Unlikely Pairs

Hello, and welcome back to The Drydown Boutique Newsletter. Let’s talk about “perfume layering”. Is it actually necessary? Is it just another sales tactic? Why layer at all? How do you even know what would layer well together?

1. Is layering perfume necessary?

   1. No. There is no rule that says you have to layer your fragrances. If you are the kind of person who just wants a singular signature scent, that is a valid desire and we support you in that decision 100%

2. Is the idea of perfume layering just another sales tactic?

   1. Though I can’t speak for other sellers of perfume, I can say that at The Drydown, the only time we recommend layering is when someone comes in struggling with the lack of longevity in a perfume they already love and own. That’s when I’ll walk them over to D.S. & Durga’s I don’t know what and offer them layering as an option.

   2. Here, at The Drydown, we’re of the mind that if a perfume is going to fade, let it fade and just grab something else from your fume wardrobe! An early fade is just an opportunity to get to wear something else next. The more the merrier as they say.

3. Why layer at all?

   1. As previously mentioned, sometimes layering is a good option when you have a scent you really love, but just cannot get it to last on your skin.

   2. Layering is also just fun. If you’re a perfume enthusiast, chances are you have more than just one perfume in your posession. A perfume collector/enjoyer may feel that there aren’t enough days in the week to spray all the frags they know and love, so why not layer them? Why not play mad scientist and see what happens when scents are mixed?

4. How do you even know what would layer well together?

   1. Good ol’ trial and error, baby. Sometimes there are scent profiles we already know will pair well together. Citrus and flowers, rain and earth, sugar and spice. Sometimes we just fly by the seat of our pants and play around to see what we’ll find. That’s the fun of perfume. It is in some ways, a vehicle for self-expression and play. The worst case scenario is that you layer two scents together and don’t love the outcome. Tomorrow is a new day and a new opportunity to play.

So that brings us to the theme of September’s Scent Club, “Unlikely Pairs.” If you have a scent combination that you know and love bring it in. Or, if you don’t bring something you’d be curious to experiment with.

Keep reading for some layering inspiration from The Drydown Boutique team using scents we currently have in stock at The Drydown boutique.

Sam’s Pairing: Milk & Matcha by Obvious Parfums & House by Zernell Gillie

Milk & Matcha notes: ginger, tangerine, mandarin, matcha, orange flower, mate, vanilla bean, tonka bean, Peru balsam

Milk & Matcha perfumer: Maebh McCurtin

House notes: fig, jasmine, raspberry, sandalwood, saffron, cashmere, orange flower, heliotrope, ambrette, oud, tonka bean, cedarwood

House perfumer: Zernell Gillie

This was a combination I discovered due to indecision. Milk & Matcha is a perfume I’ve been wearing a lot lately but I was starting to feel bad about neglecting the other perfumes that I know and love. (Toy Story has caused me to feel tremendous guilt when I ignore inanimate objects. Just me?) So the compromise I made with myself was to just layer Milk & Matcha.

I thought House could be a good fit because of the shared orange flower and tonka bean notes, but I also felt House could bring some zing and jamminess to Milk & Matcha’s soft and creamy texture. The result is a beautiful and uplifted fig and matcha combo. Their contrasts cause them to balance each other well and the combination just works.

If you’re new to layering, pay attention to what notes perfumes share and what you feel would improve them. Both M&M and House are complete and beautiful on their own, but together they create something new and unexpected. That makes them an ideal combo.

Shaya’s Pairing: Bois Imperial by Essential Parfums & R & B by Zernell Gillie

Bois Imperial notes: Thai basil leaves, Timut pepper, vetiver, georgywood, petalia, akigalawood, patchouli, ambrofix

Bois Imperial perfumer: Quentin Bisch

R & B notes: honey, tangerine, guava, papaya, white rose, osmanthus, opoponax, white chocolate, cedar, amberwood

R & B perfumer: Zernell Gillie

Pairing these two fumes together is something I would never think of and that is the brilliance of Shaya. What makes Bois Imperial so special, in my opinion, is that Thai basil leaf note at the top. It takes a classic wood perfume and brings it into the herb garden, making it green and airy. R & B by contrast is tangy, tart and juicy all the way from first spray to drydown. It’s as though this fragrance aims to quench your thirst.

Together, Bois Imperial and R & B make a formidible cocktail. Literally. It smells like a cocktail you order on vacation with a beautiful herb garnish. You would think that R & B might overpower Bois Imperial but really they just balance and uplift one another beautifully. It’s a good reminder to be playful in perfume layering because you just don’t know what pairing you might love.

Lauren’s Pairing: Delusions of Grandeur by L’Epoque & Dandelion Butter by Clue Perfumery

Delusions of Grandeur notes: apricot, tobacco, rum, jasmine sambac, leather, saffron, amber, sandalwood, musk

Delusions of Grandeur perfumer: Elena Valdivieso Ruiz

Dandelion Butter notes: pollen, dandelion greens, yellow dandelion, snapped stem, milky sap, salted butter, dandelion-stained chin

Dandelion Butter perfumer: Laura Oberwetter

Lauren’s taste in perfume is so varied and so cool that this combination coming from her makes perfect sense to me. She sees an apricot leather perfume and a green floral and thinks, “I bet they would work together,” and they do.

Delusions of Grandeur is such a special leather perfume. It doesn’t go too animalic or intense, it’s extremely soft and highly wearable. Dandelion Butter has gotten a lot of play on this newsletter and for good reason. This is a perfume that captures the feeling of joy for me.

When worn together, these two fumes are like light and dark, day and night. Their stark contrasts to each other creates a perfume layering that just feels complete.

Corrin’s Pairing: OG by June Thirtieth & Guava Sorbet by House of Brandt

OG notes: rhubarb, cherry, bergamot, rose, violette, ambrette, cashmeran, vanilla, cedarwood

OG perfumer: Jean-Marc Chaillan

Guava Sorbet notes: guava, passionfruit, bergamot, mandarin, grapefruit, sugar crystals, osmanthus, white jasmine, vanilla, sandalwood, dry amber, musk

Guava Sorbet perfumer: Kamila Lelakova

Corrin boldly dared to ask, “what would happen if we took two fan favs and had them join forces?” The result is this absolute banger of a layering combo. Guava Sorbet is the fruity, tropical fume of the summer. Vacation, fun, and flirting in a bottle. OG is the complete opposite. OG is a demure, dainty, and velvety in a way that keeps you wanting more.

Sprayed together, OG softens Guava Sorbet’s sharp, acidic edges into something more ethereal and even a little creamy.

Sometimes, the art of layering perfume acutally isn’t that complicated. If you have two scents that smell excellent on their own, there’s a good chance they’ll smell better together too.

Upcoming Events

Join us Saturday 9/5 from 6-7:30pm for our monthly after-hours hang. September’s theme is Unlikely Pairs!

Workshops

Sip & Create Workshops are back again for September and will be happening on:

Sunday 9/20 from 4:30-6:30pm

Sunday 9/27 from 4:30-6:30pm

Thank you for reading The Drydown Boutique Newsletter! Let us know some of your favorite perfume combos or if there are any we should try! Smell ya later!

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