Taylor Swift’s Favorite Perfume Brought Me Back to Fragrance After a 5-Year Break

Taylor Swift’s Favorite Perfume Brought Me Back to Fragrance After a 5-Year Break

Growing up, I loved fruity, fresh scents. In high school, my go-to was Ralph Lauren’s Ralph, a bright mix of green apple, tangerine, and pink magnolia. In college, I switched to Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue, a nostalgic nod to my time studying in Italy, with similar notes of granny smith apple and Sicilian lemon.

But in 2018, pregnancy heightened my sense of smell, and I couldn’t stand perfumes. After my daughter was born in 2019, I stopped wearing fragrance altogether to avoid irritating her sensitive skin. Then, the pandemic lockdown of 2020 kept me at home, and my once-beloved perfume collection gathered dust.

As a lifelong Swiftie—I first met Taylor as a teen magazine reporter in 2009—I was intrigued when I read that she has two favorite perfumes: Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb and Tom Ford’s Santal Blush. I had tried Flowerbomb before; its floral notes of peony, rose, and freesia suited my “girly” style perfectly, making me feel fun, flirty, and feminine.

However, it was Taylor’s other favorite, Tom Ford’s Santal Blush, that truly surprised me. Described as “exotic spices with luxe ylang ylang, warm cinnamon, and sumptuous woods,” it was a bold contrast to my typical light, fruity fragrances. It even differed from Taylor’s own Wonderstruck scent, with its playful notes of passion fruit, pineapple, and freesia.

Like Taylor, who has evolved from her sweet Speak Now era to her sultry Midnights persona, I’ve also gone through personal transformations over the past five years—I’m now a wife, mother, and entrepreneur. When I read reviews and Swiftie comments online, I was initially hesitant to try Santal Blush, fearing it would be too intense. But when I finally got my hands on it, I was pleasantly surprised.

Santal Blush was soft, sexy, and soothing. It was woodsy without feeling overly masculine, and exuded a luxurious warmth that reminded me of a cozy winter fireplace. It wasn’t clean or fresh, but rather comforting and subtly powerful—perfectly fitting the Folklore vibes Taylor is known for.

Wearing Santal Blush gave me an unexpected confidence boost. The scent lingered all day, making me feel polished and bold, even when running errands in casual mom attire. I felt more outgoing and self-assured, embracing a side of myself that had been tucked away for years.

One windy day in New York, I even noticed people doing double takes as I walked by. Maybe it was my freshly dyed platinum hair or the confidence in my stride as I blasted “Style (Taylor’s Version)” through my AirPods. But I like to think it was the Santal Blush, wrapping me in a new sense of boldness and allure.

As fragrance expert Sue Phillips puts it, Santal Blush is not for those who prefer light, citrusy notes; it’s for someone confident, sophisticated, and a little mysterious. This perfume, much like Taylor’s two go-to scents, captures the multifaceted sides of us all—a fun, flirty vibe during the day, and a sensual, intriguing presence at night.