How to Pick the Right Projection Level for Your Day

By Lydia, sick on the couch but still thinking about fragrance etiquette.

Have you ever sprayed a perfume in the morning, felt amazing…and then three hours later thought:

“Oh no! This scent is doing WAY too much for a Tuesday.”

Just me?

It turns out most of us instinctively adjust fragrance to our energy, mood, and setting.... we just never had language for it. So at Boathouse, we decided to create one:

Intimate. Expressive. Surrounding.|

Three simple ways to match your scent to your day (and your nervous system).

Let’s translate this into normal language... no fancy perfumer terms, promise.

Key word: projection. That’s literally just “how far your perfume travels off your body.” (Why they didn’t just say that, I’ll never know.)

Alright. With that mystery solved… Here are the three projection levels, from closest to boldest:

1. INTIMATE — your ‘close, cozy, low-sensory’ scent

This one stays right on the skin. It’s basically a hint. A vibe. A “this is just how I naturally smell” moment.

Perfect for:

• Travel days

• After shower scent-layering

• When you’re overwhelmed and everything feels like too much

• Work-from-home days

• Healthcare + tight office settings

• Airplanes, Pilates studios, Gyms, waiting rooms

Feels like: A warm hug, but make it fragrance.

EXPRESSIVE — your everyday ‘just right’ scent

This is the sweet spot: not loud, not shy. You smell delightful when someone leans in for a hug, but you’re not scent-bombing the room.

Perfect for:

• Day to day wear

• Brunch, or dinner dates

• Most other workplaces

• Casual group settings

• Days when you want to feel put-together without overthinking it

• Basically… life.

  
  

Feels like: Your personality, bottled. SURROUNDING — your intentional statement scent

Not “cloud of doom” strong, just a beautiful aura that gently trails behind you.

Think moments, not Mondays.

Perfect for:

• Weddings

• Outdoor Events

• When you want a "presence"

• Fancy coat, red lip energy

• Holidays or special occasions
  

Feels like: A soft spotlight that follows you…

So… Why Does This Matter?

Because the world has changed.

We’re living in tighter spaces, more shared environments, and more people than ever are on sensory overload. Meaning more people sensitive to overpowering scent. Projection shouldn’t be an unknown.... it should be a choice.

And when you're choosing your projection level with intention, fragrance becomes part of your self-care, not something that overwhelms you (or anyone else).

A quick cheat sheet to keep in your brain:

Close = Calm (Intimate) Arms-length = Everyday Confidence (Expressive) Soft trail = Occasion Energy (Surrounding)

And the best part? You can switch between them depending on your mood, your day, or your nervous system.

At Boathouse, every scent is labeled with its projection level... never to restrict you, but always to empower you. Because fragrance should feel as good as it smells.