Do you think I’m wearing a good perfume for nothing? The natural scent of my skin blends perfectly with perfume and when I spray it it will surely impress passersby? People stop me on the street and ask me what I grow. A great fragrance has undeniable star power that energizes, boosts confidence. Cocky or not, I know it tastes good.
A year ago I started thinking about writing an article about my favorite fragrances. To be honest, I never really liked any particular fragrance. Growing up, a good scent to me meant something that my mom and I would buy every month when we went to Bath & Body Works. My favorite fragrances would change with each purchase and were usually similar to my friends’ choices. We would look at single scents (like Japanese Cherry Blossom) put into body sprays or mixed into lotions. We all smelled the same; looking back, personality is important, but a lot of fragrances are really well-suited.
Ten years later, while writing about beauty at Eskume, I was inspired to redefine my relationship with fragrance. I began learning about perfume and cologne like a college class: smelling every bottle of perfume in my beauty cabinet, old and new,—writing down what I liked and what I didn’t like in the notes section of my phone. When you apply this systematic approach to fragrance, you’ll instantly know which scents you’re drawn to. If my fragrance profile were a Meyers-Briggs test, the result would be FSVO, which means Fresh, Spicy, Vanilla Oud—however, the fragrances I received the most compliments on while compiling this list don’t even fit this mold. From Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolue to Chanel Chance au Vive, fruity floral scents appeal to me. Or at least, these are the types that get the most compliments.
I think knowing your fragrance preferences is a way of knowing yourself, or in this case, how others perceive you. Here are my six favorite scents, according to everyone who has ever told me I smell great.
Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolu Eau de Parfum
Why I love it: Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolu is definitely my favorite scent on this list. Thanks to my Esquim coworkers who applaud me whenever I step out of my beauty wear wearing it. I often feel like I’ll wear it too much during busy workdays and they’ll get used to it, but no, they keep enjoying its sweet fruity character; it comes from fig and blackcurrant in particular, but it’s actually an iris scent that balances that fruitiness with an earthy floral scent. I love how warm and inviting it is, but not too overwhelming.
Key Notes: Pale Iris, Sambac Jasmine, Patchouli Essence, Fig, Blackcurrant
Jo Malone London Peony and Blush Suede Cologne
Why I love it: When I want to feel sweet and feminine, I swear by this Jo Malone London fragrance. It’s an undeniably feminine scent, with notes of peony, rose, and honey balanced by soft suede. Red apple serves as a top note, giving it a fruity crispness that keeps the wearer energized until the floral notes take over. Like any good fruit or any good floral, it always leaves you wanting more.
Key notes: Red apple, peony, rose, honey, suede
Hermès Barenia Eau de Parfum
Why I love it: I took an Uber the other day, and seconds after saying hello, my lovely driver commented, “Your scent is great! May I ask you what you’re wearing?” “The new Hermès Barenia,” I replied. He hadn’t heard of it yet, so I told him how to pronounce it. Even though Hermès’ latest EDP launched earlier this month (with a star-studded launch in New York), Barenia has already become a mainstay in my fragrance rotation. “When you put Barenia on your skin, it feels like a caress,” perfumer Christine Nagel told a group of editors. The epitome of a true Chypre, Hermès woman: elegant, daring, and unforgettable.
Key Notes: Butterfly Lily, Oakwood, Miracle Berry, Oakwood, Patchouli
La Bouche Rouge Naked Perfume
Why I like it: One of my favorites falls into the subcategory of fragrances that are light and easy to layer because of their skin-enhancing properties. My longtime favorite is “Nude” by La Bouche Rouge. The brand describes it as a “silky caress” that smells soft and sensual on the skin. Fresh bergamot and fig are balanced by a velvety woody base that blends beautifully with the rest of the scent.
Key notes: Fig, bergamot, rose, iris, cedar, guaiac wood
Chanel Chance Eau Vive Eau de Toilette
Why I love it: Eau Vive is an apt name for this Chanel fragrance; after all, “vive” means longevity in French. One of the four fragrances in Chanel’s Chance collection, I find this one the most invigorating—first of all, it has a rich blend of blood orange and grapefruit, jasmine, and cedar iris. I mainly use it when I have a big day ahead and need an energy boost.
Key notes: Grapefruit, blood orange, jasmine, cedar and iris
costa brazil perfumes
Why I love it: The beauty of the jungle is that it swallows you up—making you one with nature. The same goes for Costa Brazil fragrances, which leave you wanting more every time you wear them; natural elements from the Amazon (white forest plants, Brazilian orange oil) inspire its captivating scent. Pink pepper and grapefruit enhance its woody and herbal notes, which are then blended with bourbon, nutmeg, and botanical musk for an EDP that will make anyone (that’s me) feel wild and free. Maintaining a bit of IYKYK status among industry insiders, I know one of my partners will ask me if I’m wearing it.
Key Notes: White Woods, Brazilian Orange Oil, Pink Pepper and Grapefruit Zest, Contrasting Bourbon, Vetiver, Musk and Patchouli
