Latest / Skin Anarchy / The Scented Spectrum of Vanilla with Olya Bar's Curated Fragrance Favorites

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The Scented Spectrum of Vanilla with Olya Bar's Curated Fragrance Favorites · Skin Anarchy

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_01: Hey guys, welcome back to Stink Your Anarchy.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_01: This is a Fragrance Friday special, and we have the amazing Olya Barr with us today.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_01: She has been on the show before for various different specials and features that we did around different fragrances, just getting her perspective, her expert opinion, and just all that stuff.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: So if you guys have caught any of those episodes, you know what I'm talking about.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_01: But if you haven't, you'll hear all about her genius when it comes to perfumes and fragrances today.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_01: And today's special is actually dedicated to vanilla fragrances.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm super excited, Olia.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome back to the show.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited to be hosting you again.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Hi, and thank you for having me.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: It's always a pleasure.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: And this is one of my favorite topics as a German girly, among many other things.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: This is definitely fun to dive into.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I can't wait to chat about all my favorites.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yay, I know I love it.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I actually, I for everyone listening, I reached out to Olia when I saw vanilla fragrance come out.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, you gotta tell me what to get because I also get very confused in this category.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like every time I see a vanilla scent, I'm like, oh, I want that.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: But then it's like you try it and it's just not for you.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_01: So, Olya, I want you to start us off with just like trying to understand like what we should be looking for in a vanilla scent, or like maybe just give us a little bit of like background into this category of fragrance.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I mean, I kind of want to just go back a little bit into why the vanilla is trending for the past two years.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: It kind of has this major comeback.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I think one of the reasons for that is this kind of return.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Well, not kind of, it's like the big return of the 90s.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: And vanilla is very, very closely tied to this whole concept of nostalgia, which we have seen in advertisements, we have seen it in fashion, and naturally beauty will follow.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: And it's been kind of interesting to see this because we've seen not only indie brands jump on this, but also designer brands.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: And I have to say that I'm not a designer snob, you know, as much as I am in a niche industry, I think that there's a really healthy balance that anyone can really entertain in their perfume wardrobe.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: And we have so many interesting choices.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: To me, vanilla kind of falls into multiple categories depending on what your kind of scent profile and scent preferences are.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: You can look for that kind of solar vanilla, which is what we usually think of, that sunscreen, coconutty, very sunny and happy vanilla, which I think we have seen in many, many different versions.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think that there's definitely now a whole category dedicated to the kind of spicy and darker takes on vanilla.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: So for anyone who likes things that are leathery and woodsy, I think that's a really fun category to explore.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: But I also think there's that probably most well-known and I guess expected category, which is that milky, fluffy, very classic Garmont take on a vanilla, which I think a lot of people do like.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: I just think it's a bit of a I think when it comes to sweet fragrances, this is where a lot of people either love this category or hate it.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll go through some of the ones that personally I recommend that are gonna be definitely very, very sweet and kind of diabetes-inducing.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: I would classify them because they're overly, overly sweet.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: But then I think what's also fun to talk about is this category of kind of savory vanillas, which is somewhat of a new one that we're seeing.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's really fun because it's kind of salty, almost like nutty, and it's definitely more balanced than something that smells like a straight up cupcake.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: And nothing wrong with that.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: There's days when I want to smell like a donut or cupcake myself.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: But sometimes when you want to tone down the sugar, we're gonna go through some other options and some of the newest releases that are getting some love, some hate, is usually so let me know.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we can just dive right in.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: Honestly, let's start for all the sweet scent loving girlies out there.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_01: Let's start for you with the classic that you were talking about.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: Like this is what we've seen over and over again, that kind of scent.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_01: Let's start there.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: So I would say that for one of the latest releases that personally really surprised me in how beautifully it was composed and also how wearable it was was Burberry Goddess.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: It was probably one of the most easiest wearable, fluffy, almost kind of like a blueberry muffin type of a vanilla that I ended up wearing almost daily.