Michy: A fragrance I reach for without thinking fairly often that I'm actually on my second bottle of would probably be Nosferatu from Heretic. This was my introduction to the brand and I have since become quite, quite obsessed with them. ⁓ It's just so, it's the kind of fragrance that is, it's not going to overwhelm me throughout the day. It's gentle. but it's also really fresh and easy. Like I feel like it fits in for nearly any occasion. I can wear this to work. I can wear this to the gym. I can wear it lounging around my house. And I know it's meant to be kind of a dark moody melancholy fragrance, but because there's so much lilac in here, I actually find it really, really comforting. And it's one of my favorite flowers. It's the flower that my dad planted in our garden in my childhood home when he got engaged to my mom. And so every summer, these gorgeous lilac bushes would pop up in the spring or spring summer. And you could smell them from inside the house. They were so pungent. So it's a very comforting scent overall to me. And yeah, I can't stop wearing it. And I have a third backup bottle. I also have the body wash and the body lotion and the oil. And all of it. Josh: Yeah, I do like Nosferatu a bit. It was also my introduction to Heretic fragrance-wise. I actually owned the bust candle before Nosferatu came out. yeah, it is meant to be dark, but I do think of it as like this misty apparition of florals. It is surprisingly easy to wear. Michy: ⁓ that candle's amazing. Yeah. Very. Josh: for it to have such a gravitas in its name and its intention. I think the perfume I reach for without thinking is, and this is also my second or third bottle, goes to view by Mythologia. I think at this point everyone knows this is my fragrance. If I had to start all over again, this is gonna be the bottle I get. Michy: Yeah. Absolutely. Josh: I think it's because I had such a strong emotional reaction to it when I first smelled it and I loved it so much. It's now just become the fragrance if I'm really sad and I need to pick me up, it's that fragrance. If I'm really happy and I need to keep the good vibes going, it's that fragrance. Like it is, it fits so many moods because I just feel like it's part of me almost now. And... Michy: Yeah. Josh: If I ever get overwhelmed and like, ⁓ I don't know what I to wear today, the answer is ghost. Michy: have, ⁓ I love that fragrance, but I have almost the exact opposite reaction to it where it just always makes me cry. ⁓ It reminds me of like going through a breakup and keeping somebody's hoodie until it no longer smells like them. Josh: Yeah, it does have that element to it. There is a melancholy tone to the fragrance. It's just, I now have such an emotional attachment to it. I can wear it anytime. Melancholy is kind of core to my brand though. Michy: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yes, I would agree. I think as we'll see as some of your favorite comfort sense, I feel like there's going to be a theme here. Josh: No. That's fair. ⁓ But yeah, think the sense that we come back to, the sense that we grab without thinking, this is almost a tether back to our conversation around the signature scent. The ones that are a daily driver or a comfort or a fallback scent aren't always the ones we're hyping up the most. Ghost of You obviously is. I've talked about it so incredibly much. Michy: True. Mm-hmm. Josh: But like we do have these scents kind of in our back pocket, no matter how many dozens or hundreds of fragrances we have. Michy: there's definitely, ⁓ you know, it's hard amongst ⁓ so many fragrances to ⁓ always reach for the same thing, ⁓ but are definitely those fragrances that like once gotten done wearing all of the new that I have to out. What are the ones that I'm longing to go back and wear again? And that's what I know I really love something when I can't wait to put it on my skin again. Josh: Yeah, and I think this idea of like what makes a sense a comfort sense, comforting, and there's different shades. I don't think it's a singular definition for either of us. Where like, there are sense that I long to go back to. There are sense that have memories and emotions tied to them. There's also just kind of a predictability aspect that I enjoy. Avastan actually comes into that category for me. Michy: Mm-hmm. Josh: where like, I said I won't rebuy this because they're ultimately owned by one of the big giants now, but like, I know when I want clay, clove, and orange, this is the scent. Like it is predictable, it is good, it is not super projecting, it's warm, and it's like putting on your favorite sweater. Michy: Yeah. I the memories that attach to my fragrances is what brings me comfort the most. there are, you know, I have surprisingly a tea fragrance on my tray, some of my favorite, you know, my comfort scents. ⁓ No, groundbreaking, I know. ⁓ it's... ⁓ Josh: You with a tea fragrance? No. Never. Michy: it's but it's the only one on my tray. just picked one out of my 30 something tea fragrances and it's it's steep and I think it's the only one that ⁓ is not particularly tied to a memory but just the overall scent profile of it makes me feel very calm and our friend Jenna I think had the most perfect description of it. It feels like one of those moments in real life that could be a movie, right? It's your it's your. It's your sad moment. You're the close up of your face in the cab with single tear trickling down your trickling down your face. ⁓ But it is at its core just a really gorgeous oversteeped tea. And truly, like so many tea fragrances bring me comfort and have a meditative, calming feeling to me. this one is I don't believe I don't believe they make this one anymore. Right. ⁓ that is a shame. because this is an incredible tea fragrance that I wish more people could experience. Josh: Yeah, that was one of the first fragrances I experienced that has that real sense of humidity that I found such a standout. Michy: Mm hmm. Yeah, I guess I'm noticing a theme here so far. have two ⁓ quite wet fragrances so far. Josh: And mine are both musky. A lot of mine actually, now that I'm looking at it, are very musk fragrances, which is a comfort area for me. Michy: I am starting to get into musks more. I've been seriously training my nose to try to smell them. ⁓ So I have a, I have Zoe from Sirius's nose kit and I smell the musks as often as I can to try to, ⁓ I'm, for those who don't know, I'm totally anosmic to like most musks. Unfortunately, one of the only musks that I can smell is natural deer musk. ⁓ And that's, you know, I