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The Top Note | Vol. 30 — Keep Flowing

Community · Luxury · Art · Perfume

Welcome back to The Top Note — our monthly fragrance letter.

October 29, 2026

Opening Note

Here I am sitting at this table,
or maybe even a floor,
contemplating if I want to do anything more,
the temptation to quit,
the temptation to keep going,
going to battle at the door,
at the door of my heart,
at the door of my soul,
what happens when you put happiness and thankfulness in a bowl,
you get enough energy to keep going,
keep growing,
keep showing,
that regardless of the water flow or the water fall,
you will keep flowing,
this world needs to know your name,
this world needs to know your pain,
your story shall prosper to someone else’s gain,
but in the meantime,
keep a lean mind,
for my black history folks every day it’s Martin Luther king I have a dream time…

from yours truly, HT

Featured Fragrance: Marked

Marked - A scent made for those who aren’t afraid to fight for the promise. This scent was literally inspired by the biblical account of men who decided that they would press forward into the ‘Promised Land’, regardless of the tension and opposition they would face. With notes like grape and amber, you won’t forget to keep pressing forward and be ready to come back with evidence that you entered the Promise.

Client Spotlight

Jas talks about Room 129, her long time fave, A lifetime customer!!

Room 129 has been one of my FAVORITE perfumes for nearly a decade! At this point, it’s basically part of my signature scent. 😂❤️

I constantly get compliments when I wear it. People literally stop and ask me what I’m wearing. It smells amazing, lasts, and has been a consistent favorite of mine year after year.

I’ve been supporting this fragrance for almost 10 years, and that alone should tell you everything. If I keep coming back to something for THAT long, it’s GOOD. 😂

10/10 Room 129 will forever have a spot in my perfume collection! ❤️

— Jas

Explore Room 129 →

The Blend — Black History in Fragrance: Anthony Overton

Did you know that one of the pioneers of Black entrepreneurship in America was also involved in the fragrance industry?

Anthony Overton was born into slavery in 1865 and went on to establish the Overton Hygienic Manufacturing Company, which produced and sold cosmetics, perfumes, hair products, and toiletries.

By 1912, his company was exporting beauty products internationally, including to Egypt, Liberia, and Japan.

Overton's success extended beyond beauty. He went on to establish businesses in banking, insurance, publishing, and real estate.

His story reminds us that Black excellence in the beauty and fragrance industries is not a recent development. There were entrepreneurs creating products, building institutions, and reaching international markets long before today's luxury fragrance landscape.

The history is rich. The legacy continues.

Community Connection

Have you heard of the Black Fragrance Association? Great work is being done in this organization and it’s so awesome to see how things continue to develop!

This is a statement from their mission statement:

The foundation is dedicated to supporting Black fragrance creators, offering essential resources, networking opportunities, and financial backing to foster growth and visibility in the fragrance business. Moreover, it seeks to create and strengthen pathways for Black-owned fragrance businesses to thrive, ensuring that they have the tools and access needed to succeed.

“Closed captions on every word spoken
watching my words cause I’m chosen
and I cannot fail to commit…”

— Franchesca, Created For This

Listen to “Created For This” →

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