Here at Splendor, we believe in celebrating the basics of self-care – these are the Essentials. You can search for all the Essential posts by entering the term “essential” into the search bar where you will be transported to reminders of the importance of good lingerie, the importance of taking a 12-hour vacation, why you need to carve out time for creative action, and much, much more.
In this post, I’m going to talk about a true Essential that often gets overlooked in the rush-rush of daily living – perfume! Not to mention that we’re just a few days past National Perfume Day!
Now, I get it. Perfume is not necessarily every Diva’s preferred cup of tea. That is, of course, perfectly fine. But let’s investigate nevertheless.
For many of us, our first scent memory is a nursery basic – baby powder. Maybe you have fond memories of a perfume your mother wore, or your favorite aunt, or your grandmother. I have strong memories of a bottle of golden perfume that sat of my mother’s walnut chest of drawers for yearsandyears. (You see, my mother could not smell. She never had that sense and I wish I’d asked her for the story of that perfume. I imagine my father had given it to her and she just kept it, never quite sure about how much to wear.)
In junior high/middle school, my friends and I began playing with cologne – Love’s Baby Soft was quite a hit back in those days, as I recall. In high school, it was probably Jean Naté or Esprit. In college, we made our way to the department store counters and found Clinique and Estée Lauder. (Or maybe we just went for Bath & Body Works!) Some of us find our “signature scent” about here – Cinnabar was mine – and never change it, which is a mistake.
Divas, it’s time to switch things up! Our sense of smell provides us with a mysterious connection to the Divine. A quick whiff of fresh-mown grass can transport us instantly back to the summer we were nine and spent so much time at the ball park because our brother was playing baseball that summer. Or a trace of the rich smell of leather can send us back to the barn when we learned to curry a horse. We can lightly scent our writing paper (stationery is another Essential), light well-made scented candles, or lay lavender in our linen closet.
Perfume is a joy. Make it part of your routine – especially on the busy, stressful days that our lives involve. Not sure where to start? Explore the classics and discover why Chanel No. 5 and Shalimar are still amazingly popular. Try Penhaligon’s and answer some questions, then choose from a curated selection of scents. For the truly offbeat, give Sucreabeille a whirl. Or – if you’re ready to truly embrace your standing as a Diva deserving the best, have a perfume made for you.
Don’t laugh. I recently did this – and I’m in the sticks, remember! – and the experience was incredible! My perfumer (yes, I now have a “perfumer”) asked me to provide her with the names of some of my favorite scents and she did her homework on their composition. She then came to my house and worked with me to craft my own perfume – not a copy of something, but one built especially for me. It wasn’t as expensive as you might think and I remain completely delighted with her sorcery.
And yes – we named it “Tiara.”
Spread joy, Divas!
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