Studio Scent

I have a lot to say about this perfume, and it’s complicated. I’ve only had a few days with it so far, but I can already tell this is one I’ll keep coming back to, especially once summer arrives (it’s currently hovering around zero degrees Celsius here, which definitely isn’t doing it any favours). I blind-bought this, fully aware it was outrageously expensive, but the note list looked too promising to ignore. My first mistake was a wrist spray. Instant regret. I actually gagged. It came across as a dense, vegetal, leafy mess, with the faint suggestion that something beautiful was hiding underneath, and then vanished completely within three hours. Later that day, I remembered something my favourite YouTuber, Harley James Fragrances, often stresses: some perfumes deserve more than a wrist test. So I tried again, this time on my neck. And wow. A completely different experience. It still opens green and leafy, but now the sweetness emerges properly, joined by a gentle muskiness that actually stays. The fig and coconut are unmistakable, but there’s also a slightly sour, teasing edge that keeps it from feeling flat. Woods hum quietly in the background, and after about four hours it settles into the most beautiful drydown: sweet, woody palo santo layered with soft spice and fig. When I showered that night and got into bed, I could still smell it lingering on my skin, and that was with just two sprays, one on either side of my neck. Today I went heavier, and interestingly, it didn’t get louder. It just became more present. If that makes sense. Today I’m picking up more of the aromatic facets alongside the same fig and palo santo combination, and I’m honestly starting to fall for it. Who knew this might be the fragrance I’ve been waiting for all along? If I have one critique, it’s the sweetness. At times it edges into something almost peach-like, and I think the composition would benefit from being dialled back slightly. By comparison, Fig Infusion from Essential Parfums, which I happily bought thanks to its excellent price point and outstanding quality, handles fig and coconut with a smoother, more restrained balance. It’s aromatic, polished, and perfectly suited to both boardroom and date night. This, though? This feels different. Special. Not an everyday reach, but something to be worn with intention. Maybe it’s the palo santo, precious, meditative, almost reverent, but it makes me feel like this is a fragrance for moments that matter. A happy accident, truly. Even Bob would approve.

I got Studio Scent as a birthday gift for myself, and it was an instant love. This is advertised as a “home fragrance” but most people seem to use it as a personal fragrance, and I understand why: it’s fantastic. I’ve been exploring the fig note recently, trying other famous figs like Philosykos, Gris Charnel, and Woodphoria, but this is my favorite out of all of them. One of the things that sets Studio Scent apart is that its fig note seems to ripen as the fragrance unfolds; accompanied by the zingy bergamot note, it starts off incredibly green and fresh, and as it dries down, it becomes fruitier, juicier and sweeter. The choice of Palo Santo instead of Sandalwood, which emerges about an hour into the dry-down, also strikes the correct tone for the overall idea behind the scent. It’s easy to visualize the half-burnt piece of Palo Santo in a ceramic bowl sitting on a windowsill, only a tiny tickle of smoke remaining in the air. It blends beautifully with the aromatic lavender and black tea notes, which are subtle compared to some of the other players here but do a lot of heavy lifting in the background to keep the fragrance cohesive. In my opinion, this is a scent whose eclectic collection of notes makes it suitable for any season. It’s got freshness and fruitiness for warmer weather, but its woody notes make sense for fall and winter. Very signature scent worthy!

What a dreamy fig scent! Very green and fresh (but not like a laundry detergent), not as woody as Purple Fig by Vilhelm, and more fresh than the aromatic BDK Gris Charnel or her cousin Le Labo's the noir 29, and less sugary than Nest Indigo. If I were classifying these perfumes, Purple Fig by Vilhelm is a fig tree, Studio Scent is a freshly sliced fig from the farmer's market, and Nest Indigo is some sort of fig confectionary or jam, so Studio Scent is a perfect middle ground between those two perfumes (and as a fig lover I have to have the full spectrum!). Something about this just sits right on my skin, I don't feel like I have to be dressed up (or wearing anything! lol) to be wearing this unlike many things in my collection. I had a visceral reaction when I smelled this because it is that good. Might be worthy of a FB before I get a travel size (a rarity in my perfume collection!)

I would normally never pay this much for an EDT but this one is so charming with surprisingly stellar longevity compared to my previous favorite fig, diptyque’s philosykos. I love philosykos but it reminds me why it’s called an eau de toilette, a scent that lingers just long enough to put my makeup on before totally fading away. Studio scent is a little more interesting than philosykos, couldn’t be a more perfect green fig and the edge of mineral air, concrete, old wood is perfect. I’m a huge sucker for concept, always blind buying bottles with a lovely write up that don’t live up to the fantasy. This one is so accurate to what it was intended to capture. I bought a full bottle the same day I first tried it.

I think this is the perfect fig fragrance, and I've tried quite a few. This is by far the most distinctive and long-lasting on me--I just got off a 12 hour shift and not only is it still noticeable on me, it has a freshness and a comforting quality that makes it really nice (not like some that can become cloying after wearing that long). I feel like this also captures the fig leaf and pairs so well with the tea, moss, and lavender that it manages to capture greenness and freshness in a way other fig scents don't. Really impressive and definitely want to get my hands on a full bottle at some point.