What’s a ‘Fraghead’? And Other Delightful Things I Learned from Christina Loff
The writer behind The Dry Down Diaries shares how scent connects us to memory, emotion, and ourselves.
“You don't need to know anything to enjoy perfume. That's been one of the things that has really held people back. It can feel intimidating, like getting into wine, like you need to know all this language, and you definitely don't.”
Christina Loff, The Dry Down Diaries
Have you ever walked down the street and instantly known someone just smoked a joint? Scent is powerful, and it has the power to shift your mood. It can make you feel transported, whether it’s the salty breeze of a summer beach day or the perfume you wore in high school.
Right now, fragrance is having a major renaissance. I wanted to learn more about it and reached out to Christina Loff, a San Francisco–based writer and creator of The Dry Down Diaries, a Substack newsletter that’s become a must-read for anyone curious about scent.
If you love Substack like I do, you probably have Christina to thank. Her day job is the Head of Lifestyle, Writer & Creator partnerships at Substack, and she has helped champion a broad range of voices on the platform.
With The Dry Down Diaries, Christina brings that same passion to the world of perfume, making it feel fun, inclusive, and deeply personal, whether you’re a lifelong perfume lover or just starting to explore scent.
In our conversation, Christina shares why scent can spark such strong emotions, how the cannabis saying “your nose knows” applies to perfume, and why discovery sets are key to finding a fragrance that you love.
Christina was also a recent guest on How to Do the Pot. Check out the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts!
Ellen: Fragrance can feel like a secret language. What are some fun or essential fragrance words that can help us feel more confident exploring scent? And what exactly is a fraghead?
Christina: I will start by saying you don't need to know anything to enjoy perfume. I think that's been one of the things that has really held people back. It can feel intimidating, like getting into wine, like you need to know all this language and you can't talk about it without knowing that. And you definitely don't.
A fraghead is basically somebody who's obsessed with perfume, somebody that's super into fragrance who probably collects. People love being called a fraghead. I mean, I do at least. It's a good term.
Another word I love is sillage, which is a French word. It’s the leaving behind, the trail, the scent that's left behind when you walk out of a room. When you hug somebody, it’s the scent that's left on their clothing. That's a beautiful word.
Ellen: There’s a saying in cannabis: 'your nose knows.' It means that when you smell cannabis flower, your body often responds instinctively—you can tell if it’s right for you, regardless of the strain or whether it’s classified as sativa or indica. Is that similar to how people connect with perfume?
Christina: It's really interesting because there's a thing in perfume: if you smell it, it's there. The notes that are listed for a perfume, that's marketing, because there are many, many more ingredients. The list is what the brand, the perfume house, the nose wants you to pick up. By power of suggestion, if bergamot is listed there, you'll smell it. Jasmine, if you smell it, it's there. That reminds me of what you're saying. It is really about you getting a feeling as soon as you smell something. Sometimes it will be a total turn off, and then sometimes you smell it and it reminds you of something and it makes you feel comfortable. You should let your nose guide you.
Ellen: Why does scent trigger strong memories?
Christina: Smell is such a cool sense. It's been studied the least of all the senses, so it's the most unknown, but they do know there is a connection between smell and memory. There actually have been some studies done that the more you smell and exercise that sense, the less likely you might be to get Alzheimer's or some kind of memory loss. It's a different way of exercising your brain.
I really love the personal journeys it takes me on. I think for most people, when they smell something, it reminds them of their childhood. Youth Dew by Estee Lauder is what my mom wore when I was growing up, so when I smell it, it gives me a very specific feeling of comfort. The whole world is in that bottle when I smell it.
Some days I'll feel like I'm in a funk. I'll wake up just sort of blue. I’ve noticed that if I go over to my shelf with my perfumes and I start smelling things, it changes my mood. It really has the power to change how you feel.
Ellen: Has your love of fragrance changed the way you experience the world around you?
Christina: I pay more attention when I'm outside. I live two blocks from Golden Gate Park. Now, when I'm walking around in the world, I feel like my nose is a stronger muscle than it's ever been. My boyfriend jokes that I have the sense of smell of a bloodhound. It's one of my strongest senses. When I'm walking in the park, I love the smell of the eucalyptus, the ground after rain. It connects me more. Scent grounds you and makes you focus on what's right in front of you in a way that I love.
Ellen: What does the name of your Substack, The Dry Down Diaries, mean?
Christina: The dry down of a fragrance is the final phase of its evolution on the skin and it happens hours after you have first put it on. During the dry down stage, the fragrance has fully developed, the top and heart notes have faded, and what’s left behind is the true scent, the ultimate character and personality of it lingering there on the skin. It’s the last impression, the thing you leave behind in a room. It’s what people remember.
What’s better than having a scent-savvy friend guiding you toward perfume you’ll love? When you become a paying subscriber to The Dry Down Diaries, Christina invites you to fill out a thoughtful survey about your fragrance preferences. In return, she sends you three custom recommendations.
When I took her survey, Christina picked up on themes I hadn’t noticed: “All of the answers together create a picture and give me a sense of what scents you really lean towards,” she told me. In my case, that meant nature, fresh air, woods, and citrus.
Many perfumes can give me a headache, so Christina chose scents that are light, ephemeral and not headache-inducing. I can’t wait to try the discovery set she recommended from a women-owned Northern California-based brand called Liis. I’ll report back once it arrives.
To get your own custom recommendations and explore fragrance in a way that feels fun and personal, subscribe to The Dry Down Diaries today.
Thank you for reading!
Warmly,
Ellen
Thank you so much for having me Ellen! Loved our conversation so
much.