Scout Dixon West, known for her work in the fragrance space, has received criticism after a number of past tweets resurfaced. The posts included remarks on topics such as the pandemic, body image, race, and gender. In response, some retailers have removed her products. West has not publicly addressed the situation. Her website and X account are still accessible, and she continues to share content related to her brand. The following includes 15 tweets that have drawn attention and sparked discussion.
Fragrance Influencer Scout Dixon West Faces Backlash Over Offensive Old Tweets
FragranceTok is facing major backlash — and this time, the controversy has nothing to do with perfume. During the week of November 4, a series of old tweets allegedly from fragrance content creator Scout Dixon West’s account began circulating online. The tweets included offensive remarks related to COVID-19, weight, and race. Her Campus attempted to contact West’s team to confirm whether the tweets were hers and to request a statement, but received no response by the time of publication.
For those unfamiliar with FragranceTok, West, whose real name is Taylor Rinauro, gained a following on TikTok through detailed fragrance reviews. Her content stood out for its rich descriptions, elevated vocabulary, and unconventional taste in scents. Her popularity led to the launch of her own fragrance line on September 13, which featured three perfumes, including one with notes described as vanilla soft serve and gasoline. With over 200,000 followers and millions of likes across platforms, West became a prominent figure in the online fragrance community. That changed quickly.
By November 6, several of West’s tweets from 2020 and 2021 resurfaced on TikTok. These included controversial posts about the COVID-19 pandemic. One tweet from February 12, 2021, read, “Can everyone who’s gonna die from COVID just die already so I can go to the movie theatre? Let’s get this show on the road.” Another from October 15, 2020, said, “2020 is an incredible year for me… and I don’t care how many people had to die.” Additional posts reportedly included offensive remarks targeting Chinese and other AANHPI individuals.
As of now, West has not publicly addressed the situation. Reactions across social media have been largely negative. In the comments of her November 5 video, users expressed disappointment. One comment read, “This is the first I’ve heard of you. Sometimes I think I’m too negative or too mean, but you have surpassed me infinitely. Thank you for reminding me that I’m not so bad.” Another user said, “This one hurt. We were all rooting for you Scout.” Her Campus again reached out for comment regarding the backlash but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.
In response to the controversy, several perfume retailers — including Lucky Scent and Ministry of Scent — have removed West’s products from their platforms. Since the controversy, various perfume stores, including Lucky Scent and Ministry of Scent, have dropped West from their websites.
Despite the backlash, West’s official website is still accessible, and her X (formerly Twitter) account continues to operate.
1. Reacting to the Term “Orientals” in a Fragrance Store
📅 June 27, 2021
“Fragrance enthusiast Asian girlfriend, white newcomer boyfriend come into the store to shop for him. I ask what he likes… She says, ‘orientals.’ I exercised great restraint in not absolutely erupting.”
In this post, Scout Dixon West describes a customer interaction in which the term “orientals” was used to describe a fragrance preference. The term is outdated and widely considered inappropriate when referring to people or cultures, though it has historically been used in the perfume industry to describe a scent category. While West expresses frustration, the tweet draws criticism for tone and phrasing. Using a specific racial framing (“Asian girlfriend, white boyfriend”) raises further questions about intent and audience, suggesting a possible performance of outrage rather than a constructive response.
2. Mocking Concern Over Racist Content in a Bookstore
📅 August 6, 2021
“Witnessed greatness today as two mush-brained girls asked the bookstore employee if R. Crumb was ‘like, a bad guy, or racist, or something’ and he promptly alerted them that the store was ‘not a safe space’ and that there would be no policing of ideas encouraged. My spirit soared.”
West ridicules two young women for questioning the inclusion of controversial artist R. Crumb in a bookstore. The phrase “mush-brained girls” is explicitly derogatory, and the celebration of the employee’s dismissive response — especially the framing of the store as “not a safe space” — implies approval of hostility toward concerns about racism or problematic content. The tweet suggests disdain for critical engagement with harmful ideologies and paints legitimate inquiry as intellectual weakness.
3. Dismissing Depression with a Slur
📅 December 6, 2021
“I used to have ‘depression’ and then one day I decided to just stop being a little f**t.”
This tweet trivializes mental health struggles and uses a homophobic slur in a derogatory context. The use of quotation marks around “depression” and the framing of overcoming it through sheer willpower undermines the legitimacy of clinical depression and promotes harmful stereotypes about mental illness being a personal weakness. The tweet is deeply offensive and dangerous, especially to LGBTQ+ individuals and those affected by mental health issues.
4. Indifference to COVID-19 Deaths
📅 October 15, 2020
“2020 is an incredible year for me… and I don’t care how many people had to die.”
This post demonstrates a staggering lack of empathy at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. By explicitly stating indifference to death tolls, the tweet comes across as deeply insensitive and self-centered. It dismisses the grief and loss experienced by millions worldwide and positions personal success above collective suffering, which fueled outrage when the tweet resurfaced.
5. Frustration with COVID-19 Lockdowns
📅 February 12, 2021
“Can everyone who’s gonna die from covid just die already so I can go to the movie theatre? Let’s get this show on the road.”
