*The Birth of a Perfumista*

Over the weekend, my grandaughters happened to come over to see their perfumista grandmother. I was pleased to see that I had not only a budding perfumista in my older grandaughter, Deana, who is 25, but now I was witnessing the emergence of her sister Lauren, who is 15, as a brand-new baby or princess "perfumista". I am so pleased, no honored, to see that genetically the fragrance gene is being passed! They sat and discussed, over lunch, which fragrance families were better suited to summer and winter, etc. I passed on to Lauren several of my fragrances that I now longer wore frequently. She is becoming quite adept at identifying florals, orientals, musks, etc., this tiny, beautiful 15 year old! She told me that her friends admire her 'collection' of fragrances that I have already given her. She sniffs fragrance strips in magazines and is developing her own fragrance style or signature, if you will. I could not have been more pleased!

My older daughter, Leslie, (their mother) loved perfume as well, but vacillated between two or three fragrances. Her sister, Holly, likes fragrance occasionally, but could really live without it if she had to. Can you believe it?

I was becoming frustrated that my love of fragrance would never be passed to future generations, considering it almost a failure on my part as a perfumista. However, I am pleased to witness the birth of two future perfumistas that will:

*Know what a dram is, and be able to convert it into milliliters.
*Know how many sprays there are in one milliliter.
*Pretend to listen when a salesperson explains the intricasies of a new scent production (even though they know more than her).
*Knows the right fragrance family for all the people each knows around them, family or friend.
*Have a long perfume wishlist that makes no sense to any other living creature on earth, but another perfumista, like myself.
*Hoards discontinued scents that were favorites 20 years ago.
*Dreams of the perfect arrangement for all of her perfumes to display.
*Understands when another perfumista's favorite scent is being discontinued, mourning along with them, understanding the pain.
*Always has a perfume atomizer full, beside the bed for a quick spritz when needed to make one's day, or night.
*Can discuss perfume for hours, but only to perfumistas, or other perfume lovers, and not think this is unusual.
*Knows the latest fragrance releases, even before sales associates do, and quite often has much more knowledge than them.
*Has tons of perfume shopping sites bookmarked in her favorites.
*Sees certain perfume bottles as "works of art".
*Actually contemplates and studies whether to purchase groceries or a new fragrance.

Now I can die with the knowledge that I have passed on this very important genetic trait! I have witnessed the birth of two young perfumistas that will wear the title of "perfumista" well! Thank you Deana and Lauren, may your life be filled with fragrance.