Fragrance Wardrobe
Your perfume isn’t just how you smell—it’s how you feel when you get dressed in the morning, for a night out, for a boardroom meeting. It’s just as much of an accessory to how you present yourself to the world as your clothing (and let’s not forget its close ties to memory and emotion). With that in mind, we’re launching Fragrance Wardrobe, a new scent series in collaboration with The Fragrance Foundation that highlights the rotating perfume “wardrobes” of our favorite tastemakers through key points in their life. Get to know them better via the scents they choose to wear.
Across social media, Paul Fino has established himself as a leading authority on fragrance. Between TikTok and Instagram, he’s amassed millions of followers who tune in religiously for his takes on all things scent. His influence is so strong, in fact, that he’s dubbed himself the “King of Gourmands.”
“Just like switching hairstyles, sometimes we want to rebrand ourselves and make a change, and for me, that always starts with my scent,” Fino tells Byrdie. “I have had a signature scent for every era of my life, especially now. When I was 16, my signature fragrance was Hermès Eau des Merveilles. It was a woman’s scent that my brother and his ex bought me for the holidays, and even as an adult, I still love and cherish it. As I grew up, I feel like I really found my stride, especially after adding my own twist to the gourmand craze, which introduced me to an entirely new audience.”
Over the years, brands have naturally taken notice of Fino’s affinity for fragrance, giving him opportunities to put his refined nose to work on his own collections. Most recently, he partnered with buzzy fragrance brand Noyz to curate a limited-edition holiday gift set. Ahead, Fino opens up about his favorite Noyz scents, how his fragrance wardrobe has evolved, and the candles that make him feel instantly cozy.
The First Fragrance He Was Gifted
“The first scent I was gifted from my late grandfather. I inherited half of his collection, and Joop stood out the most for its bright-pink liquid. However, I was 12 when I saved up almost every penny I had to buy Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday at Macy’s during the release week, and it led to this obsession-driven career. I’ve never owned a woman’s perfume prior to this experience, and I’ll always appreciate Nicki for opening up this door for me.”
How His Fragrance Wardrobe Has Evolved
“It has become more complex. The last two years have been very vanilla forward, and my go-to has been Unmute by Noyz. It’s a bold, delicious vanilla that’s deep and spicy, lasting all day long. But I think it is safe to say I am leaning toward all genres of scent now, not just gourmands, even in the colder months. When my social media journey began, I started embracing my emotions through scent and stepped away from the men’s section completely because I always felt pressured to shop there. When I entered my ‘gourmand era,’ I stayed far away from anything masculine, fresh, woodsy, or floral. Now, I no longer see gourmand as an era. It is a lifestyle for me. But even so, I still crave change when things grow boring. And maybe that is the best part of having a fragrance wardrobe. It grows with you. It shifts with you. It reflects you.”
His Current Fragrance Style
“It’s a little layered and opulent. I have thousands of perfumes in my collection. I’ve smelled almost every fragrance at Ulta, Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy’s, and so on. I’m seeking something different now. I’ve tried over 400 vanilla fragrances over the last 12 months, and I’ve only got a handful that impressed me enough to post online. I would say I’m finally entering a stage where I’m appreciating a fragrance for all it means. I spoke to a master perfumer recently, and he told me that the perfume is done and layering is unnecessary. I don’t know how much I agree with that because there’s a new challenge in my house called ‘only wear one perfume’ challenge, and I don’t win often.”
Noyz
His Go-To WFH Fragrance
“Detour by Noyz. It’s a skin like gourmand with a musky, vanilla note. It’s soft, floral, and perfect for a day at home. I’ve been traveling for work so much recently, and it’s been my comfort scent.”
The Fragrance That Brings Him Comfort
“Am I allowed to say my own? The first scent I ever made was Miss Girl, a sweet, bitter-almond, cherry and caramel scent. It reminds me of a time when I was fearless. I was in such a flow state when creating this scent. It was at the peak of my career (so I thought), and I just felt so on top of the world. Beyond that, I always feel most at home in a gourmand, like 12:00 by Noyz. It’s the perfect blend of a sweet, sugary gourmand and a sensual, warm Ambroxan aroma. It’s a scent that feels like it stops time.”
The Fragrance That Brings Back Good Memories
“Eau des Merveilles by Hermes is my current nostalgic scent whenever I want to feel the moment. I’m wearing it right now. As I mentioned earlier, my brother bought it for me at Nordstrom Rack in December of 2016, and it was my rebellious era scent. I was 16, sneaking out of the house, doing things no 16-year-old should’ve been doing. I regretted those years for so long, but as a 25-year-old, I wish I could spend one more moment in that era again.”
The Scent That Makes Him Feel Powerful
“At the moment, I’ve been weight training with my personal trainer, and when I go into the gym, I want to feel strong and energized, so I’d say I’ve been enjoying I Don’t Know What by D.S. Durga. It’s dry, clean, a little woody, and it just sits on the skin so naturally. They call it a perfume enhancer, but honestly, I love it on its own. It gives that soft ‘your skin but better’ vibe that makes people lean in trying to figure out what you’re wearing.”
Noyz
His Favorite Candle
“Well, I’ve barely been home this year, so my candle collection has caught some dust. Recently, I restocked on Caked Up by Forvr Mood, an extremely sweet cupcake gourmand scent that lingers throughout the entire house. I’ve also enjoyed the newest Victoria’s Secret candle called Midnight Vanilla that has this light amber-vanilla type of scent.”
The Scent That Helps Him Relax
“If I’m really stressed, anxious, or tired, I usually avoid smelling overly strong. I would lean towards a skin-like scent. I recently tried the Medicube Red Body Wash, which has a light, creamy, floral scent that is absolutely addictive. I’ve also had a few ups and downs in my mental health recently and noticed I stray away from gourmands when I’m in a rut or a little sad and upset. Sometimes, since all my work is fragrance-related, I’ll go scent-less when I don’t want to think of work.”
The Scent He’ll Associate With This Time In His Life
“I’ve had a lot of moments this year that I genuinely had to take a step back and realize I’m still human. I’m still a person. I still have emotions, and I think that it’s as simple as having an intention for a scent for someone to remember that themselves. I’ve been really loving Only Human by Noyz for times like these when my life is moving so quickly. It’s a warm gourmand that’s a skin-like musk.”
Paul’s Fragrance Wardrobe