gonna find out who's naughty or nice: annabelle breakey for native
The holidays are full of scents that spur emotion and nostalgia. A fresh-cut Christmas tree, a simmering pot of mulled wine, the sharp snap of a peppermint stick—there’s nothing like the power of scent to awaken your merry memories and set the stage for new ones. This year, deodorant and body care brand Native took favorite yuletide fragrances and, checking them twice, made their lists for Naughty and Nice.
Shot by photographer Annabelle Breakey, Native’s Naughty list—Spiked Eggnog, Fresh Mistletoe, and Lump of Coal—is decked out with high contrast colors and metallics, while the Nice list—Sweet Candy Cane, Sugar Cookie, and Yule Log—dons softer, matte tones. With their goofy grins, sly smirks, and the occasional sob (the truth hurts, Lump of Coal), the models embody their scents through their expressions. Viewed together, the photos are like a stack of Polaroids from a raucous office holiday party. Who says you can’t smell good while being bad?
“Nice is uber sweet and earthy, while Naughty is downright boozy and mischievous,” says Breakey of the styling and tone of the set. “The models for Naughty were to be gluttonous and comically aggressive, while those on the Nice list were to act overly sweet and silly. They hardly needed any prompting at all! The props created the mood, and the models came forth with super funny emotional responses to them. As with all Native shoots, there was lots and lots of giggling on set.”
Native’s fragrances are made using a clean blend of essential oils, safe synthetic oils, and natural extracts, and all the products in their line are phthalate- and paraben-free—meaning they’re pretty squarely on the Nice list. Breakey definitely thinks so. “I’ve worked with Native for years and our creativity continues to grow together,” she says. “I truly trust their vision and it’s always easy to work with them since we’re such kindred spirits.”