This tweet expresses explicit frustration over pandemic restrictions, but does so in an extremely callous manner. The implied disregard for human life — essentially wishing for people to die sooner so daily routines can resume — sparked serious backlash. The tone is dehumanizing and reflects a lack of compassion during a period of global crisis.
6. Fatphobic Commentary
📅 February 6, 2023
“If you’re fat, you better have BEEN fat. If you GOT fat, I don’t respect you.”
This post promotes blatant fatphobia by mocking people who gained weight over time. The statement implies that gaining weight is a sign of moral or personal failure and positions “being fat” as something only tolerable if it’s consistent. This kind of rhetoric contributes to toxic body standards and reinforces stigma around weight and health.
7. Mocking Mask Usage
📅 February 3, 2021
“Wearing a mask on an empty street? Alone in your car? It’s mental illness.”
In this tweet, West mocks people for wearing masks in public or in private vehicles during the pandemic. Labeling such behavior as “mental illness” not only stigmatizes protective health choices but also trivializes actual mental health conditions. It reflects the broader trend of pandemic-related mockery from individuals resistant to public health measures.
8. Smoking in the Car with Kids
📅 April 17, 2021
Just saw a man in a truck ripping a cig with his kids in the backseat… America is healing…
This tweet sarcastically frames a scene of a man smoking with children in the backseat as a sign of national recovery. While likely intended as dark humor, the remark was criticized by some for normalizing unhealthy behavior around children. Others viewed it as a reflection of low standards being passed off as normalcy.
9. Insult Toward a Trend Phrase
📅 March 4, 2021
You’re not “doing hot girl shit” … You are ugly inside and out
In this tweet, West mocks a popular online phrase used to express confidence and self-expression. The comment directly attacks an unnamed person’s appearance and character, shifting the tone from sarcasm to personal insult. It was widely seen as unnecessarily harsh and mean-spirited, especially given its vague target.
10. Sexist Remark About Women in the Secret Service
📅 July 14
“Women shouldn’t be in the secret service and that’s a no brainer.”
This tweet makes a sweeping and sexist generalization by claiming that women are inherently unfit for roles in the Secret Service. By calling it a “no brainer,” the statement implies that the exclusion of women from such roles is self-evident, reinforcing outdated gender stereotypes. It dismisses the capabilities of female professionals in security and intelligence fields without offering any rationale beyond bias, drawing strong criticism for its misogynistic tone.
11. My Favorite Part of Being a Lady
Source: https://x.com/CaraLikeCareUh/status/1878653646222876683
📅 January 13, 2025
my favorite part of being a lady is spraying Coney Island Baby on myself at the pub over cocktails @scoutdixonwest
— @CaraLikeCareUh
This video post shows a user proudly using West’s perfume, Coney Island Baby, in a public setting. The playful tone, paired with a glam visual, reflects how West’s products are embraced by fans despite ongoing criticism. The fact that West chose to repost this suggests she continues to highlight brand engagement and user satisfaction.
12. “This One Is Special” – Luca Turin Review Mention
Source: https://x.com/sashachapin/status/1841576519300481350
📅 October 2, 2024
I don’t know how many of you will fully get the significance of this but: this is from the Luca Turin review of the line
Of all the cool moments for us so far, this one is special
— @sashachapin
This tweet features a line from fragrance critic Luca Turin’s review, expressing support for West’s collection. Sharing the review suggests West is emphasizing positive feedback while facing criticism.
13. The Visionary You Are
Source: https://x.com/darkoctobersky/status/1837146895124140335
📅 September 20, 2024
brb dousing myself in coney island baby rn
scout dixon west, the visionary you are
— @darkoctobersky
A short but expressive tweet calling West a “visionary” reinforces her image as a creative leader in fragrance. By reposting it, she amplifies support and admiration for her product line, even as her reputation faces public challenge.
14. “Had the Time of My Life” – Launch Party Praise
Source: https://x.com/ch3rrycolaIime/status/1835727085240987952
📅 September 16, 2024
i went to scout dixon west’s launch party the other night and had the time of my life
— @ch3rrycola1ime
Accompanied by a photo of her three fragrances (El Dorado, Incarnate, and Coney Island Baby), this tweet celebrates West’s brand event. The repost showcases real-world engagement and successful community events, painting a picture of momentum and public enthusiasm despite reputational issues.
15. “I Will Make Sure That It Happens” – Business Launch Story
Source: https://x.com/sashachapin/status/1835220330836828573
📅 September 15, 2024
Sometimes you decide to start a company with your best friend and your wife over dinner and you’re like, “are we actually going to do this, I don’t know”
And then you’re driving away with your wife and she says “I would like this to happen, I will make sure that it happens”
— @sashachapin
This tweet shares the emotional origin story behind Scout Dixon West’s brand. The mention of personal motivation and shared vision, reposted by West, further humanizes the business and presents it as the product of commitment and creative belief, countering the negativity surrounding the resurfaced tweets.
Conclusion
The response to Scout Dixon West’s resurfaced tweets continues to unfold. While several retailers have cut ties with her brand, she remains active on social media and continues to share content. The posts in question, along with the public reaction and her recent reposts, have drawn attention to the contrast between her growing business presence and the controversy surrounding her past remarks. The situation has sparked ongoing discussion among both critics and supporters.
