In partnership with Pacifica. Editor’s Note: We only select and work with partners that meet our quality standards, so you can rest assured we only endorse products we believe in.
As a younger millennial, I grew up with sickly sweet fragrances in bottles that looked like candy. I loved this convention of the 2000s, where accessibly priced, fruity perfumes also became coveted knick knacks. In adulthood, I can no longer justify the same kind of frivolity: buying cheap scents just to dispose of them, wasting my money and harming the planet. But I miss the playfulness, and I also still want to smell like desserts.
There's something satisfying about rediscovering a brand you loved years ago and realizing it still holds up, especially when it’s a brand from your teen years that has adapted to your more mature lifestyle. As a lifelong animal lover and wellness aficionado, it’s also hard to balance these values with my interests in girly beauty and drugstore accessibility. Pacifica has therefore always been a staple for me; as a teenager, I would collect their most citrusy products for their youthful packaging, lively scents, and commitment to cruelty-free production, all for low prices.
I tried a new Pacifica perfume—along with a new lip butter and body mist—to see how their new scents and packaging holds up, and I am happy to learn that they are seamlessly adapting to more contemporary beauty and wellness trends.
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Affordable Luxury
These days, cool girl perfume bottles look less like costume jewelry than sleek little sculptures, but that’s just as fun to me. Speaking to the quiet luxury trend, Pacifica’s new perfume design makes both for a great gift and chic accessory. But the scents are just as fun as ever; the Vanilla Whip Eau du Parfum is sweet and sugary, but it’s also almondy, woody, and easy to layer with other gourmand scents.
At only $15 and available at a range of retailers, the bottle and profile seem too good to be true. They don’t just have a chic perfume, either, but the same scent in a Vanilla Whip Lip Butter Cream. With a sheer, buttery pink finish and cute, purple tube, it’s a great nourishing lip product that rivals plenty of far pricier alternatives: it’s only $10, but delivers on long lasting hydration through its plant-forward formulation.
Smell Like A Bakery
I have been loving layering the lip butter with other stains to keep my lips hydrated, which makes it a perfect product to keep in my work bag. Combined with the perfume, I end up smelling like an almond croissant, which I think adds charm to any outfit or makeup look.
As we start looking ahead to slightly warmer weather, however—and as we slide headfirst into Valentine’s season—I also think the gourmand profile is completely appropriate. I have also started layering it with their Strawberry Cream Body Mist to create a creamier, brighter, holiday-themed fragrance. I have found both these fragrances totally customizable, so I can layer with and freshen up other fragrances I love, too. And I really appreciate the youthful spirit of the strawberry and dessert-y scents, which I think would create a charming gift for anyone.
Clean Beauty For a New Era
Since 1996, Pacifica has been a cornerstone of ethically made, clean beauty. With an ever-evolving slate of 100% vegan and cruelty-free formulas and sustainably sourced packaging, their ingredient lists highlight plant extracts, geranium, cacao, and essential oils. When I have gone through bouts of skin sensitivity, I have sworn by Pacifica’s simply made fragrances and makeup, likely because of these natural-sounding recipes.
Especially as “wellness” and “clean beauty” become trendier, it’s hard to find trustworthy products that are at all affordable. I, myself, am almost more annoyed by having to go to specialty retailers just to re-up a body spray or lip balm. I like, then, that Pacifica is so pervasive, and that they keep clean and eco-conscious beauty at such an accessible price point.
Self-love Gifts, Year-round
As part of their Valentine’s Day Sale, select lip and fragrance products are 20%: just use code VDAY20 at checkout. The Vanilla Whip Eau du Parfum would make a great gift for your Valentine or Galentine, serving as a warm accessory that matches the season’s sweetness. If your cart exceeds $50 (which could buy your whole squad a Valentine’s Treat, at Pacifica’s prices), they also offer free shipping.
Whether you're just scent-curious, or know you love comforting scents that make any day more fun, Pacifica allows you to try lots of flavors, products, and fragrances, without breaking the bank, the planet, or your skin’s barrier.
Try them for yourself here.
