Well, a few days ago, I finally hit 1,000 followers on Instagram. Woo hoo! (And because of how petty people are, how people follow/unfollow to try to grow their followers and how IG’s algorithms work, I now keep bouncing up and down from that number by a person or two. Whatever. The point is I hit 1,000.)
It took about 18 months, which is much slower than most other perfume social media accounts and way too slow for anyone who’s actually trying to be an influencer and score free products, monetize their content, etc., but I always assumed it would be a slow path for me, based on several factors:
–my refusal to participate in Youtube, TikTok, Facebook or any other social media;
–my unwillingness to join any of the large perfume influencers’ groups on IG (no disrespect to any of those folks–I just wanna go my own way here);
–my general laziness on IG. I go days without posting sometimes, though I try to make an effort to view others’ posts and stories on a regular basis;
–recognition that solid perfumes are a very specialized interest within the perfume community. Most folks have never tried a solid. Some folks outright hate this format. Many folks are interested only in high-end niche perfumes or designer perfumes, and there are simply not a lot of solid fragrances in those corners of the perfume market. To each their own.
My lists of followers and people I follow may be small but I value the connections and conversations we have. I’m not actually trying to be an “influencer,” though I am proud to say I’ve introduced new beloved brands and scents to some of my IG friends.
So, yes! One thousand followers! That’s a nice little milestone, and in celebration of it, I’m hosting a series of giveaways through my Instagram account. I wanted to give my followers a chance to enjoy some of the amazing scents and brands I’ve featured on the blog and on Instagram over the last 18 months.
(Side note but I feel it’s important: I am sponsoring these contests. I sometimes receive free products from brands as gifts or in exchange for providing feedback, but I never ask brands for free products. I am purchasing the products for these giveaways with my own money, because a) many of these brands are small businesses who deserve every dollar, and b) even if I were trying to be an influencer, which I am not, I don’t think 1,000 followers would even qualify me as a “micro-influencer” who could greatly increase a brand’s reach. Buying products for a giveaway lets me do my own thing, share the love and pay forward the generosity of these amazing makers.)
The first giveaway went live on Sunday, February 20, 2022, and is open to Instagram followers in the United States, through Wednesday, February 23, 2022, at 1PM Eastern Time. I’m giving away a solid perfume and matching sugar scrub in Creepy Coffin Candy scent from Copper Cat Apothecary. I haven’t had a chance to try this particular scent (yet!), but I own multiple fragrances from this brand (let me count them: Mr. Lucky, Blood of My Enemies, Don’t Trust the Living, Glamour Ghoul, Mortuary Flowers, Fairy Goth Mother, plus I’ve sampled several others. I am so behind on reviews!) I’ve also tried the sugar scrubs and currently have a Blood on the Water scrub in my shower. All of the products have fun names and concepts but seriously good fragrances, offering amazing value for the price. If you’re a witchy or goth person, this is a brand I highly recommend (read more about the scents I’ve tried here and here and here). If you’re not goth but you love sweet gourmands, this brand and in particular this scent may also be for you. Creepy Coffin Candy is inspired by cotton candy and features vanilla, agave and succulent fruits on a bed of musk. It’s sure to be a sweet treat for the winner. (And hey! With a small following like mine, your odds of winning are pretty darn good!)
Please see this Instagram post for the contest details and stay tuned! I have more giveaways planned, for both U.S. and international followers.
Have a wonderful, sweet-smelling week!
Images of Creepy Coffin Candy courtesy of Copper Cat Apothecary.
Solidly Scented 
You must be logged in to post a comment.