BLACKBIRD ON BUSTLE

There is nothing I love more than coming across new unconventional scents. Ordinary notes like gardenia, musk, and patchouli seem more boring to me than perfumes that imitate the olfactory components of leather, weed, or even motor oil. Perhaps that's why I'm so drawn to Blackbird fragrances. I like all things weird, and when it comes to my go-to scents, the weirder the better. The use of these more peculiar notes helps me reevaluate my perceptions of beauty, while muskier notes like leather and weed allow me to redefine myself as a sensual and more empowered individual.

Not only is it fun to discover how, say, a Play-Doh-inspired scent smells, but it's also pretty great to see how that smell transports you to moments of nostalgia, love, or comfort. For me, scent is beyond mainstream beauty and consumerism: It has the power to transform, especially now that the ever-evolving idea of what perfume should smell like is arguably becoming freer.

Some of the more unconventional scents out there are not always super wearable unfortunately (note: Don't wear a perfume that smells like a campfire unless you like the smell of smoke and charred skin). Other times the concepts of these wild fragrances are far better than their actual end result (hello, pure bacon perfume). But fragrance and grooming company Blackbirdseems to have things figured out.

READ MORE ON BUSTLE