of fragrances encompassing the same ingredients, but with utterly differing characters and, therefore, emotional responses in the wearer. We caught up with Francis Kurkdjian himself, to discover the intricacies of two fragrances with ‘same notes, two identities‘…

Within both the Gentle Fluidity Gold and Gentle Fluidity Silver, you will find juniper berries, nutmeg, coriander, musks, amber wood and vanilla. But surely no scents have ever more firmly proved that mere lists of the materials a perfumer’s used are no better way of judging a final fragrance than being given the names of the paint colours a particular artist favours. What’s missing in the bare bones of a list is the emotional flesh of the fragrance. And MFK’s Gold and Silver get their messages across – clearly, but with infinite subtleties. Such is the skill of Kurkdjian.

So, what do they smell like? Gentle Fluidity Gold is warm, nuzzly – it glimmers the way a gilded bronzer does on the skin before wrapping you in a hug of deliciously creamy woodiness. Gentle Fluidity Silver, meanwhile, is cooler, frosted almost, the ultra refined juniper to the fore as it gently caresses the skin. Two sides of the same coin, or of your own personality, perhaps? Who better to explain them than Francis Kurkjian himself?

Beyond the technical skill of the nose, there is an alchemy that takes place – an invisible message from perfumer to perfume-wearer, and from the person who wears the scent to every passer by that smells it. Our personal reactions may not be the same, but those responses are instantaneous and unbidden. At an event hosted by fragrance writer Alice du Parcq, perfumer and founder, Francis Kurkdjian, told us the story of how the scents were inspired – alongside a glimpse of the stunning new advertising campaign, which expresses the scents in a medium close to Kurkdjian’s heart (and his past, as a ballet dancer).

 

The new Gentle Fluidity campaign draws the artistic and emotional analogy between perfume and dance, an art that deeply shaped Francis Kurkdjian’s personality. The complicity between the two dancers and the fluidity of their movements are a symbol of the synergy among the ingredients of the two Gentle Fluidity eaux de parfum.

 

Within the private area of a restaurant in London, the face of Francis Kurkdjian is virtually beamed across the channel via a large television screen. A small group of invited press are here for a Masterclass in his Gentle Fluidity fragrances.

‘I like the idea of telling a story through ballet, that’s very important to me,’ he says, as the sinuous forms of two dancers weave around eachother on screen – a visual evocation of how the fragrances are united yet apart.

‘At the very beginning I only had one scent. I thought the idea was close to unisex, or a gender free scent.’ Francis looks into the middle distance and considers awhile, as he recalls his creative influences. ‘During the process I changed my mind. I wanted to form a new shape from the same DNA, like fake twins in a way.’

‘The original name was Gender Fluidity,’ Kurkdjian elucidates, ‘but I had a friend who kept mispronouncing it, and I thought he was right actually. I like the idea of kindness in the name.’ Talking about the term ‘unisex’ and concepts of gender – in fragrance, in life itself – Kurkjian continued: ‘I think the idea of being “gender fluid” will in time even become dated, it won’t be seen as being “different” because we will have lived with [the concept], we will completely accept that. Whereas fluidity and gentleness are timeless.’

‘It’s all about how you put two things together and they can resonate very differently. The magic of using an ingredient with something else is amazing. Lemon on its own is just lemon. If you start to play and add two other notes next to each other, they vibrate differently.

For the gold version there’s an overdose of vanilla and musk. The musk gives an airiness. Like a ballon within the vanilla. In ballet, my teacher used to tell me when I jumped, you need the feeling of balloon, the feeling of floating all the while gravity is trying to pull you down.’

‘Once I’d defined the gold version, I could define the silver version. I looked at how I could reshape and rebalance. The creative process for me is always chaos, but in my head I’m organised’ he chuckled.

