In my experience, some people never really grow in the fragrance hobby because they get comfortable and stop exploring. They stay in the same lane year after year, buying the same types of fragrances, chasing the same trends, and listening to the same opinions without ever branching out and developing their own taste. A lot of people get stuck in the designer and clone world. There is absolutely nothing wrong with designers or clones—I started there myself, and they can be a great way to learn. The problem comes when someone never moves beyond them. If every purchase is just another variation of the same popular DNA or another clone of a fragrance they have never even smelled, their fragrance journey can become very limited. They may end up owning dozens of fragrances but experiencing very little of what perfumery has to offer. Many people also judge everything by the same standards: projection, longevity, compliments, and value for money. Those things matter, but they are only part of the picture. There is also composition, quality of materials, creativity, balance, transitions, emotion, and the skill it takes to create something unique and memorable. Some of the most interesting fragrances in the world are not necessarily the loudest or longest-lasting. Another issue is that collecting can become more important than learning. Owning hundreds of bottles does not automatically mean someone has developed their nose. Sometimes a person with twenty carefully selected fragrances has learned far more because they have spent time wearing them, comparing them, studying them, and understanding what makes each one special. That’s why I believe that if you join a fragrance lover community, it should be about exploration and discovery, not just validation. The goal shouldn’t be to have everyone wear the same fragrances or chase the same hype. It should be about learning from each other, discovering new styles, exploring different fragrance families, understanding perfumers, and expanding your horizons. Whether that’s designer, niche, artisan, indie, vintage, or even a well-made clone, there is always something new to learn.

It was a fun fragrance week for me. CDN revisited after a LONG time no wearing. Compliments followed! Percival and Versace are my warm weather workhorses. Percival being more elevated and Versace being no brainer, lots of spraying. ALSO big win on Sartorial. Finished the decant a brother gifted me. It has grown on me. Got to a point where the vanilla was no longer prominent and I was able to ID the distinctiveness of the other spice notes. Finished decant of BR540. Won’t replace it. Good to know about it but don’t need to wear it again. Finally, it’s VETIVER season! I’m still debating my favorite FB-worthy options of zesty grassiness. GIT, dupes of GIT, Michael Malul Vetiver+Zest. AND last but rising to first is TDH Vetiver. Man, performance is fantastic. P.S. Perseus is lovely but duplicative for me and doesn’t last.