Some people are obsessed with shoes. Others collect clothes, wigs, watches or bags. But for Leye Ojeniyia visual storyteller based in Lagos, obsession comes in a glass bottle.
Hi Leye, can we meet you?
Hello BellaNaijaStyle, my name is Leye Ojeniyi, a visual storyteller based in Lagos, Nigeria specializing in wedding and portrait photography
Beautiful! Let’s start from the top. How did you actually become a fraghead? Was there a person, place or one bottle that started it all?
When I was growing up, my brother used to buy perfumes, and after every holiday, whenever I went back to the hostel, he would always give me a bottle. That was my first real introduction to fragrances.
One bottle that I can never forget from that time was called Ambulance. I’m not sure if it still exists today, but I remember it so clearly. It wasn’t just about how it smelled, it was about how it felt. It marked the beginning of my awareness that a scent can actually mean something, carry a memory and stay with you long after the moment has passed. That’s where it really started for me.
What was the perfume that made you realize you had a problem and how much did it cost?
When I bought my first one Stronger with you bottle, I had to take money from my savings to buy it. It cost around £100,000 at the time.
Haha! I guess it’s been a while. How many bottles do you currently own and what does the person closest to you say about that number?
I currently own over 60 bottles. Those closest to me think I have a problem, but they have accepted me as I am because they really have no choice. Sometimes they even buy me perfumes just because they know how much I enjoy them.
Is there a perfume that you missed, that you discontinued, that was too expensive or sold out before you could buy it, and that still haunts you?
Missed out? Abolished? None at the moment. Too expensive? I really don’t see any perfume as “too expensive” unless I’m really interested in it. If a scent attracts me, the price becomes secondary. If I’m not, then even something affordable won’t be worth it, if that makes sense.
It really is. What’s the one thing people do with perfume that honestly irritates you?
Rubbing hands right after spraying perfume, wearing strong oud in hot weather and mixing random scents without any plan.
Aggravating indeed. What would you say is the best perfume you’ve ever smelled? Not necessarily what you own, just the greatest scent you’ve ever laid your nose on, and why did it stop you in your tracks?
This is the hardest question yet, lmao. I can’t choose just one. Amouage Purpose, Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka, Vanilla powder, MFK Grand Soirand YSL Y EDP everyone is up there for me.
Excellent recommendations! If you could change one common misconception about perfume, what would it be?
That expensive perfume automatically means a better perfume. People confuse price with quality when fragrances don’t work that way. A ₦40,000 fragrance can smell amazing, perform well and get more compliments than a ₦400,000 niche bottle.
Interesting. Is it your most unpopular scent or is there another one? The one you say in scent communities, and people come for you.
Beast mode is overrated. A scent that lasts 14 hours and fills the room is not an automatic flex. Sometimes subtle, intimate scents are more luxurious. Also, many niche fragrances are more admired than enjoyed. People will call a fragrance “masterpiece level”, “challenging”, “artistic” or “genius”, and then they will never actually want to smell like that outside of a tasting session.
How much money have you ever spent on a bottle and was it really worth it? Be fair.
This is going to expose me, but my most expensive bottle is Ombre Nomad and yes, it was worth like crazy.
Seven figures! Wait, how much did you spend on perfume last year?
Honestly, I can’t remember the number. I try to avoid heartbreak by not going back to check my bad financial decisions. Life is for living.
Amazing philosophy. So if someone gives you ₦100,000 right now and says, “Pick me something that will change my life,” what do you reach for and why?
I don’t reach for safe or clean. I’m going straight Oud and roses per Ahmed Al Maghribi. When oud and rose are done well, they stop being just a scent and become a feeling. It’s that contrast between the delicate floral romance and the dark, resinous depth.
Outside of perfume, what is a real-world fragrance that deserves to become a luxury fragrance and what would you call it?
The smell of new books. There is something so different about it, the clean paper, the pale ink, the slight sweetness of the glue and the wood pulp. It’s quiet but rich, like the possibilities packed into the pages. It feels like you are stepping into a space where everything is still new, untouched and full of potential.
If it turned into a scent, that’s what I would call it First chapter.
Thank you very much for your time, Leye.
My pleasure!
