Toskovat Born Screaming Extrait

Description

Born Screaming is a fragrance about first breath: raw, unfiltered, and a little uncomfortable on purpose. It opens on juicy cherry and tart blackberry and ground cherry (physalis), lit up by an unexpected streak of plastic and latex: a synthetic, almost rubbery brightness that keeps the sweetness from ever going soft. The heart turns smoky and strange: heliotrope's powdery hush against a sensual rose, with datura and boronia adding an almost narcotic edge. By the base, the composition settles into something animalic and resinous: myrrh, styrax, and castoreum wrapped around ambrette and patchouli, with freesia keeping one foot in the floral. It's less a scent you wear quietly and more one that announces itself, the way a newborn does.

Scent Character

• Woody: 37%
• Floral: 27%
• Smoky/Resinous: 21%
• Fresh: 10%
• Sweet: 5%

Translation: the depth here comes from myrrh, styrax, and castoreum rather than true agarwood. There's no actual oud material in the notes, so we've labeled that facet honestly as Smoky/Resinous. Combined with a woody cabreuva-patchouli base and a genuinely floral heart, this reads as a dark, smoky floral rather than the sweet, fruity scent its cherry opening might promise.

Fragrance Pyramid

Top: Cherry, Plastic, Latex, Blackberry, Ground Cherry (Physalis)
Heart: Smoke, Heliotrope, Rose, Datura, Boronia, Mignonette
Base: Pearls, Ambrette, Styrax, Myrrh, Cabreuva, Castoreum, Freesia, Patchouli

Performance

Longevity and sillage both land in the moderate range here, around 4–6 hours of wear with a closer, more intimate trail rather than a room-filling one. That's a deliberate contrast to the loud, confrontational opening: Born Screaming makes its statement early and then settles into something quieter and more skin-close. Reapply if you want the latex-and-cherry moment to carry through the evening.

Best Occasions & Season

Best in Fall and Winter, when the smoky resin base has room to breathe. The brand pairs it with both Evening wear and more Business-adjacent settings: read that as "sophisticated after-dark," not literal office wear; this is a fragrance for someone who wants their scent to have an edge. Unisex.

Concentration & Provenance

Concentration: Extrait de Parfum
Perfumer: David-Lev Jipa-Slivinschi
House: Toskovat, an independent, conceptual niche perfumery
Release Year: 2023

Why Try It as a Sample

Born Screaming is exactly the kind of fragrance you want to test before you trust. The plastic-and-latex opening is polarizing by design, and it either clicks with you immediately or it doesn't. A 1mL sample (2mL vial, filled halfway) is the low-risk way to find out which camp you're in before going further.

100% Authentic

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FAQ

Q: What does the "plastic and latex" note actually smell like?
A: It's a synthetic, faintly rubbery brightness that sits alongside the cherry and blackberry top notes, sharper and more mineral than a typical fruity opening, and one of the more talked-about details of this fragrance.

Q: Is Born Screaming a fruity fragrance?
A: Only in its opening. The cherry and blackberry fade quickly into a smoky, resinous floral-woody base. The overall character is dark rather than sweet.

Q: How long does it last?
A: Moderate. Expect roughly 4–6 hours with a close, skin-hugging trail rather than heavy projection.

Q: Who is Toskovat?
A: An independent niche house led by perfumer David-Lev Jipa-Slivinschi, known for dark, conceptual, narrative-driven fragrances built around unconventional ideas rather than classic elegance.