There's no doubt that Jill Martin knows the latest trends and how to find the most unbeatable steals and deals around, but now she's proving she's just as well-versed at crafting the perfect everyday scent.
The Ambush Makeover and Steals and Deals expert just embarked on her first foray into the world of perfume — and she's completely knocked it out of the park with the alluring Potion 54.
Potion 54 by Jill Martin
What does it smell like?
In short, it's the perfect everyday fragrance.
At first, you smell a wave of sweet vanilla — the kind that's rich enough to evoke memories of baking cookies, yet warm enough to add a sophisticated edge. The vanilla is then softened by fresh bergamot and crisp waterlily — both of which add a clean twist that transforms it into something totally unique. It's strong while being approachable, which is exactly what Martin had in mind.
"I believe in leading with kindness and leading with warmth and making other people feel comfortable," she told TODAY. "And I think that this sets the tone for that."
The combination is completely addictive, the kind of scent that will have you sniffing your wrist all day long. Better yet, the rollerball comes in a pack of two for under $30, so you can keep one and gift the other!
Who would love this fragrance?
Martin has long been using her expertise to help viewers find affordable favorites that she truly believes in, and she wants the women who have followed her for years to know she kept them in mind when creating the "empowering" fragrance.
"I think we're going back to the days of you can walk into a room and be powerful without being overbearing," she said. "It can be nuzzly and warm and memorable without being aggressive. I think that as women we're able to be all these things all at one time."
Martin thinks of fragrance as the perfect finish touch to any outfit.
"It's an everyday reminder of who you are," Martin said. "I think this is the most important accessory that I've created to date because it's something that women will use all day, every day and will hopefully serve as a reminder of all the beauty that we each have."
What's behind the formula?
Like everything Martin puts her name on, Potion 54 was made with love and attention. She started by mixing various oils in her bathroom before finding the perfect signature scent that both she and her fiance could enjoy.
When everyone from friends to celebrities couldn't stop asking what she was wearing, she knew it was time to turn her "love potion" into a perfume she could share with everyone.
"It's immediately inviting," she said while describing it. "Like it immediately evokes a warm, inviting, open sort of dialogue."
Martin teamed up with legendary fragrance creator Robin Burns-McNeill — one of the masterminds behind iconic perfumes like Calvin Klein's Obsession and Eternity — to perfect her homemade concoction and infuse it with the same confident yet subtle vibe as those legendary scents.
"With the fragrances of the '80s, you walked into a room and you knew the person was there, even if your eyes were closed," she said. "And so I sort of wanted to bring that back."
What's the best way to make the fragrance last all day?
When you have a fragrance this inviting, you'll want it to last all day long and Martin said the secret is getting creative with where you apply it.
Along with the typical pulse points (the wrists and neck), Martin advised applying it to the top of your hands (so the fragrance wafts as you gesture!), through your hair, on your ankles, inside of your elbows and behind your knees.
"Because of the way you're able to apply it, the rollerball really gives you permission to be creative," she explained. "You can throw it in your handbag and it's there all day long."
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