Dandelion Butter, Clue Perfumery’s Latest Confection
A sneak peek into the next best indie scent of the summer.
Last Friday I had the privilege of attending the launch party for Clue Perfumery’s latest fragrance, Dandelion Butter, which officially releases on Friday, June 14. Clue Perfumery hails from Chicago, Illinois and creates photorealistic quirky fragrances for those who want to smell like the finding the enchanted in the mundane. Clue Perfumery’s founder, Laura Oberwetter, has a wildly creative mind and hypnotic way with words. I first heard of Oberwetter and Clue Perfumery from her episode on The Perfume Room podcast, where her creativity and storytelling skills really shine. She can tell the most basic concept, like a hot lightbulb, and transform it into a magical story and a beautiful perfume. It’s her superpower.
Clue Perfumery’s Dandelion Butter launch party was at Stéle’s Manhattan location. Stéle is not only a great niche fragrance store, but also a hub for all fragrance related events, like last month’s Florastalgia exhibit. These events are a great way to meet other fragheads in person rather than just through a screen. There’s a whole community out there IRL!
Before I talk about the fragrance, I need to talk about the atmosphere. Stéle was transformed through decor and refreshments, making it an entirely Clue-centric sanctuary. Upon walking in, I was greeted by a dandelion sculpture resembling a butter sculpture and a video projected on the wall showing the inspiration behind the new fragrance. The table in the center of the store provided free Dandelion Butter posters and was dotted with panna cotta cakes and balled cantaloupes, which I incorrectly guessed were sprinkled with crushed pistachio, but actually were sprinkled with bee pollen sugar, which I can’t say I’ve ever had before, but would have again. As a centerpiece, there was a huge replica Clue Perfumery bottle adorned with the famous keyhole cap. The counter showcased all of Clue’s other fragrances, with some extra attention to Dandelion Butter, and a diorama showcasing its inspiration. Dandelion Butter was wrapped in light yellow paper designed to resemble that of a stick of butter. As a sucker for a gimmick, I could not resist.
What is the inspiration for Dandelion Butter anyway? There’s a game played among children that has no certain origin where one child would ask the other if they like butter, then hold a dandelion to their chin. If the dandelion glows yellow against their skin, then yes, they do in fact like butter. This is usually the outcome because of how vibrant a dandelion is. Dandelion Butter is supposed to capture the smell of the snapped stem and its milky sap, the flower itself and how it tickles your chin, and just a bit of butter, since you clearly love it.
Clue Perfumery founders Laura Oberwetter and Caleb Vanden Boom explain Dandelion Butter.
As for the fragrance itself, I personally love it. It’s photorealistic, sweet, and nostalgic. I’ve never played the game it’s based on, so I can’t say I have specific nostalgia for it, but it perfectly captures getting a whiff of flowers on a breezy summer morning. I wore this recently while on a walk with my mom, and she asked me where the flowers she smelled were coming from, not realizing it was Dandelion Butter. I don’t find this fragrance to be strong, so I would recommend one or two more spritzes than usual, then it’ll stay on and grace those around you. I paid $140 for it and think it was well worth it.
The nostalgia behind this fragrance for me also comes from it reminding me of my first real fragrance ever, Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh, which was my eighth grade graduation present one million years ago. I’ve always had a bottle of it around since then, otherwise my life feels unbalanced. Although Dandelion Butter and Daisy Eau So Fresh aren’t all that similar, both are light and airy yellow florals that capture youthful summer moments. Both also have endearing, sunny, and floral focussed visuals.
Dandelion Butter already has a strong fanbase, and I think upon officially release its cult following will grow stronger, deservedly so. Going to its launch party helped me experience the fragrance in the environment it deserves. Clue will be having another launch party for Dandelion Butter on Sunday, June 15 at Tusk in Chicago, so if you’re in/near Chicago I would definitely recommend going. New York’s launch party was a real treat, so Chicago is sure to not disappoint!
The way your describe the venue at stele made me feel like I was there! Amazing piece, totally conveys the details of the event and the fragrance with just enough of your experience to really make it shine!