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I have to say, I put a quite a big dent into my bottle that I purchased, and I just couldn't stop wearing it.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: And I have to say that for the price point, I mean it's a designer fragrance, it is somewhat affordable in comparison, of course, to niche counterparts.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: And it was very, very well composed where it wasn't necessarily super sweet, but it was definitely fluffy and very comforting.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: So I think, especially for that kind of fall winter season, and it was launched right about the full time, it was perfect.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: And then, of course, we have the classic Dolce Gabbana devotion, which now I think is like that kind of panotone.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: It's Olivia Crest was the one that kind of started this whole trend to begin with back in the early 90s with Angel that he composed for Thierry Mungler.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: And it's interesting that he now composed this devotion, which I really think is gonna be a really, really big player in the whole kind of like gourmand vanilla category.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's gonna take time for it to solidify its position because it's only been launched this year, but it's such a beautiful.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: Actually, this one actually falls to me into the solar and sweet vanilla because it does have this kind of vacation on the Italian coast type of vibe.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: But at the same time, it has this really interesting classic note of panettone, which nobody really used.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: There's only one other fragrance that I know in the market that really focused on it, and that was Musk Milano that's literally called panettone.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: But the way that Olivier Cresp, I think, blends it, this one was a lot more wearable for the mass.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: And this is, of course, how he designs most of his fragrances, and that is why most of them became these absolute hits for decades.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: So I think this was an interesting one for me to see that was in the designer space.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: And then, of course, the one that broke TikTok, I feel like, and that was this really kind of came out of nowhere.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's this Italian niche house, and it's called Giardini di Toscana.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: And the fragrance is called Bianco Latte, and it's basically this creamy, delicious, think of like vanilla ice cream type of a fragrance, which just literally broke the internet.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it started with rock, it transitioned into Instagram.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: I think they sold out.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: I believe only right now carries them in the United States, but it is such an interesting fragrance because it is so straightforward, but yet it's so comforting and it's so delicious that it's really hard not to love it.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, if you don't love sweet fragrances, I would say stay away.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: But it's just interesting how there was this tiny little brand that nobody knew about.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: It made its way into TikTok and then it just blew up in uh in the US market, which is understandable because we are known to love gourmands in this market.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: So I can understand why it made such waves here and probably sold way more bottles than in Italy or in Europe in general.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: And another one that I think is really worth mentioning is Zerjof Lyra.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: So Zerjov Lyra has been on the market for many years.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: You know, Zerge fragrances have an entire category, I think, dedicated to gourmands.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: There's another one that's called Italica, and that one is a beautiful like almond biscotti.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: But Lyra specifically is this caramelized vanilla that is just it's one of the best sellers.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: It is absolutely uh something that you will see across Instagram and TikTok influencers love it.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: People, I think, across the world love it.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: But US market specifically is very, very, very in tune with this one.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: And what I love about it is that it was way ahead of this whole vanilla obsession.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that the brand was able to really kind of understand that the Gourmand trend is gonna be here uh for a while.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a beautiful, like blood-orange caramel vanilla, which I think is definitely worth trying.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: And one that I want to close with for that fluffy kind of vanilla is Montal Chocolate Greedy, which is again way ahead of its time because this was released probably more than a decade ago.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, over that.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: And it is one of those cookie-like vanillas where it sounds like it's gonna be more focused on chocolate, but it's actually more of a vanilla.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's like think of like a chocolate chip cookie dipped in a glass of milk.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: So it's delicious, it's very affordable for a niche house because I think Montal is one of those brands that actually has always been positioned at a somewhat comfortable price point for the niche market.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: And it's so fun.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: It's one of those fragrances that like I remember when I was back in retail and I would show it to like even kids, and they would be like, Oh my god, mom, it's so delicious.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: I want it.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: But that I would say would be that sweet category.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, of course, it's worth I think mentioning Kayali.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because with her vanilla 28 and then Utopia, I think both of those are falling into that category.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: But of course, these already came much after some of the fragrances that I mentioned before.