It Finally Makes Scents

I've always enjoyed perfumes. I started wearing body splash in junior high and moved on to Escape by Calvin Klein in high school, and Versace Red Jeans in college. Post college I wore Versace Blonde and once I moved to New York City I owned a slew of perfumes. Particularly during the time I lived in the Flatiron District right near the huge shops that sold every designer perfume for wholesale price. I wouldn't think twice about purchasing a new fragrance that sparked my interest. If I was the slightest bit moved by a scent, I would run out and buy it the next day. 

My mom always told me to choose one perfume and make it my signature scent. She thinks you shouldn't change your smell depending on time of day or season of the year. I tend to listen to everything my mom tells me when it comes to being a lady--there isn't much that beats the classic, high society Persian school of thought--but in this case I just couldn't concur. Once I finished a bottle, that scent and phase in my life were both over for me. I associated that smell too closely with where I was living, whom I was dating, where I was working, how I was spending my free time, and my emotional state of mind during that period. My sense of smell is very strong, so catching a whiff from my past would sometimes bring back the memories so strongly it would give me a slight gag reflex, depending on what I was connecting to. All the memories take over, like a wave through my body. 

I recently stumbled into Le Labo on 3rd Street in West Hollywood and instantly fell in love. The sales person was standing behind the counter mixing ingredients in a beaker, and I noticed a quote by the Persian poet Hafiz splashed on the wall: "Act great, dear. Always act great." She was making a fragrance for one of the customers. They make their perfumes fresh at Le Labo. And they are all unisex. 

I learned more about scents and perfumes during my twenty minutes in the store than I had my entire life. Their employees are extremely knowledgeable, which makes sense because their job training is twelve weeks. This place is legit! I walked out with seven tasters and sampled them over the next couple weeks. I ended up buying the one I was originally attracted to (as is usually the case) and love, love, love it.

We will see what happens with this new scent. Now that I am in a more permanent phase in my life, I wonder if this scent will have more lasting power? I can't imagine looking back and gagging when reminded of the beginning of my marriage and raising my beautiful son. But I suppose only time will tell :)

Sincerely,

Sahra