Latest / Skin Anarchy / E.300: Fragrance 101 Ft. Marisa Auciello + CEW featured us!

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E.300: Fragrance 101 Ft. Marisa Auciello + CEW featured us! · Skin Anarchy

0:00
SPEAKER_01: Hey guys, so I have a lot of really great news to share with all of you.
0:05
SPEAKER_01: Super excited because today we got double published.
0:08
SPEAKER_00: We were published in an amazing Diablo 4 has arrived.
0:14
SPEAKER_00: That's the forces of Hell Gather.
0:16
SPEAKER_00: Only you can stand in their way.
0:18
SPEAKER_00: Journey across the expansive open world of sanctuary.
0:21
SPEAKER_00: Used from five powerful classes that progress in the figure play style.
0:26
SPEAKER_00: Adventure with your friends and up to four-player co-op with cross-play and cross-progression on all platforms.
0:31
SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Hell.
0:33
SPEAKER_00: Diablo 4.
0:34
SPEAKER_00: Available now, rated and premature.
0:36
SPEAKER_00: Tap the banner or visit this episode's page to learn more.
0:47
SPEAKER_01: Featuring our our mission and our vision here.
0:50
SPEAKER_01: It was such a cool article to read, so three also thank you so much.
0:54
SPEAKER_01: And I hope you guys had a chance to check our stories because that's where we posted all that stuff.
0:59
SPEAKER_01: So definitely check it out.
1:00
SPEAKER_01: It's an amazing article.
1:02
SPEAKER_01: Nicole, thank you so much for listening.
1:05
SPEAKER_01: And then the second publication was our scientific journal publication.
1:09
SPEAKER_01: We have finally published our second article now.
1:13
SPEAKER_01: Um since our collaboration began with the Scientific Journal of Clinical Research and Dermatology.
1:18
SPEAKER_01: It is a double-blind uh scientific journal, it's peer-reviewed, it's all the things that you really want in a good science uh resource.
1:28
SPEAKER_01: So we're super excited.
1:29
SPEAKER_01: This article that we have published is about the use of skincare products in terms of rosacea and eczema and just managing those two pathologies.
1:38
SPEAKER_01: But um definitely you guys check it out.
1:39
SPEAKER_01: I'm definitely gonna be putting it up onto our Instagram page.
1:43
SPEAKER_01: And also the last thing that's so cool, I'm so excited and stoked for this.
1:48
SPEAKER_01: And this is actually why this is this episode is kind of our um launch episode for this.
1:53
SPEAKER_01: But we will be starting here at Scottish Curse E something called Fragrance Fridays.
1:58
SPEAKER_01: And what Fragrance Fridays is going to be all about is interviewing amazing, you know, brands that are in this big fragrance category in the BB industry and just learning about what goes behind creating these beautiful scents and perfumes that we all love.
2:14
SPEAKER_01: And you know, what are some of the the true, you know, um like the mechanism behind creating these scents?
2:22
SPEAKER_01: And what can we do as consumers to find our own, you know, personal sense and just all the all the stuff that we want to know about, you know, when it comes to fragrances.
2:31
SPEAKER_01: So this is going to be like a lot of things are being included in this obviously perfumery and um you know bad, but then also candles and just things we love for self-care, right?
2:42
SPEAKER_01: So I'm not gonna rant too much when I'll let you guys check in because this episode with Marissa, it is absolutely fantastic.
2:49
SPEAKER_01: And I just want to say I really, really hope that there's one fragrance you guys check out just to start this whole series off.
2:59
SPEAKER_01: It is definitely anything by the Heart Company.
3:03
SPEAKER_01: The Heart Company is a perfume brand that is just the most beautiful and new innovative approach to um scents and fragrances.
3:14
SPEAKER_01: They're all of their stuff is made in France in one of the best, if not the top, um, you know, uh fragrance house in the world.
3:23
SPEAKER_01: Uh the quality is just it's phenomenal.
3:27
SPEAKER_01: Just check them out.
3:27
SPEAKER_01: And all of the fragrances are named um after emotions, and so it really encompasses what we want to do here at SpaceForce, which is really uh promote self-care, you know.
3:38
SPEAKER_01: So whether that's through scents or you know, candles or skincare or makeup or whatever it is for you, that's our goal.
3:44
SPEAKER_01: So, anyways, check them out the heart company, and so where they're available is Amazon Beauty.
3:49
SPEAKER_01: So go on to Amazon and type in the Heart Company, and it will take you to their page.
3:53
SPEAKER_01: Definitely check them out, and then uh let us know what you guys think.
3:57
SPEAKER_01: And then now I'm gonna let you guys go to this episode.
3:59
SPEAKER_01: I can't wait for you guys to tune in.
4:02
SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
4:08
SPEAKER_01: Oh, I didn't ask you more.
4:10
SPEAKER_01: How do I pronounce your last name before I bought it?
4:12
SPEAKER_02: I was just gonna ask who I was like, oh crap, I forgot to ask.
4:14
SPEAKER_02: It's Ekta, is that correct?
4:15
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
4:17
SPEAKER_02: And it's uh Marissa Ossiello.
