You Smell Nice: Linda Yahya, PR Manager

"I grew up in Bulgaria. I used to spend my summers there, and my grandparents lived in a village where it was very grassy, very earthy—like weeds.  When I first smelled Pulp, I immediately was transported to that place. It’s just got a fresh, green scent and evoked really good memories for me.

Then there’s lipstick. I just love the smell of lipstick. It’s very sweet, and it’s got a very nostalgic scent for me, because I used to go into my mom’s drawers and play with her lipsticks. I loved the smell. It reminds me of childhood and happy memories, and I just really like this candy-type smell. 

I think my early scent memories are all connected to my mom. She also had this Nina Ricci perfume that I remember very vividly—it had two doves on the lid. It smelled like baby powder. I always thought perfume just smelled like baby powder. I didn’t like perfume as a child because I thought it was such an old lady smell. But, obviously that’s evolved.

Currently, I don’t have a scent that’s mine, like I know a lot of people do—for me it’s very fickle, but it’s really enjoyable. There’s so much of it out there that I just like discovering each one and how it makes me feel, and how other people respond to it. I like exploring the world of scents—there’s something magical about them, especially because they can really connect you to a certain time and place that’s in the recess of your mind. That’s how I felt when I smelled Pulp. Like, “Oh my god. I totally forgot about this particular place.”

I’ve always loved the smell of rose, though. It’s very classic, but it’s very beautiful. Rich. A powerful scent. It can be perceived as old lady, but I think there’s a youthfulness to it too. Roses aren’t really rare, but they’re also such a quintessential flower. I don’t know what that says about me as a woman, but all of these things—classic, beauty, power—they are definitely things I think I want to convey. "

Favourite smell: Roses, gourmands
Least favourite: Fruity scents
Scent pairing: Serge Lutens - Santal Majuscule