Smells like… her?

Okay, be honest—have you ever scrolled past a selfie and thought, “This pic smells like vanilla and vinyl records”? Or maybe, “This gives off a cold citrus candle in a leather tote bag vibe”?

Yeah. Same.

Welcome to the weirdly addictive world of aesthetic scent captions—aka, the internet’s favorite way to say “you give off a vibe,” but with perfume notes. And spoiler: it’s not actually about the smell.

Why are we doing this?

It’s not like we’re all walking around with a fragrance encyclopedia in our heads (well, maybe some of us are). But saying someone’s photo "smells like iced earl grey and old bookstores" hits different than “You look pretty!” It’s specific. It’s romantic. It makes the moment feel like a memory—even if you’ve never met the person.

Gen Z doesn’t just want to look good—we want to be felt. The caption isn’t just text; it’s a mood, a scent, an emotion in words.

Who started it?

Nobody really knows, but TikTok and Pinterest definitely helped. Some creators started adding scent-inspired text to outfits, selfies, or moodboards. Then it spread like wildfire. Now you’ll find comments like:

  • “She smells like pink grapefruit and secrets.”

  • “This pic = sandalwood + morning rain.”

  • “Gives off expensive hand cream energy.”

Iconic.

Is this just another ✨aesthetic thing✨?

Yes—and no.

Sure, it’s part of the same universe as “clean girl,” “vanilla latte makeup,” or “old money core.” But it also taps into something deeper: identity. When someone says your photo smells like lavender and honey, it’s their way of saying, “You make me feel calm, sweet, and safe.” How cute is that?

So… should we start doing this too?

Absolutely. Next time you post a selfie or fit pic, skip the basic emoji. Try:

“Smells like white peach, sun-warmed sheets, and a playlist I only share with one person.”

Or whatever you feel like. There are no rules—just vibes.

Your turn: What does your last photo smell like? I’m curious. 👀

— Mia

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