My first empty perfume bottle: Rania J Lavande 44.

I’ve been reaching for this scent almost exclusively for the past few months, and each time I think about the different reasons I put on a perfume—some make me feel cozy, or confident, or beautiful, or powerful, or any number of things. Sometimes, wearing perfume is less about making me feel a certain way and more about creating an environment or a space to inhabit that day, or experiencing a narrative unfold around me.

Lavande 44 has become so familiar to me, in some ways it does all of these things: it soothes and fortifies me, makes the world around me feel more structured while simultaneously softening the hard edges. Strong and soft together.