Caught in the Web

The day honesty cost more than a bottle of perfume.

Most of what you’ve been told about fragrance was written to sell you something. Confessions at Stéle exists for everything else —the honest takes, the unpopular opinions, the things we say to each other when no one’s listening.

There is often something like a symbiotic relationship between the content creator and the brand.

It’s a mutualism, much like aphids and ants, where the aphids secrete a sugar-rich, nourishing honeydew for ants in exchange for protection from predators. The brand will provide partnerships to help build the creator’s following and engagement, not to mention their own “honeydew” in the form of free promotional discovery sets or bottles. In turn, the creator offers advertising for the brand through featuring such PR in posts and reels. The aphid herds mean business, the farmer ants cultivate content.

What does it take to sustain such relationships though? When does a creator decide or brand decide that it isn’t mutually beneficial?

The responsibility of each in this relationship has been subject to much scrutiny, as there may be agreements made between the two where a creator must assure that a) content is made for PR and b) the content MUST be in favor of said product.

Herein lies the problem faced by those who consume such content.

Under the guise of “honest” reviews, much of the time it is a pact made between these two parties that is tied to the promise of more free product, or even compensation.

It’s not just large influencers who involve themselves in such transactions, even smaller “micro-influencers” and content creators with smaller follower and/or subscriber accounts take part.

Over the past few years, I myself have agreed to be a part of this ecosystem, accepting gifts from brands to whom I express an appreciation for a release after having tested them. I have often considered the ethics behind this and choose to be transparent about it whenever I feature one in my own content. It surely is an honor to be trusted with such gifts, to be regarded as having the discernment that motivates these brands and perfumers to speak on behalf of their product. More recently, I’ve accepted products for which I hadn’t yet smelled: samples, discovery sets, full bottles.

This is where I must now be frank with those offering such gifts.

I am under no obligation to create content regarding them, nor if I do, to give a positive review if my heart’s not in it. Some are understanding and scrupulous, but still others will have an immediate change of heart.

Before I assured that there was this caveat in communications, there was a brand that shall not be named (to protect the innocent or guilty or oblivious), who in conversation offered to send a full bottle of a fragrance for which I expressed a strong appreciation. It was such a kind gesture, for sure, among the first instances where I accepted such a gift. When there was a new release from the brand, the owner swiftly sent a sample for me to check out. At the time, I had no qualms about writing a review for any sample I received, and wasn’t inclined to refrain from writing one that was more critical if a certain fragrance felt short of my expectations. And I did with this one. It was shared to the platforms and discovered by the brand.

The reaction was nothing short of unnerving. I received an email from the owner, who claimed that he wasn’t sure how I received the sample, though he himself directly sent it to me just a couple weeks before. He implored that I agree to his “presenting” it to me video so that I may “better understand it” and so that he may “walk me through the dry down.” In the body of the email, he proceeded to go into great detail regarding the intention behind this fragrance, elaborating how its creation was inspired by some very personal events. It was even suggested that due to my perceptions being subjective, they might need to be fine-tuned which required understanding the concept better. It was so thoroughly disconcerting that I opted not to reply to the email. It was bullshit. This brand eventually blocked all contact with me online for my refusal to potentially change my opinion.

This is the cautionary tale. If one wants to be a truly authentic reviewer who offers critique, accepting PR has some clear challenges.

It’s up to the content creator to be clear with their communication from the very beginning on what they are and are not willing to do, lest something backfires. I really want to emphasize the word communication. Make sure it is strong and direct. On the other hand, if a creator chooses not to do so and willingly hypes up a release for the sake of engagement and ensured continued amicable relationships with brands, then yes, integrity, is in question. The satisfying “honeydew” for the sake of creating content and pleasing others *and* at the cost of forthright critique makes so many in this ecosystem suspect.

Proceed with caution when entering brand partnerships and in earning brand “ambassador” roles.

Do understand that one may question your credentials of fragrance expertise and claims of honest reviewing once you do so.

Some argue that one should tread carefully when sharing reviews of releases from smaller brands and artisan perfumers as, depending on one’s influence, it could potentially affect their business and livelihood. I can understand this concern and tend to take pause before sharing negative reviews on releases where the small outfit perhaps more at stake. Yet, there is still a part of me that feels that this may, in the long run, do more harm than good in helping these artists grow and evolve. Relying on an echo chamber of favorable reactions may yield short-term benefits but quickly lead to diminishing returns once exposure to the brand exceeds the development and refining of it. People will catch on to the quality, or lack thereof, but we all know that is another slimy, squirmy can of worms in the realm of smelly liquid discourse.

Choose to publicly critique any product at your own discretion.

We need critical voices to stand out among the chorus of approving,
even obsequious content creators and influencers.

It’s sad to say this but yes, we are in a world where honesty isn’t valued as much as status, and the aphid herds know this and will capitalize on the farmer ants who want to yield more output and earn more cachet among their cohort. I do, however, still believe that even in spite of losing popularity in certain circles or disappointing artists and businesspeople alike, honesty and authenticity wins in the end, and will earn the most prestige over time.

A line I always like to share with fellow denizens of the social media sphere:

“The only way to truly be authentic on social media
is to be willing to be disliked.”

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Joseph Colbourne has spent nearly two decades collecting fragrance and a good portion of that time writing about it honestly — which, as this piece makes clear, is rarer than it should be. His work spans Substack, Instagram, and his YouTube series Effluvium. He also sat down with Stéle on Nosedive.

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Confessions at Stéle is an ongoing series.

We ask people what they really think.

The next one might surprise you.