4:20
SPEAKER_01: Ossiello, okay.
4:21
SPEAKER_01: Hi guys, welcome back to Skincare Anarchy.
4:24
SPEAKER_01: I have such a wonderful guest today, um, and I'm super excited to learn from her.
4:28
SPEAKER_01: She is the fragrance expert in the beauty space and also it serves as the VP of sales for so many fragrance brands um within the US.
4:37
SPEAKER_01: So I'm really, really excited to have the time for this, and I can't wait to dive into all the details that we want to learn about fragrances.
4:43
SPEAKER_01: So without further ado, I want to introduce you guys um to Marissa Ossiello.
4:48
SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the show, Marissa.
4:49
SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited you're here.
4:50
SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for having me.
4:51
SPEAKER_02: I'm really excited to be here as a listener of your podcast.
4:55
SPEAKER_02: I really am excited to introduce fragrance to so many of your listeners.
4:59
SPEAKER_01: Oh, I couldn't think of a better person to do that.
5:01
SPEAKER_01: I mean, honestly, I know nothing about fragrance.
5:04
SPEAKER_01: I won't lie.
5:05
SPEAKER_01: You know, I'm one of those complete newbies in the world.
5:07
SPEAKER_01: I love a good fragrance, I love a good scent.
5:10
SPEAKER_01: But, you know, as in terms of the podcast, I've had so many brands that have just kind of come up from the woodworks and I've noticed them, but I'm like, I don't know the first thing about fragrances.
5:20
SPEAKER_02: That is a great point.
5:21
SPEAKER_02: There are so many brands popping up.
5:23
SPEAKER_02: So um clearly there's a demand, but we can definitely sift through uh what to look for in those brands that are arising.
5:30
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
5:30
SPEAKER_01: I want to get started though, about you um with your career and your your um career journey, because I know, you know, being as accomplished as you are, I'm sure you've gone through a wonderful journey.
5:40
SPEAKER_01: So I would love for you to walk us through memory lane if you could.
5:43
SPEAKER_02: Sure.
5:43
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think it's um many of us don't always know where we're gonna end up.
5:48
SPEAKER_02: So I can't say that I knew I would end up in fragrance, but I'm very happy that I did.
5:52
SPEAKER_02: Um, but going back, you know, I always knew that I wanted to, I was always gravitating towards New York City and wanted to go to FIT.
6:00
SPEAKER_02: So I uh in high school started taking courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology and then continued my studies there and got my bachelor's there.
6:07
SPEAKER_02: And during that time, I really fell in love with all things fashion and beauty and ended up starting my career actually at Conde Nast.
6:14
SPEAKER_02: And um, I was working in the sales department of Brides Magazine and loved that.
6:20
SPEAKER_02: But then I, you know, one day was introduced to their beauty closet that was for the editors, and I was like, wait a second, this is a fun world to get into.
6:27
SPEAKER_02: And uh shortly after that, I saw an opening for a sales position at a perfume company, and that was about, you know, almost eight years ago.
6:36
SPEAKER_02: And since then I've been with EuroPerfumes, who is the leading distributor of fine fragrance in the US.
6:42
SPEAKER_02: And I've um, you know, had the luxury of being promoted to now VP of sales, and it's been a really exciting journey.
6:49
SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's amazing.
6:50
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, I mean, I'm sure that like, you know, um, we never know where we want to go, right?
6:54
SPEAKER_01: When the beginning of college days, I remember when I was like undecided about free bed.
6:59
SPEAKER_01: And, you know, so I'm glad, well, I'm glad that you went that route and I'm glad that you're here.
7:03
SPEAKER_01: Now, I I really want to know, like, I want to cut, you know, straight to the the good stuff because I mean, you know, uh when it comes to Fergus, like I mentioned, I know nothing about it.
7:12
SPEAKER_01: But um, you know, through the years, what are some of the like, you know, the key things that you've picked up on that are just I guess fundamentals in every great brand that you've worked with?
7:22
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, you know, specifically the brands that I'm working with, most of them come mostly from Europe, but now uh a lot of great brands are popping up in the US as well.
7:30
SPEAKER_02: But I would say, you know, look for the artisanal brands.
7:34
SPEAKER_02: So something like if if you know Beyonce or Britney Spears is on the cover of the fragrance, there's a good chance they're spending their budget on that celebrity rather than the juices themselves.
7:44
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, the people who really put all of the their earnings back into, you know, the packaging and the juice itself is very important.
7:51
SPEAKER_02: Um, and there's other things you can take a step further and say, you know what, you know, I want the owner of the company to be the perfumer as well.
7:57
SPEAKER_02: So if you ever hear the word maison, house of, that's a good indicator that, you know, Francis Kirchin, for example, he makes his own perfume.
8:05
SPEAKER_02: So it's really all-encompassing.
8:07
SPEAKER_02: Um, and there's a lot of thought and love that goes into fragrances like that.
8:11
SPEAKER_01: That's so interesting.
8:12
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, I'm glad you said the celebrity thing because I always wondered, I'm like, you know, I feel like those are always the perfumes that we gravitate towards because they're such a big presence around them, you know, in terms of marketing and media.
