Smellmaxxing – Elementary General English Lesson

Guardian Weekly

'Smellmaxxing' & 'Frag Heads': The Gen Z Perfume Boom

Level: Elementary Time: 60 min Focus: Comparatives

TEXT:

📋 Overview

1Warmer

2Key Words

3Comprehension

4Key Language

5Discussion

6In Your Own Words

📰 Article

HIGHLIGHT:

'Smellmaxxing' and 'frag heads': how the gen Z perfume boom came up roses for indie brands

The global fragrance market is bigger than ever as small makers are buoyed by PerfumeTok – and teenage boys

Alice Fisher · The Guardian, 30 June 2025

1Last month, singer Chappell Roan made a post on Instagram. She wrote: "Will the girl I just met at the perfume store please comment the perfume you recommended? You said it smelled like lipstick." The perfume – Girl of the Year by Thin Wild Mercury – sold out very fast. Thin Wild Mercury is one of many new companies making perfume exciting for new fans.

2The perfume market is larger than ever. It is still growing because of Gen Z and millennials. There are TikTok communities for perfumes such as PerfumeTok. In 2023, TikTok helped 45 per cent of social media perfume sales in the US. Young people don't wear one perfume. They prefer scent layering – wearing two or more perfumes at the same time and scent wardrobing – wearing different perfumes for different occasions.

3Teenage boys are also becoming aftershave experts. On TikTok, this age group calls scent layering "smellmaxxing", which the New York Times defined as a "term for enhancing" your own smell.

4In the past, people liked to wear one of the bigger, more fashionable perfumes like CK One, Le Male, Poison or Opium. But now, many young "frag heads" (perfume fans) think it is better to have a personal scent by layering perfumes. But which 16-year-olds have the money for two or three luxury perfumes?

5With the perfume market growing, expensive perfumes became even more popular. But also "dupes" became very big. Dupes are copies of designer perfumes but a lot cheaper.

6"Niche perfumes" are also growing. These come from smaller independent companies, not big companies like Coty or Estée Lauder. Independent companies like Le Labo or Sol de Janeiro are now very popular. Even Beyoncé used one of Le Labo's candles in her 2016 film Lemonade.

7Independent companies often work with artists. For example, British company Earl of East worked with musician Bon Iver. He smelled scents without knowing their names and gave his thoughts. The company then created a special scent inspired by his album. It sold out quickly.

8Another independent perfume creator is Maya Njie. She was inspired to make perfumes by looking at family photos of happier times on the beach in Gambia. One perfume, Tropica, smells of sea salt, pineapple and coconut.

9So, if you dream of a perfume with the smell of pineapple and coconut, or stranger smells like lipstick or sun cream, these new perfumers are ready to make it for you.

📋

Lesson Overview

About This Lesson

This article explains a new trend in perfumes as independent perfume creators create new smells, and younger generations create new ways to wear perfumes.

Level: Elementary (A2)
Skills: Reading, Writing, Speaking
Language Focus: Comparatives (bigger, better, cheaper…)
Time: 60 minutes
Activities: Key words (match + fill-in) · Comprehension T/F · Key language (comparatives table + sentences) · Discussion · Perfume description activity

👈 The article is always visible on the left. Use the tabs to navigate each section. Select text in the article and choose a highlight colour.

Warmer

Discuss these questions in pairs.

🌸

Which of these would be the nicest thing to smell on someone: flowers, lemon, soap, or leather?

🧴

Have you (or someone you know) tried wearing different perfumes or aftershaves?

🛍️

How do you choose which perfume(s) / aftershave(s) to wear?

Key Words

a. Match the correct word to each definition

Match each definition to a word from the boxes. Then find the words in the article to read them in context.

aftershavecommunitiesenhancingexpertsfashionable

people who know a lot about something

groups of people who live in the same place or share interests

making something better or stronger

something (e.g. clothes, music) that is very popular now

a liquid that smells nice that men typically put on their face after they shave

inspiredluxuryperfumescentsold out

a smell, especially a nice one

made someone feel a strong desire to do something creative

a liquid that smells nice that is typically worn by women

when a shop had no more of a product to sell

10.

something very expensive and not necessary

Answer Key (a):

experts
communities
enhancing
fashionable
aftershave
scent
inspired
perfume
sold out
luxury

b. Complete the sentences

Complete the sentences with words from part a. You may have to change the form of the word.

