ÇaFleureBon Profiles In American Perfumery: Chris Christiansen of Gentleman’s Nod +SIDAMA Giveaway

May 24, 2024May 24, 2024

Chris Christiansen, Owner/Operator and Creative Director of Gentleman’s Nod

Profile: I was born in Orange California in 1978 to a hardworking and successful single mother. I was a naturally curious child with a TON of enthusiasm and an overly active imagination. Much of my younger years were spent playing just about every sport conceivable, but I was equally devoted to exploring nature, reading, and writing. From as far back as I can remember I had a near insatiable desire to explore and learn about the world around me. I can remember from an early age that scent was one of the ways that I enjoyed exploring the world. Some of my earliest memories are anchored by scent. They include walking through my great aunt’s garden when I was 2 years old. The warm sun on my face with the scent of dill carried on a cool ocean breeze. I can also clearly recall the scent of my great grandmother and her home. It was a wonderful combo of yeast, toasted almonds and freshly baked bread. The scent of Christmas morning was always Cardamom, Cinnamon, and the Danish fried pastry Æbleskiver. My grandfather who made them smoked a pipe and I still love the warm, rich, aromatic quality of tobacco.

Chris Christiansen of Gentleman’s Nod at his High School Graduation with his Mom

The power of personal scent wasn’t really awakened for me until the late 80’s or early 90’s. During this time my mother bought me Guy Laroche’s Drakkar Noir, Calvin Klein’s Eternity, and Ralph Lauren’s Polo Green. My mother would later adopt Mugler’s Angel as her “signature scent” which I adored. It was then I first recognized how a personal scent could impact your mood, alter perception, and even have an effect on those around you.

Chris Christiansen of Gentleman’s Nod with his Great-Grandmother in Garden1980

Entrepreneurism and a creative spirit are definitely in my blood. My maternal grandfather found his niche in the combination of an auto parts warehouse and retail store. My paternal grandfather posthumously came to be known as the neon king of Vancouver. He would also start thoroughbred racing stables even sending a stakes winner to Kentucky. In my life, this creative spirit has manifested itself in a near constant stream of ideas. When I was younger my friends and I created board games and even wrote 90+ pages of documentation and artwork for a video game which we never created. At this stage I found joy more in the creative process than building anything concrete. I’ve discovered that if you are truly passionate about creative pursuits they can be found most anywhere. In undergrad and my early career days I developed forecasting models and designed databases to make mundane office work more productive. It wouldn’t be for several years and after meeting the love of my life that I would find my true calling.

Chris Christiansen of Gentleman’s Nod and his wife Leslie at their wedding

I was first confronted by the notion of traditional wet shaving in 2012, while attending grad school in Southern California. I recall being particularly “intrigued” by the idea of using more traditional tools and techniques to achieve a better shave. At the time I abhorred shaving. It was just something I did to look presentable at the office. I used electric shavers which were horrific Cartridge razors and a pressurized can of shaving gel was only slightly better. I was captivated by the idea of doing something with excellence and mastering the associated techniques. After a few months of sifting through forums online and telling my wife how intrigued I was by this concept she was sick of hearing about it. So at the age of 35 my wonderful mother got me a great first kit consisting of a shaving brush, Merkur 38c safety razor, lavender shaving soap and shaving cream. Little did my mother or wife know the firestorm this little gift would set ablaze! Right from the very first shave I was hooked. It was “game over”, before the first pitch tossed, before the first pass with that 38c. My whole concept of shaving was undone, instantaneously and permanently! However, not even I was prepared for transformational effect that this one aspect of my morning routine would have on the way I approached personal care in general.

Chris Christiansen of Gentleman’s Nod his Dad and Leslie Off Roading in Canada

The seemingly innocuous act of shaving had turned into a passion, borderline obsession with the entire men’s grooming industry. It was pure joy and the scents were so fabulous and unique. Three years later I was working in sales management in the field and found myself frustrated and unsatisfied with my capacity to influence the industry I loved. On the morning of my 38th birthday I awoke from an intricately detailed dream about starting a men’s grooming company. So, I immediately set up a humble little soap lab in my basement

Chris Christiansen of Gentleman’s Nod Bottling Aftershave in New Commercial Space

Gentleman’s Nod was launched in April of 2019 and provided the perfect opportunity to direct my creative efforts both to my love of scent as well as my love of the men’s grooming industry in general. We now operate out of a commercial space and our products have brought joy to many people all over the world.

Chris Christiansen of Gentleman’s Nod with Leslie at Golden Pineapple Fragrance Awards (Best Spring Fragrance 2024 for Bluegrass Muse a collaboration with BBS.Live, composed by perfumer Gino Percontino)

On American Perfumery: This is certainly a unique time in American Perfumery. Access to information, raw materials, and support has never been easier. There is great value in traditional perfumery education in the bastions of fragrance throughout the world, especially for those who know their path and can afford it. But I also believe it is a great time for the creative and committed artisan who is self-taught. I spent thousands of hours in research and countless more in trial-and-error learning to make different types of soaps and cosmetic products. I believe the same is being accomplished in the world of perfumery today.

Ernest Hemingway at his typewriter Wikipedia

Favorite American Artist: For me artistry lies in the ability to tell a believable and interesting story. The artist creates and invites you to experience their creation and take a journey with them. Art is transformative. The most compelling artists easily draw us into their narratives. Ernest Hemingway is certainly one of my favorite artists. The way he weaves a narrative makes me feel as if i am there in the story, not just watching but experiencing what his characters are. One of my favorite Hemingway quotes is: “In order to write about life, you must first live it.”

–Chris Christiansen, Owner/Operator and Creative Director of Gentleman’s Nod.

Ugo Charron of Mane experiencing perfume on Canva© courtesy of the perfumer

Thanks to Chris Christiansen of Gentlemen’s Nod we have a draw for a registered reader in US / CANADA for a 50 ml bottle of SIDAMA, created by perfumer Ugo Charron, MANE.

2024 Art & Olfaction Independent Finalist SIDAMA in The Independent Category Photo By Brian Yost

To enter the draw, you must be a registered reader. Please leave a comment with what you found fascinating about Chris’s path to perfumery, and where you live. Draw closes 5/27/2024

Chris Christiansen is 177th in our American perfumer series, which officially began in 2011 with Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes.

On behalf of our team at CaFleureBon, we wish you and Ugo the best of luck on June 7, 2024 in Lisbon

PLEASE SUPPORT INDEPENDENT BRANDS AND BUY DIRECTLY FROM THEIR WEBSITE

Please like CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery and your entry will count twice. Please leave that in your comment.

This is our Privacy and Draw Rules Policy

We announce the winners only on our site and on our Facebook page, so like ÇaFleureBon and use our blog feed…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume