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Scentsational
Franco Wright, cofounder of LuckyScent.com, discusses fall fragrance trends and shares his secrets for finding truly exquisite aromas.
By Marissa Kristal

What led you to pursue a career in perfumery?
I’ve been a big fragrance consumer since grade school. Every year I would give my teacher a fragrance as a gift, and I always bought my mother scents for her birthday. I would also collect empty bottles from my father and grandfather, mostly your average drugstore brands. But I had this funny thing about fragrance myself—I only wore it at night. Then, in my late twenties, I became fascinated with Comme Des Garçons scents, and that changed my whole perspective on perfumery.

And now you’re the cofounder of LuckyScent.com, a purveyor of rare and exclusive fragrances. How and when did you decide to launch the business?
We created LuckyScent.com about four years ago. Our background was in the interactive and graphic-design industry, and our projects had always revolved around retail, merchandising, and e-commerce. At that time, we were also fascinated by indie perfumers in L.A. and New York, as well as the craze for roll-on perfume oils. A few months after we launched the site, I became obsessed with exploring brands and fragrances from around the world, so we expanded our reach.

How do you decide which brands and scents to carry?
Generally, we’re interested in the niche, artisan brands—perfumers who have a real talent for blending—and we also like to carry a few brands that dovetail with specific trends. We seldom carry scents that can be found at department stores, though.

LuckyScent.com is no longer just virtual. You recently opened a retail space, Scent Bar, in Los Angeles.
Yes. We had a lot of local customers who wanted to pick up their products in person and check out the latest brands as they arrived. So we started seeing clients by appointment at our office, and we quickly realized that we needed a standalone retail store. After months of searching, we found a unique space in the West Hollywood/Beverly Hills area. The bar concept was inspired by the way local bars displayed their sprits. We thought, Why not pull up a stool and have fun discovering unique, luxurious fragrances? And that’s the key: discovery. We encourage our customers to be curious, and there’s never a hard sell or a sales quota to meet. At one point or another, everyone has had a fragrance pushed on them while shopping—a salesperson spraying clouds of perfume at you as you walk by. But we want to make sure our customers love the scents they wear, and we want Scent Bar to be a unique L.A. destination. Even with the new travel restrictions, many customers buy fragrance on vacation because scents are so evocative of a time and place.

Do you believe there’s a connection between the olfactory world and the mind, body, and spirit?
I do believe there’s a connection or, rather, an emotional experience. While some people are just on a quest for the latest or most heavily advertised fragrance, hoping it will become their new signature, most of our clients want something different—to be enveloped by fragrance, especially if it comes from a unique destination. When someone can envelop their mind, body, and spirit in a particular fragrance, the experience can become a transcendental one. 

Why do certain perfumes smell great on some people and not on others? And what’s the best way to avoid buyer’s remorse?
There are many factors than can affect the way a fragrance smells. For example, dry skin reacts to fragrance differently than oily skin, while our diet and environment can also play a role. In addition, each nose detects scents differently than another. The key to ensuring you’ll like your purchases is simple—try before you buy. Spritz on a sample, wear it for an hour or so, and see how you like it. It’s important to give the notes time to develop, and hopefully, the drydown will be the part you love the most. At LuckyScent.com, we offer samples of every fragrance we carry, usually for less than $5.

Do you have any tips for applying fragrances and making them last longer?
As far as application, people should use whatever method they feel most comfortable with, but in general, they should avoid spraying scents on their clothes, especially suede, which can stain. If you’re prone to skin irritation, try spritzing your brush and combing the scent through your hair. To make a scent last longer, layer it over a matching lotion, if it’s available, and if you use an antibacterial soap, try switching to a mild, nonscented formula.

Which types of scents would you recommend for fragrance newbies this fall?
People whose noses are unsure are usually attracted to fresh scents, light florals, and semisweet fragrances. But I’ve watched so many of my clients evolve from clean scents to exotic aromas in a matter of months. As far as fall aromas, it’s important to wear a scent you truly love—that goal should always supersede any trend. That said, fragrance seems to be following the darker mood of ready-to-wear fashion right now, so were seeing a lot of sandalwood, incense, and amber. Women’s scents are darker, spicier, and even semimasculine, and of course, in cold weather, the warmer, sexier, and more exotic, the better!  

What can we expect to see next from LuckyScent.com?
More brand exclusives. Also, we’re working on an entirely new product category that will be a great complement to our luxurious fragrance, candles, and bath and body offerings. And eventually, we’d like to open additional locations. Many of our online customers are bicoastal, so we’d love to open a shop in New York City.

Franco Wright, cofounder of LuckyScent.com.

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