Ukiyo-e

I love when a scent has texture. The notes in Ukiyo-e do not blend into one cohesive scent profile on my skin, but instead blur, change, and reinvent themselves throughout wear. At different times I can pick up the sharp, slightly bitter yuzu against the soft fuzz of heather. There's a warm nuttiness from the genmaicha that is contrasted by a bright cherry blossom. There's a clean green tea in here too, I think. And every time I move my arm and catch a whiff, it's different than it was before.

From my understanding, 'wabi-sabi' is a Japanese aesthetic based on appreciating the imperfect, the fleeting, the ordinary, etc. I think this scent reflects and celebrates that well. Throughout its wear-time of 5+ hours, Ukiyo-e doesn't sit still for a second. It morphs through a bright, pithy citrus opening, to a toasted rice and green tea, to a floral green tea and beyond. What surprised me the most is that no stage of this was unpleasant to my nose, despite a general wariness around powder and florals. I enjoyed each iteration throughout its wear!

I have been on the hunt for a signature scent for an embarrassingly long time, in no small part because I'm so indecisive, and a lot of super linear scents don't wow me. But Ukiyo-e appears to be as restless as I am, and I think that's what makes me love it so much. Absolutely full size worthy!