don't want, I don't want it. I don't want that to be the case. So I'm trying very hard to be able to smell some musks, but I am starting to enjoy them quite a bit too. Josh: Yeah, I think there is something about the idea of when people talk about a comfort fragrance, there is this element of, like you said, predictability, but also like linear aspects to them ⁓ that some people might consider boring. And I'm going to push back against that narrative because like, Michy: Yeah. Josh: both in a comfort way and in just an everyday wear. I think linear fragrances have a very special time and place. ⁓ I really hate people say that linear fragrances are boring or basic, or they say linear in a bad way, when like, no, that means it's predictable. That means I know I'm going to smell like this for this amount of time. Lobs by Philippot is a perfect example of a ⁓ stellar ⁓ linear Not needs to be... ⁓ Michy: Mm-hmm. Josh: ⁓ cinematic evolution across 12 hours. I love those fragrances too. better meet it. Michy: Yeah, I 100 % agree. There are times where I want to know I'm going to smell the same from when I spray it on to hours and hours later. I don't know when linear became like a negative thing. I think it's... I think it very much depends on the composition of a fragrance, right? If you're thinking of something linear, it may not have a lot of top notes, right? It might be an all heart and all base kind of fragrance. And that's not a bad strategy, I think. How many times have I witnessed people smell something at the opening, buy it immediately and have immediate regret upon getting home and spraying it again? Josh: Mm-hmm. Michy: because they didn't let it develop, right? And that's on one hand a consumer education issue on the sales side of things. But imagine just like smelling a fragrance, loving it immediately and always getting immediately. Like there's something comforting in that predictability. It's... It gives me almost a sense of control to know that my fragrance is going to smell exactly the same. Josh: the predictability is good both in a sense ⁓ of, like when I'm in a work appropriate kind of vibe, I love a linear fragrance. There's no surprises. There's no like slutty dry down that I forgot about until I did the board room. ⁓ Like that's good. But then yeah, when we get into this idea of like comfort scents or lazy day scents or things like that. Michy: Mm-hmm. Yeah. You Josh: Yeah, sometimes you just need that. Like I would say, ⁓ the style is quite linear. And yeah, I just want to pull on this, this metaphorical effect of sweater and hang out for the day. Michy: Yeah, it feels like it feels like the equivalent to watching your favorite like show on reruns. Like for me, it's like being at home late at night watching Friends on repeat, you know. Josh: It's me with American Dad. ⁓ I can quote almost every episode. Fun fact about me. ⁓ That's the show I go back to when I need to turn my brain off. Michy: Yeah. I mean, it's a great show. I don't think I've watched it in like 15 years, but it is a great show. Josh: It's still coming out. ⁓ But the, know, like, do you have any like linear fragrances that you go to that are that kind of, like you said, shut your brain off, reset, turn on the reruns. Michy: panettone from Milano for Granci. it's... I don't wear it often. I particularly wear it around the holidays because for those who don't know, in Italian American culture, it's a very... It's what we bring to each other's houses around Christmas. And it's like... The joke is it kind of gets passed around because whenever you go to somebody's house, you got to bring them a panettone and you forget to buy one. So you bring the one that they brought to your house the week before. But for me, it really, doesn't change very much, but it is exactly what I needed to be for the entire fragrance. is incredibly photorealistic, boozy, dried citrus, bready, raisins. exactly what it needs to be at all times. And I think if it did evolve and it did change, I don't know if it would be one that I love as much because it's, it's perfect. The opening is exactly it. And I don't want to smell like just vanilla in the base, right? So yeah, it's, it's a go-to scent of mine. I've worn it quite a lot. Josh: Alright. Michy: ⁓ It reminds me again, a memory attached to it. It very much reminds me of my grandparents growing up and spending the holidays with them. And yeah, if it changed, I don't think I'd love it as much. Josh: ⁓ one that really becoming a love for me, I just did the swap with Ali from Paraffat and I got Rabbit Rabbit. ⁓ And ⁓ I, ⁓ is a DNA Ali has with her perfumes that I do really enjoy. I do find quite comforting. ⁓ And I it with bread and roses, which I also really love that like baguette and orange marmalade. And then like this Michy: Mmm, rabbit rabbit. Josh: vase of really luscious roses on the table. Like it is that as a fragrance. ⁓ This one has something very in common with that, this like warm, comforting, musky base tone that it just kind of envelops you. And the addition of juniper and there is like a carrot cake accord in this just makes it, it feels really lovely. It reminds me of like my grandmother's kitchen in a way that Michy: Mm-hmm. Hmm. Josh: I keep going back to. I think there's kind of that thread there, the same with panetone. Michy: Yeah. Do you think, I mean, there's so much for me that's nostalgia in my comfort fragrances, but do you think that nostalgia always has to play a role or can you make new memories for your comfort sounds? Josh: ⁓ absolutely. I think like Rabbit Rabbit is really the one that hits nostalgia for me. ⁓ The other nostalgia fragrance I have in my full bottles is Universal Supreme by Blackbird. But that's like a fun, funky fragrance. That's like a summer day. ⁓ Most of my kind of default cozy comfort scents I find are quite linear, quite musky. Michy: Mm-hmm. Mm. Josh: and soft. They bring a tenderness that I think I reach for because so often I have to be quite bold and quite jacket. So these are the fragrances I reach for to bring some of that tenderness back. More than, more than like a nostalgia or anything else. Michy: Mm-hmm. ⁓ tender Josh. Yeah, I guess for me that would be of all of these probably, probably Rabbit from Zoologist. ⁓ Because it's a send profile that I didn't know that I loved. And I did tie new memories to this, I think, when I first purchased it. But It was one of the first fragrances that I think olfactively I was able to recognize texture in. And the texture just happens to be soft bunny fur. And so I'm quite