An independant publication on the cultural life of fragrance.
JUL 23 2026
EMILY GATES DOES NOT PLAY ABOUT PERFUME
Ever wonder what your favorite internet funny girls get up to when they're not making you laugh? Maybe they're cooking, reading, or touching grass. For TikTok comedy it-girl Emily Gates, though, the answer is perfume. When she revealed fragrance collecting was one of her favorite hobbies outside of filming her delightfully unhinged skits, we had to know more.EMILY GATES DOES NOT PLAY ABOUT PERFUME
BY LAUREN LEXA BROWN & CHARLOTTE DELUMPA-ALEXANDER
One of the internet's most cherished and evocative comedic darlings spills the beans on her fragrance obsession, and how it ties in with her performance art.
Just a few years out of college where she studied Communications and Spanish, Emily spent time abroad in Spain teaching English, and has recently jet-set back to the United States to start her next adventure. Her main content is rooted in hyper-specific situations where she plays a character– often facing a conflict, using nonsensical and surreal language to convey very relatable feelings. Some of our personal hall-of-famers include “How life feels being bad at math”, “POV: you get in trouble at work”, and “What announcements on a plane sound like.” Securing a spot on SNL is her dream, but we think she would make a great perfumer!
Based on her social media alone, it's easy to see that Emily is very observant, paying close attention to everyday interactions between friends and strangers–this is what makes her skits so wonderfully hilarious. It would only make sense that somebody who enjoys celebrating the absurdity and nuance of modern life would also be into something as transcendental as fragrance.
Our editor Charlotte Delumpa-Alexander had the chance to ask Emily some questions about her relationship with perfume in an exclusive Heart Note Press tell-all interview. Below is the full story–grab a Diet Coke, some popcorn, and get your reading glasses on.
Q: Your perfume video was epic, featuring an array of interesting deep cuts like Egyptian Goddess Oil and the État Libre d'Orange set. What’s influencing what you’re buying? Do you specifically seek out certain things, or are you just drawn to what you’re drawn to?
A: The most important aspect for me is quality. I define this by longevity (how long the perfume smell lasts on you) and complexity of notes. Not only do I want the perfume to last for a minimum of 6 hours on me, but a good perfume should smell different as it reveals different notes. For me, finding quality brands is the easiest way to explore perfumes. You like a perfume and it lasts a while? Chances are that same brand has other perfumes waiting for you to discover. Discovery sets by perfume brands are literally the way to find what you like. In addition, I would say trying literally every perfume you see is a great way to discover what you like. Also, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK PEOPLE WHAT THEY ARE WEARING!
Q: As a collector, what are some of your most prized fragrances in your collection? What does the range say about you, if anything? Is there a throughline, or is it genuinely chaotic?
A: One of our family friends smelled so good one time, I asked her what she was wearing, turns out it was from a perfumery in Bermuda when she visited there. Coral was the scent, and it’s been one of the best floral perfumes I’ve ever smelled. They had an online store, Lili Bermuda. I bought it. Many of their perfumes feature local botanicals, and are some of the most unique scents I’ve smelled. I also love the perfume sets I have gotten while in Europe: Akro, État Libre d’Orange, Maison Crivelli, Buly Perfumes, Guerlain. Also, my grandma collected perfumes. I now have her perfume trays and some vintage perfumes, like a Ferragamo one. I am so proud of those ones. My range says, I’m a maximalist! I love everything. Just like with food, I’m not picky! The constant thing is that they are perfumes that last.
Q: Your comedy is so rooted in close observation of how people behave–all the tiny social performances and the gaps between how we present ourselves versus how we actually are. Does scent play any sort of role in this? Is it something you clock about a person in any way?
A: I think being observant can go in any way. Certain people notice things more than the next. For example, things with numbers, don’t ask me about that. Scent is something you have to choose to be observant on. You have to train your nose. Just like we observe people, we also observe our senses. Scent is one of the most pleasant and underrated senses. I think scent is what helps me remember a person or a memory. Scents, just like behaviors, gestures, tone of voice, are beautiful little things that make everyday experiences more enriching and palpable.
Q: Is there a specific fragrance or fragrance brand that feels like a character to you– something with a whole personality that you could play in one of your skits if you could?
A: Glossier perfumes. They feel like sorority girl, clean girl, girl who is up to date with all the TikTok drama. Super popular perfumes often give me a character or prototype, like Le Labo Santal 33. That’s like a millennial who drinks matcha and goes to book club. Don't get me started on essential oils. Lavender. Patchouli. They give like people who go on sunrise hikes. These are all stereotypes and my imagination. Don’t listen to me. Actually do.
Q: Do you think about what you smell like the same way you think about comedy, acting, and your social media presence? Is scent part of the process or persona at all, or is it something that's just for you?
A: I have a million hobbies. Lamp making, language learning, piano, jewelry making, comedy, and last but not least, perfume! I don’t think it’s part of the process, but I think I definitely think of making jokes and always wanting to smell good as important parts of my personality! But I definitely think the way I try to observe things and enjoy the little things, regarding smells and inspiration for jokes are the same!
Q: There's an obvious tension between being someone people associate with being funny and being someone who clearly has good taste. Do those feel like separate parts of you–the funny and the chic – or is that just something we’ve been conditioned into thinking can’t coexist?
A: I think that a lot of times comedians are either dressed up in a funny way (for a character), or in a relaxed dress because they are focused more on the jokes or being comfy than how they look. Take for example, a stand-up comedian in a T-shirt or something like that. If anything, I think it is the opposite for the statement that funny people don’t have good taste. If they are funny, that implies that they are creative, and I think part of having good taste means being somewhat creative. I think having your own taste and knowing what you like is good taste!
Q: Who are you paying attention to right now–in fashion, beauty, fragrance, and beyond? Is there anyone or anything you'd consider an actual influence on how you move through the world, online or IRL?
A: Paris. We are influenced by Europe in many ways, but the fashion and perfume brands in Paris are where it’s at. They are light-years ahead of us in those departments. Kilian, Maison Margiela, Diptyque, they all started there! The style over there influences me in the way that they believe that every day is an occasion to dress up, and how we can be elegant in our everyday lives.
Q: What would you tell someone who thinks perfume is pretentious or overwhelming?
A: Sports to me are overwhelming. Skiing to me is pretentious. Perfume keeps to itself. I think with fashion and perfume, of course, there are ways you can act pretentious. I think treating it like any other interest or hobby would change this, also just because you like perfume doesn’t mean you have to buy a bunch. You can study perfume online, the notes, the history, etc.
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