Some Parisian Anecdotes by Eunice Lam
A discussion on how much food, love, and sense of smell all have in common.
Sydney called Antwerp last week. When I answered the very much awaited (and long overdue) FaceTime from overseas I was nearly blinded by the glow of perfect dewy skin and bronzy tanned arms and legs. After some mandatory squeals and high-pitched greetings, finally containing my excitement, I was able to focus on having a proper conversation with one of my darlings, Eunice.
Let me introduce her properly, as she is the fragrance muse I have a discussion with for this newsletter. I hope you enjoy and feel inspired by our chat. The pictures in this newsletter are from Eunice’s archives during our student exchange in Paris, in 2019.
The muse, the it-girl, and the mega foodie all in one
In January 2019 I moved to Paris for my exchange studies for about six months. After the very first day of school, I was walking out of a classroom to go back home and I remember seeing, out of the corner of my eye, a super stylish and cool girl in a long khaki wool coat, looking down at her phone.
I was feeling shy and I hadn’t talked to anyone the whole day, but felt the sudden urge to walk up to her and just awkwardly blurt out ”I love your coat” without even saying hello. Because it was true.
In general, I’m not a person who gives unnecessary attention or fake compliments which just underlines how this statement felt extremely necessary at the time. And it was. Because I had just met a forever friend. We exchanged a few words, then numbers and Eunice asked me to join her for dinner the same evening at a restaurant she was dying to try out.
”Can I call you an it-girl when I introduce you?” I ask
“No. Ugh. I don’t know. Don’t. That’s a big word to live up to.” She says.
Well, I think she is. Eunice is a true Sydney girl, with roots in Hong Kong. She knows good food and has impeccable taste not only regarding that but style-wise, too. And, of course, she smells heavenly. I think of Eunice as the person who introduced me to niche fragrances and good quality perfume in general while we lived in Paris and explored the city together. I’m constantly inspired by her way of living a beautiful and indulging life and owe her credit for making my life better in so many ways as well. She was the one who introduced me to Le Labo, which ultimately led me to discover the world of nice perfume. Eunice also helped me discover Alison Roman and her recipes, which is a big deal.
After a roughly 30-minute catch-up on Eunice’s driving lessons and updating her on a job interview I just had, we finally got to the point of our call.
How is life otherwise in Sydney, my love? What have you been up to?
I have done a lot of yoga lately. Also running and swimming. Yoga is the biggest change for me, as I go four times a week. I love it. This will sound so cheesy, but I love the idea of an activity that connects your mind, body, and spirit. Yoga simplifies life, it makes you focus on the basics.
Your body must yearn for it after you get into a routine. I feel happy to hear about these new priorities.
Yes, it does. Now my priorities are a bit different. I don’t go out that much, I feel I have matured lately.
We agree and talk about how being more mature and knowing what you want makes life easier. Mostly regarding choices such as what to do, who you hang out with, or even when to leave a party.
I wanted to chat with you about scents and perfume because I think you have influenced me a ton. Before meeting you, I hadn’t enjoyed Aesop, for example, remember when you gifted me that amazing hand creme?
Oh yeah, the one with mandarin rind (and rosemary and cedar, it’s the best) I remember!
Also, you were the first person who introduced me to Le Labo perfumes. We were at a house party and you recognized a guy wearing Santal 33 and I was in awe that you guessed his perfume just like that by sniffing him, haha.
I remember when you and I went to the Le Labo store near Mabillon and I got myself a bottle of Thé Noir 29. That is why I got all excited at the party because I nearly got the Santal 33 for myself first. I was like “Milja, come smell this, it’s Santal!”
We giggle as we remember some moments from that particular night out.
Now thinking back to other Parisian scent memories, I think the Nuxe Body Oil and French pharmacy skincare are very prominent. Also, Glossier’s “You” perfume reminds me so much of you and your apartment in Paris.
Yes! The Nuxe Body Oil with gold glitter and the peppery scent from Glossier, oh!
I laugh and continue. Also dumplings, noodles, and all the amazing food we enjoyed together.
The fun days, the fun times.
About food. You sending me the link to Alison Roman’s Shallot Pasta changed my life during lockdown. Because of you, my life-quality has gone up, Eunice, I want you to know that I eat yummier food and smell gorgeous now, thanks to you.
Hahah! You can’t settle. You have one life. You should eat well, sleep well, and dress well. Curate your life. Make it. Design it.
She sounds so poetic.
What was your first perfume and what are your thoughts on perfume in general?
Jo Malone’s English Pear & Freesia was my very first perfume. Perfume became a significant part of my routine when I had my first job. I felt I was well put together when my skin looked good, my hair was well done and I had perfume on.
In my mind perfume is for sophisticated people. Having a scent finishes things off, it is a part of your brand. Of course, being in Paris inspired me as well, regarding perfume. What has made me stick to loving perfume is loving simplicity, and being confident in the way I look without any makeup. But without perfume, I feel super naked and incomplete.
Out of all my beauty products, my top three necessities are 1. Perfume, 2. Brow Products and then 3. Blush.
I love that list and do agree!
