The twist?

This isn't an April Fool's joke. We really made them.

Introducing PolarScents, an honest take on the olfactory reality of life on the road. Forget generic “seaside breeze” fragrances — these five custom-made scents bring you right back to the moments every traveler knows (but no one ever markets).

The Fragrance Collection

Each scent is a bottled-up travel experience you’d rather forget, but that lingers on nonetheless:

🛏 28-Bed Dorm – The defining fragrance of budget travel: a pungent medley of old socks, stale air, and aggressively applied body spray battling against the inevitable. Undertones of hangover morning breath and regret fill the space, accompanied by the distant rustling of a plastic bag at 4 a.m.

🎒 Beat-up Backpack – The unmistakable scent of long-term travel, featuring a rich blend of dirt, sun-baked fabric, and that mysterious stain you stopped questioning three countries ago. Hints of squashed banana, spilled sunscreen, and a lingering mustiness round out this well-worn aroma.

🦟 Bug Battle – One spritz, and you’re instantly transported to a sticky jungle evening, bathed in citronella and DEET, wondering if mosquitoes are immune or just mocking you. Sharp eucalyptus clings to your skin, with an afterthought of cheap plastic.

🚦 Traffic Jam Hell – A full-bodied urban experience, where diesel fumes mix with the heady scent of of burnt tires. Trapped in the thick air, the faint scent of sweaty leather seats lingers — just before a breeze carries in the tempting yet questionable aroma of smoky street food.

🛁 Forever Damp Towel – A scent as relentless as the backpacker using it. Notes of mildew and must cotton collide, while an undercurrent of slightly sour fabric and faded detergent serves as a final plea for a proper laundry day.

The Competition

To celebrate the launch, we’re giving away these fragrances to a select group of brave travelers. All they have to do is share their most unpolished, messy, or downright chaotic travel moments (the ones they could bottle if they could!) on Instagram on April 1st.

Why Are We Doing This?

Because as incredible and life-changing as exploring the world is, it’s not always polished, perfect, or pristine. In fact, more often than not, travel is about the chaotic, messy, and, yes, sometimes smelly side of adventure. But you know what? It’s this beautifully unfiltered reality that makes it worth doing.

About Polarsteps

Recognized as one of Europe’s hottest scaleups, Polarsteps is the market-leading travel app that helps over 14 million travelers worldwide to plan, track, and relive their adventures in a beautiful and seamless way. Using pioneering technology and design, the all-in-one app builds itineraries, maps travelers’ paths across the globe in real-time, and provides a new way to share travel experiences. Headquartered in Amsterdam and powered by an international team of 75+ passionate travelers, we’re becoming the essential tool for modern-day explorers