Fragrance School

EDP vs. EDT: What the Letters Mean — and What You're Actually Paying For

Eau de parfum vs. eau de toilette isn't marketing — it's concentration. Perfumer Karen Young explains what the letters mean, why they change how long fragrance lasts, and how to buy accordingly.

Milk Perfume, Explained: Why the Best Ones Smell Like Skin, Not Dessert

Milk perfume is having its moment — and most of it smells like frosting. Perfumer Karen Young explains lactonic notes, the realism test, and how to find a milk fragrance that reads grown.

How to Buy Indie Perfume: What Separates a Fragrance House from a Label

Indie perfume is the fastest-growing corner of fragrance — and the easiest place to overpay for a story with no craft behind it. Perfumer Karen Young on how to tell a real fragrance house from a la...

The Best Summer Perfumes Aren't What You Think — A Perfumer's Guide to Fragrance in the Heat

The best summer perfumes aren't citrus splashes that vanish by noon — they're mineral, salted, skin-close scents that work with heat instead of fighting it. Perfumer Karen Young on what warm weathe...

Honey Perfume: Why the Best Ones Smell Like Skin, Not Sugar

Honey is the most misunderstood note in perfumery — done badly it's syrup, done well it's warmth that lives on skin for hours. Perfumer Karen Young explains how honey works in fragrance and how to ...

What Is a Fragrance Discovery Set — and How to Actually Use One

A fragrance discovery set is the smartest way to buy perfume — trial sizes of a full collection, worn on your own skin, on your own time. Here's how to use one properly, from the perfumer who built...

Coconut Perfume, Grown: How to Wear It Without Smelling Like Sunscreen

Most coconut perfume smells like sunscreen. Perfumer Karen Young on what coconut smells like when it's an ingredient with a history — creamy, skin-close, grown — and how to find one that lasts past...

What Is a Gourmand Perfume? A Perfumer Explains

A gourmand perfume is built around notes you could almost eat — vanilla, honey, milk, spice. OUI the People founder and perfumer Karen Young explains what separates a grown gourmand from a dessert,...

What Does Neroli Smell Like? The Orange Blossom Note Behind Luxury Fragrance

If you have ever caught a scent that stopped you mid-stride — something white and floral but somehow also warm, almost honeyed — there's a good chance neroli was involved. Neroli oil is the essent...

What Does Jasmine Smell Like in Perfume? Floral, Sensual, Iconic

There is a reason jasmine is called the "king of flowers" in perfumery. The plant genus called jasmine (Jasminum), especially species like Jasminum officinale and Jasminum sambac, is iconic and ess...