Smoky & Earthy

Rankness is a deliberately harsh, animalic smokiness—imagine the acrid, slightly putrid smell of burnt hair mixed with wet animal hide and stale tobacco ash. It's deliberately unpleasant, almost feral, like opening a damp leather satchel that's been left in a smoky pub for decades. There's an underlying funkiness, a deliberate departure from conventional beauty. It smells vaguely dangerous, unwashed, and primordial—the olfactory equivalent of a wild thing backed into a corner.

Woody

Sandalwood smells like warm, creamy silk wrapped around your skin on a cool evening. Imagine the subtle sweetness of vanilla mixed with a gentle spice—almost peppery—alongside a soft, almost powdery dryness. There's a faint milky quality, like almond paste or coconut cream, but not fruity. It's deeply comforting, never sharp or aggressive; rather, it unfolds slowly, like the smell of an old wooden jewellery box lined with fabric, releasing its aroma only when you lean in close. Grounding and intimate.