Perfumer Natalie Gracia-Cetto on the Power of Scent Memories and Gucci Guilty Elixir

Have you ever spritzed a luxurious perfume and been transported to another realm? That's how we feel when we wear the new Gucci Guilty Elixir Pour Femme ($175). With notes of wisteria, vanilla absolute, and rose, it's a scent that transcends time. And if you, like us, are interested in learning about the genius behind the fragrance, allow us to introduce you to master perfumer Natalie Gracia-Cetto.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Gracia-Cetto at Sunset Tower Hotel in Los Angeles, where she took us through creating the new addition to the Gucci Guilty portfolio and her own fragrance wardrobe. With a diverse background in the perfume world, she has vast knowledge of what makes a perfume a best-seller, and we're here to tell you the new Elixir from Gucci is without a doubt our absolute favorite in the lineup to date (dare we say even better than the original?). "It is at the same time kind of savage and elegant," Gracia-Cetto tells Byrdie of the Elixir.

Ahead, discover her top scent picks and what sets the Gucci Guilty Elixir Pour Femme apart from the rest.

How would you describe your Fragrance Wardrobe throughout the years?

"I think I started to wear perfume when I was quite young—an early teenager. What's funny is that, at that time, the perfumes I [wore] were extremely sensual. They were very opulent and sexy scents. I've gone into more intimate perfumes like musky perfumes, solar notes, and even cologne. [At] the moment, I gravitate toward a kind of musky cologne."

How would you describe your fragrance style? 

"That's the most difficult question because it's very hard to define. It's difficult to define your own style... what I'm looking for is exploring. So, it's hard to say because my style is constantly changing."

What first sparked your interest in perfumery?

"Probably my experiences in nature. I lived in Egypt, and one of my first scent memories was jasmine—I still love jasmine and white flowers."

What kind of scents do you wear to the office?

"I don't wear any fragrance when I go to work because I have to be as neutral as possible so... I can really smell what I'm working on. I wear perfume when I leave the office; I usually spray one of my trials to see how it works, how I feel it, how it's powerful, how it's good or not, and just to grab some comments from people."

What fragrance note brings you comfort?

"It's easy to say—musky notes for sure. It's a sensation. I also love patchouli. To me, patchouli is really comforting."

What fragrance notes bring back good memories?

"Many! I have only good memories [of] perfume. Jasmine flower. Orange flower. All the scents of the South of France. The smell of the pine trees when it's really hot outside. The salty marine smell of the ocean. But, also, many of the cooking smells like spices."

What note makes you feel the most powerful?

"Patchouli again. It gives something inside you; it gives me a kind of centered feeling."

What fragrance makes you think of home?

"Very simple smells, like essential oils or the smell of lemon peel or crushed leaves, basil leaves, mint. I love these fresh smells."

What scents help you unwind or destress?

"Solar and ambery notes. Vanilla notes. And again patchouli—I love patchouli!"

What fragrance would you associate with this time in your life?

"It's more a raw material than a fragrance. As a perfumer, you have waves—sometimes you're more into woody notes, sometimes you're more into floral notes. I really enjoy rediscovering natural vanilla absolute every time I work with it. It can go from... sugary to leather, woody, or spicy."

Gucci Guilty Elixir Pour Femme ($175)

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What makes the Gucci Guilty Elixir so special?

"To me, we have a very special Elixir Pour Femme. It's very powerful but also very intimate because it's powdery and ambery. It's full of contrast and different aspects that make it special. We have been told that some men are wearing the feminine one and some women are wearing the masculine one [in Europe]. I find this exceptional and quite new because the feminine is very feminine—they aren't unisex. They have a strong identity [both the male and female elixirs].

This shows the evolution of society that you can feel really free when you are good in your body, with your sexual appeal, with your desire. You want to explore, but you need to be well-grounded in your body. To me, this is quite new with these two perfumes. And this is really well done in the campaign. It translates in a very good way what we [the perfumers] want it to express."

What does the Gucci Guilty Elixir smell like?

"The whole line is about sensuality. It's about wisteria, sophistication, and a real femininity to the notes. And the wisteria is mixed with rose and violet—like a floral bouquet. The sensuality... [comes from the] vanilla absolute from Madagascar and tonka bean, which is from Venezuela and gives kind of a darkness. Vanilla and tonka beans combined are the two champions for ambery, sexy notes. It's quite concentrated to be powerful—in a good, romantic, and sophisticated way."

How do these new Elixirs differ from the original Gucci Guilty fragrance?

"They go deeper into the sensuality. They go further. From the EDT [eau de toilette] to the EDP [eau de parfum] and EDP Intense, we're now dealing with the Elixir, which [has] a very deep, mysterious sensuality. The first EDT was quite floral, musky, and patchouli. It was maybe a little bit more romantic."

How long have you been working with Gucci?

"About seven years. I started on the EDP. So I've done the EDP, EDP Intense, and now the Elixir."

Up Next: How to Build a Fragrance Collection, According to Perfumers

Read the original article on Byrdie.