Total perfume: the Ted Lasso way
If you’ve ever watched Ted Lasso and thought, “You know what this show needs? More fragrance notes,” then congratulations, you’re a weirdo. And we like that. On my yearly rewatch of Ted Lasso, I was rewatching with a new lens. I have been in the midst of getting Duality Fragrance off the ground, putting in effort that no one sees, and I just a fun thought pop in my head. Ted Lasso, the perfumer?!? What would that look like.
Here’s the Total Perfume Ted Lasso strategy that no one asked for:
Step 1: Start With Unreasonable Optimism
Traditional perfumers begin with raw materials like jasmine, bergamot, and sandalwood.
Ted would begin with belief.
Not belief in chemistry. Belief in you. That somewhere deep inside that slightly overwhelmed human body of yours is a signature scent just waiting to greet the world.
“Now I don’t know much about perfume,” Ted would say, holding a beaker upside down, “but I do know that if you put your whole heart into something, it usually smells at least a little better.”
Honestly? That’s hard to argue with.
Step 2: Assemble Your Team (They Will Be Confused)
Ted never does anything alone, so naturally he’d gather a team.
One person who actually knows what perfume is
One skeptic
One wild card who with some strange and poetic beliefs about perfume
And someone who’s just there for snacks
None of them will agree on anything, including on what perfume really is, but Ted will keep spirits high with gentle encouragement and the occasional homespun metaphor that makes zero sense but feels deeply correct.
“Y’all, making perfume is like making a good biscuit. You don’t rush it, you don’t overthink it, and if it falls apart, you just add more butter.”
Step 3: Embrace the Notes (Like Emotions, But Smellier)
Perfume has top notes, middle notes, and base notes.
Ted would treat these like emotional layers of a human being:
Top notes: First impressions. Bright, friendly, possibly a little too enthusiastic. Like saying “Howdy!” to a stranger in an elevator.
Middle notes: The heart. Where things get real. Trust, vulnerability, maybe a hint of floral introspection.
Base notes: The foundation. Warm, steady, dependable. Like someone who always remembers your birthday and brings snacks.
He wouldn’t just mix scents, he’d build a personality.
“Now what we’re looking for here,” Ted might explain, “is a fragrance that says, ‘I’m here for a good time, a long time, and I brought extra kindness just in case.’”
Step 4: Make Mistakes (And Celebrate Them Anyway)
The first batch will smell like citrus and regret.
The second batch will somehow smell like grass clippings and unresolved childhood memories.
But Ted won’t see failure. He’ll see progress.
“Well shoot,” he’d grin, taking a cautious sniff, “that one smells like a raccoon got into a fruit salad. But you know what? That raccoon has initiative.”
Instead of scrapping the batch, he’d ask what it’s trying to become. Because in Ted’s world, even a bad perfume isn’t wrong, it’s just misunderstood.
Step 5: Name It Something Ridiculous and Heartfelt
Every perfume needs a name.
Ted’s creations wouldn’t be called things like Noir Essence or Velvet Midnight. Oh no.
They’d be named like:
“Believe (But With Citrus)”
“Kindness Is Contagious (And Slightly Woody)”
“You’re Doing Great, Sweetie”
And somehow, against all odds, people would love them.
Step 6: Share It Generously
Ted wouldn’t sell the perfume
He’d give it away.
To friends, strangers, the mail carrier, that one neighbor who always looks a little tired. Because to him, the point isn’t the product, it’s how perfume can build community.
“Smell’s a funny thing,” he might say. “It sticks with folks. So why not make it something that reminds ’em they matter?”
Final Notes (Pun Intended)
The Ted Lasso way of making perfume isn’t about precision or expertise.
It’s about joy and curiosity. and letting people be a little messy while they figure things out. And maybe that ends up with something unexpectedly wonderful.
Will the perfume be technically perfect?
Absolutely not.
But will it make people smile?
That’s a whole different story.