Welcome to our series, ‘My Life in Perfume‘. We’re asking our favourite fragrance fans to reveal all – from their first perfume purchase to their signature aroma; here are their scent stories…
Ceryn is the Communications & Campaigns Editor at Escentual. She talks and writes about all-things Escentual and beauty every day across Escentual’s blog, social channels, and to content creators and journalists. In 2022, she’ll be celebrating seven years with the business. Before starting her role, she was a mastermind in makeup but clueless about fragrance. Find out about the fragrance that changed everything for her, and the scents that make up her life in perfume.
Meet Team Escentual: Communications & Campaigns Editor, Ceryn
My First Perfume
I wasn’t interested in perfume when I was growing up. But I was interested in stealing my sister’s. I was interested in stealing anything from my sisters, for that matter. She is older than me, so I subconsciously think it had something to do with wanting to be more grown-up. Because of this, her first perfume was also mine. It was J Lo Glow. It was very popular in the early 2000s; I think every female teenager wore it. Quite rightly so, too. It smelt great. It still does! It’s a white floral, which I now think may have ignited my love for this fragrance family. It smells very clean and slightly powdery. It’s effortless to wear and easily recognisable, too – my sister would often catch me out and chase me around the house for ‘stealing her stuff’.
My First Perfume Purchase
My first perfume purchase is a cliche; it was in the airport duty-free. I chose the scent based entirely on its bottle: a beautiful heart shape with a gold crown lid, which doubled as a ring. I was 13 – let me off! The perfume was Vera Wang Princess. I cringe a little at the name and bottle, but the scent is one I’d still wear today; it’s divine! It’s a warm powdery floral that has hints of chocolate and vanilla. It’s sweet but not sickly, young but not too young. Unfortunately, we no longer stock it at Escentual, but when we did a few years ago, I’d purposely walk past it in our fragrance aisle (where we keep perfume testers for campaigns) to have a sniff. I’m tempted to buy a bottle right now!
My First Mind-Blowing Fragrance
The first time a fragrance truly blew my mind was when I first started at Escentual. Makeup was my ‘thing’ back then, and the world of perfume was uncharted territory. I saw fragrance as a way to smell nice, which of course is true, but it’s also art, and the big one – subjective. The scent in question is Etat Libre d’Orange Secretions Magnifiques. Its smell mimics bodily secretions. Yes, you read that right; blood, sweat, saliva, I won’t continue. Now, I wouldn’t say I like the scent – I actually hate it, and you’d never catch me wearing it – but I think it’s fascinating. Secretions Magnifique opened my eyes to another world of perfumery, one that isn’t just fresh and sweet.
My All-Time Favourite
It’s hard to name one all-time favourite perfume. I have many. But, what I will share is a fragrance that I have owned for years and re-purchased many times, and when I am in a rush, it’s my fail-safe choice. It’s Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Essence de Parfum. Earlier in this edit, I mentioned I love white florals, and this is a bold white floral with lashings of ginger and vanilla. For me, it’s the perfect balance between floral and gourmand, sweet and sexy. It’s a grown-up kind of sweetness that exudes sophistication and confidence, an air that comes across in both its smell and bottle. Unfortunately, I have to savour every last drop of the last bottle I have as it’s sadly discontinued.
My Everyday Scent
I wear a different fragrance every day. I do this for a few reasons. I have many scents that I’d hate to waste, and I like to choose a perfume that pairs with my outfit, mood, or even the season. Today, I’m working from home, and the weather is cold and horrible. So naturally, I’ve gone for something that reminds me of summer; the delicious, coconutty Mugler Angel Eau Croisiere. It’s a limited edition from 2020 so unfortunately it’s no longer available to buy. It instantly whisks me away to a sunnier place.
My Most Sentimental Perfume
Each of my perfumes is sentimental in some way. The smells remind me of a different memory, place or person. The most recent fragrance that’s become very sentimental to me is Issey Miyake A Drop Issey. I wore this during my most recent holiday to Norway. It was during this trip that my partner proposed to me. We were on a reindeer farm, and it was snowing – a dream proposal. Every time I smell this sweet almondy aroma, I get a wave of nostalgia. For years to come, I know I’ll want to keep this in my collection to transport me back to that special moment.
My Favourite Brands
As I scan my fragrance collection, I see I’m not loyal to just one brand. I love a variety of brands for many reasons. But, of course, a few brands do stand out. GUERLAIN, for one, are icons in perfumery, and I rarely dislike one of their new releases. Aqua Allegoria and Mon Guerlain are two of my favourite ranges, and Terracotta was one of my first luxury perfume loves. Mugler is another brand that deserves a mention. I come back to their scents because they are never boring and always offer something different, which is also why I like to gift Mugler fragrances. I’d feel guilty for not mentioning a few others: Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior, Narciso Rodriguez, Tom Ford and Dolce & Gabbana (L’Imperatrice 3 is another of my all-time favourites).
My Perfume Collection
I have a lot of perfume. I want to say that my collection is all down to my job, but that would only be a half-truth. I enjoy treating myself to new perfumes to mark special occasions and memories. I don’t know how many bottles I own; I don’t think I want to know, but I have them all on rotation, so they all get loved. I keep my collection in my dressing room, so my scented stash is close by to complete my outfit.
