On a Saturday in Williamsburg, Nasomatto asked for a commitment and I gave it. And I’m not even mad about it. Their new fragrance, Microdelirio (meaning mushroom delirium) pulled me in; a tattoo is what I left with.
Just a regular Saturday night in my world.
Chaotic and rebellious, fragrance house Nasomatto is a little weird – that’s by design. Founder and perfumer Alessandro Gualtieri built his identity around resisting convention. Instead, he instills mystery and invites people to form their own interpretations.
Walking into Scent Bar, large orange plastic mushrooms with tongues sticking out adorned the perfume filled counter. An assortment of live mushrooms lined the wall. A tattoo station sat in the corner. Ghostbuster-like drinks were being passed around. Nasomatto doesn’t just create events, they create environments – ones that leave a mark.
Fragrance isn’t just a product anymore, it’s an experience. It’s the world a brand builds around it. The intimacy between fragrance and tattoos set the tone for the evening.
Fragrance is an invisible tattoo. Skin is the ultimate medium for
personal identity. While scent eventually dissipates, a tattoo is permanent. Both communicate who you are, your values, your personality.
Microdelirio is not for the faint of heart. It was intentionally created to provoke a polarizing reaction. The bottle cap is an oversized wooden catacomb resembling a beehive – avant-garde meets grunge. The fragrance is earthy, at first smelling like fresh dirt, then a hint of citrus kicks in. The dry down gives off a light mushroom
smell, but in a good way. The individual scents shouldn’t work together, but I couldn’t stop smelling my wrist. Unconventional, for sure. Just like the house itself.
Intrigued by the tattoo station, I told myself I’d just look at the options. If you know me, you know decisions aren’t my strong suit. Flipping through the pages, a little spiral sun caught my attention. I wanted something meaningful, fun, and well… me. With about 30 seconds to choose, I went for it. I introduced myself to the artist and immediately felt comfortable with her. I figured it was time to add some art to the left side of my ribs.
Everyone asks if tattoos hurt. I will say, it’s not like getting a massage. More like light to medium pressure of a needle being dragged across your skin (it really depends on the artist). I also grew up with two brothers, so I have a high pain tolerance. A
few minutes later, the tattoo was done. My new sun symbolizing that there can
still be sunshine even if the path isn’t smooth.
I will also say, pairing a provocative scent with the spontaneity of getting tattooed at a launch event is the definition of being a bit delirious – in the best way! Maybe decision making isn’t hard at all.
At the end, the event offered two ways to mark a moment: one to wear for the night, and one to wear for life. And honestly, that’s the magic of Nasomatto – they make identity feel like an adventure.
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