Filthy Musk BORNTOSTANDOUT®

Pretension is the core of this hobby today. Disregarding his own tastes, superseding his own choices, and ignoring his own wants, a man would pick what is more spoken about, scarce, or, in layman’s terms, “hyped.” There is no need but to pretend; pretend either (a) to fit in, given others like said fragrance, or (b) to come across as someone they want to portray themselves as, rather than what they actually are. Simplicity is a curse unless perfected. Complexity is a necessary evil, used by men to hide when that aforementioned simplicity cannot be perfected. Men like me. But the difference between pretending to like something and creating something through pretension is… well, it need not be said.

One such trend must be dirty gourmands. What was the need? What was the point? What was the aim? Keeping all that aside, Filthy Musk by BORNTOSTANDOUT is a marvellous blend. As someone who hates the genre, this scent has wooed me. Filthy Musk changes with time. Out of the mail, it smelled like thick, gooey cookies and nothing more. Disheartened, I ended up forgetting about it — till today, when I was cleaning my shelves and sprayed it on my arm. Now the need for the first paragraph arises. This genre is acting like a bridge between two polar opposites: animalics and gourmands.

Personally, I would never have dared to even think about joining the two, given my annoyance and hatred towards gourmands. I’m sure the beginnings of this genre were ridiculed for the same — possibly by me. Filthy Musk, however, brings that appeal forward. Likeable due to its cookie-like nature, yet slightly repulsive to the common man’s nose because of the musky civet. It acts like a seesaw. The moment I feel, “Ah, another gourmand,” the musk rises to the top. As soon as someone else feels repulsed, the pineapple and honey take charge. It is interesting enough to own and certainly brings a strong diversification factor to my collection — but that’s not what we primarily look for in a scent.

A few renditions of the scent: (1) a sweaty, overworked chef who has just finished making a batch of cookies; (2) a man who returns home after a day in the heat, having drenched himself in the morning with Ted Lapidus Pour Homme, finally sits down on a cool leather chair and rests as a batch of sweets bakes in the oven; (3) a bakery being cleaned with chemicals; (4) a perfumer drops the wrong formula into a beaker and creates a masterpiece; or (5) a sweaty civet cat finds its way into your kitchen and raids your refrigerator near Christmas.

Too gourmand for those who like animalics. Too dirty for those who prefer simple gourmands. This scent acts like a bridge for people who want to explore without pretending. It serves as a soft introduction into a world many want to enter but have no means to. It is not a trend — not yet. Overlooked, until the “hype” arrives. Thus is the reality. If ten people praise it, those who once hated it will automatically buy a bottle just to post it.