8:23
SPEAKER_01: But I didn't know that.
8:24
SPEAKER_01: That's crazy.
8:25
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
8:25
SPEAKER_02: And I think, you know, it's it's right now in the world that we live in, people are interested in trying something new and not wanting to smell like everybody else.
8:33
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, we've been fortunate to be in this category because over the past couple of years, it's really taken off in a major way.
8:39
SPEAKER_02: And um, even during the pandemic, sales continue to rise.
8:43
SPEAKER_02: So fragrance is a very interesting category.
8:46
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
8:47
SPEAKER_01: And I think, you know, for me, like I know we all have like our favorites, right?
8:50
SPEAKER_01: Like we all say for it's it's simple sometimes, you know.
8:53
SPEAKER_01: Some people say I love sweet fragrances or floral uh scents, you know, or someone, some might say I love clean scents.
9:00
SPEAKER_01: I really want you to educate us on that.
9:01
SPEAKER_01: Like, what really goes behind creating these like huge categories that we often reference when we're like looking for a new, you know, a new scent to add to our collection.
9:10
SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
9:11
SPEAKER_02: So that's a great point.
9:12
SPEAKER_02: And you know, you'll hear things like people talk about the notes or the ingredients, and let's say something like leather.
9:18
SPEAKER_02: So they're not necessarily really extracting a piece of leather to get that fragrance.
9:22
SPEAKER_02: The main thing that people are working with here is something that we call an accord.
9:27
SPEAKER_02: So just like um a musical accord that's made up of several different notes happening at the same time, that's the same thing in fragrance.
9:33
SPEAKER_02: So these chemists and these perfumers work some magic in the labs and basically will find that if you put, you know, a natural extract of, you know, uh benzoin and um X, Y, and Z, that it smells like vanilla.
9:46
SPEAKER_02: So they can they can put these three different notes together or sometimes 20 different notes together to make it smell like, you know, uh strawberry ice cream.
9:55
SPEAKER_02: So it's really unbelievable how they manage to do that.
9:58
SPEAKER_02: So, first of all, keep that in mind that some people be like, I don't like rose, and they they swear off rose.
10:03
SPEAKER_02: So if they see it in a listing of notes, they won't smell the fragrance.
10:07
SPEAKER_02: But if you put rose with something called ood, which is this really deep and intense type of wood, you might love what those two fragrances do together.
10:15
SPEAKER_02: And it doesn't smell like rose as you know it.
10:17
SPEAKER_02: So my big thing is I prefer people do actually less talking when it comes to exploration of fragrance and less reading, more just smelling it and finding out how does this make me feel?
10:27
SPEAKER_02: What purpose is it serving for me?
10:29
SPEAKER_02: How does it smell on my skin?
10:31
SPEAKER_02: Um, because I think we get caught up in what we think we know we like or don't like.
10:35
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
10:36
SPEAKER_01: No, that's a that that's a really good point.
10:38
SPEAKER_01: And I think there are is a lot of reading because, you know, when I scroll through like social media people who are really like fragrance enthusiasts, they will mention, like, well, top notes this, you know, bottom notes this.
10:49
SPEAKER_01: And I hear like words like amber or like bark or whatever, you know, and I'm like, I have no idea what you mean because last time I smelled a tree, it just smelled like a tree.
10:57
SPEAKER_02: Looks like so that's so funny.
10:59
SPEAKER_02: You're so right.
11:00
SPEAKER_02: Like, I much prefer to say this gave this was such an energizing fragrance that, you know, had citrus elements, but you know, on me dried down a little woodsy, like something just a little more digestible.
11:12
SPEAKER_02: Um, but I think talking in terms of what it does for your mood and confidence and um what you are doing that day is much more interesting.
11:20
SPEAKER_01: That is a really good point because the confidence aspect is genuinely for me as a consumer, why I was so like I remember like trying to find my own scent, right?
11:29
SPEAKER_01: Like we all go through this journey, and we um in the beginning for me, it was like I never wanted that perfume that everybody was wearing.
11:36
SPEAKER_01: So I don't know if you remember when Dolce and Gabbana's um light blue blue oh my god, and you know, and that was a scent that I was actually using for a long time before it got really popular.
11:46
SPEAKER_01: And I remember when that happened, it was almost like heartbreaking because I was like, no one's gonna recognize me anymore.
11:53
SPEAKER_02: That is so that was such a popular one, but you're right.
11:56
SPEAKER_02: I mean, and what's fun about fragrance, and I always tell people is let's say you have that signature scent, whether it was from 10 years ago or today, and then it gets super popular, and you're like, what now?
12:05
SPEAKER_02: Well, first of all, Dolcing Golvana light blue is a really interesting one because afterwards I could tell you, you know, a lot of or right now, I guess, for people who are listening, if you used to wear that fragrance, there's so many niche artisanal alternatives to that fragrance now that you can get for yourself that either last longer or or cleaner for your skin.
12:23
SPEAKER_02: So there's a brand called Oble that's 100% natural, and they have this fragrance called Sayanori, and it smells just like that, but it's 100% plant-derived ingredients, really good for you in the environment.