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: But yet they're very, very popular.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: I think Kayali fragrances are doing very, very well.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: I think their marketing is extremely on point.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: They're able to really drive with visuals, and it's just one of those brands that you just kind of want to end up buying everything they're marketing to you because it's positioned in such a sensory way that you just can't say no.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, it's so true.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: I was literally in Sephora the other day and I wanted to buy the pistachio one.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I was like, That's Olivia Press.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: That's another one of those.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_01: That one I love that I was tied it and I was like, I really like this.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: This isn't very nice.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's beautiful, and you know, that one is worth mentioning that I think that to me it falls kind of into that savory gourmand category, which we've seen come into the market with a lot of other kind of nuts, because nuts have been having quite a moment in the past year.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: We've seen walnut, we have seen definitely hazelnut and pistachio coming into the scene.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm interested, you know, yesterday actually I attended an event for Chris Collins, and one of his latest fragrances has this chocolate hazelnut composition.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I was just obsessed because we had a conversation with him about this whole drain of hazelnut that I think is gonna be really big in 2024.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: But we'll save that for another day because I think that that whole category deserves a possibly a whole lot to show.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_01: No, but like I've seen it though.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_01: I know what you're talking about.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_01: Everyone is describing everything with the word almond now.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's like every like nuts and that nuttiness is like everywhere.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: I've been listening to people do their reviews, so I have heard that.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, I think we should do a whole episode on just that.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: No, touch actually to tie the two.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: This would be actually this is a perfect moment since you're talking about almonds, and the latest one from Tom Ford is actually the vanilla sex.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: That one is the perfect example of an almond used with the vanilla, but yet this one actually it took me by surprise.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was interesting for me because when it was released, there was like the camp of I hate it, it's overpriced, and it's not worth it.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: And then, which I think is almost like a trend these days to like hate on the latest releases, which I find quite silly.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: And then there was like the camp of, oh, I love it.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: I do think that the price point, of course, that you know, a lot of these fragrances and Tom Ford is quite steep.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: However, if you're already shopping in that price point, I do think that you're definitely getting quality.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: What I found to be interesting in that specific release is that I think the name threw people off because people thought vanilla sex means that it's gonna be like wild, like overly maybe Garmont.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know what people were expecting.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: But for me, when I smelled it and I got to play with it in Sephora, surprisingly, the tester was still there.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I was able to, and it was actually full, you know, most of the time when you walk into Sephora, the tester is electronized.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: So I was very surprised that the tester was like was somewhat full.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: So I really got to apply it on my skin.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: I applied it on my jacket, I got to wear it in the warmth of the interior space and also outside because it was pretty cold that day.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: And what I found to be interesting is that that is a very powdery, almost like a bitter, savory take on almond, the vanilla composition.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's more about that really close to skin sensuality, almost like a plan words like vanilla sex, kind of like more calm morning type of sex, than maybe a wild evening kind of, you know, wild night.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: Tearing the clothes off.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, like that.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think there was like any tearing your clothes off.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: This is like slow and sensual, where you're like lazy, maybe Sunday morning, you have nowhere to go, and you just gotta be spending all day in bed with your significant other or just with yourself.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_00: But I think the concept was more calm, and that's where the disconnect was happening for a lot of people.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: But I did appreciate it.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: I think I would definitely pick up a 30 milliliter of it, 30 milliliter considering that I have a huge collection, so I just don't know if I would necessarily go through a bottle of 50 or 100 mil.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: But it was a very interesting one.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: And what I also liked is that I haven't got to smell the new Vene Fatal, which I have the original Vene Fatale from the brand, and I love it.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: My husband stole like half the bottle from me at this point, so I had to hide it because I'm not willing to like chase another bottle somewhere on internet for like crazy price at this point.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: So I just decided I'm gonna hide it and go that route.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_00: But it's interesting to see, right?
