"I first smelled the woodsy sweetness of this perfume on a feather (no joke) in high school. I had gone to the mall determined to find a perfume that I thought fit my personality -- basically one that is outgoing, playful, and feminine -- and the woman at the counter sprayed a bunch of scents on feathers for me to take home and whiff at my leisure. Of course I forgot the name of the perfume on the feather that I loved smelling most and ended up on a ravenous hunt, feather in hand, to find my lost, lovely perfume. I didn't find it until college when my new best girlfriend coincidently sprayed it on me for a night out. I have loved it's soft woodsy, almond/vanilla smell ever since." -- Anna Jimenez, Associate Editor
"I used to love Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue, $47 -- but I went on the hunt for a new, signature scent because I felt like I smelled Light Blue on other women far too often. Thankfully my wish for a clean, fresh, and subtle signature scent came true when this parfum came across my desk. It almost smells like fresh cut grass, which not only makes me happy (ahh summer days), but wakes me up in the morning." -- Meghan Rabbitt, Executive Editor
"My high school years were defined by Tommy Girl, $24.99. I stopped wearing perfume in college (mostly just sprays from Bath and Body Works). These days I'm obsessed with this perfume. I love that it is all natural -- made with essential oils. It's just so subtle that I feel like it blends perfectly with my natural scent � not at all 'fake perfume' smelling." -- Tracy Hepler, Community Manager
"I'm not afraid to admit it: Throughout my four years of high school AND four years of college, I wore this perfume. (Eight years later, my friends still say the scent reminds them of me!). I just loved how sexy it smelled, sort of spicy and alluring. (Pretty much the way the store smells every time you walk by it, except not as over-powering.) Funny thing, I never spent money on it because I always got my boyfriend at the time to buy me a bottle!" -- Jane Kim, Assistant Editor
"My first perfume was Dolly Girl by Anna Sui, $48 and I pretty much wore that to death in middle school. I loved the light citrus scent and felt it was age appropriate. In college, I started with Vera Wang's Princess, $60 and loved the dark chocolate tones in it (so did the boys). Finally, I have come to call this perfume my signature as it's a more 'mature sexy' floral scent." -- Stephanie Shum, Editorial Intern
You know how you can be walking though a department store beauty area, catch a quick whiff of a fragrance, and are instantly transported back to a specific time and place? How the subtle notes of a certain perfume you wore in college, on a summer vacation, or better yet, when you were falling in love, can flood your senses with flowery memories?
That perfume, ladies, the one you just love to smell over and over again, is what we call a signature scent. It's basically a fragrance that you have undying love for -- a classic beauty staple in your life that represents an important stage or just continues to speak to you. Perhaps it's even a recent perfume purchase whose scent you feel best represents the person you are or long to be.
We all have one right? Right. Well, we thought it would be fun to share ours. Working in the beauty biz, and just as beauty enthusiasts in general, we've collectively smelled a lot of fragrances over the years, but only some have become our signature scents. Check out which perfumes made the list of our all-time favorites, and make sure to tell us which scent has defined your life in the comments section below.