12:35
SPEAKER_02: And then there's a brand called Montel Paris, and they have a fragrance called Soleil des Capri, and that smells like dolching a bono-like glue, but will last easily double the amount of time.
12:44
SPEAKER_02: So you're gonna get like 12 hours of wear out of one spray.
12:48
SPEAKER_02: Um, so that's one thing that you can always look at if you're trying to switch it up.
12:51
SPEAKER_02: But the other thing is you don't have to give up, let's say, I'm sure a lot of people listening are baccarat rouge 540 listeners, and um, that's their favorite fragrance, it's their signature scent, but it's becoming quite popular.
13:02
SPEAKER_02: So you can simply layer it with something that complements it to give it a unique twist to you that it it, you know, still shines through the baccarat, but maybe you layer it with not a perfume from Juliet Has a Gun or Gold from Commodity and add an element of musk or vanilla to make it unique.
13:21
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
13:22
SPEAKER_01: And I love that you brought up layering because that is a whole world on its own, right?
13:27
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's like when I first I think when I first experimented with layering was Joe Malone perfumes.
13:32
SPEAKER_01: Like I immediately because I think they're designed in that way.
13:35
SPEAKER_01: Like they right, they really like encourage uh consumers to buy, like you know, it says it on the bottle, like, oh, pairs really well with this one.
13:43
SPEAKER_01: Yes, yes, you know, I'm the consumer that goes in and buys like all the five different ones that are more about pairing though.
13:51
SPEAKER_01: I want you to tell us more about that.
13:53
SPEAKER_01: Like, how do fragrances really blend together?
13:55
SPEAKER_01: Because you know, it I've never understood that.
13:57
SPEAKER_01: Like, in terms of sitting on your skin, how do they blend together?
14:00
SPEAKER_01: Like, what are some of the rules we should follow in terms of like pairing fragrances?
14:05
SPEAKER_02: Definitely.
14:05
SPEAKER_02: So, as you mentioned, there are some brands that advocate for it.
14:08
SPEAKER_02: So, if they advocate for it, that makes it super simple.
14:11
SPEAKER_02: You could definitely go by their recommendations.
14:13
SPEAKER_02: It means that the, you know, the fragrances themselves maybe are not so complex and um lend themselves to be able to turn into a cocktail, if you will.
14:21
SPEAKER_02: Um, so there's that.
14:23
SPEAKER_02: I always urge people to have fun with it on their own and see what they come up with.
14:26
SPEAKER_02: But some things that I can tell you is there's not just one way to layer.
14:30
SPEAKER_02: So uh most people traditionally will just put one fragrance on top of the other on the same area of their wrist, let's say.
14:36
SPEAKER_02: That's one way.
14:37
SPEAKER_02: The other way is a brand called Flora Haiku Paris, which is a really interesting, beautiful brand, came up with this other concept called shadowing that I actually do the most myself, which is you spray one fragrance on your one wrist and one fragrance on the other.
14:51
SPEAKER_02: That way they both continue to have their absolute, you know, definitive identity as they were created.
14:56
SPEAKER_02: But as you kind of move your hands and you're speaking throughout the day, they marry in the air to create this unique aroma.
15:02
SPEAKER_02: Um, so that I like a lot because that doesn't prohibit you from um maybe messing up what is already a beautiful creation.
15:10
SPEAKER_02: So if you look at these really, really complex fragrances that are starting to emerge, it can be really hard if you're not a perfumer to know what layers easily with it.
15:19
SPEAKER_02: But let's say you want to try it at home and you want to do it like a cocktail right on top of each other, the safest bet is to get some of these um fragrances that are really quite designed to be a layering tool.
15:30
SPEAKER_02: So as I previously mentioned, not a perfume from Juliet has a gun, eccentric molecule 01, paper minus from commodity.
15:38
SPEAKER_02: What these fragrances all share is that they are the base of them is a synthetic musk that we call either ICO super or ambroxin or cetalox.
15:48
SPEAKER_02: And they basically act as kind of like um a skin scent.
15:52
SPEAKER_02: So they they amplify not only your natural scent, but the fragrance that you're layering with it.
15:57
SPEAKER_02: So you're gonna get a fresher, longer wear out of whatever you pair it with.
16:02
SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's so cool.
16:02
SPEAKER_01: I didn't, yeah, like I love what you said about the um blending in the air um part because that's like one of the biggest things is I never understood is like what makes things smell differently on each of us, you know.
16:16
SPEAKER_01: Like if I spray a perfume, it's gonna like end up smelling a certain way versus like, you know, my best friend doing it.
16:22
SPEAKER_01: It it reacts with the skin, right?
16:24
SPEAKER_01: In terms of the chemistry.
16:26
SPEAKER_02: You're right.
16:26
SPEAKER_02: That's a great point.
16:27
SPEAKER_02: So some people are like, oh, I don't want to tell my friends what my scent is because I don't want everyone smelling that way, but no really hardly is anyone gonna smell exactly the same in a fragrance because it uh marries with your chemistry.
16:39
SPEAKER_02: So everything from the color of your skin to the foods that you ate to the your environment, if you're a smoker, all of these things are gonna um come through in your fragrance.
