Black Women Are Showing Up Unapologetically in the Fragrance Space—This Brand Is at the Forefront

Key notes: Spiced rum, vanilla, tobacco flower, tonka bean

I tend to go for gourmands and warm florals because those notes smell best on me and, luckily, this fragrance is right up that alley. While it's labeled as more of a spicy and woody fragrance, on me, it smells warm, sweet, and rich. It's my favorite of the bunch and strikes the perfect balance between floral and slightly boozy (you can thank the notes of spiced rum for that). It feels like the perfect scent to wear to a nice dinner or on a date—it's inviting and has really nice projection and longevity.

Asamoah says this is the scent for folks who don't want to smell like everyone else. "[It's] the most bossy of the collection. 'Girl walks into a bar' vibes and always reminds me of fall," she shares.

Key notes: Pistachio, pomegranate, Turkish rose, vanilla musk, suede, amber

I love any scent with pistachio in it by default so I knew this one was also going to be a favorite. Pistachio smells downright gorgeous with the notes of suede, amber, and vanilla musk. I know some people get a bit worried when they see rose as a note because it can lean a little too far into grandma territory, but that's definitely not the case here. Besides NDA, this was my favorite of the brand's offerings. There's so much going on, but all the notes blend so beautifully together.

This is the brand's newest offering and Asamoah describes as a "cool girl in a bottle scent." I have to agree. "Pistachio is one of my favorite fragrance notes, and our spin on it with She Was Here is rosy, salty, milky, and woody," she says. "It lingers when you leave the room and it reminds me of all the times I tested it before it had an actual name, how people would come looking for me when I was walking around stores, events, etc. being like, 'What are you wearing, that smells insane,' as if they automatically knew it was me wearing it without having actually seen me."

Key notes: Red velvet, raspberry, pear, vanilla bean, oud

Oud is one of my favorite woody notes because it adds a velvety quality to a fragrance that makes it so sophisticated. But, it can be tricky to get right and needs to be paired with the right notes. The composition of this one works beautifully. Oud blends really nicely with notes like vanilla bean and juicier notes of pear. The interesting thing about all of these fragrances is that they smell a bit different when you first give them a spritz, but once you let them dry down for five or so minutes, the magic really happens. I let this one dry down for five minutes and the notes of red velvet, oud, vanilla, and rose really stood out. While it's labeled as a gourmand scent, I would say this leans a little more woody with gourmand undertones. The pear adds a bit of unexpected juiciness that I also love.

Asamoah says that this is the juice that started it all. "[It's] our hero scent and the first one I fell in love with when we started this journey. I Am Her is somewhat of a personal mantra and a scent that embodies all of the things I love the most about my own personality. It smells like someone you either want to be around or be yourself, in the best way possible. This is a very safe blind buy and a scent I would describe as approachable. It starts as a fruity floral and dries down to the most beautiful dense red velvet cake accord. It sneaks up on each wearer for sure!"

Key notes: Apricot skin, Italian mandarin, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla orchid, musk

When I first gave this one a a spritz, I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but it completely transformed on the dry down. It has a musky and fruity quality to it that's bold with a softer undertone. It's hard to describe, but the top notes of apricot and mandarin really stand out to me. The muskier base is what ties it all together. I like a nice balance when it comes to my fragrances and this one really has all the elements going for it—a little bit fruity, floral, and musky.

In fact, Asamoah says this fragrance reminds her of her wedding day because both her and her husband wore it for the occasion. "It’s the perfume for people who don’t necessarily want to smell like literal perfume, but still want to smell pleasant," she says. "It’s supposed to smell like someone, or something, or a memory as opposed to a specific note, hence its name. The apricot skin, orange flower, and musk notes really make it blend beautifully into the body chemistry so you get a clean, warm, 'second skin' when wearing it."

Key notes: Lemon blossoms, citrus, jasmine, wild freesia, whipped vanilla

Tis fragrance is almost sugary sweet, but it never overly so if that makes sense. Floral-heavy fragrances can sometimes be a little too much for me, but the addition of whipped vanilla here just gives it a delicious gourmand quality that I really love. Asamoah describes this as the antithesis of I Am Her. "It’s the girl next door who isn’t accessible at all, and you can’t sit next to her," she explains. "Hard To Get is so sweet that I wanted this to speak to the consumer who has zero desire to wear something commercially appealing. Ironically, this one is slowly becoming a cult favorite! I describe it as a lemon pound cake dessert: The notes are citron zest, jasmine, and whipped vanilla. To me, Hard To Get reminds me of someone who is unapologetically themselves and isn’t shy about leaning into it."

Key notes: Tiger orchid, warm vanilla, golden amber

I love this fresh, sweet, and solar scent from clean fragrance brand Skylar. It's warm and slightly beachy—it instantly makes me feel like I'm on a vacation somewhere sunny and tropical.

Key notes: Fruity cassis, clementine, vanilla

I don't usually love citrus perfumes, but this fragrance is one of the few exceptions. Citrus isn't the most prominent note—it just gives a zesty sweet quality to the fragrance that instantly boosts my mood.

Key notes: Amber, white musk, santal

I'm obsessed with Josie Maran products in general, but these new body mists take the cake. Golden Hour is so light, fresh, and warm. It's all natural fragrance and is just as good as the body butter of the same name.

Key notes: Tangerine water, sweet apple, lemon blossom

This body mist is one of my most-worn and reminds me of my favorite scent from By Rosie Jane, Missy Eau de Parfum ($80). This is great to buy if you're on a budget, but would love something light, fresh, and fruity,