Flankers: Why?

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Why do so many flankers exist? For those who are not familiar with the term, "flanker" refers to a perfume that bears the same name as an existing scent, but with a twist or addition. Like Coke, Diet Coke, and Cherry Coke. Or Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios. An other way to think about them: flankers are like sequels. Shrek and Shrek 2, Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II. The same characters doing the same things, but with a different story. 

A flanker isn't the same as a concentration--there may be an EDT, an EDP, a Parfum, and an Extrait of the same scent, Chanel No. 5, for example (which also had an eau de cologne)--but those aren't necessarily thought of as different fragrances, despite the occasional alteration of ingredients. There are, however, flankers of No. 5, including Eau Premiere, Elixir Sensuel, and L'Eau. 

Clear as mud, right?

In my mind, there are three types of flankers: 1) a scent that is very much like the original, with just a hint of a tweak to the ingredients; 2) a scent that possesses the soul of the original, but is different enough to stand on its own (a true flanker); 3) a scent that has absolutely nothing to do with the original fragrance, but it bears a variation on the name. 

Fragrance companies do this to cash in on the popularity of a successful product. If they make a new scent and give it the same name, people who like the first iteration might be interested enough to purchase the second (third, ninth, etc.) whether or not the new version is anything like the original or not. This seems a bit disingenuous, though there may well be people who own Guerlain's La Petite Robe Noir and will also buy any or all of the thirty-ish flankers that have been released since the original came out in 2009. (The few I've tried smell identical, though I haven't done any side-by-side sniff tests.) But if the original is good and popular, why keep reinventing the wheel? And if the scent is vastly different, why not just give it a new name? 

Some fragrance companies make all their bank on flankers. Mugler, for example, essentially only has two fragrances that have earned them any real money, Angel and Alien. According to Fragrantica, there are at least 33 variations on the Alien theme, including a handful of masculines. Angel has a whopping 58 listings, among them flankers of flankers (like the 4 variants of Eau Sucree). Not included in that 58 is the Angel marketed toward men, A*Men, which has 19 flankers of its own, nor Angel Innocent (now just called Innocent though the bottle still bears the Angel star motif) which has 7. Sure, Mugler has put out other fragrances over the years, such as their excellent Mugler Cologne (of which there are 9 iterations), plus Les Exceptions and Mirror Mirror, two collections comprising 22 quite different and very good scents, all of which are currently discontinued. I was lucky to get one of the last bottles of Les Exceptions Over the Musk--a stunningly beautiful ambrette and musk concoction--from the Mugler.com site back in 2019. I was also able to snag a bottle of Miroir des Joyaux, a rich woody floral that I like to wear at Christmastime, from a discounter. (Fragrancenet still has a couple of Les Exceptions and most of the colognes available.) Apparently none of those scents--nor Womanity or Aura--sold as well as Angel and Alien, so Mugler is milking their cash cows dry. Surprisingly, however, despite the preponderance of Angels on the market, including the original, the new Fantasm (which I'd like to smell), and Nova, it's rare that I notice anyone around me wearing it. Certainly not like I did when the original came out in the early 90s. 

Many of Angel's flankers smell like, well, Angel, but with the volume of one note turned up or down. But there are also versions that have an added ingredient that changes the scent considerably while still keeping the Angel DNA intact. The original Eau Croisiere from 2019 has a lovely mango note, while its own flanker from 2020, also called Eau Croisiere, swaps out the mango for fig. Angel Iced Star, which came out in 2021, is essentially Eau Croisiere, but with pineapple and coconut instead of the mango or fig. I think of scents like these as true flankers, while the ones that haven't changed the original fragrance much are money-grabbers, pure and simple. 