16:48
SPEAKER_02: And it's unbelievable, actually, if you do that test and kind of smell how vastly different it can smell.
16:53
SPEAKER_02: You know, just me and the ladies in our office will all spray it and we're baffled how differently something can come through.
16:59
SPEAKER_02: So that's a big um thing that you should always know when you're buying a fragrance is to they have those little paper strips in the store, which is a fine first step to make sure you don't hate it before you put it on yourself, but always spray it on your skin.
17:10
SPEAKER_02: And I say do it once around the store because let it dry down for a couple of minutes and see what happens because it could be vastly different with your chemistry than it is on paper.
17:20
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's actually a really, really, really good tip because I remember I bought like certain like impulse buys, you know, and then like for example, I really don't like like sweet scents, they give me a headache.
17:30
SPEAKER_01: So I've like bought something and it smelled very clean, very like you know, citrusy and things I like, but then it just I guess dried down to a sweet smell.
17:39
SPEAKER_01: And I was like, oh my gosh, I have a migraine.
17:41
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I I totally know the feeling.
17:43
SPEAKER_02: You definitely have to give fragrances a couple minutes to see how they work for you.
17:48
SPEAKER_01: Now, one thing I want you to simplify is this concept of musk.
17:52
SPEAKER_01: What is musk?
17:53
SPEAKER_01: Because I stay away from it when I shop for perfumes because I feel like that's the sweet smell that I don't like, like the really strong, you know, um overwhelming.
18:03
SPEAKER_02: So can you explain to us what that word really means and what it and and you know it's funny because I used to feel that way because, like I said, I I did not come from fragrance and I had my own thoughts that I thought I knew, didn't know.
18:16
SPEAKER_02: But musk used to come from animals.
18:18
SPEAKER_02: Let's go all the way back.
18:19
SPEAKER_02: And um, so that that was that.
18:22
SPEAKER_02: But obviously for many years now, that's not been something that is uh allowed or wanted.
18:26
SPEAKER_02: So they're all at this point pretty much um man-made in a laboratory, and there's what we call synthetic musks.
18:32
SPEAKER_02: Um, but I can tell you that there are so many different kinds.
18:35
SPEAKER_02: So it's funny that for you, you're saying you think it's the sweet element.
18:38
SPEAKER_02: I have other people saying they avoid musk because they think of like mothballs and they think it smells like old grandma.
18:45
SPEAKER_02: Um, so I've I've heard all of the theories, but I can tell you that because, especially because they're now synthetic and man-made, that there are truly so many different kinds.
18:54
SPEAKER_02: And musk serves as a very important element in most fragrances, and that it is actually the binder that um creates the longevity in the wear and and and kind of balances all the other notes.
19:05
SPEAKER_02: It acts as the base, if you will.
19:07
SPEAKER_02: So I would never be afraid when you see the word musk.
19:10
SPEAKER_02: Maybe if it's in the title of the name of the fragrance, like there's a roses musk by Montal, if you know musk isn't your favorite thing, I would not go for that fragrance.
19:19
SPEAKER_02: But if you see it listed as just one of the ingredients or the notes, know that that it that it's in most every perfume actually out there.
19:25
SPEAKER_02: So um don't be afraid of it.
19:28
SPEAKER_02: It serves a purpose and there's so many different kinds.
19:30
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
19:31
SPEAKER_01: That's yeah, no, that's really, really helpful for me because genuinely I, you know, I see it in every single fragrance.
19:37
SPEAKER_01: Like people will post things like, yeah, it's got this, but then I see musk.
19:40
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, nope, not for me.
19:42
SPEAKER_02: Yep, yeah, no, I would uh pretend like you don't see it.
19:45
SPEAKER_02: It's it's almost as as needed as the alcohol itself.
19:49
SPEAKER_01: That's yeah, and speaking of that, I want you to talk to us about all of these, um, the verbiage around it, right?
19:55
SPEAKER_01: Like the top note, middle note, uh, you know, bottom note.
19:58
SPEAKER_01: What what does all that mean?
20:00
SPEAKER_02: Sure.
20:00
SPEAKER_02: So as I mentioned, you know, if you're in a store and you're spraying a fragrance and it smells one way the second it leaves the bottle, but if you do it once around the store, you might get a different um note or or scent experience.
20:12
SPEAKER_02: So essentially, traditional fragrances, the way that they're designed and the ingredients that are used in them, certain fragrances uh show themselves immediately.
20:21
SPEAKER_02: And that's often the lightest and brightest ones, actually.
20:24
SPEAKER_02: So your bergamot, your lemon, your citrus, the really light, bright stuff, grapefruit.
20:28
SPEAKER_02: And then typically um shortly after, you'll you'll maybe get like lavender and you know, magnolia flour.
20:34
SPEAKER_02: And then often in the dry down, about an hour later, the only thing that you smell that is still remaining are the most longest lasting ingredients, which will be, you know, your musk, uh, your woods, amber, things like this.
20:46
SPEAKER_02: So that's the way that they read the fragrance, is what shows itself immediately, dies off the quickest, and then what it you're left with really for the rest of the day.
