From the maker

Scent Notes: The sharp click, click, click of heels on cobblestones, beauty cream and amber, smoke and thyme.

This was Day 1 in our Yule Advent Calendar.

"Natalie, keep your chin up. Smile."

At 14, she did as she was told. Chin up, chest out, toes pointed forward. This was a modeling class. Cut-throat, harsh, and absurdly objectifying. As she got older, became a woman, she had to relearn how to cultivate better, non-competitive, relationships with other women. The modeling industry was her dream career, but it took an extra special kind of strength to be close with the other models. To her though, it was so worth the effort.

Natalie was 46 now, and in London, the agencies still favored the younger women, so her gigs were more relaxed, more reasonable really, if you asked her. She'd spent the last couple of decades doing what she loved, and while she still appeared in magazines and commercials here and there, her biggest joy was enjoyment of the relationships she had cultivated over the years. She felt for some of the women around her who continued to cling to their physique as their defining feature, and when it seemed like the right time, showed them compassion and camaraderie.

Today, as she was walking home from a coffee date with her friend Abigail, she spent a few moments wallowing around in gratitude. The thick stinky fog of the city swirled around her as she walked, her strut still strong and sharp. Her heels clicked, sharp and confident, on the cobble stones with every stride, and the delicate layer of cream on her face and the amber perfume she was wearing gave off a sweet luxurious scent combo that she adored.

Natalie was happy, aging, and looked forward to the road ahead.