Stephanie Eva: My Perfume Collection!

I have never been one of those gals to put on a full-face of makeup every day. Of course I adore the makeup process, and love the colors and artistic value of this hobby, but I'm happy and proud to admit that I don't rely on it to feel my best. One product that I do use on a daily basis is perfume! Scent has an incredible power of shaping my attitude and can easily boost my spirits. With all this affection for perfume comes a rather wide variety of top notes and undertones in my collection. Today I'm sharing my game-changers, my old favorites and some rarely used scents that I just can't seem to part with.

Follow me back to 2004 in a busy section of Amsterdam Schiphol's Duty Free shop. During our annual dual-birthday party (celebrating for my Dad and me) I'd been generously treated to money and cards. I was twelve years old, just barely beginning my venture into beauty and skincare, when I came across this fun apple-shaped bottle filled with a lush perfume reminiscent of green apples and grown-ups. I had the money and now knew what I wanted to spend it on. Donna Karen New York Be Delicious Green Apple, the beginning of the end. Two years later in that very Duty Free shop I purchased the DKNY Red Delicious. My DKNY Fresh Blossom perfume was the last apple to be added to my collection, purchased while shopping at the Naval Station's Tax-Free Exchange in 2009.

Around the same year as Red Delicious, Bath & Body Works launched their fragrance collection. Sweet Pea had always been my absolute favorite lotion scent from Bath & Body Works, so I quickly saved up my money to add this super sweet perfume to my collection. Although I didn't wear it much, it spent quite some time as my go-to favorite fragrance!

More recently (two years ago to be exact) I decided that if I were to be a true grown-up, I'd need a daily signature scent. During a Victoria's Secret Christmas sale I was introduced to their Victoria Eau de Parfum. I loved it's red berry top notes and rosy undertones. While working as a seasonal employee at H&R Block I chose this scent every day as if it were a part of my actual being. Unfortunately after the tax season ended and I stopped work, the scent started triggering memories of sadness in the workplace and just as I was about to add a perfume to my empties basket, I stopped reaching for it.

I've always wondered if it's just me or do other people also keep around perfumes that they wear no more than once or twice a year? Burberry London For Women Eau de Parfum was generously gifted to me (Spencer got the Men's scent, too!) by my Aunt and Uncle. I love it's rosy top notes but the musk, patchouli and sandalwood bases make this fragrance much too dark for everyday wear. However, because it is such a beautiful and sophisticated scent I like to keep it around for certain events and circumstances.

Another scent that I do not wear regularly but love all the same is Oh, Lola! by Marc Jacobs. This is a tad embarrassing but I didn't actually smell this perfume before purchasing. Any guesses why the name was the key selling point?? (Lola, my cat's name is Lola!!) With fruity and sweet top notes, this perfume has a tendency to resemble candy on my skin. I adore the brightness of the fragrance but can't deal with a such a sticky-sweet scent for every day wear.

In August of last year my beloved boo Kristen sent me a rollerball of Elizabeth & James Nirvana White. It was love at first sniff. Peony and musk mix together (while not too dark or heavy!) to leave me smelling fresh, crisp and clean. As of late, I've been mixing NEST Indigo Eau de Parfum with it (thanks to Claire for the suggestion!!) for a deepened effect that's driving me wild. Indigo also adds a fruity note to the mix with fig top notes. These two rollerballs travel with me everywhere and are reapplied throughout the day when I feel like I need a jolt of fragrance-energy!