obsessed now with the concept of textures coming through in smells. So I think for me, when I need to feel softness, when I need to feel coziness, I reach for rabbit. And it... You know, it helps that the day that I purchased this was the day that I met two of our friends in person for the first time, Chris and ⁓ Philly Sarah, our queen over there in Philly. yeah, it's new memories, but it's also a development in my scent, my ability to perceive scent. And it was also my first zoologist. Josh: I think the ability to attach new memories to fragrance is definitely a powerful aspect. ⁓ I have sitting over here, Moshmallow by Closet. And I'm very proud to say this is bottle number one. So ⁓ as much as I love this fragrance, it was really interesting that we had started talking with JK and I got to smell a sample of this before it was launched. Michy: Yeah, I love this one. Mm. Mm-hmm. Josh: And I was so enamored with it. It like started kind of a little bit of a fire and a hype around the fragrance and JK was like, ⁓ now I have to like do it. ⁓ Michy: ⁓ Josh: And it was like one of the few times that I was like, yeah, I got to influence people Because it's such a fun funky fragrance. I mean all of JK's are very cool funky fragrances but marshmallow has this like Damp earthiness that I immediately resonated with but the idea of like these fresh cut portobello mushrooms and this like pastry cream and Just the fact that you have these two together Michy: It is. Mm-hmm. Josh: And they're not fighting, they're not trying to become, you know, a fungal cake or anything that they're not supposed to. They just exist together. Michy: Yeah. No, but it's so harmonious. Josh: Yeah, I really love it and there there is this Long tail to it that almost becomes a third thing I think I called it like a fungal swirl in in my initial review of it, but like It wears really long but really close to skin It becomes like a second skin for you and I think that's why it's on my like comfort list is because I know what I'm getting into with this and I just remember like how excited Michy: Mm-hmm. Josh: JK was, when JK was coming out with his fragrances. And just what a joy it's been to get to know him and see his brand. Michy: Yeah, that was you getting excited over marshmallow prompted me to look into closet perfumes and ⁓ started my friendship with JK as well. And it's a friendship that I absolutely cherish. He is one of the most genuinely incredible people I think I've ever met. I love everything that he does and he's, yeah. I love being around him the couple of times that we've gotten to hang out. He's just a joy all the time. Josh: Yeah, super lovely. Shout out to J.K. Do you think, when we're talking about these linear fragrances, these cozy fragrances, do you think it's harder for someone to make something that's complex or something that is both simple and satisfying? Michy: Yeah, GK. technically I want to say it's something simple and satisfying, right? ⁓ But I think it depends your goal. ⁓ And I think when we make fragrances that are intended evoke certain memories, ⁓ and I'll call out to Replica in this case, where it is the memories collection, essentially, right? And I think... because the memories are so specific, they often don't translate for everybody, right? Like you can say this fragrance is supposed to remind you of a day at the beach. But do you live on a beach on the East Coast? Do you go to the beach on the West Coast? Or is it in another country? Like it's, it's kind of hard to give that messaging and give that sort of universal smell where scent might be more simplistic and you know, kind of linear, which I do find a lot of the replica fragrances to be quite linear. But I think when you try to put that memory into people's heads, it feels like it fails if it doesn't match your scent memory of something. Does that make sense? Josh: Sure, and I think that's part of why when it comes to testing a new fragrance, as much as I love a good story and I love a good copy, I do try to smell it initially to be like, what do I get? And then read it and be like, do I see that? And then revisit it and be like, oh, okay, now I see your direction. Because yeah, like Beach Day is an example where when I smell it, I'm like, this reminds me of the hairspray though. Michy: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Josh: to use before church. Michy: Yeah. Yeah. Josh: And then when you look at it, you're like, beach day. Okay, this like, oceanic, solar, aquatic. was like, okay, I see where they were going. That is not at all the memory it stirred for me. Michy: I do think, but going back to your original question, I do think making something that is more complex is harder, right? To have something fade into exactly what you want it to be and to tell this overarching story technically is a much harder thing to do. And I love that journey as well. But again, there are times when my brain can't compute. all of that information. There are times when I just need to, I need to, I'm mashed potato brains, which is quite often that I just need predictability. But technically speaking, it is definitely more challenging to make something that is complex. Josh: Yeah, I think it's the, back to like a music analogy, they're different in the sense that like, yes, it is technically much more complex to make an entire orchestral piece and have every instrument featured in the right way and have the crescendo at the right moment and the right gaps and the right silences. But there's also this aspect of, you know, like a truly great musician can do an acapella number or Michy: Mm-hmm. Josh: do just a piano number. ⁓ So there is technical merit in both. Because there are linear sense that do fall flat, where you're like, ⁓ that's all this is. And then there's times where you're like, this is all I need. Michy: Agreed. Yeah. Yeah, yes. So what role do comfort sense play in your daily life? Josh: am a bedtime scent person. I've built a lot of small rituals into my daily life. They help me kind of compartmentalize and work through my day. ⁓ So like in the morning, I get up, know, bathroom time, shower, brush teeth, whatever, and then I pick my scent for the day. And that's the first ritual. And that's usually preparing myself for the day and what I need. Michy: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Josh: And then like coffee time is a ritual. When I'm done with work, I light a candle, it's a ritual. But then bedtime is a different ritual. And that's a sense of like, what do I need to shut down? What do I need