Created by Maiya Gaint, Black Girls Smell Good is an online community that rolls 115K members deep (across platforms) for Black women to share, obsess, and learn about all things fragrance. In this ep, I am joined by Maiya herself and WOW, it’s a juicy one. Having previously spent time in beauty retail as both a sales associate and educator, Maiya spills the secrets on the behind-the-scenes of department store beauty departments. Spoiler alert: there’s a reason you're guided towards certain fragrances and not others.

We also discuss how Cloud is NOT a dupe for BR 540, the weird Internet obsession over the latter, how Maiya got into fragrance, her inspiration for creating BGSG, her first date perfume picks, the art of ASMR in fragrance reviews, Rihanna’s Fenty fragrance, and the fine line between collecting vs. hoarding (hard to say where we fall on that one), and Maiya reveals her current relationship status… with her perfumes ;)

FRAGS MENTIONED:

Fragrance Du Bois NY 5th Ave, Penhaligon’s Cairo, The Body Shop White Musk Lover, The Body Shop Black Musk, Nemat Amber, By Rosie Jane Rosie, Pure Instincts, Le Labo Rose 31, Montale Sensual Instincts, Tom Ford Lost Cherry, Kilian Princess, Baccarat Rouge 540, Alt Crystal No. 23, Ariana Grande Cloud, Estee Lauder Pleasures, Ocean Pacific OP Juice, Estee Lauder Youth Dew, Vera Wang Princess, Kilian Princess, Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, Tom Ford Fucking Fabulous, Kilian’s Kissing, MFK Gentle Fluidity Gold, Pinrose Pillowtalk Poet, JHAG Not A Perfume, Clean Reserve Warm Cotton, Montale Wild Pears, Montale So Iris Intense, Kilian After Sunset, Fenty Fenty, Kilian Love Don’t Be Shy, Rihanna Reb’l Fleur, Vacation Inc by Arquiste, Tom Ford Beau de Jour, Giorgio by Giorgio Beverly Hills, Mugler Angel

PERFUME 101: Cypriol Oil

FOLLOW MAIYA:

IG: @blackgirlssmellgood TT: @blackgirlssmellgood

FOLLOW PERFUME ROOM:

IG: @perfumeroompod @emmvern // TT: @emma_vern