As I approach midlife, I’ve been thinking more about how I show up in the world.
Not in a dramatic, reinvent-everything way. More like a quiet checking in. Am I moving through my days in ways that feel authentic? Do my choices reflect my values? Do they feel like me, now, not 10 or 20 years ago?
One place this reflection keeps landing is scent.
Why Scent Has Always Mattered to Me
I’ve always had a keen sense of smell. It’s simply how I experience the world. Scent reaches me quickly, tied closely to memory and emotion.
Certain smells still bring me back to childhood friends’ homes. Each one distinct. Each one comforting. Long before I had language for it, scent shaped how those spaces made me feel.
For example, my grandmom.
She’s gone now, but her scent still finds me. Powdery. Clean. Feminine. Soft without being sweet. Every so often, I’ll catch a similar scent in an elevator or a store aisle, and I’m instantly back in the car with her. Riding to shopping malls. Going out to lunch. Feeling safe in that quiet, steady way only grandparents seem to provide.
Scent has always been emotional shorthand for me.
Thinking About My Own Scent in Midlife
As I think about how I’m showing up in midlife, I’ve started paying closer attention to the scents I choose. On my skin. On my clothes. In the small, everyday routines that make up a life.
I’m learning works for me.
I gravitate toward scents that feel:
- Sophisticated
- Clean
- Musky, but not heavy
- Memorable without being loud
I avoid anything overly sweet. Vanilla-forward. Too floral. Or sharply citrusy.
This awareness has led me into a renewed scent journey. Some clear winners. A few definite losers. And an ongoing search for something that feels like a signature.
The Winners So Far
Dr. Teal’s Lotion
This lotion has become a staple. It absorbs well, feels gentle, and works beautifully for my sensitive, eczema-prone skin. The scent is subtle and clean. It never competes with perfume or laundry scents. It feels like care, not fragrance.
Laundry Scents That Feel Like Home
Laundry scent matters more to me than I expected.
I love Diva detergent from Tyler Candle Company. It’s warm, musky, and polished. People notice it, but rarely place it.
I also use the Lysol sanitizing additive. It keeps clothes fresh and neutral, which makes intentional scent layering easier.
Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, Beija Flor
In summer, my scent preferences soften a bit. Beija Flor from Sol de Janeiro is a warm-weather favorite. It’s brighter than my usual picks, but still not overly sweet. It feels seasonal and joyful, especially on warm skin.
The Losers and What They Taught Me
Burberry Goddess
I wanted this one to work. Despite my resistance to vanilla scents, I tried it because it smelled beautiful on a friend.
On me, it didn’t translate the same way.
Perfume is deeply personal. Skin chemistry matters. What works for one person may not work for another. Burberry Goddess reminded me to trust my preferences. Vanilla-forward scents and I are simply not aligned.
Dr. Teal’s Body Oil
This one lands firmly in the “almost, but not quite” category for me. From a performance standpoint, the body oil from Dr. Teal’s does a lot right. The ingredients absorb nicely into my skin and layer well with the lotion, which I appreciate. Unfortunately, the scent leans too vanilla for my taste. While it’s subtle and likely appealing to many, vanilla-forward fragrances just aren’t for me, so this one misses the mark despite the solid formulation.
Still Searching for a Signature Scent
I haven’t found my signature perfume yet, but I’m still searching and open to recommendations.
Midlife has brought more intention and less urgency. This time in life feels less about arriving and more about noticing. About choosing thoughtfully. About letting things evolve.
Scent is a small but meaningful part of how I show up in the world. It’s memory. It’s presence. It’s the trace I leave behind.