20:55
SPEAKER_02: Um, however, it's because you know, just because you're saying you're like, I don't know what that means.
20:59
SPEAKER_02: There are brands that are really debunking these fragrance, you know, words and wanting to strip the jargon so that we all can just buy fragrance and feel comfortable with it.
21:09
SPEAKER_02: So a brand, uh Commodity, who I work for and with and very closely with, um, is is stripping all of those words.
21:17
SPEAKER_02: So they're, you know, American perfumery and they're keeping it super simple and digestible.
21:22
SPEAKER_02: And they're just like, hey, like this is this is what you're smell first.
21:25
SPEAKER_02: Later you're gonna smell this.
21:26
SPEAKER_02: Um, it's just a more enjoyable conversation, I would say.
21:30
SPEAKER_02: Um, and to that point, there's brands who are coming out with really, really unique things.
21:34
SPEAKER_02: There's a brand called Hermetica Paris who has come out with an alcohol-free fragrance.
21:40
SPEAKER_02: And with removing the alcohol and replacing it with this uh moisturizing base that is almost like a serum for your skin, they have no top, middle, and bottom, in fact.
21:50
SPEAKER_02: And it's the same fragrance from the day, you know, 9 a.m.
21:52
SPEAKER_02: that it's gonna be 9 p.m.
21:54
SPEAKER_02: at night.
21:54
SPEAKER_02: So I tell you all these things because uh fragrance and beauty, as you know, is not one size fits all.
22:00
SPEAKER_02: There's so much technology and there's so much innovation that, you know, whatever you're interested in, you can likely find it these days.
22:07
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
22:08
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's really interesting.
22:09
SPEAKER_01: And I I need to check out these brands that you're mentioning because I've recently um come across as amazing.
22:14
SPEAKER_01: It's it's a European brand and they they're exclusive on Amazon, but I absolutely love them because you, you know, when you were talking about Laring, this is the first brand that came to mind after Joan Malone was um it's called the Heart Company for everyone listening.
22:26
SPEAKER_01: They make amazing, amazing scents, and they're all titled really cool stuff like Positivity or Self-Care or whatnot, but the scents are so light and so beautiful.
22:35
SPEAKER_01: And when I um had spoken to them, uh they were talking about the perfumer that they um, you know, really went with and how important that is.
22:43
SPEAKER_01: So I want you to tell us what matters when we're looking at where a perfume is made, like, you know, in terms of uh is it important for it to be made in Paris, you know, or Europe, where all the really big fragrance houses are?
22:55
SPEAKER_01: Or can we, you know, kind of throw that out the window?
22:58
SPEAKER_02: I think you can definitely throw that out the window.
23:01
SPEAKER_02: I work with brands from Spain, from Italy, from Paris, of course, Japan, every US, you name it.
23:09
SPEAKER_02: Um, they each bring something so special to the table.
23:12
SPEAKER_02: And I think um you can find quality in any region of the world.
23:16
SPEAKER_02: So I wouldn't worry about that.
23:18
SPEAKER_02: I would think, you know, again, look at what's important from you and work backwards.
23:22
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, is transparency important to you?
23:24
SPEAKER_02: Are you looking to share ethos with the brand?
23:26
SPEAKER_02: Are you looking for a completely clean brand or hyperaller genic, you name it, and then work backwards?
23:32
SPEAKER_02: And then for me, I am a huge sucker for like a beautiful bottle.
23:36
SPEAKER_02: So this is gonna be sitting on my vanity.
23:38
SPEAKER_02: So that brings in a whole nother layer of what you might be looking for in a fragrance because you know, the a lot of the Made in Italy brands are much more colorful and design driven and bold, whereas uh things out of Paris tend to be more refined and clear bottles and simplistic.
23:55
SPEAKER_02: So there's there's really something for everyone.
23:57
SPEAKER_02: Um yeah.
24:00
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, it makes sense.
24:02
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I'm glad you debunked that because I honestly like, you know, I have conversations and people are so like, I guess, um, you could say bougie about their perfumes.
24:11
SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, this is made in like, I don't know, you know, wherever, right?
24:15
SPEAKER_01: Some exotic place.
24:16
SPEAKER_01: And I'm just like, why does that matter?
24:18
SPEAKER_02: You're right.
24:18
SPEAKER_02: And you know what, going back to the perfumer bit, I another thing that I can just like a peek behind the curtain for everyone listening is that the reason it truly doesn't matter, you know, where the brand is originating from is almost all of the brands out there, whether there's, you know, again, Beyonce at the cover or not, there's only a handful of fragrance houses out there that are actually making these juices.
24:40
SPEAKER_02: So, short of the very short list of brands, like I mentioned, Maison Francis Kirchchen, that the owner is actually the perfumer, they're all hiring a fragrance house to make these fragrances for them.
24:52
SPEAKER_02: So if you look at a Tom Ford fragrance, Tom Ford is not a perfumer.
24:55
SPEAKER_02: So he would go to one of these fragrance houses, he would give his creative direction on what he's looking for, and all these perfumers would kind of vie for his business and come with these proposals of here's my juice, here's my juice.
