Thewaterlog

Over the years, my perfume collection has expanded to include ~20 bottles of varying house and scent profiles. But there are few that hold such a special place in my life as Olo's Dark Wave. It's as close to a signature scent as I (a person with admittedly short attention span and penchant for seeking new sniffs) can get.

It's an oil-based fragrance, and as such, the longevity is fantastic. It's linear, without much movement throughout wear - what you smell is what you get. Despite being noted as a scent for rainy, dreary weather, I've worn Dark Wave through the seasons and in many different situations. Dark Wave is woody and spicy without being too intense, and there's a cozy softness to the scent from the cardamom. It just feels like me.

Others seem to think so, too, which is a nice feeling. Friends have consistently asked what I'm wearing and remarked that it fits my vibe (and if I wouldn't mind if they pick up a bottle too - imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all!).

I wore this out one night, and the person checking IDs at the bar clocked the scent immediately as it's one of his personal favorites. He let me know that the Olo boutique in Portland sells larger format bottles than the usual 9ml, too. I'm on my 3rd bottle at this point, and it will be in my collection forever, so the next time I'm in the area, I'll have to stop by to pick one up!

Love, love, love, love.

I am an extremely sentimental creature to my core, which likely plays a part in my perfume collecting. My wife and I recently went on a long overdue honeymoon to Mexico, and I wanted a very special scent to commemorate the trip. Xinu met all of my expectations from a boutique, olfactory, and experiential perspective.

The shop in Roma Norte is stunning, and worth a visit even if you're not planning on buying anything. Gorgeous, natural materials surrounded by verdant flora make it feel almost spa-like and reverential.

Of all the offerings I sniffed, I came back to the first scent, Aguamadera. Appropriately, it's a tribute to agave, opening with a zesty lime and sea salt before settling into a slightly sharp yet mellow woody dry down. The fragrance is also a perfect representation of the visual shop experience: green, wood, meandering, circular, perfectly imperfect as nature always is.
It's bright and intriguing, much like my curious wanderings through the city. Initially potent upon first spray, Aguamadera dries down to an intriguing guaiac and cedar combo that still retains the lime's piquant nature.

Longevity is just fine. I personally wouldn't want it to be much stronger or longer lasting, especially considering the hot and humid weather of it's origin.

The bottle itself is one of the most beautiful in my collection. The brand encourages reuse, whether as a bud or propagation vase, incense holder, etc. While I don't wish to run through the perfume quickly, I look forward to keeping and reusing this bottle as a perfect memento from an incredible trip.

This is a quiet one. Slightly moody and sensual, and a perfect example of the adage "perfume should be discovered, not announced." It's the perfume equivalent of wearing cute matching lacy underthings that are only meant for a certain audience, if you let them in.

Mildly powdery and slightly sweet without being cloying. I get more amber and musk than anything, like the smell of skin after a warm afternoon in the sunshine. The vetiver is there if you squint hard, but not present enough for me to consider this "earthy" by any means. It's cozy, contemplative, and nice for bedtime (perhaps for whatever activities follow).

Epitome of the sort of you-but-better skin scent. I could see this working beautifully as a lotion. The bottle and cap are beautiful and have some nice heft to them, but the rollerball is on the smaller side. Intentional and deliberate application required.

I'm usually very intentional about my full bottle purchases: obtaining a sample size, wearing a few times to see how the scent works with me, considering my current collection, and planning the purchase with care. That all went out the window when I sniffed Studio Scent in a boutique. Spritz, spritz, immediate purchase.

Part of this is due to my affinity for fig-forward scents. I adore Gris Charnel, my wife wears Philosykos, and I love picking a fragrant fig leaf off my neighbor's tree in the summer months to place in a bud vase.

While Studio Scent and Gris Charnel share some characteristics, they aren't similar enough to consider duplicative in my collection. Gris Charnel's cardamom and tonka notes gives a spicy, cozy element, while Studio Scent feels fresher and more fleeting, highlighting the herbaceous and green qualities of the fruit. Both approach the woody bases in differing directions, towards sandalwood and palo santo, respectively. Both notes I also adore.

I purchased Studio Scent on a whim, captivated by the bottle and description on its label. It's been a perfume I reach for consistently in the mild California winter weeks, and since I live in a rather temperate area, I expect this to be a lovely year-round wear.

You know that scene at the end of Pulp Fiction when Jules finally opens the suitcase and reveals the glowing golden something inside?

It's a bottle of Ganymede.

This may very well be the best thing I've ever smelled. It's so smooth, balanced, blended, intoxicating. I don't know if I've ever wanted a FB of something so badly. I want to smell like this forever.