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: But I found it interesting that Tom Ford was he kind of like again broke the internet in the whole market with the original tobacco vanille, which was one of the first big vanilla fragrances that was also very, very masculine.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I guess this could be a good segue into kind of a little darker take on vanillas because that one was really, really masculine.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: And yet it appealed to both women and men.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, I think it appealed to everyone.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: I believe that everybody was coveting that scent.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I definitely picked up the bottle back in, I think, I don't remember, I think it was like 2011 or so that I picked up my bottle.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: It was one of the first takes on a vanilla in that kind of designer category that was absolutely stunning and really new.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, at this point, everyone copied that kind of DNA.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: But when it came out, there was really nothing quite like it on the market.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it also created this whole pathway for all these other brands to create their takes on that kind of spicy, resinous, balsamic, woodsy tobacco smoky category.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: And in the past few years, we've definitely seen many, many different versions of it, some of them similar, some of them completely different.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: And one I think is worth mentioning is the Amoulage Vanilla Barka, which is a pure oil that is the most beautiful vanilla.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: If you are looking for the vanilla in kind of like its raw form, which, by the way, I think that if you are actually smelling the vanilla bean, like the raw vanilla bean, yeah, yeah, it is dark, it is complex, it is woodsy, it is sensual, but it's not fluffy and sweet.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_00: It's not like the end result that we're seeing.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: It's not gonna be like a vanilla ice cream.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that that particular oil is it's extremely expensive.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's a very, very small kind of dabber bottle that you're getting, but it is as decadent as they come.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_00: And it's extremely like complex.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: So I think in terms of, and again, and they also explored that similar category in an auto parfum version in their fragrance called Material.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's the version for a woman because Amalage actually does have the men's collection and the women's collection.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: And this was created by Cecile Zerokin, who is the rock star of Perfume World.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: She's absolutely amazing.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: She's created so many beautiful fragrances.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_00: And her latest work actually has been for Electomus.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_00: And she also took the concept of vanilla, but yet she made this absolutely stunning composition where the vanilla is also dark and resinous and spicy, but it's also in this very kind of dry fruit direction.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: And it's so complex that when she goes through the ingredients of the formula, you're just like wondering when is it gonna end?
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that it's actually very, very difficult to work with so many different ingredients and make it all work together, but she has done a marvelous job.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that that's another highlight that was one of the recent launches.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: I believe it was like late 2023 when it was launched.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: And again, it's extremely expensive.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: But I also think that one of the reasons why something with vanilla could be really expensive is because if you want a good quality vanilla, not a synthetic alternative, you will have to pay very steep prices.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_01: And now it's gonna be that's what I was gonna ask you too, though, Olia, was this idea of vanilla because a lot of people all over social media are kind of complaining about that, the ones that maybe they don't know where to look.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_01: That's part of why I wanted to do this special with you because vanilla it can smell very synthetic, almost like it's not like that baking vanilla that you're used to.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_01: Or like whatever we think of when we think of vanilla.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_01: It can smell very faint, so it's very hard to figure out what it's supposed to smell like, I guess you could say.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and that actually goes back to the synthetic version was synthesized in 1874.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that is what kind of led to this beginning of vanilla used its vanilla, actually, and that is what we've seen used not only in baking, but also in so many different products, body products, shampoos, but body care.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that was basically what the 90s body shop era was.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_00: It was mostly synthetic vanilla, and I think that that is what turned a lot of people off from this category altogether because in their mind it's this kind of really weird, clawing, synthetic vanilla.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yet, of course, if you're willing to paint more money and you're willing to explore and really give it a try, there's so many different takes on it.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes it doesn't necessarily have to come at this impossible price point, of course.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: One alternative that I think is a very interesting one to try is Juliet Hasagun Vanilla Vibes.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_00: And that one is it's available in Sephora, it's available, you know, in multiple other retailers.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_00: It's a brand that's kind of priced at around$140 for$100 mil, but yet they also have 50 milliliter options.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_00: They have a 7.5, I believe, travel alternative.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_00: And what I really like about that brand is that they really are not only an accessible price point, but they're also very, very easy to understand.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: They're very wearable.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: They're not necessarily overly complex, I think.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: For somebody who is very well versed in fragrances, they may find them slightly uh simple.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_00: But yet, if you are just getting into this whole category of niche fragrances, it's a really good segue from kind of designer into niche that is not going to necessarily consume your rent money for that month.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_00: And they have discovery sets, you know, so you can play with it.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: But that vanilla, the interesting part about it is that it's actually a little bit on a drier side and it's salty.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_00: So think of like if you were wearing a vanilla fragrance, yet you went swimming and you kind of just emerged out of the ocean and you have that saltiness of the ocean on your skin, and you still have the traces of vanilla, but yet it's a little bit solar and a little bit dry and woodsy.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I actually think it's probably one of the most unisex vanillas out there.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: And again, easy to understand and not gonna break the bank.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: So that is definitely one on the list.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: But then, of course, you can keep climbing and you can keep exploring because there are definitely decadent vanilla out there with other brands.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: But another brand I think is worth mentioning is Maison Tahiti.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: It's an Italian house, and they actually dedicated an entire collection of fragrances to vanilla.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_00: So there is a cell vanilla, which is like more salty and ceased to take on it.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_00: There is a vanille ecstasy, which is very, very decadent and has that kind of raspberry juiciness to it.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_00: There's so many different, I believe there's like six fragrances in that collection itself.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: And what I like about that brand in general is that they take one ingredient and they dedicate an entire collection to explore it.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: So they have one dedicated to vanilla, they have one dedicated to coffee now.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_00: I believe there's one that's gonna be around chocolate.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: The owner of the brand, he really focuses on making sure that the ingredients are kind of common, yet he positions the brand that it's a really, really good quality ingredient at an approachable price point.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: I remember having this conversation with him back in Milan a few years ago.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_00: And I said, Well, is this gonna be one of those options?
