Fragrance Wardrobe
Your perfume isn’t just how you smell—it’s how you feel when you get dressed in the morning, for a night out, for a boardroom meeting. It’s just as much of an accessory to how you present yourself to the world as your clothing (and let’s not forget its close ties to memory and emotion). With that in mind, we’ve launched Fragrance Wardrobe, a scent series that highlights the rotating perfume “wardrobes” of our favorite tastemakers through key points in their life. Get to know them better via the scents they choose to wear.
Jackie Aina has blazed a beautiful trail in the beauty industry. The California-born makeup artist first emerged on YouTube in 2009, sharing beauty tutorials and reviews geared toward women of color. Over the last 15 years, Aina has become one of the most influential and recognizable creators, amassing millions of followers across all her social channels. She’s consistently used her platform to advocate for greater diversity and representation in beauty, working with brands like Too Faced to expand their shade ranges.
Alongside her longtime passion for makeup, Aina has a deeply rooted interest in fragrance, which is also well-documented on her feed (just look at her perfume collection). In 2020, she and her fiancé, Denis Asamoah, decided to channel her love of scent into a lifestyle brand, now known as FORVR Mood. The company entered the market with luxe candles and is now expanding with a thoughtfully crafted lineup of perfumes. Ahead, Aina chats with us about the new launches, her fragrance layering tips, and her hopes for the future of FORVR Mood.
What’s your earliest fragrance memory?
“I remember being 9 or 10 years old. At the time, I was going through puberty and experiencing hyperhidrosis. I used to sweat like crazy, and I realized perfume may be one of the things that helps me smell good and feel more confident. I also grew up in a family where we didn’t have a lot of disposable income, but we always put money aside to get a designer perfume here and there. It felt like the smallest piece of luxury we could indulge in.”
How would you describe your Fragrance Wardrobe throughout the years?
“I’m more open to trying new things now. Because I own a fragrance brand, I have to know what’s on the market, but I have personally become keen on trying scents that I wouldn’t necessarily wear. I’ve learned to identify the beauty of scents in general. Today, it’s rare that I absolutely hate something. Fifteen years ago, I’d quickly say I wouldn’t wear something, but now I’m way more open.”
What fragrance brings you comfort?
“The most comforting scent has to be You Remind Me. It’s very skin-like and musky. We designed this scent to smell like a warm hug. It’s meant to remind you of a person.”
Forvr Mood
What fragrance do you spritz on to bring back good memories?
“I Am Her and NDA remind me of when we started making our fragrances in 2020. I’ve been able to live with these scents for the past four years. They both remind me of how it all started, even though we created all the fragrances around the same time.”
What is your go-to vacation scent?
“Hard to Get is one I’d take on a summer vacation in Italy. The scent makes me picture myself wearing a House of CB dress, having fluffy hair, and drinking mimosas. It’s a romantic, feminine scent.”
What scent makes you feel the most powerful?
“Oh, definitely NDA. It has white floral and tobacco notes. Tobacco is one of the most polarizing fragrance notes, especially for the American market, so I knew it wouldn’t be for everyone. But I’m okay with that. I know nobody smells like me when I wear that, and it makes me feel powerful.”
What is your favorite candle right now?
“Right now, my favorite candle is Left on Read. We reformulated it last year, and it has a beautiful, creamy coconut milk scent. I also love Champagne Showers and Matcha Bes-teas. Matcha Bes-teas is my favorite for my office.”
Forvr Mood
Do you have any advice for making perfume last a long time?
“With perfume, you can’t be stingy when it comes to application. You have to hit multiple points of the body. I put perfume on my neck, hair, shoulder blades, between my elbows, wrists, legs, and ankles. I also like to spray my clothes.”
How should we approach fragrance layering?
“The rule of thumb is to start with your heaviest scent. For example, if you want to layer a body spray with perfume, you’ll want to apply the body spray last because it’s the lightest and will likely wear off the quickest.”
What are you most proud of when you think about your legacy thus far as a beauty creator and entrepreneur?
“I am most proud of being able to quiet the noise, trust my gut, and be slightly shameless. Our society has an obsession with external approval, and you’re never really going to move the needle if you’re too worried about what other people think. Everybody won’t love you, and that’s okay. I’ve become good at not letting that stop my creativity.”
What is your hope for the future of FORVR Mood?
“My co-founder Denis and I want FORVR Mood to be a leader in fragrance across several categories, from home to perfume. We believe nice fragrances don’t need to come at a super expensive price. We want fragrance to be fun and approachable. The fragrance industry can be so serious and intimidating, so we try to break that wall down with playful names and packaging.”