to bring that softness and the tenderness? And that's where a lot of these fragrances shine for me, is this bedtime sense. Not because they're boring, but because they comfort and kind of cradle me and prepare me to go to sleep. What about you? Michy: ⁓ yeah. Mmm, what are some of your favorite bedtime scents? Josh: So it used to be Sweet Ash by Sniff. That is not a shock to anyone. After four bottles, I've decided to stop buying them. And I have been hunting for the true replacement for that. And I kind of have three that I've been using. ⁓ One is the Skin Body Oil in Sweet Milk. Michy: Good one. Josh: Yeah, this lovely caramel vanilla milk. ⁓ Super strong, super sweet, not something I would typically reach for, but I am loving it. Similarly, hot milk by Holda Solyani. I've owned it for a month and look at this dim. Michy: Wow, and you are not an over sprayer. Josh: Yeah. She might be changing the mood. There's just something about the way this one, like it is chili pepper and it is steamed milk. And that doesn't sound like it should work, but it just does. Yeah, it just does. And if you layer this with the sweet milk body oil, I'm a chili pepper milkshake. Let's go. Like it's so cozy, comfort, sweet. ⁓ Michy: Mmm. ⁓ it's incredible. It you Josh: You know, it's really fun. And then like, not every day am I in the mood for something sweet or food like. ⁓ So I've also been really going through cashmere rice by EPC. ⁓ Yeah, this is one of their custom blends and I'm gonna have to buy a bottle of it because I only have like five mils left. ⁓ But this one does, it smells like a burlap sack of basmati rice in your pantry. Michy: It's a great one. Josh: It's this very like dry, warm musk. And a lot of rice fragrances turn really weird on me, and that one does not. Michy: And we just discovered another rice fragrance that smells good on your skin too. Josh: ⁓ I need to buy it. The Nagi by Paramsara. Yeah. It is like clove rice pudding made with coconut. Michy: Sorry. ⁓ It's gorgeous. I'm so glad that would work on your skin. Josh: It will absolutely be, yeah, in this group. I find that such a lovely, cozy song. Michy: It is. I also find rice fragrances very, very comforting. think it's I think it's when they have that steamy aspect to it that I really enjoy them so much. It's it's the warmth. Yeah, which is what's very interesting here, because I feel like you are leaning into a very much like gourmand area, which you never really have. And I'm leaning into like the steamy. Josh: You're like a lot of like steamy wet. Yeah, just a little bit. Yeah, you want to be like a steamed dumpling and I want to be a convection. Michy: That's just me, a steamed up thing. Josh: You ⁓ But same question back to you. What role do comfort sense play in your daily life? Michy: I also do love a good bedtime scent and that is usually where the tea comes in. But for me, picking my fragrance is the one time of the day where I feel like I get to slow down and do something for myself, especially in the morning routine, running around, you know, often waking up way too late and having to get two young children dressed and out the door looking somewhat. somewhat put together and get them to school on time. So it's the first time in the day after I've dropped them off and I come home and I'm by myself and I get to choose what I'm going to wear for the day. So I will often, if it was a particularly stressful morning, I will go for something that makes me come back down. It's an emotional regulation for me almost in choosing my scent and That can be in just the ritual of choosing the scent or there are days where I need a little bit more help and I will go for something that makes me feel more comforted. ⁓ Kind of a go-to scent for me, especially if it's a day that I'm gonna work from home ⁓ is Warm Bulb from Clue. And I think a lot of people would find this one quite comforting and its overall scent profile, it has a warmth about it. Josh: you Michy: Again, I want to be a warm steamed dumpling. And it's it also has a particular memory tied to it for me of like hiding in my grandfather's den, reading his old books and his little his little green banker's lamp. And I quite enjoy it. And it is a fragrance that made me cry when I initially smelled it. ⁓ But now it makes me feel safe. And on days where I'm feeling out of control and exhausted and overwhelmed, I reach for a sense like this that gives me that sense of safety. Josh: Yeah, warm bulb is one of those ones that I do love it and appreciate it. I ended up decluttering it because it just makes me sad. It just, it, very similarly, it has that photo realistic, like light bulb, warm light bulb and like hot dust. And it does, it takes me back to reading in my grandmother's house as a kid when I had like no friends. Michy: ⁓ yeah. Mm-hmm. Josh: And just, makes me miss my grandmother a lot, because it's like so ingrained that that's what I would do. So I just find myself really sad every time I wore it, so I had to get rid Michy: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I can understand that. Yeah, I think when Warm Bulb came out, our friends group each took turns smelling it. And I think every single one of us that got it cried. We had a tally mark going. Josh: Yeah, I cried and I was like, Michi, got it. You cried. And then the next, yeah, we were like, another one, another one, another one. Michy: And I was convinced I wasn't going to cry. And I ⁓ live recorded myself because I'm like, I'm not, fragrances don't make me cry and like, bawling. Josh: Yeah, and now we've learned there are like five or six perfumes that will make you cry. Michy: ⁓ it's more than five or six. ⁓ I'm just very emotional. have a lot of feelings. Josh: But. Yeah. You were saying, you know, bedtime scents are another one for you. What are some of your bedtime scents? Michy: ⁓ I don't have it on my tray right now. But it's actually become my bedtime scent and my husband's bedtime scent. We both really love teapot Sonder from ⁓ Odinah. ⁓ It's this really beautiful, it feels like steamed rice and steeped tea all in one bundle. Josh: Okay. Michy: It almost it almost feels like you've made a tea out of the water that was soaking with your rice. It's stunning. Yeah, I love it. He he stole it from me one night after he smelled it on me, and now my bottle is almost empty and I'm I'm very sad about it because I don't know if we still carry it. Like I have to order this. ⁓ Josh: interesting. I do think, ⁓ in the realm of bedtime sense, I do love a good lavender. I know that's like cliche