WAKE-UP CALL

I Am No Longer Gatekeeping My Cardamom Coffee Cologne

Lush may be known for its bath bombs, but its underrated fragrance lineup is not to be missed.

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For years, Lush’s Cardamom Coffee cologne has not only my go-to scent, but it’s also become my olfactory signature. When I first started wearing it, I leaned on Cardamom Coffee as a personality. It was always my secret weapon; I knew before leaving the house that with each spritz and spray, I would soon be asked what I was wearing. And I also knew I would keep it a secret.

Frankly, I used to guard this scent with my life. When people would ask what I was wearing, I’d play dumb, change the topic, make a joke, or insist that I naturally just smelled like that. Obviously, no one believed me. Why would they? No one naturally smells this warm and inviting with just a hint of intrigue and old-world magnetism.

There is an exotic allure to Lush’s Cardamom Coffee fragrance (technically a perfume, but it’s very unisex, in my opinion) because it alternates between eastern spice and common coffee grounds. It smells vaguely familiar without being obvious. It’s a name you can’t place, it’s a face you can’t name. So, after years of gatekeeping and utter denial, I’m telling the world all about it.

Lush

$270

Lush Cardamom Coffee Perfume

The lore behind the Lush Cardamom Coffee scent is as heavy as its uniquely warm smell. When perfumer Simon Constantine visited a refugee camp, he saw firsthand the suffering and hardship the refugees endured; however, it was the shared kindness, care, and humanity among them that inspired him. Someone handed him a cup of warm coffee brewed with cardamom, and the scent triggered something within him that became the basis for this cologne.

See At Lush

Of course, the fragrance also features other secondary notes, including classic Oudh, a hint of sweet rose, and a sparkle of olive leaf, which come together to help create a mysterious and provocative aura. You don’t even have to like coffee to have warm memories of your parents, a teacher, or a friend in university who was never without a hot cup of its earthy aroma. For me, this fragrance evokes that sense of nostalgia while remaining slightly sophisticated.

While known for its beloved bath bombs, Lush has been producing fragrance since its founding, and has an extensive gender-neutral perfume library. While Cardamom Coffee is my favorite, I also love many of Lush’s other fragrances, including Tank Battle and Breath of God. They’re all unique—there’s no risk of smelling like every guy at the bar. Plus, they don’t have that strong, sharp alcohol scent that so many men’s colognes do.

If you’re like me before I discovered Lush’s under-the-radar fragrance line, you may be intimidated to invest in a signature scent. Years ago, I would just grab a strip out of a magazine, rub it on my neck, and call it a day. But there’s something nice about knowing you smell good—and knowing you don’t smell like anyone else. If you’re a fragrance novice looking for something that smells good without being overpowering, Lush’s fragrances will not let you down.

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