Other flankers that fall in the "true flanker" category, those fragrances that bear the soul of the original, but with enough ingredients tweaked to make it truly different, can be more appealing to those who could not wear or just plain disliked the original. Let's go back to Chanel No. 5. I can't wear the original, and am not a huge fan of scents with an extreme amount of aldehydes. But Eau Premiere, which is a pared-down version of the original, with the aldehydes, ylang-ylang, neroli, jasmine, rose, vanilla, sandalwood, and vetiver, but minus the citrus notes, lily-of-the-valley, civet, amber, orris, patchouli, and oakmoss. The result smells very much like No. 5, but also quite different. To me, it's almost like the love child of No. 5 and Guerlain Shalimar, which is one of my favorites.

Speaking of Shalimar, it, too, has a number of flankers that smell a great deal like the original but might appeal to a broader audience. The original came out in 1925, a sexy amber scent with prominent citrus and vanilla notes, plus leather, incense, civet, and resins in the base. Over the years, the scent has been "cleaned-up" a bit with the removal of many of the base notes (though there is the occasional limited edition re-issue with the skankier notes added back in), and the flankers have modernized the fragrance even more. Parfum Initial, for example, added caramel to the now standard concoction of citrus, iris, patchouli, rose, jasmine, tonka, and vanilla. Initial L'Eau removes the caramel and adds more citruses, plus freesia and hyacinth, and Initial L'Eau Si Sensuelle takes out the extra floral notes and adds green ones. There was also a version that ramped up the orange blossom--Souffle d'Oranger--by adding mandarin, orange blossom, petitgrain, and neroli (I am so sorry I missed out on this one!) and several that leaned heavily on Shalimar's vanilla aspect. Ode a la Vanille Sur la Route du Mexique has caramel and chocolate, but the list of notes for Ode a la Vanille Sur la route de Madagascar reads very much like the original formulation. (I must admit I am relying on Fragrantica, which I know is not the gospel when it comes to listings of notes. It just seemed easier than trying to track them down elsewhere.) 

As for the third type of flanker, one that has no relation to the original fragrance whatsoever--there are far fewer examples of those. One that stands out in my mind, however is Black Opium. YSL's original Opium is a warm amber, one of those fragrances that used to be referred to as an "Oriental," loaded with spices like cinnamon, cloves, and pepper on a base of woods and resins. Black Opium is a sweet gourmand with coffee and vanilla. The only similarities between the fragrances are that they have used a bottle with the same shape (though the original has come in several bottle styles over the years), and the name. There's no reason at all that the newer scent should be named after the classic. Zero.

It's not only iconic fragrances for which flankers exist. And by iconic, I mean in the original sense of the word, not the current usage where pretty much anything can be iconic just because some TikTok user deemed it so. I'm talking Barbra Streisand iconic, not Sabrina Carpenter "iconic." Scents like YSL Libre, Valentino Valentina, Carolina Herrera Good Girl, and Jessica Simpson Fancy all have flankers, whether they need to or not. The original must have sold well, so I suppose there was no reason to try something new.  

Which seems very lazy to me.

In an industry already flooded with fragrances, do we really need more that are merely repetitions of what we already have? I suppose since flankers do sell, the answer is yes.

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Posted by theminx on Minxstinks
Note: this post is my opinion. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned in this post or any other companies.

Some Unpopular Opinions

created with the help of Ideogram AI and Adobe Photoshop

As the saying goes, "opinions are like assholes, everybody has one." I have so many opinions, one might think I had several. Assholes, that is. But you know, it's totally ok to have opinions, even unpopular ones. I'm almost 60 years old and honestly don't care if I'm popular or not. (Clearly, because I'm writing this blog and nobody is reading it. Please leave a comment if you are reading, just to prove me wrong!)

Unpopular Opinion #1: I don't like Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540. I don't want to smell it on my skin or on anyone else's. Amber Floral scents are not my thing. You like them? Good. More for you. This is not a slam on the fragrance or the perfumer--he's brilliant, I just find this particular scent nauseating. Personally, I have to wonder if people wear it because they actually like it, or because they've been told by "influencers" that it is THE fragrance to wear (much like Creed Aventus, PdM Delina, and others). Or because this perfume is so fucking expensive, it's become a status symbol. But why anyone would want to smell like everyone else is beyond me.

