The question must be asked: When does being sprayed with “skunk” weed smell good? Well, it doesn’t. But when hemp extracts, in their rawest form, are carefully infused with the likes of pink pepper, oud, vetiver or vanilla sandalwood as a fragrance, it takes on a whole new scentsation of personalization and luxury.
The truth is, I thought I might be hard-pressed to conjure up enough fragrance brands in this genre to fill a page. And begin writing this piece before testing or sniffing any samples. Except for Fresh’s Cannabis Santal Eau de Parfum—when it launched in 2006, I may have been one of their first customers when I purchased it at Neiman Marcus. It’s the OG in this category and truly is a terrific fragrance. So, when I was tasked with this assignment, it happened that at that same moment Fresh decided to discontinue the scent—at the height of the party, no less. Then, just as quickly and with a lot of pushback, they relaunched the fragrance. In my mind, with a hint of added elegance. And, yes, it was the Fresh relaunch that sparked this story.
The moment I was deluged with all the fragrances as they arrived, my story took on new life. While each of the below scents were entirely unique on their own, they also carried a sophisticated quality about them, in packaging, presentation and, most importantly, the final aromata that I wasn’t really expecting to stand up to Fresh. But they did. And there wasn’t one eau de parfum that didn’t smell great. Do note that the pictures don’t do the brands justice—as it was their in-person presence and scent that wowed me.
Fresh
Fresh has been elegantly serving Cannabis Santal Eau de Parfum for nearly two decades. So, yes. Way ahead of their time. With just the right amount of earthy cannabis, patchouli, citrus and woods, this could easily go sporty daytime or black tie ($55-$98).
Commes de Garcons
BeautyHabit.com keeps some of our tried-and-true fav’s alive. Ganja is elegantly packaged with a magnetic cap and the fragrance its super. Interesting notes of cumin seed oil, gualac wood oil, hemp accord, and patchouli makes this sexy and sophisticated ($80).
Chronic Parfum EdP
19-69 made me lean in, hard. A seriously tasteful surprise that reeks of monied London, circa 1969. A few notes are bitter orange, Russian clary sage, cannabis accord, cashmere wood and moss ($140-$195).
Heretic
The Herbalist (rollerball) is one of my favorites as a standalone or mixed with another. This notable brand collab with Drew Martin is a luxe blend of hemp and exotic botanicals that includes lemon, hinoki, balsam, vetiver and frankincense and is also available in eau de parfum spray ($45-$165).
Dries Van Noten
Want to feel special? Part of a recent skincare and body launch, Cannabis Patchouli Eaux de Parfum is top-shelf with pure intention. With sage incense, patchouli, vetiver and cedar leaves you’ll feel kind of gritty and chic ($290).
Leland Francis
Want to smell like you rolled in (very tall, expensive) grass, literally? Without having to smoke it? STONER’s captivating notes of resinous woods are swathed in mysterious layers of neroli, herbs, leather, lavender and woodsmoke. This has a unisex, glamorous side ($115).
Boy Smells
Whether you’re trying to recreate the afterburn, after-party waft in the room (or home office) or you just love the thought of it, Kush, Cowboy Kush, Ash and Slow Burn may honestly be some of the most experiential home fragrances I’ve ever had. It makes you feel hip, happy and relevant in your own space and are real mood changers ($38-$52). (Full Story)