Perfume is like a bow. It’s like you are tying a bow on a gift. The finishing touch. It could be compared to making your bed during the day or having my coffee in that certain way I like it. Perfume is such an essential part of my routine and smelling nice is such a big part of who I am.
This is what I mean when I say Eunice is inspiring.
How would you describe your scent? Or the perfume notes?
It would definitely be something unisex. I love anything musky, muted, and comforting. A velvety-fuzzy smell. For summer I enjoy something more fresh and colder in my perfume.
I know you enjoy an intimate skin scent. It’s like the special people who can hug you have the luxury of smelling you, too.
Haha, yes. Whoever gets to smell me, you are the lucky one! It’s interesting you say this because this is exactly why I just bought a perfume oil. It feels like it radiates a scent. The oil feels selfish, that it’s just for me.
I get all excited and we chat about perfume oils and thoughts of different blends I want to make in the future.
Could you describe some bold scent memories that make you who you are? For example, what scented memories come to mind from your childhood?
As I’m Cantonese, specifically from Hong Kong, we cook with a lot with dried seafood. Dried scallops, dried oysters, dried shrimp. Soups, stews, congee, noodles, stir fry. It all has this scent of anchovy and an abundance of seafood. Also, my grandma’s house had these sausages hanging from the roof. It’s very specific. The smells were very pungent but delicious. Regarding other scents, probably pollution and cars.
We laugh and talk about the scents in big cities. In Hong Kong, every scent is amplified because it is so packed.
What does your home, Sydney, smell like to you?
It smells fresh, it smells coastal, salty, and green. It energizes you. It also smells like sunscreen. To me, it’s a quiet scent compared to Hong Kong.
I must to travel to Sydney soon. I have been checking exchange possibilities in Australia lately, you know.
Check out Melbourne, too. I know you would love Melbourne!
Oh yes, I can imagine. Hey, I have to ask you my favorite question. What does love smell like to you?
Long silence. Then laughter. Woah. I was not expecting this.
It can also be a scent of how you express your love to others, too. To me, I think your love smells like amazing dinners.
Ah, okay, okay. Yes. It’s definitely that - cooking does smell like love—especially Cantonese cooking. I’ve been to many different cities and eaten with many people, but no one eats the same way as Cantonese people do.
For example, imagine this. You roll a plastic bin liner over a table and then cut it. It sticks to the table, as it’s just been wiped and a bit wet. No aesthetics is going on, the purpose is to chuck everything into the bin afterward. So people leave chicken bones and pieces they can’t chew on the table. There are lots of different dishes, soups, rice. People are crisscrossing their hands to get to that piece of chicken. It has a mixture of a stir-fry smell. Of garlic, prawns, stew, it’s super hot and steamy and there’s so much flavor everywhere. There are a lot of people, it’s always your family. That smells like dinner time. That smells like love to me.
What a description. It felt like I was transported to your family’s dinner table. I’ll say it again, your love really does smell like amazing dinners.
Oh my god, I love food.
I get carried away and start asking Eunice questions about food and what her favorite meal would be, a question inspired by the Table Manners podcast. We talk for ages about Eunice’s heavenly food choices and I start to get hungry. I also crave a Negroni spritz now, while listening to our conversation again and writing this.
What’s your beauty tip? I’m very curious about what you will share.
It’s the sauna! Hahahah!
God, yes! You are a changed woman since our midsummer, the Finns have inspired you!
Absolutely. The sauna is great. It makes your skin glow, it makes your skin breathe. If I could pick another tip it would be: less is more and use sunscreen. A bit boring, but it’s true. Oh! And Dr. Dennis Gross’ two-step peel haha.
Looking at your skin right now I think I need to find myself this peel.
We get carried away and chat about this and that and the peel until I circle back to our original chat.
I think you are this quiet and confident, “living her best life” person. You are open to new experiences and people and I look up to you grabbing life by the balls, not settling for anything less than you deserve. That’s very it-girl to me. You don’t even try, you just are.
Haha. I’m just here being me. I feel people overuse the term it-girl. It gives me slight influencer vibes. I’m just a girl. All my friends are like that though. Looking at you, or my friends at work, or others who I’m close to - everyone stands out and everyone has something distinctive and unique about them. Maybe for me, I’m just solid on being who I truly am. Cheesy to say, but everyone is a bit of an it-girl. Especially the people I choose to surround myself with, anyway. Everyone is so inspiring. I truly, truly, believe that you are the sum of your friends and the people around you.
You can see me grinning from ear to ear, giggling, and getting a bit emotional. That’s a good way to say it. I love this so much. I love you!
Love you too. You asked really good questions. It’s so funny, isn’t it? This chat was about perfume, but then again it’s not about perfume at the same time. We talked more about emotions provoked by scents or what memories a certain scent ties back into. Scent at this point seems to be a tool or a medium that unfolds someone’s story.
We go on to reminisce about our time in Paris while we look at Eunice’s iPhone camera roll and memories from 2019 as she shares her screen. My phone battery ultimately dies which cuts us off and snaps us back to reality. We text what fun this was and how we really are the sum of the people we surround ourselves with.
It’s nighttime in Sydney and I need to carry on with my day in Antwerp and have some lunch as my stomach is rumbling after our mouthwatering conversation.
Bisous,
Milja