for bedtime. But a good lavender perfume is hard to come by, actually. Michy: Yeah. It is, that's what I was just about to say. So many lavender fragrances feel so sharp to me. Josh: Yeah, I, for granted has one Moorish Lavender. ⁓ and it is this really soft herbal lavender with like this kind of stemmy dry vanilla. And it is one of the few lavenders that I've, I had like a little roller ball sample of it and I actually went through it because it was very relaxing. I felt very spa like. Michy: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Josh: And it's one of those fragrances where was like, know if I had a bottle of this, like a spray bottle, I would be spraying my sheets as I put them on with this thing. Michy: Do you have ⁓ specific sense for specific emotional states? Josh: ⁓ absolutely. ⁓ I think perfume is a very emotional calibration exercise for me, both for how I am feeling and how I need to feel. It helps me bridge that gap sometimes. ⁓ So like I said, know, Ghost of You is like the ride or die. Regardless of the mood, I can put that on. ⁓ But like Wolf X-Trait is actually in frame right there. Michy: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Josh: It's kind of a more like confident, a little more verbose. It's quite peppery. It's quite sharp. So I do reach for a sense like that when I have like big meetings and I need to be that bitch. Like, let's do it. And then I do have like sexy confidence sense. That's a very different type of confidence and like po-biarchist. That's where I really love musks too though. It's like po-biarchist I think is an incredibly sexy. Michy: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Josh: sent. Essencia de Sandalo by Studio Ready is another one where it's like a little rugged, very handsome, and you're like, yeah, I want to be that today. What about you? Michy: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think I often choose sense for the emotions I want to have. I wanna sometimes break myself out of repetitive feelings. ⁓ I also find myself, especially now this time of year, and seasonal depression so real, and I want to uplift my mood. so I'm reaching for... like those really bright solar florals to kind of bring the sunshine on for myself, you know, and kind of make me feel bright and sparkly again. ⁓ recently, I think I've been reaching for the Sidbatannica fragrances for that. ⁓ Ghost Flower, Butterfly Tamer, Honey Body. They just make me feel really bright and excited and sort of ready. ⁓ Also for that, think the new collection from Heretic really makes me feel like I am willing on spring. Yeah. Josh: Yeah, I think you sent me the sample set so I got to try them out and like rhubarb thief is like this really bright sparkly soapy like rhubarb scent But the real standout for me was 14 carats It hits this really interesting mixture of like my earthy dirty like Michy: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Josh: that my vein and then that like sparkling, sharp, snappy freshness. I think I killed that sample almost. It's a shame they don't have a full bottle of 14 carats. That is the first hair tip fragrance where I was like, I need this. Michy: Mm-hmm. Yeah. What's interesting, I actually find that one to be like the moodiest of the three. to me, it feels like I'm a little dry seed in the dirt waiting for the ground to defrost. Whereas like Rhubarb Thief is like super bright sunshine is here, know, trees are exploding sort of fragrance. Josh: And I'm like, yes. Michy: But I love fragrances like that, especially in the heat, because they feel like rejuvenating. And in weather like this, they also feel like they're lifting me up out of that doom and gloom of the winter. Josh: Fair. I, again, think melancholy is part of my brand, so I don't often have happy fragrances, but I do see where Universal Supreme for me is that good time gal fragrance, because it is cherry popsicles and pool water, and you can't be sad wearing that. Michy: Yeah. Bye! Mm-hmm. Yeah. I do definitely have my, I think I've said this on the podcast before, like my bad bitch manager mode fragrances probably be from zoologist. But one of my favorite date nights I need to feel sexy fragrances is actually Jest from Andrea Mack. And yeah, I love that one. It's actually one of the first full size bottles I purchased from her. It's... Josh: Okay. Michy: I love that it was her take on a gourmand and she is not a fan of gourmand. And she did it in such a fascinating way where it feels like a really boozy dark chocolate cake. And yeah, it makes me feel, it makes me feel sexy and, and, and biteable. Josh: Right. getting TMI for our listeners and like, not to say like panty dropper fragrance, but I will say I don't own it anymore because I actually found it to be too strong. But I owned Burger Mask by Horta Parisi. I did a single spray on my chest in Spain and I got laid three times in two days. Like that fragrance drives bears, Spanish bears, guess, feral. ⁓ Michy: You Mm-hmm. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ Josh: Like, shout out to the Spanish Bears. I don't know. ⁓ Michy: Yeah, so if you're in Spain and want to get laid, just wear a burger mask is the answer. Josh: Yeah, mean, like, it's such an overdose of Jovanol, and like, if I could get an EDT concentration of it, maybe I could manage it. I just can't commit to smelling like one, like, feral sex for 72 hours at a time. I can't do it. ⁓ Michy: Thank ⁓ I actually had a very hard time smelling it, think because of all the jovanol. Josh: Yeah, it's crazy good. I do love that fragrance. ⁓ But it was just, I even thought about like, I open it and like dilute it with perfumers alcohol? And I was like, that's too much work. Just move on. Michy: So Josh decluttered burger mask because there was just too much sex. Josh: It was too sexy. Yeah. ⁓ I just can't commit to smelling like something for that long. I had a vest in my, I wore it to a concert and I had a denim vest and that vest smelled like bergamot for over a year. Michy: ⁓ my god. Josh: Like it just doesn't leave. ⁓ Speaking of like linearity, like it's a bergamot musk and it has a ridiculous staying power to the point that I find it a detriment. Michy: Yeah. I wonder, and this would be a question probably for our perfumer friends, is that if Jovanol helps something stay linear as well. Like I know it helps it project insanely far and stick around an insanely long time, but I wonder if it does anything for keeping it level. Because I think the same thing of like followed from kerosene. Like it just always smells