1.He puts on after he washes his face every morning.

2.The talks online and gives each other ideas.

3.She is a(n) at fixing cars and can fix anything.

4.Long dresses are very this year.

5.The Four Seasons is a(n) hotel.

6.Her partner bought her a new , and she wears it every day.

7.The new shoes came out on Friday and by Monday.

8.When he added carrots to the sauce, it the sweetness of the tomatoes.

9.She was by the smell of the beach to create a perfume.

10.When he arrived, he noticed the of vanilla cookies.

Answer Key (b):

aftershave
community
expert
fashionable
luxury
perfume
sold out
enhanced
inspired
scent

Comprehension Check

Are these sentences True (T) or False (F) according to the article? Select T or F. Correct any that are false.

Thin Wild Mercury is one of the oldest perfume companies in the world.

Correct the sentence:

Young people don't buy perfumes, so the perfume market is smaller now.

Correct the sentence:

Scent layering means wearing two or more perfumes at the same time.

Correct the sentence:

The New York Times explained that 'smellmaxxing' involves making your own smell stronger.

Correct the sentence:

'Dupes' are very expensive perfumes made by big companies.

Correct the sentence:

Maya Njie got the idea for her perfume Tropica from her family photos.

Correct the sentence:

Answer Key:

F – Thin Wild Mercury is described as one of many new companies.
F – The perfume market is larger than ever, and it is still growing because of Gen Z and millennials.
T
T
F – Dupes are cheap copies of designer perfumes.
T

Key Language – Comparatives

a. Categorise the comparatives from the article

Put each comparative from the box into the correct column of the table.

biggerbettercheaperhappierlargermore popular

One syllable Add -er	One syllable with -e Add -r	CVC: double consonant Add -er	Two syllables -y Remove -y, add -ier	Two+ syllables Use more	Irregular Change spelling

b. Find three more comparatives in the article and write them below (+ their category):

Answer Key (a):

One syllable + -er: cheaper
One syllable with -e + -r: larger
CVC + -er: bigger
-y → -ier: happier
more + adj: more popular
Irregular: better

Three more from article (b): more fashionable (more + adj) · stranger (one syllable + -er) · smaller (one syllable with -e + -r)

c. Complete the sentences with the comparative form

Complete each sentence with the comparative form of the word in brackets.

bigcheapfashionablegoodhappypopularsmallstrange

1.This shop is than the one on the other street. It has ten floors. (big)

2.My house is than my friend's, but it has everything I need. (small)

3.That film is than her other films. I didn't understand it! (strange)

4.Her dress looks than any of the other women's clothes. (fashionable)

5.He seems now in his new relationship. They are always laughing. (happy)

6.The new phone is than the old model! Like 20 per cent lesser. (cheap)

7.This singer has become than ever. She has millions of fans. (popular)

8.Wow! This hotel is much than the one from last summer. It's fantastic! (good)

Answer Key (c):

bigger
smaller
stranger
more fashionable
happier
cheaper
more popular
better

Discussion

Discuss these statements in pairs or small groups. Do you agree or disagree?

👃

There should be different smells for men and women.

💸

It is better to spend money on luxury perfumes than wear cheap replicas.

In Your Own Words

Work in pairs or small groups. Describe good and bad smells for a perfume. Then present your ideas to the class.

🌺

a. In pairs or small groups, describe good and bad smells for a perfume. Think about: flowers, fruit, food, nature, everyday objects. Use comparatives to compare the smells.

Good smells for a perfume:

Bad smells for a perfume:

🎤

b. Present your ideas to the class. Use adjectives and comparatives to compare the different smells.

💬 Useful Language

I think [smell] is better / nicer / stranger than [smell] because …

The smell of [X] is more popular than [Y].

[X] smells bigger / sweeter / cheaper than [Y].

In my opinion, the best smell for a perfume is …