The more I use major social media platforms like TikTok, the more I’m convinced that at least when it comes to fragrance, Gen Z’s spending power is second to none. Growing up, I discovered new perfumes while flipping through magazines and catching perfume pamphlets that tumbled out from between the pages.
Now, discovering a new perfume is as simple as swiping through a social media feed tailor-made to your interests, preferences, and shopping practices. Enter lifestyle-and-beauty content creator Monet McMichael, who uses her platform to share her favorite product finds, normalize “unsexy” beauty maintenance, and provide easy-to-follow tutorials for popular makeup looks.
Last month, McMichael launched her first fragrance, Rose Era, in collaboration with Snif, a trendy fine fragrance and candle brand that prides itself in accessible, clean, and cutting-edge scents for all. I had the opportunity to speak with McMichael herself and the talented duo behind the brand, Bryan Edwards and Phil Riportella, for their take on Snif’s newest fragrance.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Snif)
Monet McMichael Is Entering Her Rose Era
What do you admire the most about Snif?
I was so excited to partner because they create such unique, quality smells and really think outside the box! My first fragrance I loved from them was Crumb Couture, which smelled like a blueberry pastry, which I would never think to purchase for myself! That was my first introduction the brand, and I was immediately hooked.
Recently, they came out with Soda Snob, which just made me even more excited to break tradition for fragrances and embrace other kind of scents daily. A lot of their fragrances are also unisex, which aligns with what we created. It was very reassuring that the fragrance wasn’t specific to one gender, which is one of the things I love about Sniff.
How has your partnership with this brand influenced how you view the world of perfumery?
I was a fragrance girl before this, but the collaboration has definitely changed my relationship and understanding of fragrances. I’ve learned so much through this journey over the past year. For example, when I’m finishing my getting-ready sequence after hair, makeup and outfit, I think about how important it is to select a great fragrance. It’s become a ritual!
Can you tell us what the process was like for you to develop your own perfume?
I didn’t know what to expect going in to this, but the Snif team was so helpful and really guided me throughout the journey from vision, inspiration, and the direction I wanted to go in. Whether its fresh and floral or fruity and tropical, there’ are so many different directions a fragrance can go. I decided on going floral and fresh because those have been favorites of mine throughout my lifetime.
The process starts with meeting with a few perfumers and describing that vision to see how it resonates with them. Then, we had a smell session person that offered a few different versions for me to sniff and gave feedback. It was so cool! I was working hand-in-hand with everyone on the team. I learned what goes into creating scents and the process of packaging, which I really appreciated being part of!
(Image credit: Courtesy of Snif)
Break down the fragrance a little for us. Why did you choose to include these particular notes?
I really started with the fact I love rose and jasmine, so florals ended up being the heart of the scent. I also mentioned to them that I love a fresh and clean laundry element. We worked with top-tier perfumers, who came up with suggestions (including adding a fruit element), which really balanced out the florals to make the fragrance fun and fresh.
Did you work closely with Bryan Edwards and Phil Riportella? If so, what was it like collaborating with the team?
I was very curious about the brand, and it’s amazing how everything aligned. There’s still a lot more to do together on this journey, but I’m sad for it to ever come to an end. I hope Rose Era lives on forever and that there are more things in the future!
What do you hope consumers will take from the Rose Era scent experience?
I hope everyone really loves it and that it takes over the internet! I hope it’s the smell of the summer, fall, and winter since it’s very versatile and encapsulates all seasons and feelings. It’s my first fragrance collab, and I’m very interested in a seeing how people respond to it. I hope people feel confidence from this!
(Image credit: Courtesy of Snif)
A Conversation With Snif Founders Bryan Edwards and Phil Riportella
Can you tell me a little about your story with Snif? What sparked the brand?
We always loved fragrance but dreaded the experience at department store fragrance counters. We knew there had to be a better way to experience scents. At Snif, we keep things simple and make it fun to find your go-to fragrances. We remove the complexities and gender stereotypes that are common in the industry, so everyone in our community can find a scent that feels uniquely them.
Our team works hard to curate high-quality, clean products that stand out in the market. With our try-before-you-buy model, a full-size product also comes with a sample so our customers can experience our scents in their own space and on their own time before committing. Snif is changing the fragrance experience for good.
How did the partnership with Monet start? Was a rose scent always the goal?
The partnership with Monet began when she and Phil met and quickly clicked at a dinner in NYC last summer. That and Monet’s initial love for one of our best-selling scents, Crumb Couture, naturally led to the idea of creating a fragrance together. When we started the development process, we evaluated all of Monet’s favorite fragrances and nearly all of them were floral.
This project also represents Snif’s first venture into floral fragrances, and the timing, combined with the partnership with Monet, made it the perfect opportunity to introduce a Snif twist to the floral fragrance world.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Snif)
Could you tell us what the research-and-development process was like for Rose Era? What steps had to be taken, and what was the partnership like?
We worked with Monet on the scent for almost a year. We saw a chance to create a core floral scent with a fun, youthful twist that her audience and the Snif community would love. Monet is a dream partner—she was super hands-on and thoughtful throughout the entire design process. We kicked things off with a creative brief where Monet shared her vision and ideas, including scent notes, images, and even music videos for inspiration. Our perfumers then used this to create the initial scent options.
Monet met with our team and perfumers several times in NYC, trying out over 15 different scent directions. We eventually homed in on the version that became Rose Era, making 32 tweaks to get it just right. Some of the biggest changes included adding strawberry notes and a clean laundry accord to make the rose scent bright, fun, and fresh.
Which Snif fragrances do you believe would pair well with the Rose Era perfume? Which ones are your favorites, generally?
While we adore Rose Era on its own, it is also a great layering tool because it is so fresh, light, and floral. Some of our Snif favorites to layer it with include Vow Factor, Vanilla Vice, Tart Deco, and Citrus Circus.
Could you clue us in on any future Snif ventures? Should we be looking forward to seeing more collaborations with content creators?
We don’t want to reveal any secrets, but we have a lot of exciting things planned. Working with Monet has been a dream, and we have some ideas to keep the momentum going.
Shop Our Favorite Snif Fragrances
Fragrance Family: fruity floral
Key Notes: rose, strawberry, clean laundry accord, ambrette seeds, white moss, saffron
Fragrance Family: citrus woods
Key Notes: bergamot, black tea, green tea, golden matté, sage, galbanum, incense, amber, vetiver
Fragrance Family: green florals
Key Notes: green fig, mandarin, galbanum, neroli, rose, orris, cedarwood, tonka bean, ambrette seeds
Fragrance Family: gourmand woods
Key Notes: black cherry, raspberry, rose, jasmine, mimosa, birchwood, vetiver, vanilla