Ever since an acquaintance I met at a work event disclosed that her perfume I loved so much wasn’t one, but two fragrances combined (cruelly, she wouldn’t tell me which), I’ve been on a mission to nail the art of layering scents. Because while every perfume naturally smells a little different on each of us?thanks, chemistry?combining two different ones can create something that’s quite literally all yours. For someone who has tried to monogram just about everything she owns, the ability to customize my scent (without forking out to have an actual customized scent created by a pro) is a beauty game-changer.
In saying that, the idea of mixing perfumes felt intimidating for a long time?shouldn’t an expert be doing this"?and I spent a lot of time researching on Google before I started experimenting with my own stash at home. While I discovered a few winners?Chanel Chance and Lacoste Pour Elle combine like a treat if you like wearing light and floral scents?not every experiment ended well. (In case you were thinking of it, don’t try mixing Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne with Escada Agua del Sol, unless you fancy smelling like a candy store. Just don’t.) Hoping to unearth a better strategy than my hit-and-miss attempt at layering, I asked Steven Claisse?senior perfumer at Japanese fragrance and flavor company Takasago and the man behind the new Clean Reserve perfumes in Sephora?to help get me star...