One of my favorite ways to remember a special trip is buy something scented like a candle, perfume, lotion, or soap. I try to buy it at the beginning of my trip, and use it during the rest of my time away. Then when I return home, each time I smell the scent I am reminded of my trip. The last time I was in Paris, I visited the famous perfume house of Frederic Malle. I went to their store in the 1st arrondissement (21, rue Mont Thabor, 75001), but there are also two other locations in Paris. I dropped by the store and was greeted by a chic redheaded woman. I told her I was interested in buying a new perfume. We sat down at a beautiful wood desk with the entire line of Frederic Malle’s scents displayed on it. She proceeded to ask me several questions to help determine the fragrance best suited for me. She asked me what kind of scents I liked as well as when and where I like to wear perfume. Based on our conversations, she recommended three perfumes for me to try. I tested each of them and chose a musky scent called Musc Ravageur.
Even if you are familiar with Frederic Malle, I recommend checking out the website. There is some fascinating information on the history of the company as well as the process of creating a scent. I loved the fact that Malle was one of the first in the perfume industry to actually acknowledge the "noses" behind the scents by publishing their names on the bottles.
I have been quite happy with my purchase from Frederic Malle. Each time I spray my perfume the scent takes me back to Paris and makes me excited for my next trip. If you aren't able to visit the stores in Paris, the scents are available at Barneys as well.