Unpopular Opinion #2: I do not want to be part of the "fragrance community." Wearing fragrances we enjoy for our own pleasure are one of the few ways humans can declare independence from one another (excepting, of course, the masses who wear Baccarat Rouge). While I do enjoy knowing persons who share my interest in perfume, I don't need anyone to validate my passion. I am an introvert and being part of a group can give me the heebie jeebies. I am not afraid of shopping alone, dining alone, or traveling alone, so smelling good alone is just fine by me as well. I wear fragrance for me, not anyone else. Plus, communities tend to have rules to make members play nicely with each other. Sorry, but I don't need another set of guidelines by which to live my life. 

Unpopular Opinion #3: I am not a fan of scents that smell predominately of rose, though I do own a few. So many rose scents fade into something that reminds me of the scented toilet paper of the 70s and 80s. I'm not sure why those toilet tissue manufacturers thought it would be a good idea to have floral-scented asses, but they did. In any case, dusty-dry rose fragrances can make me wrinkle my nose in disgust. Also, my skin tends to bring out rose notes, even if they are intended to be background players. For example, Goldfield & Banks Ingenious Ginger. It starts out as a truly lovely ginger fragrance, but after several minutes on my skin it transmogrifies into a rose scent that I neither want nor like. It would be one thing if the ginger hung around, too, but poof! it disappears when the bully rose shows up.

I've tried to like rose perfumes--really, I have. And I own ELDO Eau de Protection, a couple of Rosines, and both Elisabethan Rose and Luna by Penhaligon's. I also loved Stella McCartney Stella. I wondered if these fragrances contained a specific kind of rose note that I might prefer, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I also like Tokyo Milk Gin & Rosewater, which apparently contains no rose at all, yet does have rose vibes that I find appealing. I can't explain it, but I like what I like and don't like what I don't like.

Also, if I want to avoid a fragrance because rose is listed among the notes, I shall. Please don't say, "aww, give it a chance...."  I already own over 200 perfumes and there are thousands of other scents out there that might be more up my alley. Let me make my own decision about these things. And if I change my mind in the future...well, that was my choice.

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Posted by theminx on Minxstinks
Note: this post is my opinion. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned in this post or any other companies.

Eau de Boujee (formerly Boujee Bougies)

created by Adobe Firefly AI

I've mentioned here before that I am susceptible to blind buys, and also to the influence of one Suzy Nightingale's recommendations. So when Boujee Bougies had a 40% off sale, I went crazy. I originally wanted their four currently available scents in travel sprays, but when I saw how insane the postage was, I ordered three travel sprays, a full bottle, and a candle. Just to get my money's worth. The candle, which I have not yet lit, is Succulent, and it smells amazing in its solid, non-melted, state. I am fond of green scents, so I decided Verdant would be the full bottle, and Gilded, Queen, and Quir the travel sprays. While I do not regret my overall purchase, I do wish I had chosen either Gilded or Quir as my full bottle, as both of them are more to my liking. Read on for more of my thoughts on this brand. Quotes are from the Boujee Bougies website. 

Gilded

Lemon, Saffron, Gold accord, Frankincense oil, Frankincense resin, Carnation, Cedar Leaf, Beeswax absolute, Myrrh, Cedarwood, Labdanum, Leather, Civet, Musk

All that is gilded will be bold. A celestial temple of golden light transcends Earthly reality. The whispered mysteries of ancient spirits, covered in gold by awe and time. All life endeavours to ascend to a higher plane, a state attained through incense and devoted spirituality.

