Your new perfume Secret Potion is supposed to make women ‘glow’. What’s your personal secret for great radiance?

A perfume is meant to enhance the seductive aura of a woman. I think that as women we know in our unique way what it takes to feel good when we enter a room. I guess it’s about exuding confidence, feeling comfortable in your own skin.

Personally I have to feel comfortable in my outfits, in my shoes. Hair and make up has to be right , that’s an important part of me. But the greatest thing about a fragrance is that it can help you to feel good and attractive instantly. The sense of smell plays an important in the perception of other people.

Would you say that a fragrance can change your mood?

Definitely. Your own mood and also how you perceive other people. Let me give you an example: you enter a room and you suddenly feel attracted to someone who’s usually not even your type. You can instantly feel attracted to that person because she or he smells particularly nice.
Also if you don’t feel good or if you feel sad a fragrance can lighten up your mood.
I often wear perfumes at night before I go to bed just because they’re fun and make me feel sexy.

How did you come with the name Secret Potion?

P&G and I have been closely working together for a long time now. About a year before the release of a new perfume we meet to discuss what we want to do next. We talk about the concept and about what I currently like. It can be candles or a bubble bath – everything I like to treat myself with. I choose what I like best out of a number of different ingredients. We start with the base note, always containing musk, because I think musk is really important to bring across sensuality. All my perfumes have this scent. I also love sandalwood. Secret Potion especially has an oriental scent. I like that it makes the perfume flirty, sexy, it carries passion – and it’s fun.

Which of your perfumes – already four by now – do you like best?

That always depends on my mood, but of course I like them all.

Where do you like to wear your perfume?

I like it on my wrists and on my neck.

Do you still remember the first perfume you ever owned?

Not the name, but it was something with a lot of vanilla. Today I would be alienated by that.

What scents do you associate with your childhood?

I can remember the perfume my mother always used to wear. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name anymore but it contained musk – maybe that’s where my preference for it comes from. I also like male fragrances a lot, I think they’re sexy and I can also draw inspiration for my own perfumes from them.
But what I really link to my childhood is the memory of my mother sitting on her dressing table applying make up and perfume. I have always been a real girly girl and I was interested in make up, beauty product and perfumes. For me all those things are really feminine, but they’re also creative and it’s fun to experiment and try out new things.
Perfume is the key element in this very feminine beautification ritual. And perfume also plays an important role in the art of seduction.

Can you tell us the five beauty products you can’t live without?

Moisturizer is the most important product. Then I need a range of lip balms. I don’t like dry lips at all, I always need to have something on my lips. That’s a must.
Hair products are important too. I like my hair to smell great. Dry shampoo is a magic cure too. I love Klorane’s.
And I like Elnett hair spray – and Phyto’s volume spray, it gives great volume to the roots.
When it comes to make up I love Mac’s liquid liner and the Lip Sense lip sticks, which are incredibly long lasting.

What’s the best beauty advice you’ve ever been given?

Always use enough moisturizer. And by all means have your beauty sleep. Both are really important for me cuz my days tend to be really long and I’m often wearing make up for hours. That makes it important to have a good beauty routine at night – including taking of your make up, cleansing, moisturizing, eye cream. That’s all very essential.
I also think it’s important to not spend a lot of time in the sun.

Thanks to Kathryn for translating