one thing that makes indie perfumeries interesting is the wide latitude of creativity that they have with their scent inspirations and names, as compared to their mainstream counterparts. oftentimes the scent name and description complete the experience with the extra dimension of a story and context that embodies the character of the scent - that said, it cuts both ways in that a lovely scent name and description can almost never make up for a perfume that just doesn't work, and the nicest perfume ever can end up being dragged down by an ill-chosen name.
the original naming of Broke Ass Bitch (Sparkling candied citrus peel, vanilla from the expensive hippie shop, Egyptian Musk, cuticle cream 'cause you're getting a manicure anyway, dammit.) by Sucreabeille was a perfect example of the latter. i loved the scent but had extremely strong feelings about the name and description; had it been released under any other name, it would have been a strong contender for my general rotation collection, no questions asked.
in the bottle, this is a really fun gourmand - the citrus and vanilla blend together with a lovely cold cream accord, and there's an overall lightness that is reminiscent of a cold fizzy drink on a warm day. the citrus is sweet but not overtly so, and the vanilla smooths everything out beautifully. over the course of its four hours or so of wear, the scent remains largely the same with a low throw of about a foot, and i really enjoyed the whole experience.
now, this review is more than just a sniff and scribble about one scent, but also what i felt was a good opportunity to take an objective look at the bigger picture in the fragrance industry and the role of social media / advertising in today's culture.
the thing that troubled me with the original scent name and description of "broke ass bitch" was that it went too far in glorifying the pervasive standard of consumerism that threatens modern life nowadays, with quotes such as "Your bank account is empty, but your heart and credit cards are maxed out, and you can’t say no to things that will enrich your life even as they drain your finances." in the original description.
debt can be beneficial if used responsibly, but the debt trap still remains a problem that threatens many today. the sad truth about our culture is that it promotes the idea of buying the newest, shiniest, most 'fun' things because they make you feel good - buy first and enjoy, even if you have to pay it off later! it's no wonder that many people find themselves ensnared by debt even if they didn't mean to, and for some others, it's considerably worse because their debt arises due to necessities such as food or education, even as they tighten their belts and buy only what they need to survive.
and let's face it - the fragrance industry involves expensive products which are luxury non-essential goods. and as someone who writes about scents (largely perfume, with some whisky too), consumerism is an issue that always remains at the forefront of my mind whenever i think about the content and frequency of my posts. far be it from me to want to be part of the problem, to promote a culture of overspending and purchasing beyond one's means.
i believe that there's always a benefit to having some luxury things in life that give it meaning, and i'm all for sensible spending within one's capacity, taking proper fiscal responsibility to plan and budget what an appropriate level of discretionary spending should be, and then sticking to it. the problem is that this is the opposite of the vivid picture painted by the scent description of someone spending more than they should on non-essential items and finding themselves in financial difficulties as a result.
of course, i have the hunch that Sucreabeille probably wasn't intending to expressly celebrate such a culture and had likely intended this in a tongue-in-cheek sense, but in my view personally, any meaningful commentary on this seems to have been lost in the description for such a light fun scent.
now i'll be entirely candid - while all my reviews are honest and as objective as possible, it's never an easy decision to write a negative one. out of respect to any creator and also to give constructive feedback that could benefit the brand involved, i sometimes reach out directly to them as well before publishing reviews that end up being more negative than positive.
so in this case, i sent an email to the owner Andrea regarding my concerns with the scent name - to my surprise she agreed with me that the scent description wasn't in line with her store's values, and her team did a renaming of the scent and overhaul of the description to Glow Up, a celebration of financial responsibility and what it truly means to be an adult. it's really done a complete 180 now for the better:
"Once, you were a broke ass bitch. But not anymore. Those days are behind you. No more wondering if your accidental drunk online shopping binge wreaked havoc on your bank account; you have contingency funds and a lot less debt than you used to."
a longer post than usual, but i wanted to share because this whole episode is a good example of how feedback matters, and how fragrance brands should respond to worthwhile feedback especially when it comes to important matters like this, when the description and branding (apart from the scent product itself) has an impact on, or a skewed reflection of, culture and society as we see it today.
before the renaming, having seen the effects of unchecked spending and the perils of the avoidable death trap in the endless chase of modern consumerism, i couldn't have in good conscience given Broke Ass Bitch anything more than a 1/10 when stacked up against the rest of the scents in my personal collection.
but now, considering the better name and more inspiring description, i can really enjoy Glow Up for what it is, and it's a solid 7/10 in my book.
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this review is of a product that i had purchased with my own money. i wasn’t asked to review this scent as a condition of receipt and didn’t receive any incentives for writing this. i’m not affiliated with Sucreabeille and as always, all opinions remain my own.
Glow Up is available here. prices are US$6 for a 1ml sample, US$12 for a dram, US$16 for a 5ml bottle, US$20 for a 10ml rollerball and US$45 for a 1 oz bottle (before shipping).
all information correct at time of publishing.
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