 

 

Discussing how it can still be difficult to get some men to try anything other than scents specifically marketed ‘for men’, Kurkdjian smiled wryly as he gave an example he’s often seen:

‘When a woman wears a man’s fragrance she doesn’t question her femininity at all. Maybe because women have worn trousers for so long? Whereas with men, if you give them a scent to smell on a white card they will like it, but then if you tell them that fragrance was made for women, the majority of them completely disregard it. Perfume is a real mirror of society…’

For more on Kurkdjian’s opinions of ‘gender’ in fragrance, do read his fascinating post Raw Materials Have No Gender, on the Maison’s website. Meanwhile, do seek out the Gentle Fluidity duo and allow them to dance on your skin – we wonder which you will be most instantly drawn to, or what occasions you might wish to wear them to express the multiple sides of your own character…

 

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Gold / Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Silver £165 for 70ml eau de parfum at harveynichols.com

By Suzy Nightingale

Feminista: the first political perfume?

Can perfumes be political? A new indie fragrance – Feminista – with the help of a world-famous perfumer and creative-project funding campaign – certainly think so…

For some time, now, fragrance houses have been slowly bringing in the idea that – shock horror! – we might want to choose scents based on what we like, not whatever gender someone in marketing assigned to them. This is something niche houses realised on long ago, but the bigger, mass-market houses have taken a little longer to catch on to.

The Idea:

‘Feminista is the first political perfume designed for all genders, building a platform to create visibility and funding for all those fighting inequality,’ they say. going on to describe how ‘A Perfume is one of the most powerful emotional products in the world. It delivers a sense of who we want to be in life or at a particular moment in time.’ We couldn’t agree more, and here’s another reason to get excited: Feminista say they are ‘…committed to spending a percentage of the sales on developing innovative, new and exiting content and education formats, support good causes and develop and fund those people that carry an all-inclusive feminism into the world.’

The Perfumer:

When Feminista had the idea of the fragrance, wanting to ‘capture the smell of intersectional feminism’, they knew they couldn’t just turn to any old perfumer. Step forward the Escentric Molecules and Heavenly Mind Series nose who’s long been described as a ‘rebel’ and ‘maverick’: Geza Schön

He saw a potential that was hidden even to us when we came up with the idea. Schön said: “It has been years since someone has come up with a truly unique concept for perfume in the industry. All the perfumes that are new on the market year after year, bore me. The idea of Feminista was as much promising as challenging, because never in history has a perfume been created as a political statement, with a strong backstory and a clear mission to become a Change Agent.”  Every ingredient that went into the scent speaks of feminist history and future, ensuring that it is as polarizing as it is comforting at times.

The Perfume:

Deliberately contradicting notes were chosen for this exciting scent, so we have violets and leather, pink peppers and cedar, juniper berry and styrax that Feminista say ‘form an extraordinary harmony that could hardly be more individual.’

Available in The Experiment (sample) form (€22 for 4x2ml eau de parfum), The Seducer (€64 for 30ml) and The Persuader (€132 for 100ml)

The Project:

For one of their first projects to highlight, Feminista reached out to Veteran producer Anne Marie Mackay, promoting the funding for her new film, The Hammer of Witches.

Anne Marie says: ‘This project is close to my heart because the persecution of all innocents is a story that must be told again and again. Though we as humans have advanced in so many ways, cruelty on a mass basis has not abated. It has been a lifetime objective for me to teach tolerance and the telling of this tale is another deeply powerful way to allow history to once again inform us of our humanity.

Its impact should be a reminder to search our own conscience, the part in all of us that remains hidden and seek out where we add to current day atrocities. By that I mean treating others with kindness and compassion should be a daily practice. By ignoring our own internal negativity we lend credence to the bigger acts committed in our name as a society.’

We love the idea of using proceeds from perfume to fund fascinating and creatively engaging projects, and really look forward to seeing who they collaborate with next.

Can perfume change the world? We’ve long thought so, and wanted to explore how Fashion, Fragrance & Feminism have always been entwined – why, historically, women were forbidden from scenting their bodies in polite society and how contemporary fragrance houses are appealing to strong, corageous young women right now. In fact, we dedicated the latest issue of our award-winning magazine The Scented Letter to this subject, and you can buy your copy here – or become a VIP Club Member to receive your downloadable copies FREE!

International Subcriptions are also now available, for only £20 annually – the perfect gift for your perfume-loving pals overseas.

Written by Suzy Nightingale