The smellmaxxing trend went viral on TikTok in late 2023 after a meme featuring the animated villain Megamind attributing his scent to his "natural musk" gained widespread attention.1 The term "smellmaxxing" specifically refers to efforts to improve one's scent using colognes and other hygiene products, and has its roots in the looksmaxxing community, which focuses on self-improvement and appearance enhancement.23 The trend reflects a broader cultural shift where the "maxxing" suffix is applied to various self-improvement fads, such as musclemaxxing and healthmaxxing, indicating a growing interest in optimizing different aspects of personal well-being.3

The smellmaxxing community on TikTok is driven by influential figures like @TheCologneBoy and Jeremy Fragrance, a German influencer known for his cologne and perfume reviews.12 These influencers play a significant role in shaping the trend by providing advice on hygiene practices, recommending specific colognes for different seasons, and emphasizing the importance of dental health.1 Their content often includes tips such as using deodorant, moisturizing skin to hold cologne better, and maintaining oral hygiene with products like electric toothbrushes and mouthwash.12

Smellmaxxing content on TikTok includes videos of users showcasing their extensive cologne collections, offering product reviews, and sharing humorous takes on the trend.12 For example:

• Some videos feature users spraying cologne mists into the night sky or making jokes about the obsession with fragrances.1

• Related tags like "scentmaxxing" and "fragrancemaxxing" are used interchangeably to discuss similar subcultures focused on enhancing one's scent.13

• One of the most popular videos tagged #fragrancemaxxing, with over 1.5 million views, showed a creator spinning a cologne filter and then reviewing the fragrance it landed on.1

Unlike looksmaxxing, which has been criticized for promoting toxic self-improvement tactics, smellmaxxing is generally seen as a positive and supportive community. Participants often engage in light-hearted discussions and share their favorite products without the same level of controversy.1

However, some members of the fragrance community have expressed concerns about the influence of TikTok on the quality of fragrance reviews. They argue that the platform's emphasis on quick, visually appealing content has led to a decline in the depth and quality of fragrance discussions compared to traditional blogs and forums.2 Despite these criticisms, the smellmaxxing trend continues to thrive, driven by the enthusiasm of its participants and the engaging nature of social media platforms like TikTok.13