Juliette Has A Gun: NOT A PERFUME 15th Anniversary
A unique and unexpected name or composition can instantly grab our attention, but how long it holds on to it depends on whether it offers something truly innovative or is just a clever marketing ploy. Fifteen years ago, Juliette Has a Gun introduced Not a Perfume—a fragrance built around a single note. The name alone, along with the bold idea of a scent crafted from just one ingredient, sparked curiosity among fragrance lovers. Today after all these years, Not a Perfume still stands as a one of a kind olfactory experience.
There’s something undeniably intriguing about a fragrance that doesn’t try too hard. In my collection of niche and indie fragrances, which are often complex, evolving symphonies of notes, Not a Perfume stands apart by being uniquely simple.
At its core, it is a clean, musky-soft scent that doesn’t go through the usual transformations on the skin. It’s a single-note fragrance, which means what you smell at the beginning is exactly what you’ll continue to experience—no surprises, no twists, just a close to skin intimate experience. Though the scent remains consistent throughout, I notice that as it warms up on my skin, it develops a subtle depth that wasn’t apparent when first sprayed.
Not a Perfume is crafted from a single element—Cetalox. Typically used as a base note in perfumery, here, it takes the spotlight. The result? a minimalist, pure and intimate fragrance that has become iconic over the years. A one-note fragrance might seem monotonous at first, but it’s anything but boring, specially when you master the art of layering.
This scent is perfect for those days when you want something subtle—something just for you. The projection isn’t particularly strong, and its staying power isn’t the longest, however, I noticed traces of it staying on my skin for up to six hours. To fully appreciate it, we need to remember the intention behind this fragrance. It’s not trying to be bold or overpowering. Instead, it lingers close to the skin, creating an intimate aura rather than a statement.
One of the things I truly admire about Not a Perfume is its versatility. Without the traditional complexities of other fragrances, I believe it has the potential to be an excellent layering scent. So far, I’ve been wearing it on its own to fully appreciate its character, but in the coming weeks, I plan to experiment layering it with different fragrances to discover the most compelling combinations. I’ll be sure to update this post with my standout findings. For now, I simply wanted to share my thoughts in honour of Not a Perfume’s 15th-anniversary celebration.
A big congratulations to Juliette Has a Gun on 15 successful years of the iconic Not a Perfume ! A special thank you to Twisted Lily for gifting me this fragrance as part of the anniversary celebration.
Available at Twisted Lily in sample vials as well as larger sizes.
