Like many women, Marsa and I love our fragrances.
While we know that scents are very personal and tastes are divergent, it's the memories we associate with our perfumes that make us smile.
I remember wearing Love's Baby Soft in high school and Lauren in college. On my wedding day, Anais Anais. When I smell these, I am instantly transported across the decades of life — in the happiest of ways.
What are your fragrance favorites? We lean toward Paris, the epicenter of the parfumerie culture, but there are plenty of other places making great products. You'll no doubt find one of these in our Be Brilliant Bags as we travel around the world on business.
Here are six of our most treasured.
1.
Chanel No. 5 — My sister Annette wears this as her go-to fragrance. It's a classic — clean and soft — and I think it smells fabulous on nearly everyone. Not surprisingly, it was the choice for Marsa's beloved mother and here's what Marsa says about growing up with Chanel. "It is the very first perfume I ever smelled and loved because it is what my mother wore so well. This luxurious scent cast a spell upon me as a little girl. While watching my mother dress for an evening out with my father I would dream of the someday experience I might have with the man that I would love, my prince charming. The little white box, nestled each year under our Christmas tree, would surely bring a smile to my mother's face all the while making my father so happy to know he was spoiling his wife with this simple pleasure. Oh, how I would anticipate how fabulous it would feel someday to be wearing a signature scent of my own." Find it here.
2.
Dyptique's Fig (Philosykos Eau de Parfum) — This is the fragrance I wear the most right now. I received it as a Christmas present from my man, Mr. Steve — heavenly! I first got a whiff of it in the Los Angeles airport after leaving the Emmy Awards last August. A woman standing behind me whilst we boarded was wearing it and I just had to stop her and ask why she smelled so fruity and delicious. My tastes trend toward floral but not too heavy — my own late mother loved gardenia scents. And Dyptique describes this as a blend of fig leaves, wood and white cedar. "Wooded and racy, the nourishing accents from its bark and luxuriant foliage envelop the scent." Find it here.
3.
Coco Mademoiselle — Marsa calls this fragrance her second most memorable as she embraced it in her younger years because of the family connection. "As a young woman, I felt as though I was following in my mother's footsteps yet making a footprint of my own. It's incredibly fresh, an utterly feminine composition, and a scent that carried me through my young adult years helping me to feel elegant and sensual."
4.
Atelier Oolang Infini — I first tested this at a Neiman Marcus perfume counter and instantly knew it was for me. It's sexier and less fruity, with the company describing it as "a full-bodied, mysterious concoction, captures blue tea and bergamot in the warmth of smoke and leather." If you're going out with your partner and looking for some understated sizzle, this is date-night yummy for you. I don't know if it's truly mysterious but it might just earn you some kisses on the neck for sure.
5.
What does Marsa wear most now? "My signature scent, Eau d'Merveilles by Hermes. This is the grand dame of fine fragrance, the first of the house. Another oriental fragrance highlighting notes of sandalwood, patchouli, orange peel and cedar. A magical smell full of sensuality, it is a sexy fragrance men are immediately are drawn - one of the many reasons I too love it so much!" Find it here.
6.
Trish McEvoy N° 6 Mandarin & Ginger Lily — I'm nearly running out of this and that's a tragedy. This is my favorite daytime fragrance, described by the company like this: "an exuberant, vivacious scent that blends iced mandarin and ginger lily blossoms with elegant bergamot and coveted Vetiver." I feel light, feminine and ready to greet the day stylishly in this elevated scent. While many may know Trish from her make-up lines, her fabulous fragrances are worth sampling. Find it here.
