PerfumeTok Influencers Misguided

PerfumeTok Influencers Misguided

Image: Pexels/Ricky Esquivel

If you’ve delved into the enchanting world of fragrance like I have, then I’m sure you’ve stumbled upon #perfumetok, a rapidly growing corner of TikTok that’s all about scents. With a staggering 4.5 billion views and counting, this realm is filled with influencers who are passionate about perfumes. But let me warn you, once you’re in, there’s no turning back. You’ll find yourself obsessing over fragrantica.com, googling strange terms like “ambergris” (trust me, it’s not as glamorous as it sounds), and your tote bags will constantly jingle with tiny perfume samples.

Here’s the typical scenario: you stumble upon a video featuring a content creator with a velvety voice, superimposed on an elitist-looking university backdrop. They confidently declare that if you wear plaid skirts, dark lipstick, and read Donna Tartt’s “A Secret History,” then the perfect perfume for your brooding “Dark Academia” aesthetic is Replica’s “Whispers in the Library.” These creators make finding your signature scent seem easy and formulaic, but here’s my take: forget about matching your perfume to your “vibe.” The only thing that matters is that you frickin’ like it! Before you spend a whopping $160 to cosplay as a moody prep school student, ask yourself these questions: Do you genuinely enjoy the scent of wood, vanilla, and pepper? Have you actually experienced the fragrance firsthand?

Perfume, like many other beauty categories, has succumbed to the clutches of social media and personal branding. There’s now an obsession with finding the perfect “core” or “aesthetic” scent. These online aesthetics have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, from our clothing choices and home decor to our taste in music, film, and art. And now, even our fragrances are being packaged into cute little shoppable terms like “clean girl,” “vanilla girl,” “coastal grandmother,” “cottagecore,” and “dark academia.” It’s enough to make you want to rip out your hair in frustration.

Instead of simply enjoying a perfume because it smells sweet and delicious, we’re being told to buy fresh, sandalwood-heavy scents because they supposedly exude “clean girl energy.” If you love crisp whites, dewy makeup, and meal prepping, apparently Glossier’s “You” and Juliette Has a Gun’s “Not a Perfume” are the only perfumes worthy of your scent collection. And if you’re the type to sit in the back of a jazz club, sipping an old fashioned in a stylish all-black ensemble, well, the influencers have spoken—Tom Ford’s “Tobacco Vanille” or Celine’s “Reptile” are mandatory. And don’t even get me started on the cottagecore enthusiasts who are only allowed to spritz themselves with Gucci “Mémoire.”

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But let’s be real here, just because a vibe calls for it, doesn’t mean you suddenly have an affinity for vetiver. Can’t I want to smell like a foamy bubble bath in a hotel AND listen to rock goddesses Sleater-Kinney? Does sexy always have to be associated with Carolina Herrera’s “Good Girl,” or can I be sexy and smell like oakmoss? Can’t I savor the delightful blend of fig and coconut on my wrist without it having to be all about my “mermaidcore summer”?

This obsession with finding the perfect perfume for your aesthetic is not only reductive and boring, but it completely undermines the personal and emotional connection we have with scents. Your attraction to a specific fragrance is influenced by more than just the clothes you wear or the colors on your phone background. Our unique body chemistries, associations, memories, and feelings are the true influencers when it comes to fragrance. For example, you might choose a perfume with a hint of rosemary because it reminds you of the bush that grew beside your childhood home, or maybe you simply love the smell of freshly baked bread. All of these aspects should be honored and celebrated, rather than confined to the limitations of some trendy internet trope. Remember, vibes can’t change your preferences overnight.

Now, before you think I’m bashing all perfume influencers, let me clarify—I appreciate the many talented creators who engage with fragrance in thought-provoking and passionate ways. And I’m definitely not discouraging you from romanticizing perfume, whether it’s pretending you’re on a beach vacation by wearing Bobbi Brown’s “Beach” to the office or creating playlists inspired by your favorite scents (guilty as charged). Perfume should be fun and enjoyable, not a chore that adheres to someone else’s standards.

So here’s a wild idea: let’s stop trying to box scents into predetermined aesthetics and allow ourselves to be surprised by the fragrances we genuinely love or feel connected to. In a world where everything is meticulously categorized, let’s separate perfume from that suffocating narrative. After all, it’s just scented alcohol in a bottle. It doesn’t need to align with your personal brand—it just needs to smell damn good.

Carly Silverman

Carly Silverman is a Brooklyn-based writer and producer who’s immersed herself in the worlds of television and digital media. Her comedy writing has been praised and featured in Vulture, and she’s performed on various stages in New York City and festivals across the country. You can catch her performing with Young Douglas or find her on X (formerly known as Twitter, apparently). Oh, and she’s dying to tell you what perfume she’s wearing.