If you're anything like us, then you've probably spent the last few weeks hooked on Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, which is streaming on Disney+. And while the limited series has now come to an end, we still can't stop thinking about CBK, her famous minimalist wardrobe and her less talked-about beauty routine.
Like birds of a feather that flock together, a great sense of style often goes alongside great taste in the best perfumes for women. With Carolyn being known for her timeless fashion sense, you can imagine why we're intrigued to know which fragrance she wore.
Loved for scents that stand the test of time and get you a plethora of compliments, Narciso Rodriguez perfumes are some of the most long-lasting perfumes on the market. The muse behind the brand's debut fragrance over two decades ago? None other than Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy herself. Let us tell you more...
The under-the-radar perfume that was inspired by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy
Everyone might be talking about Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's hair, but we are always keen to seek out A-list favourite fragrances, so we have made it our mission to find out what perfume she wore day-to-day. After much research, we discovered that CBK was known to wear Abdul Kareem's Egyptian musk oil, which she picked up from a street vendor in New York City.
That said, you can imagine our delight when we found out that Carolyn's musk oil was the inspiration for her close friend and former coworker, Narciso Rodriguez's For Her Eau de Toilette – a favourite fragrance line of our very own Beauty Writer...
RRP: £58 for 30ml | Notes: Musc, orange blossom, floral osmanthus, soft amber, patchouli and warm woods
First launched back in 2003, this scent was commissioned by Bessette's close friend, Narciso Rodriguez, and created by master perfumers Christine Nagel and Francis Kurkdjian. Opening with fruity floral notes of orange blossom, osmanthus bergamot, this chypre musk fragrance transitions to reveal a musk amber heart, before drying down to uncover a warm, earthy and sweet base of vetiver, patchouli and vanilla.
In a recent Instagram post by Allure, the magazine recalled a 2015 interview with renowned perfumer and co-creator of the For Her fragrance, Francis Kurkdjian, where he revealed Carolyn's signature Egyptian Musk scent was the inspiration behind the creation of the For Her Eau de Toilette. Bessette reportedly introduced Rodriguez to the essential oil when the duo worked at Calvin Klein together in the '90s.
This true musky perfume is one of those 'if you know, you know' scents. It has woody, powdery and white floral elements to it, with notes of African orange flower, bergamot, amber and vetiver. The outcome is a sophisticated, feminine scent that is utterly timeless and transcends every season.
I will firmly stand on the fact that once you try this brand, you most likely won't turn back. Take it from me, since I first fell in love with Narciso Rodriguez's For Her Intense fragrance, my collection of perfumes from the brand has grown to seven, five of which are from the For Her franchise.
The original For Her Eau de Toilette now arrives in both parfum and an intense form. Not to mention, many other iterations from the line boast floral and spicy edges to them, meaning there's something for everyone to choose from.