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_00: You know, one of those choices where you kind of get into the brand, you start, you fall in love with it, and then in a few years it becomes completely unattainable because you're gonna praise your price point.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: And he said, I'll never do that.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: I will always make sure that the fragrances are very affordable for a niche segment.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_00: And so far he stayed true to his word because they're around 110, which is unheard of.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_00: Worth mentioning that brand.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_00: But then, of course, with many of the niche brands, you're gonna climb higher and higher, and you will definitely smell the quality.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_00: Like, for example, Maison Francis Kurjan Gentle Fluidity Gold is probably one of the most well-known ones, again, thanks to social media.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but it's probably one of the best sellers after the famous baccarat rouge that that we spoke about before on the previous show.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_00: And gentle fluidity gold is a very sophisticated take on a vanilla.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's pretty unisex, it's very wearable, it's not cheap, but yet it's not extremely expensive where you're gonna have to sell like your kidney in order to buy.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, we don't want to promote that.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_00: So obviously, I think that it needs to be a balance of different options on the market.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: And again, I think that with the whole concept of sampling today, anyone can really figure out how to get their hands on at least a sample and wear that for a little bit and see how it works on them.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know, is it worth investing?
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_00: Is it maybe something that they can perhaps ask as a gift?
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we have Valentine's Day coming up.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_00: So I think a lot of people are going to be putting it on the list for their significant other or for themselves.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that's a good idea.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like any of these, you guys, if you're listening, you can use any of these for a great Valentine's Day gift.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_01: That would be actually a great idea.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_01: I'm glad you brought that up.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, these are really great picks.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: So even for yourself, you know, I think that Valentine's, I'm a big promoter of treating yourself regardless of the Hallmark holiday.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that whether you're in a relationship or not, just treat it yourself because that's what I do all the time.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, maybe that's why I'm broke most of the time.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm also very happy.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my God, same.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_01: I you know I'm the same way.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_01: I know.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_01: Every time I see something, I'm like, you know, I deserve a treat today.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_01: So that's me.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_00: Sorry, my dog is like making noises here in the back, so that's why you keep hearing.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: He's just like listening about vanilla.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I think I was spraying some fragrances, so he's just like, what is all that smell in the air?
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_00: The dog is enjoying the episode as well.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: I like too much, too much, I think, right now, because he is like making too much noise.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I think that kind of sums up some of the best vanillas on the market.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_00: But again, I don't know if you wanted to dive in into other categories because I'm gay.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_01: No, I mean, honestly, that it I just I see.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_01: This is why I love every time we speak, because you always open my world up into fragrances that I would have never even thought about.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_01: I've never heard of a lot of these, and I think that that's was always my big confusion, like as a consumer, and especially the vanilla category, is that you're right in what you said.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_01: You know, the 90s kind of scarred us in some ways.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_01: I remember the girls with the freaking body sprays of vanilla, whatever.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_01: And it was in the air all the time.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_01: And I remember ever since then, I've always shied away from vanilla or any I would consider it to be whatever is vanilla, anything associated with it.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_01: So I've shied away, but I feel like now there are options that are not all about just that one note.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's like you're mixing a lot of things.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_01: When you were describing, for example, the one by Juliet has a gun, the vanilla vibes.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, that is so me.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_01: Vanilla mermaid, kind of, rather than like straight up you're in a bakery and you're just surrounded.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_01: So I just feel like there's this whole category is very unique.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_01: And I think there's something here for everybody.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm really glad that you went through all of these.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for giving us such a nice, diverse portfolio of fragrances because I think a lot of us want to dabble in vanilla and these things that come up like in trends, but it's just like, where do you start?