like pancakes. Maple syrup pancakes. Josh: Yeah. Michy: the whole time. Josh: I do love when I begged you to send me a sample of that, because I really wanted to understand the hype. And you sent it, and it was like a sample wrapped in plumber's tape, in a dime bag, in a box, in a box. And even then when I opened it with the other samples, I was like, Michy: Hehehehehe It is just as lethal as everybody says, but I find it quite pleasant. Josh: It is. I didn't find it as overwhelming as people have claimed it to be, but I do, similar to Bergen Masks, see how like, if I sprayed that on to be like, mm, I smell like pancakes today, and then for the next four days I wake up smiling like, oh, I'm gonna be pissed off. Michy: Yeah, yeah, no, for sure. And I, that does also have to do with the Jovanol because when you're so up close to it, it sort of makes you go nose blind because it's so intense. But there was, I've worn it, I really should declutter the bottle. I've worn it twice and I haven't worn it probably in a year and a half, almost two years. But the last time that I wore it, I got out of the car. And there was a mom and their child, a good like 20, 30 feet away from me. And they were walking into the building I was approaching and I audibly heard her say like, ⁓ my God, it smells like somebody's making pancakes. And I'm like, holy shit. So it is is every bit of powerful as people say that it is. And I don't know if that's a good thing. Josh: Yeah, I mean, and while we're tangentially on the topic, you know, I am not a fan of the perfume reviews where people are like, I was chased down the street and beaten with a purse until I divulged what perfume I was wearing. ⁓ I have only received one public comment where someone actually came after me to ask me what I was wearing. And it was in a doctor's office. And I got in the elevator and a woman stopped the elevator door. She was like, Michy: you Josh: This is weird, but you smell really good. What is it? I was like, ⁓ by no means, please tell me more. It was ⁓ Raku by Les Bains Garbois. right, lovely fragrance. I do kind of consider it like peak summer hot. It's one of the few fragrances that I feel like I can tolerate because it's not smothering. Michy: Yeah. ⁓ interesting. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Josh: I personally don't think it has a ridiculous projection, but clearly it had enough that she smelled me from far away. And it's like a lemon, pepper, cedar musk kind of thing. I find it to be honestly quite linear and easy to wear. ⁓ And she was like, yeah, I want my husband to smell like this. So was like, okay, here, let me spell Les Bains Garebois for you. Michy: Hmm. It's always the sense that I least expect it will be that are the ones that actually get compliments. I think at first, definitely didn't, nobody's ever chased me down the street, but I have definitely gotten like stranger compliments on my scent quite often. And I think, you know, being a woman is probably, you know, it's probably a little bit easier to approach me than it is to approach you, I'm a five, five, two. Josh: Yeah. Yeah, the whole tenderness aspect. Michy: Yeah. I just thought about your face ⁓ at Fumed trying to look welcoming for people walking by. That's a tangent. You did great. People were very comfortable coming up to us. ⁓ Josh: Yeah, we'll keep working on it. Yeah, I just I learned I learned through fumes to though that like I Hate small talk because it's so superficial and I'm really bad at like Being welcoming in a superficial manner like come up and trauma dump with me like that will we will be fine Like don't ask me about the weather just either tell me about your pets or tell me like your deepest fears Michy: Mm-hmm. Ha ha. Yeah, I realized this is such a ridiculous thing, but I realized last weekend that it's been so long that I've interacted with new people who aren't also fragrance people. had to go to a baby shower and not a baby shower, bridal shower and sat at a table with a bunch of women that I've never met. And I'm like, holy shit, what do I talk to people about? How do I make small talk? What do I do? I've lost my ability to talk to people if it's not about fragrance or trauma. Josh: Yeah. Yeah, I think that's kind of a question for our audience. What do you talk to normies about? ⁓ Because when I'm trying to meet new people, which making friends in your 30s is not easy anyways, I'm like, yeah, I have three main interests, like gay ephemera, perfume, and live music. Michy: You Yeah. Josh: we're not talking about those three things. I've got nothing for you. Michy: I don't know what else to say. Makes me very grateful for my friends who are, you know, non-fragrance people that still stick around me and listen to me chat about all this shit at Nausium. Josh: Also, there is a TikTok that's going around right now. ⁓ I will have to tag the creator here, but it's like the autistic person introducing, like, hello, I have something I'm gonna show you in my room. It's my fragrance collection. I have had seven people send me that TikTok going, it's you. And like the first two times I was like, ha ha. And then the third and fourth time I was like, mm. And now I'm like, okay, now this just feels like cyber bullying. Michy: I know exactly the video you're talking about and I'm like, ⁓ it's me and Josh. Josh: And like, I know they're sending it to be like, haha, it's you. But also I flashed back to two weeks ago when my D &D group was here and I was like, we have to go to my perfume room. I have new things for you to smell. Michy: They're not wrong. I usually have, when I know people are coming over, I normally pull out fragrances that I know at some point I'm gonna bring down for everybody to smell. Josh: So they aren't wrong. And if anything else, I know a few episodes ago I talked about it, a creator, and I cannot remember you, if you know who you are, please tag yourself, posted that they have like a vintage ashtray of samples in their guest bathroom for people to take. And I did that. ⁓ Great idea. Whoever you were, I'm so sorry that I don't know to source you. ⁓ But I did that in both my like half bath downstairs, and my guest bathroom up here. And. Michy: ⁓ yes, it's yes. Josh: people aren't taking the samples, they're just like spreading them on themselves in the bathroom. And whatever, fine, but every time this has happened, because I've had several guests over the last few weeks, I would be like, ⁓ you're wearing blah, blah, blah. And they're like, how do you know? Michy: Okay. Josh: I was like, well, how