This is such an unusual scent! I'm not sure what gold is supposed to smell like, even though I studied to be a gemologist and worked in a jewelry store for a few years. I never noticed a smell, metallic or otherwise. But the combination of lemon and saffron, which are both obviously yellow in color, does promote an overall sensation of gilding. Despite the beeswax, frankincense, and myrrh, I'm not getting a sensation of a literal church. However, I am feeling a large and airy space brightly lit by the yellow sunlight streaming in through multistory windows. There's something almost fruity about the drydown, and I'm not getting the leather or civet. In any case, this one is definitely FBW for me.

Queen

Rhubarb, Bergamot, Nutmeg, Carrot seed, Rose, Violet, Raspberry leaf, Geranium, Iris, Black tea, Benzoin, Opoponax, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Earthy notes, Musk

Alice stepped through the looking glass and was made Queen, and now she's thrown a tantrum and there are jam tarts everywhere. The sweetness of Victoriana is set to the soundtrack of a hallucinogenic dream. Honeyed black tea is spilled. Red and white roses dance around a mushroom.

I must say I'm a little disappointed in this one. On my skin, it's all rose and raspberry, not particularly sweet or jammy. It even gets a little dusty in the drydown and reminds me of the reason why I tend not to like rose scents: too many of them make me think of scented bath tissue from the 70s/80s. I wish that any of the other notes came out on my skin. On paper, it's a bit more interesting, and I get the tartness of the rhubarb, the carrot seed/iris, some of the black tea. But no jam tarts, or even sweetness, definitely no hallucinogens. 

While Queen is fine, it's just not my cuppa. However, I think it might be quite nice layered with Quir.

Quir

Bergamot, Pink pepper, Amber Xtreme, Rose absolute, Tobacco absolute, Leather harness accord, Castoreum, Cashmeran, Patchouli, Labdanum, Musk

Explicit acceptance and subversive joy in a secret world of leather and pleasure. A celebration of defiant exuberance, the spectrum of individuality and identity. Patent leather glistens amid well-worn biker jackets, adorned with spiced floral corsages.

Perhaps my skin cleans up naughty scents, but I don't find anything particularly subversive about Quir, despite the "leather harness accord" and beaver butt gland juice. Quir is all about tobacco and gentle leather on my skin, with patch and musk at the base. It's cozy and comforting and quite delicious and I might have to spring for a full bottle if BB has another fabulous sale. Better yet, once it's sold here in the states, so I can avoid the insane shipping costs. 

Verdant

Timut pepper, Neroli, Cactus accord, Violet leaf, Tomato leaf, White flowers, Australian Sandalwood, Javanol, Vetiver, Oakmoss, Concrete accord, Musk

New verdant air reaches skyscraper heights as millions of green stems weave through brutalist buildings from some distant past when humans ruled the Earth. A dewy mist lightly hovers over the concrete jungle, and a desert has turned into an oasis. New life can begin.

Several of the green fragrances I own and love rely on galbanum and basil to create the sensation of walking through a forest or meadow or whathaveyou. Verdant, however, has an unusual cactus accord (which unfortunately contains Calone, one of my most-hated fragrance ingredients) that gives off the vibes of a moist greenhouse, also the sensation of snapping a fat aloe vera leaf to get to the healing ooze within.  But I'm getting ahead of myself. The opening notes are a fleeting bright citrus aroma and a slight tingle of spice that comes from the timut pepper, a cousin of Sichuan pepper that is not actually a member of the pepper family but is a bud of the prickly ash tree. 

While I dislike Calone and its "marine" sensation (I don't understand wanting to smell like something that's washed up on a beach, or sushi), I can live with it in Verdant, being that there's a lot of other, more delicious, things going on in the fragrance, such as two different kinds of sandalwood, a lovely grassy vetiver, and musk. 

One other thing: Verdant is a prime example of a scent that must be tried on skin. On blotter paper, it is all about the tomato leaf and white flowers, with no noticeable marine note. It's joyful and delicious. On skin, at least my skin, it's almost an entirely different fragrance. 

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Posted by theminx on Minxstinks
Note: this post is my opinion. I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned in this post or any other companies.