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_01: And especially with you know how social media is.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_01: There's always like one suggestion, and everyone's like, let's buy that.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I feel like there's a few things that start trending, and then everybody goes crazy about them, but there's a whole world of fragrances out there, and I think that's the beauty of a few years ago, there was not that many samples available.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: There was not that many ways of picking up fragrances and really being able to try them at an affordable price point where you didn't have to splurge right away on even the travel size.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: These days, there's so many samples, there's so many ways that can really explore that I always say, you know, there's no strings attached.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: Just go and explore and see what works for you.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I think don't be afraid because there's an abundance.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I honestly think there's probably too many almost fragrances on the market right now because it just overwhelming.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_00: And a lot of consumers don't even know where to start.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that also sales associates are getting better at most department stores.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_00: I have to say, I feel like there's less and less of that attack mode that they go into or they used to go into when somebody would have walking in and then they're getting better, I have to say.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_00: I have to give them credit.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_00: But it's also just like go out there and try it out, whether it's a department store, whether it's Sephora, whether it's you know, ordering things online if you don't necessarily have a store next to you or you're just not able to make it physically to that store.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: But treat yourself because these are the things that vanilla is definitely wired.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_00: What I think is worth mentioning here is that one of the reasons why universally people enjoy vanilla is that it's tied to your primal kind of instinct of that sugar craving, which is very tied to survival.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it's kind of on this primal level that we are wired to enjoy it.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_00: Whatever shape and form it takes, it doesn't necessarily have to be super sweet, but it's also for a lot of us tied to, again, not all of us, but many of us, you know, had these good memories of perhaps your grandmother or your mother cooking, or maybe you're spending time in a bakery as a kid, or just kind of coveting that cake or something like that.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_00: So it's really, I think, on this kind of basic um level that we are just kind of wired to enjoy it to an extent.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why I think most of vanilla fragrances, or even sometimes vanilla in the base of a fragrance, could make us feel calm and comforted and cozy, and especially in the cold season when you wrap yourself up into it.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_00: But then again, there's things like we've discussed like solar vanillas, which are perfect for the summer for the getaways.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: So I think there's just a whole world of things out there to explore.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I urge everyone who's listening to definitely explore as much as you can because it's fun.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_00: These days we have so many different options.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_00: So as long as it doesn't break the bank, I think it's a great way to play around.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_01: I 100% agree with you, and I definitely encourage everyone as well.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_01: I hope you guys definitely check out Olia's picks here for this category.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_01: And if you guys have any questions, definitely comment, send us an email, whatever you want to do.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_01: But let us know if you've tried any of these amazing, amazing picks and what you think and what your favorite vanilla scent is right now, because I know everyone's got their favorite, and I would love to hear from you guys as well, and just to get a better idea, because I'm always looking, you know.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_01: I am in by no means even close to like a fragrance expert.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_01: I'm always trying to expand my own collection.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_01: So whenever I hear people's recommendations, I have to go try them.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_01: So I would love to hear from you guys.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_01: And Olia, thank you so much.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_01: This has been so fun as it is every time that we get together.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_01: It was really, really fun.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you so much for uh for me.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for having me.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_00: I love I love chatting with you, and I look forward to our next one.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we'll dive into I don't know, maybe nuts, maybe whatever else.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_01: We gotta do that one.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_01: We gotta do the nuts one.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like everybody is loving that nutty fragrance, that nutty vibe, and they're you know what I mean?
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_01: Like I just I keep hearing about it.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_01: So I feel like we should do one.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I've got some interesting scoop on it, so I'm ready.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome, awesome.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you so much, and for everyone listening, I'll be back next time.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 28:27
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• 29:34
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