The best time to start was now.

You're new to thinking about fragrance, and that's exactly when scent is most interesting — before you've decided what you like. Welcome. You're going to love this.

Your strengths

You're someone who isn't afraid to embrace a beginner's mindset. And guess what? That's one of the most valuable qualities you can have, especially when it comes to fragrance. In a world that's often perceived as stuffy and old-fashioned, your strength as a beginner resides in your open mind and your willingness to explore things outside of traditional norms. Your enthusiasm is a breath of fresh air and will serve you well as you begin this new adventure.

What to work on

Almost everywhere you go to browse fragrances, whether online or IRL, you'll be asked what you like. To be honest, this is one of the least helpful questions when you're wanting to discover something new. Part of scent exploration is expanding your already existing preferences and becoming more in touch with why specific scents make you feel a certain way. If you're only smelling things you think you'll like, you leave less room to be surprised and delighted by something new.

What to try

Find a place where you can smell things IRL and choose one brand. Choose a scent in their lineup that you think will be your least favorite based on the look or description, then choose one that you think you'll love using the same strategy. Smell them both and see if there are any surprises. Did you like the "least favorite" more than you thought you would? Were your first impressions totally correct or are the scents more nuanced than you expected? From here, smell multiple options within their lineup (all of them if you're up for it) and see if you notice any consistent themes within their scents. Understanding larger themes and storytelling within a single brand helps you build a more cohesive perspective as a consumer. Even if you don't personally want to use or wear scents in a brand's lineup, it's helpful to understand what their creative perspective is within the broader landscape. Oh, and if your nose gets tired from all the smelling, the best way to reset it is to smell the inside of your arm. You may not smell anything, but that's the point—your personal scent is your very own neutral. Avoid those coffee beans at all costs!

Your two New Savant scents

Morning Matcha — The friendliest scent in our library. Rainbow cereal, matcha latte, and candied citrus at the top, jasmine petals and crisp green grass in the middle, white sesame seeds, vanilla milk, and caramel brittle at the base. Edible, warm, joyful. A "wait, that's a candle?" first impression in the best possible way.

Mixed Feelings — A gentle introduction to the floral-fruity family, with enough complexity to grow with. Juicy lychee, ripe peach, and a hint of pear up top, then watery lotus, white jasmine, and pink roses, then steamed rice, warm cedarwood, and toasted vanilla at the base. The name is also permission — it's okay to not know yet how you feel about something. Smell, see, decide later.

A note from The New Savant

We're a queer, women-owned fragrance studio. Every scent we make starts with a story — grief, queer longing, identity, joy, the in-between — and we pour them into candles because we want you to slow down, pay closer attention, and let your nose lead.

Smell is the only sense we never really stop training. The more you use it, the more it shows you. That's the whole point of what we do.