My life in fragrance – Chereen Gibson
Here is another beautiful life in fragrance – my hair and eyeliner inspiration, Chereen Gibson.
She’s the Beauty editor at O, The Oprah Magazine. Dreamer, Idealist, compulsive note taker and avid list maker. Fan of cats, coffee, ballet and books! Newbie blogger – when she has the time, that is! Have a look at her blog, For The Beauty Of It here.
What is your earliest fragrance memory?
I remember being in awe of one of my teachers in grade three, Mrs Atmore. She was blonde and beautiful, and was always followed by a trail of scent as she walked into the room. Many etiquette experts suggest that only people who come into close contact with you should be able to smell your perfume, but I can’t help myself: I literally douse myself with fragrance every morning. It’s my favourite thing in the world; I can’t imagine life without fragrance!
What was your first fragrance?
Dior J’Adore – my dad bought it for me at duty free when I was 16. (That’s not counting those sugary body spritzes I wore during my ‘tween’ years, of course!)
What is your favourite everyday fragrance? Why?
I don’t have one set fragrance that I wear on a daily basis. Rather, I have a few that I wear in rotation, depending on my mood and the weather. Sunny spring days call for something fresh and fruity, like DKNY Be Delicious, while Gucci Guilty is a favourite for chilly winter mornings. When I’m feeling a bit down and need a boost, I’ll spritz Chanel Chance – it always makes me smile. Jo Malone Wild Bluebell is a recent favourite – I call this my “Saturday Scent”. It’s pretty and subtle, and I find that it boosts my mood instantly on wintery mornings.
What is your special occasion fragrance? Why?
Anything by Tom Ford – all his fragrances have unique (and often expensive, hence the price tag!) notes that make me feel beautiful, powerful and confident. I also love the fact that Tom Ford seems to attract a cult-like following; fellow Ford fans will seek each other out and bond over their love for Tom and everything he touches. At a gig I attended a few weeks ago, a complete stranger sought me out and demanded to know whether I was wearing Black Orchid by Tom Ford. I was so happy to find a fellow Ford fan that we spent the next two hours discussing his fashion, films and coveted lipsticks.
Have you found your ‘signature’ scent? What makes it so special to you?
My signature scent is – without a doubt – Angel by Thierry Mugler. If you ask my fiance what one fragrance reminds him of me, he’ll say Angel (despite my scentzophrenia!). I wore Angel all the time when we first started dating and I know it reminds him of that time, so I’ll often wear it when we’re having a row just to get him to soften up a bit! But shhh… Don’t tell!
What is your best fragrance memory?
Definitely the night I got engaged. It was a pretty ordinary Saturday and even my fiance didn’t know that the day would end with a proposal (he had bought the ring and was planning on popping the question, but was still trying to come up with an “epic” way to do it). We spent the afternoon at Cape Point, then flew a kite on Noordhoek beach. We went home to shower and change, and planned to go for dinner and a few drinks at Café Verdi (just down the road from where we live). I remember getting dressed and picking my fragrance (it’s a tough decision, every day!). “Should I do Angel? Hmmm…not tonight. Lady Million? Nah… I wore that last night. Oh, I know! Tom Ford Violet Blonde!” I hardly ever wear this scent, because I love it SO much and I’m terrified that I’ll get bored of it. But on this night, for some reason, I just felt that I had to wear it. I’m not a detail-orientated person, so I can’t remember what clothes he wore or what I wore, but I definitely remember what scent I wore and I think about that night every time I smell Violet Blonde!
Is there a fragrance that your love the smell of, but it just smells horrid on your skin?
The first fragrance I ever fell in love with was DKNY Woman. I was 16 and we were at the airport waiting to board our flight to Dubai. One whiff of this beautiful scent was all it took: love at first sniff. Sadly, my dad refused to buy it for me (and I didn’t have R600 to splurge!), because he said that it smelled horrific on me. I recently smelt this scent again and I’ve decided that I’ll be adding it to my collection, regardless of whether it stinks on me or not. I love it!
