Eau De Twenty20
This piece was first published in Little Old Lady Comedy. For more fun, visit their site at littleoldladycomedy.com.
Eau de Twenty20 is an earthy, outdoorsy fragrance with bursts of hygienic notes enveloped by undertones of conflict, natural disaster and comfort food. It is best enjoyed at a distance of six feet and through a face mask.
This unexpected fragrance grabs your attention at first spray with topnotes that tickle your nostrils like a PCR test. The sparkling scent of traditional Purell mixes with a splash of upstate distillery 80% alcohol sanitizer, giving the fragrance a clean, purifying start with a touch of whiskey. A warm note of morning breath reminiscent of your child, dog or partner brings complexity and evokes that stay-at-home feeling.
As Eau de Twenty20 settles in, more comforting notes shine through, connecting your kitchen to the outdoors, two of the only places one may safely venture. A grassy topsoil note, inspired by a crowded Home Depot Garden Center in May, characterizes the heart of the fragrance. It lends an aura of nostalgia for those who spent spring and summer days tending to raised vegetable beds and others who adorned their front yards with celebratory yard signs saying, “Look at us! We live here, and we care about stuff!” With a nod to mankind’s deepening connection to nature, we added a hint of toasted pumpkin seed, honoring the raw passion between hungry squirrels and carved domestic pumpkins. Outdoors meets indoors with a sophisticated blend of coffee, wine and sugar designed to help this fragrance endure from morning to night, all day every day.
An ultramodern finish, equal parts surprise, devastation and Devil-may-care, completes Eau de Twenty20. Smoky wood tones bring strength and depth to the fragrance base. Is that a new backyard fire pit or the entire West Coast ablaze? The many interpretations create a refined elegance. A textured scent of infrequent showers and well-worn sweatpants adds a sensuality to the drydown. Capturing the tension of the year, a signature note called Election combines a metallic urban bouquet of subway platforms and downtown bars with a wholesome blend of Midwestern corn and wheat. In a final twist, a yeasty, salty whiff of sourdough starter, delivered back in March from a well-intentioned friend who knows that sometimes the best gifts are also a responsibility, wraps up the fragrance. Who knew this weird new reality could be so delicious? Eau de Twenty20 is encased in a spherical bottle with spiky red things sticking out. It includes a printer-ready sticker intended to hold a photo of your forever home.