There are many conversations that take place in the Eliza office (many of which can’t be repeated, but that’s another story for another time), but one of our most hotly debated topics isn’t the celebrity gossip of the moment, or who had the worst dating story from the past weekend. No, we get overly animated about our favourite perfumes.
Anyone who wears fragrance knows that the scent you choose to wear is incredibly personal to you. It might be a perfume that you’ve worn for years, one you’ve recently fallen head over heels for, or a signature scent that you smelled on a friend and have since stolen as your own.
While it can be helpful to hear someone talk about their ride-or-die mascara or foundation, there’s just something I find so fascinating about a person’s chosen perfume. I love hearing them talk about how they discovered it and why they love it.
Beauty is so subjective, but I think none more so than fragrance, which is why I wanted the Eliza team to share their all-time favourite personal scent. Below, they’ve shared the perfume that means the most to them, and their answers didn’t disappoint…
D.S. & Durga Italian Citrus EDP – Favourite perfume of Hannah Thompson, beauty content creator
Scents that are considered ‘typically masculine’ have always been a favourite of mine: when I was little and my brother went to university, I used to spray his CK One cologne and was immediately comforted by the way the scent reminded me of him. As I’ve got older, the citrus, aquatic and fresh accords that are often used in men’s colognes have remained my go-to when looking for scents, but my relationship with them has changed. Wearing these scents make me feel more powerful and confident, and spritzing one in the morning will set me up right for the day.
I absolutely love discovering new, more niche fragrance brands. When I came across D.S & Durga’s Italian Citrus a few months ago, I was intoxicated by it at first sniff. It’s the ideal clean, zesty fragrance that avoids citrus cliches, settling to a green and fresh base rather than anything sweet or sparkling.
As you would expect from the name, it contains a blend of bitter orange, mandarin, lemon and blood orange, with a smooth hint of musk, which gives it that finishing sultry hit. It’s the ultimate fragrance for smelling like you’re a rich man in a crisp white shirt driving around the south of France in a vintage coupé convertible, and I can’t get enough of it.
Byredo Blanche – Favourite perfume of Laren Tayyip, editorial assistant
I’m a sucker for a perfume with a fresh and floral scent, and with its airy and simple structure, Blanche by Byredo is exactly that. The most prominent note is white roses, followed by a mix of pink pepper, aldehydes, neroli, violet and peony.
When searching for a perfume, I always check it contains neroli and peony as they complement each other so well, and I also prefer to keep some notes the same across all my perfumes so I have a signature scent.
Its base notes of blond wood, sandalwood and musk add a nice warmth to the overall perfume without being too overpowering. The name Blanche always reminds me of crisp spring mornings and I’ve quickly associated the scent with new beginnings.
Maison Margiela Replica Matcha Meditation Eau De Toilette – Favourite perfume of Hannah Blake, managing director
To me, this perfume smells like what I imagine heaven smells like: sunny, peaceful and citrusy. It combines a floral citrus scent with balmy earthy tones, which results in a unique and fresh aroma that replicates an early summer’s day. That kind of day that marks the start of summer with all the hopes that come with it – long evenings, sunny mornings and happy holidays.
It combines a citrusy floral top note from bergamot essence with orange flower middle notes and vanilla-like base notes from Benzoin absolute. I spritz this most mornings and it lasts for most of the day, providing a long lasting, sparkly heaven-sent scent!
Malin & Goetz Dark Rum – Favourite perfume of Krissy Turner, fashion editor
I remember exactly where I was when I first smelt Malin & Goetz’s Dark Rum perfume. I was walking into Oxford Circus tube station when the most stylish woman dressed in all-navy and wearing giant Prada sunglasses brushed past me. She looked super-chic but she smelt incredible. Absolute goals. It was grown-up, sultry, mysterious and expensive and I’d never smelt a perfume like it. Without thinking, I ran after her and tapped her on the shoulder. I was back at the station 20 minutes later after heading straight to Liberty to buy it.
It’s not cheap, so as much as I love it and get compliments on it all the time, I don’t wear it every day, but when I do, thanks to the leather, rum, vanilla and patchouli notes, I feel grown-up and sultry, too. I’m four to five bottles down now and I don’t think I’ll ever tire of it.
Jo Malone London Honeysuckle & Davana Cologne – Favourite perfume of Tivina Elliott-James, picture editor
This perfume was the one that kickstarted my thirties. I think I started this decade carrying over a few scents from my 20s that just did not feel like me anymore, bought out of habit, but which felt too young and just not me. Some smelt like a bad case of the ex, or dare I say it, club nights out. So at roughly age 32, I decided it was time for signature-scent change.
I’m a massive fan of white and yellow flower scents, so the top notes of davana and middle of jasmine is a winning combo for me. That said, as much as I like florals, I don’t want to feel over the top like a bad air freshener, so the base note of moss really grounds this scent and makes it floral and grown up. It always gives me vibes of a warm summer’s day (golden hour to be precise), which totally leans into the fact that I think it’s perfectly light enough to be worn during the day, but has those sexy, warm notes that are enough to take you into the night, and that’s what makes it my all time favourite.
Le Labo The Noir 29 – Favourite perfume of Annie Wells, creative director
I am notoriously bad at finding a scent I love. While I have a plethora of fragrances that I really like, there’s only a select few that I’ve whole-heartedly fallen in love with, and Le Labo’s The Noir 29 is one of the chosen ones. While I have a penchant for floral scents, one day I decided that I needed to level up from my typical ‘skipping through meadows’ vibe and graduate to something a bit more sexy and mysterious, but still with a hint of that sweet signature I always go for. The Noir 29 is the perfect mix of the two.
With herby top notes such as bergamot, the contrasting spicy-yet-sweet scent of vetiver in the middle and finished off with tobacco at the base note, the overall composition results in a sensual fragrance that hits every spot. It’s the scent I always reach for when I’m heading out for date night or just when I fancy feeling like the main character, as it’s truly mesmerising.
Vilhelm Parfumerie Moon Carnival – Favourite perfume of Sarah Whalley, videographer
I’ve never had a long-standing relationship with a perfume; I switch between multiple scents and as soon as the bottle is empty, I try a different one. After only discovering this perfume very recently (I was lured in by the name), I instantly knew that it was going to be my favourite.
The fruity and sweet notes of passionfruit and vanilla automatically take me to summer and especially summer nights, when the moon is out and it’s still warm enough to be outside without a jacket. Moon Carnival and I will now be married in holy matrimony.
Chloé Nomade – Favourite perfume of Lottie Franklin, fashion content creator
Back in 2018 when I was interning and working away in a fashion cupboard, I spritzed on Chloé’s Nomade perfume for the first time. I immediately loved it and the way the chypre notes developed on my skin; a soft, but confident, mix of oak moss base notes, with sweet cherry plum and lighter, fresh freesia on top. I can only dream of dressing like the chicest of Parisian women in an effortlessly cool and romantic Chloé outfit, but a French perfume that embodies that sense of freedom and care-free spirit has to be the best place to start.
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