do you think those samples arrived in that abstract? Michy: As a note to all of our friends, please, please take our samples off of our hands. Josh: Yes, please. ⁓ But it kind of instilled that not everyone has encyclopedic knowledge of perfumes. Michy: Yeah. Josh: So like my D &D players again came out of it, like one of them came and I was like, you smell like reliqui by Filippo Sorsinelli. And he's like, how do you know that? Because you smell like the perfume. What do you mean? And you're wearing green spell. Like. Michy: Okay. I like to play this game with my husband in public where, like, I do it when I'm by myself, but I let him in on it when we're together. And I'll tell him she's wearing she's wearing Angel by Mugler. Watch this. My God, you smell so good. What are you wearing? ⁓ my God, I'm wearing Angel by Mugler. I'm like. Josh: Yeah, I do enjoy doing that. And then as I've gotten my friends more into fragrance, they might not be into fragrance. They now have a fragrance wardrobe because I won't allow them not to. ⁓ Like one of my best friends, Alex, will come over and as soon as I see him, we'll go to hug and he'll be like, what am I wearing? Michy: Mm-hmm. Yep. Yeah. Josh: As he knows, I've given him all six of the fragrances he wears. And I have to be like, oh damn, is it Melamatsu by Cult of Keiwari? And he's like, yeah. I was like, Got it. Michy: Yeah. Everyone who is close to me in my life has an entire fragrance wardrobe because of me now. Damn. Yeah. But I mean, I just want everybody to smell good. I even, this is such a tangent. We've completely abandoned all hope here. ⁓ even, so my sister is incredibly difficult. Josh: getting cannibalized. Michy: to get her to like anything at all. So anytime she does, I'm like, take it, take it. I'll buy you another bottle, just wear it. Wear something other than musk that I can't smell. And then my brother-in-law comes over, what do you got for men? You got anything for men over here? Josh: Mm-hmm. So. ⁓ yeah. My brother's funny because he's like, I like sandalwood. And then I'll show him a scent and he's like, that smells awful. I'm like, well, it's sandalwood. And then I'll show him, like I showed him Daddy by Universal Flowering. like, smells like leather and grass. And I was like, that's correct. Michy: Yeah Good job. Josh: I don't know why you're upset with that, but yes, that's correct. So yeah, he's one of those people that just like, he has to smell it and if he likes it, he likes it. But the, it's interesting how these people, this, I promise ties back into the whole purpose of this episode, are friends that we expose to fragrance and we help them build these wardrobes. I don't approach it for them in the same way I do for myself. Michy: Mm-hmm. Josh: I look for scents that are part of their identity and help them enhance feeling like them. Where for as we were talking about, our perfumes are like armor and emotional resonance and comfort. So I think that's a really interesting dichotomy of like what happens when this fragrance that we kind of put on without thinking, it becomes part of us, stops working. Like sweet ash for me. Michy: Mm. think it's to evolve. I think it's anybody around you ⁓ who might start scent with you. And this is why like, I go back to the myth of the signature scent, like, I wonder how that is perceived by other people, or I wonder if if the normies are as tuned in to notice when you start smelling differently. And I think for me, because I'm not a signature scent person, when something no longer feels like me, it sort of just really naturally fades away and it doesn't feel as impactful or as much of a loss. when something is like something you've gone through four bottles of, right? Because I so rarely go through that many of anything. ⁓ So there is definitely, and this is the downside of having a large collection is that it becomes harder and harder to connect with every single one. And it goes back to like, it's not. necessarily an enviable thing. Like I know like everybody wants to have a scent wardrobe, but what actually is giving you what you need versus what is actually taking up space. And you know, I think if sweet ash doesn't work for you anymore, it just opens up this opportunity of what's something new that's going to work for you. It gives you ⁓ an ability to explore and find that new go-to fragrance for you. So I see it as more possibilities. Josh: Yeah, it really sucks because like Sweet Ash as a fragrance still top notch. I can't find anything in that BR DNA that quite hits that right mix of like musky, woody and sweet. ⁓ That being said, the Sniff is just one of those brands that doesn't resonate with me on like a values level anymore. ⁓ Michy: is gorgeous. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Josh: co-creator just did a really interesting episode with Smell Ya Later. ⁓ So shout out Smell Ya Later, you should go check them out. But they really weren't able to defend their pivot from gender fragrances for everyone to we're gonna cater to men in this hyper conservative, masculine, fascist onslaught that we have. ⁓ Even in that interview, I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. Michy: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Josh: just couldn't do it. was like, okay, I made the right decision and just not repurchasing and despite loving the fragrance, my value alignment, I will move on and I will explore and find something else to fit that niche. Michy: Yeah, I think that's, I think it's admirable. I really do. ⁓ I was also hoping for a better answer and I think I have a better understanding of his perspective, but it still wasn't enough to justify it for me. I think he could have achieved the same thing in a change up of the marketing versus just creating this whole new brand identity that is just for men. So yeah, it was overall disappointed. Josh: The whole idea that like, yeah, the whole idea that men are an underserved market. Michy: In general. Yeah. Yeah. I will say though that the new 2 % and cereal body sprays are really delicious. And you'd probably really like the 2 % because you're milk girly now. Josh: What? Yeah. Yeah, ⁓ well. I have a sample of Latte Fredo by Hilda Soliani and that's all the cold milk I need. Michy: ⁓ it's a good one too. There are so many good milk fragrances out right now. have, speaking of like comforting milk scents, I have almond milk from Mischief Academy. Gorgeous. It's, ⁓ milk fragrances don't need to be so sweet. And I think that's why I like milk so much, because it's not overly sweet. ⁓ And almond milk is a really take it because it's So in your face sweetness, it's there, but it's kind of more nutty and creamy. ⁓ it's so gorgeous. They did a really, really good job with that one. Josh: is are we good with Mischief Academy? Michy: They, I think there was some of the, same parent company as Denam where I think they were thinking that they were hiring somebody to do the art for them, but the person that they hired wound up using AI and they've had to backtrack. So I think, I think they're willing to correct it. And I see Denam especially, making an effort to correct that. So I will give them time to course correct. Yeah. Josh: Cool. I was like, remember something, but I don't actually know. And I only briefly smelled. Michy: Yeah, the original collection I liked, but there were none that I needed to have. ⁓ But this newest one, almond milk, I really liked the direction that it went in. And I liked the bottles a lot too. Josh: I think for our closing ritual, I want to flip the question in its head. We've been talking about cozy, comfort, lovely scents. What is a scent that's exciting you Michy: Ooh, exciting me. Okay. I just got this and it's one that I smelled two years ago with our friend Sarah Never Out of Books and it's minted by nomenclature. So, so fun. This is actually, I... Josh: So fun. Michy: I for the longest time thought that I hated mint in fragrance because any mint scent that I had smelled previously had always gone toothpastey to me. And so this was the first one that I put on skin and this is a mint tea fragrance. There's also a large dose of lemongrass in here. So it was the first time that mint was there, but not overwhelming and not strong enough to feel like peppermint, like toothpaste. It's a scent that really stuck with me for a very long time and I ordered a partial off of Mercari recently and I'm already regretting not buying a full size bottle. It's so, again, going back to this idea of wanting bright and exciting fragrances to bring me out of the seasonal depression of the long winter. This is one that I see myself reaching for a lot in warmer weather and It's also one that has the sort of cooling effect. So I see it being like a summer staple for me. But nomenclature is a really gorgeous brand. This is their 20 ml bottles. Gorgeous little apothecary bottles. Super, super cute. ⁓ So this is a brand that we have in the store right now from Iran ⁓ and I'm to butcher this name. Mohammed Driesa Kaziman. I'm so sorry. I'm going to, when I do my full review, I'm gonna get that right. ⁓ But this is Kaleesh 62626. This is such a groundbreaking coconut fragrance for me. It was like an immediate, immediate love when I smelled it, cause it's coconut, like I've. Josh: you Michy: absolutely never smelled it before. It feels like coconut husks, not just this kind of like creamy coconut on a beautiful bed of florals. Honestly, this entire collection, I brought two of them home. I brought that one. cartoon ⁓ and another one like this like powdery chocolate that's not ⁓ sweetened. ⁓ His ⁓ ⁓ absolutely We've we've been trying to get these for a year and a half and they finally came in ⁓ and I absolutely every single one in my opinion, a hundred percent a masterpiece. So. Josh: Yeah, I think for me, ⁓ exciting fragrance is just something that really I haven't smelled before, something that does something new for me. And I'm feeling that right now with the Foolish Unlimited. It's a new brand. They sent me samples of their work. Michy: I'll be talking more about those soon. Yeah. Josh: I have to say, you probably think this fragrance, this scent is about you. You probably think the scent is about you is the name of the fragrance. ⁓ Wow. That was my initial reaction. Narcissus, like the story of Narcissus, I really enjoy period, but like this idea of taking Narcissus as this center note and element of a fragrance and building around these other florals with osmanthus and mimosa, and then adding this like, Michy: Yeah. Yeah. Josh: vanilla skin with this like animalic hay and tobacco. You go from like, ooh, it's a green floral into like kind of decadent and kind of carnal. And then like in that very warm base, there is this aquatic note that's supposed to be the pool of water reflecting. And I was like, wow, like you've told this mythology story so well in a fragrance. Michy: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Josh: And it's not my typical profile of perfume, but I've worn it two or three times now because I just find it really, really interesting and really engaging. Michy: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I'm really impressed with Ryan's work so much. think the other one is Treading? Tempered. ⁓ Tempered, think, was my initial favorite, but I'm really excited to see where this goes. I know he's ordering, ⁓ waiting on new bottles for a restock, but I'm really excited for people to smell his fragrances. I think they're very, very cool. Josh: tempered. Yeah, Temper has that really interesting cucumber gin in the top. ⁓ Again, not necessarily my style of fragrance, but it was really beautiful to wear it. And the way it kind of shimmers, that one, it just kind of shifts and changes with you. And every time you go back to smell it, you get a little something different. I think both of them could be like the It Girl fragrance of the summer. Michy: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. ⁓ hell yeah. It felt very iridescent to me. Like I got images of like iridescent like dragonfly wings to me. Josh: Yeah. Yeah, that shimmer thing that I was getting. Yeah, very similar. I like that one a lot. ⁓ I also keep going back to Tank House. ⁓ The vanilla one, Vibrant Skylines. There's something about the like, mentholated almost, it's not actually mentholated, but the way that like the pepper and the aromatics meet the vanilla. Michy: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Josh: It has this cooling effect to the vanilla that I just really enjoyed. That's been an exciting one. Michy: Yeah. Yeah, I'm excited for them. They're starting to get a lot of love and I think it's, I think it's well deserved. They built some really, some really cool, really cool things. Yeah. Josh: Yeah. So that is our episode on comfort fragrances. If... Michy: Yes, let us know what the sense that you reach for when you want to feel comforted, cozy, loved. Josh: And if you are enjoying listening to us, it's a kind reminder to like and subscribe. It really helps us reach more audiences. So thank you. Michy: Thank you guys. I love you. Bye.