You’re walking down the street and smell something uniquely beautiful. You stop the wearer, compliment them and ask what perfume they’re wearing. It’s a bold move on your part asking a stranger a personal question. But people are usually flattered and tell you what they’re wearing. Or not.
The first thought is that they’re gatekeeping it. It’s annoying but understandable. If you’re a perfume aficionado, you want to keep your signature fragrance a secret so that you remain smelling unique. It is frustrating when people refuse to let you in on their fragrant secret. But could it be possible that the secret could be an embarrassing one? It would be if they’re wearing one of these weirdly named perfumes:
Weirdly Named Perfume for Him
Kilian Dark Lord EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Kilian |
| Best for | Men |
| Fragrance Family | Leather |
| Notes | Top: Pepper, Sichuan Pepper, Bergamot and Cloves Middle: Jasmine Sambac, Rum, Davana and Birch Base: Leather, Vetiver, Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha, Cedar, Patchouli, Oakmoss and Amber |
| Release year | 2018 |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Longevity | 8-10 hours |
| Perfumer | Alberto Morillas |
If you’re wearing Dark Lord and don’t want to tell me, I completely understand. The name sounds something out of a children’s fantasy book– because it is. It conjures memories of reading Harry Potter as a child, something a grown man wouldn’t want to be associated with. It’s also giving emo teenagers on Myspace.
The fragrance has a dark and heavy personality, much like the bottle. The vetiver and nagarmotha in the base are the strongest players, giving the fragrance a woody profile along with the leather accord. If the name didn’t clue you in, it’s best to wear in the evenings in colder months. The blend is aggressively masculine, great to wear if you can get over the aggressively boyish name.
Weirdly Named Perfume for Her
Carolina Herrera Good Girl EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Carolina Herrera |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Oriental Floral |
| Notes | Top: Almond, Coffee, Bergamot and Lemon Middle: Tuberose, Jasmine Sambac, Orange Blossom, Bulgarian Rose and Orris Base: Tonka Bean, Cacao, Vanilla, Praline, Sandalwood, Musk, Amber, Cashmere Wood, Patchouli, Cinnamon and Cedar |
| Release year | 2016 |
| Projection | High |
| Longevity | Over 8 hours |
| Perfumer | Louise Turner and Quentin Bisch |
If there’s one thing the usually divided online perfume community can agree on unanimously, it’s their feeling towards this perfume.
It feels patronising to have a perfume for adult women be named Good Girl. It feels rather like a male fantasy of a woman and not a woman’s feelings about her own sensuality. Many feel the stilettol bottle shape adds insult to injury with a condescending message that women are obsessed with shoes. If it were just the stiletto or the name, there may not be so much online hatred.
That being said, the perfume is a heavy hitter, ideal for parties and clubbing. Almond, coffee, and vanilla give it an intoxicating feeling. It commands attention whenever you walk into a room wearing it, much like the click-clacks of a high stiletto.
Weirdly Named Perfumes for All
1. Byredo Gypsy Water EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Byredo |
| Best for | Unisex |
| Fragrance Family | Woody Aromatic |
| Notes | Top: Juniper, Lemon, Bergamot and Pepper Middle: Pine needles, Incense and Orris Root Base: Vanilla, Sandalwood and Amber |
| Release year | 2008 |
| Projection | Low |
| Longevity | 5-6 hours |
| Perfumer | Byredo |
The fragrance is described as an ode to the unique culture and customs of the Romani people. The woodiness of the perfume, combined with the name, reduces their nomadic way of life to an aesthetic. It is especially insensitive considering that life on the move made them targets of hate crimes in places like the UK.
People belonging to the community have spoken out against the use of the offensive name ‘Gypsy’ and the co-opting of their culture for profits. Many who love the fragrance are hurt that the fragrance house hasn’t changed the racist name yet.
The perfume is an everyday wear. It has an inoffensive projection, unlike its name, making it an office-friendly perfume. It is a multifaceted fragrance with citrusy freshness, vanilla, and sweetness, all in a woody background. An ideal jeans and t-shirt perfume.
2. Kilian Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Kilian |
| Best for | Unisex |
| Fragrance Family | Oriental Floral |
| Key Accords | Tuberose Gardenia Ylang-ylang Mandarin orange Neroli Orange blossom Sandalwood Vanilla |
| Release year | 2015 |
| Projection | Moderate |
| Longevity | 8-10 hours |
| Perfumer | Alberto Morillas |
Kilian found once again at the scene of the crime. They do like their strange names. The name skips ‘suggestive’ and goes straight to racy. One might believe it can be worn on a first date to add a sensual touch. However Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi is quite a polite scent with little boldness to warrant the name.
The star players sandalwood, neroli, and gardenia give it an elegant profile. It has a somewhat citrusy personality, but the creamy elements make it more of a winter scent. It is a charming and quiet fragrance not looking to make any loud statements. If this were your signature fragrance, would you gatekeep it or proudly say the name?
Names are more important for perfumes than any other product. With the inherent qualities of scent invisible, perfume makers have little choice but to make the name interesting. There are only so many interesting names available and that makes way to some of the weirdest names, sometimes wholly unsuitable for the perfume.
Whether the names are weird or not, V Perfumes is the number one destination for the best perfume prices in the UAE and the GCC region. Find these perfumes and more at the many V Perfumes stores or online.
