Given the social buzz surrounding its candles, Boy Smells fragrances were almost a given. Over the past year, perhaps as a result of more time spent at home with an onus on self-care rituals, Boy Smells has gone from an experiment in candle making to stratospheric cult brand, flooding our Instagram feeds with memorable scents such as Redhead and Kush.
Now the LA brand is set to make its biggest move to date. Today Boy Smells is taking its first foray into fine fragrance.
So what can we expect? Much of the same from this boundary-pushing brand. But make no mistake, this venture is not simply a case of interpreting the greatest (candle) hits in fragrance form. No, it is far more complex and game changing than that.
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Evolution in the fragrance world is slow but over the past few years more brands have been adopting a 'genderless' marketing strategy for their fragrances. With today's launch of Cologne de Parfum, Boy Smells has just raised that bar on inclusivity with an approach it has dubbed 'genderful'.
The five scents of which the fine fragrance comprises is set to change the way we wear scent. Rather than downplay gender, Boy Smells founders Matthew Herman and David Kien have embraced it, by mixing masculine and feminine notes together and reinterpreting traditional florals. In doing so, the pair not only blur the lines between gender, they erase it all together in one happy, harmonious puff of scent.
According to the website: "As opposed to genderless, it is not a blank slate, or even a clean slate - genderful is the big box of crayons, that jumbo set you were always tempted to eat as a kid. It's the sumptuous spectrum of your identity mixology, unlocked and on tap."
Take Boy Smells Tantrum, an explosive bright green cocktail that takes a fresh burst of bergamot, mint leaf and green peppercorn and tempers it with sandalwood, orris and vetiver. Or Violet Ends. Here violet, orris and incense would usually make for a soft powdery floral - until you add in more intense facets such as black tea, tanned leather and smoked papyrus. Maybe your new ride or die will be Suede Pony: velvety notes of suede, labdanum and blonde woods with a surprise twist (pineapple, coconut water and hazelnut). Meanwhile, Flor de la Virgen has a heart of jasmine mixed with masculine musks and Rose Load is a universally appealing rose scent undercut with papyrus and sandalwood for warmth and smokiness.
Each Cologne de Parfum is priced $92 [£72].