PERFUMER'S NOTE: This was originally published in a newsletter on January 9th, 2024, but I wanted the information codified on the blog for future reference (with some minor changes for clarity & context).
Four scents have been or are being reformulated to address issues with performance/projection or artistic direction.
I test my scents pretty thoroughly - in fact, if I'm gonna toot my own horn about anything, it's that I think my testing standards are pretty rigorous - but I have what I call “perfumer’s bias.” I know what goes into my fragrances, so I know how to pick things out that may be less detectable to others. And I’ve been training my nose daily for nearly two years - it’s easy to forget about all the materials I could barely smell at first, or all the days I had to stop practicing because my nose literally just gave up, or the days I ruined prototypes because my nose was exhausted and I couldn’t assess them properly before making changes. It took a long time to develop testing protocols that account for these things, and I’m still working on it. In the future, I may gauge interest in testers from the indie community.
I don’t plan on doing this often, and I know that I can’t always control for all factors that would cause poor performance or prevent someone from smelling a specific note, but each of my perfumes has an important role in the narrative, so they need to be the best they can possibly be.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me.
Stuffkin
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What changed?: Stuffkin needed a rather sudden material replacement due to widespread material shortages, so in the swap, I took the opportunity to increase its concentration by 5% and also lowered the ratio of plushie stuffing. The material that I replaced was suppressing the vanilla and leading to decreased projection, so overall the vanilla should be more obvious. This change was made to get Stuffkin a little closer to its aged version, which is very vanilla-dominant due to the way vanilla grows stronger over time.
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How does this impact you?: This change went into effect quietly on 01/05. I don’t think it will be super noticeable to most people, but only you can decide! If you already have Stuffkin and want to try the new one with your next order, leave me a comment at checkout and I’ll include a free trinket in addition to your other two.
Strangeling
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What changed?: I increased a transparent synthetic “musk” material in Strangeling that should increase its diffusion and longevity without altering the scent. (“Musk” in this context is different from what it usually means in notes lists.)
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How does this impact you?: This change went into effect quietly on 01/05. Hopefully people notice better performance from the scent re: wear-time and diffusion. Due to the anticipated low impact, I don’t plan to offer replacements, but if this news is particularly concerning for you (truly no sarcasm intended, I understand that changes can be worrisome), please reach out to me and I’m happy to help. I'd love feedback from anyone who notices performance changes between the two versions!
Leafcrown'd
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What changed?: I’ve just wrapped up prototyping / testing for the new formula to address issues of longevity and anosmia and will add the new version to the store within the next couple of weeks. The oolong accord has been reworked and some structural changes have been made to improve performance. There are two major issues with the formula, besides a low percentage of fixative materials - I believe the amount of Hedione was causing anosmia / olfactive exhaustion in people, and a green tea extract by Robertet in ethyl alcohol isn't performing well - I believe it's contributing to low performance and projection. I am also phasing out the use alcohol-based extractions/dilutions in anticipation of branching out to non-alcohol formulas in the future.
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How does this impact you?: Leafcrown’d will be pulled from the store temporarily to prep for the switch. If you purchased Leafcrown’d from me prior to the change and would like to try the new one with your next order, please leave a comment at checkout & I’ll include a free sample for you. Due to the high impact, I will replace any 5mL of Leafcrown’d purchased directly from my store free of charge.
The Golden Curl
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What changed?: The Golden Curl is being reformulated to increase the atmospheric and floral notes. I’ve received a lot of feedback that these aren’t apparent to people. I initially felt that the perfume was quite well-balanced, but I know exactly what these accords smell like on their own, so it’s quite a bit easier for me to pick them out of the whole blend than I think it is for many people.
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How does this impact you?: I don't have a return date for The Golden Curl just yet. When it returns, I’ll offer the same treatment as Leafcrown’d above. If you're feeling negatively impacted by this, I do still have a small amount left, enough for a few 5mLs, so please feel free to email me if you'd like to make a special order.
Duskling
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What changed?: Duskling is getting a complete overhaul. It will be released again later this year with other perfumes that deal with the Dusklings, taking us into the next chapter of the story. The role and the environment of the Dusklings has changed quite a bit since I initially conceived of this olfactive story, but it was one of the first perfumes I began working on. Incidentally, it was also one of the ones I had the most trouble with, and I think that’s because I stayed with the original concept despite their changing role. I have a hard time knowing when to give up and change gears. The notes list is very accurate to what they were, but not to what they are or will become. As I mapped out the rest of the story’s perfumes, I realized there are things in Duskling that should be in another perfume & things I was trying to do with other perfumes that need to be in Duskling.
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How does this impact you?: Same thing as The Golden Curl & Leafcrown’d. Free trinkets, replacement, etc.
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