25:06
SPEAKER_02: Um, and so therefore, if you look, you know, online, no matter how much digging you'll do, you'll you'll be really intrigued if you look up a perfumer and then you see all of the fragrances that they've made for, you know, cross-branded.
25:18
SPEAKER_02: So they've done Burberry, they've done Dior, they've done, you know, niche brands.
25:21
SPEAKER_02: So it's a small group of these perfumers who are really making all the fragrances for all these brands around the world.
25:28
SPEAKER_01: Makes sense.
25:29
SPEAKER_01: No, that makes a lot of sense.
25:30
SPEAKER_01: And, you know, I actually like didn't realize that, you know, there are only so many fragrance houses and people are all like flocking to them, you know, because no one talks about this stuff.
25:40
SPEAKER_01: And that's one of the things I really wanted to address is this like transparency aspect in the fragrance world.
25:45
SPEAKER_01: You know, I feel like now, especially with the summer months coming up, you know, correct me if I'm wrong, um, you are the expert, but I feel like people, you know, they go shopping more, right, for fragrances around this time.
25:54
SPEAKER_01: And I always hear things like, well, you know, this, I'm buying this because it's made in the best of, you know, whatever.
26:01
SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, well, I don't know.
26:03
SPEAKER_01: I don't know what I think about that.
26:04
SPEAKER_01: But um, I want you to give us some advice when we're out shopping right now, especially now stores are opening up again.
26:10
SPEAKER_01: And with summer months, you know, people gravitate towards lighter scents, I feel like.
26:14
SPEAKER_01: So what are some tips that you can give us as consumers?
26:17
SPEAKER_02: My my favorite tip, honestly, um, is there's this website called Fray Grantica, and it is kind of my go-to because there is a wealth of information, everything from who the perfumer is to um other consumers writing their reviews on the fragrance, what notes are in it, um, and what other fragrances it's like.
26:37
SPEAKER_02: So if you're like, oh, this looks interesting, I saw a girl on TikTok talking about it, but I don't know what it smells like.
26:42
SPEAKER_02: You can plug it in on Fragrantica, and Fragrantica will even say, if you like this, you will you will have liked these as well.
26:48
SPEAKER_02: So you might be like, oh, it listed pink sugar.
26:50
SPEAKER_02: I used to wear that.
26:51
SPEAKER_02: I'll definitely like this fragrance.
26:53
SPEAKER_02: It takes some of the guesswork out for you.
26:55
SPEAKER_02: And there's so many consumer reviews that are unbiased that you can breathe through and get a lot of information.
27:00
SPEAKER_02: Um, and then it will tell you the perfumer.
27:02
SPEAKER_02: So you can click on the perfumer and find out more about them.
27:05
SPEAKER_02: And that's where I think it gets really interesting, making sure they're coming from a reputable uh fragrance house.
27:10
SPEAKER_02: Maybe you'll see some other fragrances that they've made that you know.
27:12
SPEAKER_02: So that's my quick go-to tip.
27:15
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
27:16
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
27:17
SPEAKER_01: That's really actually interesting.
27:18
SPEAKER_01: I didn't know that website existed.
27:20
SPEAKER_01: Can you smell that for me?
27:21
SPEAKER_01: What is it?
27:21
SPEAKER_01: Fragrantica?
27:22
SPEAKER_02: Fragrantica.
27:24
SPEAKER_02: So it is f-r-a-g uh r-n-t-i-c-a.com.
27:31
SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's so cool.
27:32
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna check that out.
27:33
SPEAKER_01: I didn't even know that existed.
27:34
SPEAKER_01: And that's actually really helpful because I never like like I said, with Joe Malone, it was easy, right?
27:40
SPEAKER_01: They tell you.
27:41
SPEAKER_02: I know.
27:41
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, this is it's really my go-to.
27:43
SPEAKER_02: I think you'll I think you'll really enjoy it.
27:45
SPEAKER_02: It takes a lot of the guesswork out.
27:46
SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's yeah, I'm definitely gonna be on that like all day today.
27:51
SPEAKER_01: But um, okay, so what about Kiwi?
27:53
SPEAKER_01: Why I want to know what your favorite uh scents are, like what you love.
27:57
SPEAKER_02: Um that is a loaded question.
28:01
SPEAKER_02: Um for me, I think in in general, my category, I fall probably more within that like androgynous fragrance, which is very trending for women right now, uh, wanting to wear something that skews maybe a little bit more on the masculine side.
28:14
SPEAKER_02: Um, because as you mentioned, I think it it does all invoke kind of like how you're dressing, or you know, if you want to be confident that day.
28:22
SPEAKER_02: So I for me, I have like my date night scent, which is probably more like sultry and woody and smoky, but then I have my office fragrance, um, which is paper expressive from commodity, and it's just like, you know, barely there, but just enough to feel like I've got like a personality.
28:39
SPEAKER_02: Um, and then I have my weekend fragrance, I have my yoga fragrance, I have my nighttime fragrance.
28:44
SPEAKER_02: So I'm like the person who has a scent for everything.
28:46
SPEAKER_02: And for that's how I build out my fragrance wardrobe.
