Bespoke perfume is big business and it’s easy to see why. What could be more attractive of a prospect than a fragrance just for you – one that nobody else could wear? Exclusivity is something the perfume industry obsesses with and whilst it’s certainly a lovely idea to have one’s very own exclusive fragrance there has always been one key sticking point: the price. That’s right, bespoke perfumery has been reserved solely for the rich and unless you’ve got at least £10k burning a hole in your pocket then, bespoke scent is not for you. That is until now…
Waft have come to bring the concept of personalised perfume to the masses. The Waft concept is all about finding a scent that matches your mood, style and personality. Everything is done online with a straightforward questionnaire that leads one to their perfume of choice. Waft have worked with IFF to create a series of scents that they then match with consumers via an online questionnaire. The idea is to offer semi-bespoke scents that perfectly match the personality of those who enter the ‘Waft Lab’. The whole thing costs £69, which is a considerable saving on the minimum £10k you’d drop on a bespoke fragrance. Intrigued by the concept I gave Waft a go. Let’s see how they faired when put to the Candy test…
It all starts with the Waft Journey, a simple online questionnaire that asks you what type of scent you’re looking for. There seems to be two parts to the process, firstly one goes through a set of simple choices such as gender, style, when the fragrance will be worn, whether it will be classic or trendy, and whether it will be subtle or daring. After this one picks out a host of ‘notes’ that they like. Then Waft brings this all together to bring up the fragrance formula personalised to you, plus two layering fragrances to freshen and to intensify the semi-bespoke scent. It’s super easy, visually stimulating and leads one directly to a scent picked just for them.
My fragrance is a fruity floral scent called ‘Rose Kimono’ (I was feeling suitably pretentious at the time I named it, obviously). It has a TON of fuzzy, sharp and juicy raspberry up top (yasssss), a soft pink rose in the heart and a fluffy base of musk and iris. It’s very clean but also very colourful at the same time, presenting a fuchsia coloured fragrance that is as bright as neon. The two layering fragrances ‘freshen’ and ‘dare’ also worked well, with the former adding cardamom spice and the latter intensifying the musk aspect with an intensely floral, crystalline texture. Rose Kimono is pretty spot on in terms of what I expected my perfume to be based on the style and ingredients I chose, so the Waft journey really does a good job of pairing the scent to the wearer.
So what’s the verdict on Waft? I think it’s a good idea executed very well. The aesthetics of the website and the presentation of the perfume is all top notch and the whole journey to find the right scent was easy, intuitive and without any annoying gimmicks. What’s more, the process was really free and allowed for you to choose a unisex, masculine or feminine-style fragrance after inputting your gender, which I thought was a really nice touch. I like the perfume I received, it smells good and much how I expected it to so it’s safe to say that Waft ticks a lot of boxes. I do think it feels a little bit more of a novelty than a serious fragrance purchasing experience and it’s likely that one will not find anything more unique or artistic here than they can find in the department stores.
Waft strikes me as the perfect gift for someone who likes the idea of wearing a personalised fragrance. It’s not technically bespoke fragrance but it’s not trying to be either – these are personalised perfumes tailored to the mood, occasion or style one wants. They’re very much in the modern, designer-fragrance style and the incorporation of the ability to layer is bang on trend. So overall, Waft is a great idea for a gift for those who want something a little bit more personal at a really reasonable price, but I don’t think it’s going to set any hearts on fire in the world of the die hard perfumista.
Availability
The Waft experience costs £69 and includes 50ml Eau de Parfum + 2 x 15ml Eau de Parfum for layering. Go to waft.com for more details.
Fancy 10% Off?
If you fancy 10% off your Waft purchase simply follow this link and use the discount code THOMAS10.*
Disclaimer
Sample and quotes via Waft. Images are my own. * This is an affiliate link.
The Candy Perfume Boy 