You, Only Better

Could this be the year of understated scents and products? I certainly hope so!

Hello, Gorgeous!

I’m a bit wild-eyed after an endless nearly four-hour Zoom brainstorming session with a client. I’m helping them figure out how to position a product line that never launched (Hey, pandemic!) and was then shelved for a number of years.

We pared down the line to a few key offerings that feel timely and classic. One big problem we’re facing is that the brand and product names along with the marketing and language around the brand feel stale and the tiniest bit offensive. And so we’re working to rebrand and give an unlaunched product line a makeover before it launches.

Not unscented, but not a recognizable scent either

One of the odder issues we’re contending with in the brand launch is the way that product regulations have changed in the past few years. And so we can no longer include key ingredients that made up the brand’s signature scent.

But I don’t think that’s a bad thing for a variety of reasons.

Glossier’s skin-scent enhancer smells different on everyone

Glossier launched their signature scent You back in 2017 as “the ultimate personal fragrance.” They didn’t market You as a perfume or scent, but rather what they called “a skin-scent enhancer” with the claim that it “smells a little different on everyone.” If you think about it, that sums up all perfume in general.

So does perfume in general

A bunch of years ago my sister and I were in Paris. We both fell in love with the same perfume and each bought a bottle to varying results.

Whenever my sister wore that perfume, she smelled like she’d been frolicking through vast fields of wildflowers. When I spritzed on the same scent, I smelled like I needed a good scrubbing. I gave her my bottle of perfume and she ended up using that as a signature scent for over a decade.

Nothing is universally flattering

As hard as product development teams work, there’s no guarantee that any scent will be universally flattering. Sure there are some that become trendy — remember florientals?— And let’s all agree to politely ignore scent infusions like Playdough and hemp. But overall, what makes a product or perfume great is the way it enhances your looks or works with your skin’s chemistry.

So is You truly different? With sparkling pink pepper, earthy iris, with a warm, slightly-sweet base I’m not sure that You is anything other than a perfume meant to enhance rather than stand out, like pretty much all perfumes. That said, I think that’s a great theme for beauty, skincare, and scent for the year ahead! Use what looks or smells great on you and ignore what everyone else is wearing. (You starts at about $78, on Glossier.com).

What are your thoughts on perfume or perfumed products? I’m veering toward scents that aren’t noticeable to anyone but me (or the lovely guy invited to invade my personal space!) Let’s discuss in the comment section.

Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