Happy Birthday Gift to Me from Me (with Love)

Birthday on My Skin: Two Fragrances I Gave Myself, and Fell in Love With

Now that the kids are grown and scattered across the state, birthday parties aren’t really a thing anymore. No balloons, no surprise cake, no crowd around the table singing off-key. And honestly? I missed that for a few years, but this year, I decided to own it and treat myself. 

My teen and I (the last child still at home and he's almost grown too) went out for dinner and a movie—just the two of us. We went to see the new Karate Kid (which was good, I recommend it!). And then we went home and I opened my birthday gifts, that came from me. And they were perfect.

Both are perfumes from the fragrance house, "What We Do In Secret" both are quiet, intimate, and breathtakingly make-me-very-happy beautiful. They’re not the type to announce themselves from across the room. They stay close, like a memory or a secret. And every time I wear them, I am d.e.l.i.g.h.t.e.d. These fragrances are fantastic and in addition to the mood boost, and the happy pleasure I get from wearing them, they also remind me that it's okay for things to change. We just need to adapt and roll with the changes...and they remind me that it's okay to spoil myself.

Here’s what I chose. And why I’d choose them again.

Fragrance #1: Messy Sexy Just Rolled Out of Bed

The art of barely there, but unforgettably so. I could write poems about this one, it's so good.

Not because it’s loud. In fact, it’s the opposite. It wears like a whisper on skin. It is warmth and soft light, like early morning creeping in between the window blinds, and you appreciate seeing it, but love that you can still lounge around in bed a little while longer, before you start your day. It's a comforting, delicious scent and I love it so much.

There’s a sweetness—peachy and sunlit—but it never screams “fruit.” The floral heart (you’ll catch rose if you're paying attention) floats in and out like a memory, and the dry-down is all light, cozy woods with a touch of something irresistibly sweet and creamy. There’s something addictive in how quiet it is—how you have to lean in close to experience it, but what an experience it is...

Top Notes: Peach Blossom, Bergamot
Mid Notes: Turkish Rose, Heliotrope Accord
Base Notes: Musks, Toffee, Amber, Blonde Woods, Vanilla, Tonka Bean Absolute

Fragrance #2. What We Do in Paris Is Secret

If the first scent is a sunrise, this one is twilight—glowing windows, open rooftops, secrets kept on cobblestone streets.

It's unique and soft, and so easy to love. I had tried fragrance #1 and knew I loved it, but this one was new to me and I'm so very happy to have it. It's a treasure in my collection, and I've reached for it every day since I first opened it up. It's the birthday gift that keeps giving. 

It starts off soft and warm from the barely there honey and slightly sweet vanilla and heliotrope accord (which is an almond-y, powdery, sweet vanilla). Then when it dries down, the fragrance brings in sandalwood with a touch of Tonka Bean that makes it feel intimate. Slightly blurred, Like a moment you never fully put into words but always remember. It is worthy of its name. It's beautiful.

Top Notes: Bergamot, Honey, Lychee
Mid Notes: Turkish Rose Essence, Vanilla, Heliotrop Accord.
Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Tolu, Sandalwood, Ambergris

The Best Kind of Gift

Neither of these perfumes project across the room. They don’t need to. They’re for you and the people lucky enough to be close to you. They stay close, like a secret you’re happy to keep.

I bought them on a whim, honestly. I just wanted something beautiful for myself. And they ended up being two of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received.

From me, to me.

And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. A big thank you "What We Do In Secret" for creating perfumes like these... these are more of an experience than a purchase and they definitely create scent memories worth keeping.