The beauty lover in me always wanted a signature scent.
The beauty writer in me knew that was an impossible achievement.
I’ve had dalliances, sometimes years-long, with fragrances. But is there anything chicer than those who know you best—knowing that you were in a room after you’ve left?
There isn’t.
I think about my dear friend Angela’s mother, Helen (whom I also considered a friend), who sadly passed away this month in a tragic car accident. I’ve actually written about Helen before, many years ago, when my blog went by its original name. She procured Angela and me jobs making salad at the mall in the ‘90s simply because she was Greek and the owner was Greek.
Helen was QVC’s best customer, made an absolute culture in and of itself around Christmas, was a real estate boss babe in the ‘80s and ‘90s and loved a signature EVERYTHING. Her look in the 30ish years I knew her? Deep turquoise eyeliner. Red manicure and pedicure (always). GIORGIO BEVERLY HILLS PERFUME. Yes. Until 2022!
It’s truly a commitment to the bit.
In my beauty retirement years (as I refer to my post-pandemic beauty career), I test things here and there, but I stick to what works for me. It’s a weirdly luxurious thing after a promiscuous lack of loyalty to literally any hair, makeup or skincare item for 15 years. I’ve been dealing with a return of scent-related migraines (I got them in my teens, but never related to scent until now) and I’ve found that I can only wear a few fragrances that are all verrrrrry similar.
In other words? I have a feeling I’m about to pull a Helen Conti and she’d gladly raise a martini glass to that.
Read on to find out what they are.
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