Korea is the birthplace of all that's cool, fun and innovative in beauty. This statement also applies to perfume. Korean fragrance brands are redefining what it means to smell memorable – they're experimenting with fun notes, like burnt brown sugar, condensed milk, mushroom spores and humidity (really).
Like the rest of the K-beauty universe, Korean fragrance is ripe with creative innovation that flips modern perfumery on its head, redefining what it means to smell good. As is the case with Korean beauty, there's also an overwhelming about of choice, and so we've curated a few RUSSH favourites below.
BORNTOSTANDOUT Dirty Milk
BORNTOSTANDOUT is one of the coolest, quirkiest K-beauty fragrance exports right now – the brand has established a cult following for its tongue-in-cheek, slightly naughty take on classic perfumery. Dirty is not a soft, fluffy milk, instead it's spiked with cream, musk, caramel and black pepper giving it a condensed, almost sour twist.
BORNTOSTANDOUT Oud Candy Extrait Extreme
This is deliciously dark and dense: bubbling brown sugar, nuts, milk, oud, saffron and leather. It's potent.
Tamburins Bottari
Tamburins is one of the biggest perfume exports from Seoul from the same creative team behind eyewear brand gentle Monster. Bottari smells organic and Earthy, like mushroom spores extending up out of damp soil. Surprisingly light, there's also a mix of blonde woods, amber musk and soft moss.
Nonfiction Santal Cream
Santal Cream is an exquisite blend of sun-warmed fig, cardamom and spicy ginger. It's aromatic, nostalgic and not overly loud.
After Blow Powdery Rose
With baie rose, tuberose, magnolia and peony, Powdery Rose is soft and feminine with modest projection.
Anillo Shower Time
Subtle incense, water lillies, humidity and wood – that's what Anillo Shower Time smells like.
Granhand Cask Signature Perfume
Granhand is an interesting brand that was originally created in Bukchon, a historic neighbourhood in Seoul. It's premise is to translate scent in a human way (event the bottle lid has a raw, handmade quality to it). Cask is described as the scent of quietly stepping out of a party to have a cigarette and a drink with a stranger. It kind of smells like whiskey-soaked patchouli, sandalwood and vanilla.
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