28:49
SPEAKER_02: So I would say, you know, just like if you have a different skincare routine for morning and night, if you have a different outfit that you wear to bed or to yoga or to um to the office, there is no place where I don't find a purpose for fragrance.
29:03
SPEAKER_02: So once I've told people about this wearing fragrance to bed, they're like, whoa, that just like rocked my world.
29:08
SPEAKER_02: I never thought of such a thing.
29:09
SPEAKER_02: But think about it, it has, you know, there's fragrances with uh aromatherapy properties, and there's the element to um calming yourself and it feeling like a part of your window routine.
29:19
SPEAKER_02: So I that's how I build my wardrobe and I have such a different fragrance for each of those parts of my day.
29:25
SPEAKER_01: Oh, I love that.
29:26
SPEAKER_01: I really love that.
29:27
SPEAKER_01: And I think, you know, we can definitely all take that, you know, as kind of advice to use because I, you know, I'm not gonna lie, like it's it's hard to have one fragrance for every day.
29:37
SPEAKER_01: But, you know, for me, I'm always trying.
29:39
SPEAKER_01: I'm trying to find that one that I don't have to switch out every month or every, you know, so many weeks.
29:44
SPEAKER_01: So um definitely very, very helpful.
29:47
SPEAKER_01: Um, I, you know, one last question I do have um in terms of recommending um fragrances, like what are some things like do you often find yourself recommending like um certain brands only in like redundancy, or do you feel like there's a whole process of like just understanding the consumer and like really asking them questions?
30:06
SPEAKER_01: Like, what is your process when someone asks you, you know, tell me, Marissa, what should I buy?
30:11
SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah, no, it's definitely not one size fits all.
30:14
SPEAKER_02: I'm always recommending something totally different depending on who I'm speaking to.
30:18
SPEAKER_02: And um, depending if I'm, you know, usually I'm working with a store, but when I'm talking to an end consumer, it's very, you know, we always say try before you buy.
30:26
SPEAKER_02: It's it's really not something you want to do blind buying on much with fragrance.
30:30
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, that is why we will recommend these sites like uh Scentbird, which is a uh monthly sampling subscription service for fragrance, or Birch Box or Glossy Box or Ipsy, all of these fragrances are great.
30:43
SPEAKER_02: And now all of the brands and the perfume e-retailers are selling sample sizes.
30:48
SPEAKER_02: So you can go on Twisted Lily, you can go on Lucky Scent, and they're selling sample sizes.
30:54
SPEAKER_02: So you can try for$7 instead of$150 before you commit.
30:58
SPEAKER_02: So I always urge people to try before they buy.
31:02
SPEAKER_02: Um, and I also um, you know, recommend that people kind of work off of like an understanding of what they're comfortable with.
31:08
SPEAKER_02: So whether are you the type of person who wants the whole room to smell you when you walk in the room, or are you the person who only wants themselves and maybe the person they allow closest to smell them?
31:19
SPEAKER_02: So um again, there's brands like uh Commodity is really the only person doing it right now that every one of their fragrances comes in three scent spaces.
31:29
SPEAKER_02: So if you're like, oh, I love this fragrance, but you know, it's just too it gives me a headache and too many people smell it.
31:34
SPEAKER_02: And I don't want everyone, you know, smelling my fragrance.
31:36
SPEAKER_02: That's embarrassing.
31:37
SPEAKER_02: You would go with the lightest scent space, which they call personal.
31:41
SPEAKER_02: So you have so much control these days that I always urge you to just try, explore, and find, you know, what works for you.
31:48
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
31:49
SPEAKER_01: I really love that.
31:50
SPEAKER_01: And everyone listening, I mean, I hope you've learned at least the basics here.
31:54
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, Marcia, this was amazing.
31:56
SPEAKER_01: This is exactly what I feel like we needed because yeah, you know, the 101 really on fragrances.
32:01
SPEAKER_01: And I can't thank you enough.
32:03
SPEAKER_01: This has been so lovely.
32:04
SPEAKER_02: My pleasure.
32:04
SPEAKER_02: And I I wish I sent it before, but I owe you um a lovely little package for you to experience all these yourself.
32:11
SPEAKER_02: So I'll send that after we get off the call.
32:14
SPEAKER_01: Oh, I would love that.
32:15
SPEAKER_01: I'm super excited, and I'll definitely um post my thoughts on all of them because yeah, I'm a huge fan as well of fragrances.
32:21
SPEAKER_01: I'm just not as experienced as you are.
32:23
SPEAKER_02: Okay, I can't wait to hear what you think.
32:25
SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
32:25
SPEAKER_01: Well, everyone listening, definitely chime in on this interview.
32:28
SPEAKER_01: Leave some uh questions, comments in the uh comment section, and I will definitely pass them to Marsa's team.
32:33
SPEAKER_01: Um maybe we can get some more answers.
32:35
SPEAKER_01: But Marsa, I would love to have you back on anytime you are truly uh such an expert, and we need as much information as we can get, I think, in this area of beauty.
32:43
SPEAKER_02: So my pleasure.
32:45
SPEAKER_02: Thanks for having me.
32:46
SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
32:47
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