In this video I’m talking fragrance, but from a slightly different perspective—because we’re going right back to where it all started. Earlier this year Robert and I took a trip to Germany and spent time in Cologne, and if you’re a fragrance lover you kind of low-key have to visit the original Eau de Cologne. We went to the Farina 1709 shop, factory, and their fragrance museum, and honestly we were so impressed by how informative (and fun) the whole experience was. I also share my honest review of Farina 1709’s Original Eau de Cologne, which the brand kindly gifted to me along with a gorgeous book packed with history and photos. What surprised me most is that “cologne” back then wasn’t just a weaker version of perfume—it was a completely different idea: bright, citrusy, clean and wearable, created to cut through the heavy, musky perfumes of the time. And even though this formula is over 300 years old, it doesn’t smell dated at all—more timeless. It’s zesty and fresh, but with extra warmth and substance (amber and musk), plus реально good longevity and surprisingly strong projection because the oil concentration is closer to an eau de parfum than what we think of as cologne today.