Meet The Perfumer

For as long as I can remember I have been in love with scents and the way random things smelled because of how they would make me feel. The way the the house would smell when my Grandma was making candied sweet potatoes. I later would discover the things that made up those scents. Things like vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar and orange zest became aromas that I would associate with comfort and security. Most of my life, I expressed my creativity through food and became a chef. The idea that I could take raw ingredients and make them into whatever I wanted was amazing to me. I had the notion that I would share my food with the world! Unfortunately, the pandemic hit. My dreams of sharing my creativity were crushed. I became depressed and unmotivated. I contemplated a career change many times, but I had associated my career so close to my identity that I thought that being a chef was all that I could be. However, I later realized that it was just “something I did.”

And then there was perfume. One of my favorite sayings that is loosely based on a famous quote by Dr. Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you wore, but they will never forget how you smell.” Perfume is a very personal thing and you should wear it just for you! I choose my scent of the day (or part of the day) like many people choose an outfit. It’s based on how I want to feel and the energy I want to present. It almost never has anything to do with what someone else might like. My goal with the perfumes that I create is to push the boundaries and bring to you things that you’ve never smelled before. I understand that not every fragrance will appeal to every person. I’m looking to create signature scents that will have people stopping you as you walk by to ask “what are you wearing?” Your choice in perfume isn’t going to magically make you into something, but it CAN give you that boost of confidence to be your best self. Scent is very personal and I encourage you to start with our discovery set to help find out which work best for you. Who knows, you may just find your new signature scent. All of our perfumes have been handcrafted by myself and poured in small batches.

- Justin McLamore
Founder of Mack n Gnosh