For Barbie Ferreira, fragrance is an invisible accessory that shapes both internal mood and external perceptions. It also breaks down the boundaries of time and place. Ferreira, who grew up with her mother and grandmother, was taught to love fragrance from a young age, but the lifelong olfactory education doesn’t mean she takes a humorless approach to scent. Actually, it’s the opposite—Ferreira has always had a playful relationship with fragrance, rolling on different oils and layering various scents. It’s part of what drew her to Sol de Janeiro in the first place. Ferreira is the face of the brand’s Perfume Mist Category, including the latest launch, After Hours Perfume Mist. “I created a bold yet sensual fragrance that dances with you until the sun comes up,” says Gino Percontino, the nose behind the scent, “a smooth take on Sol de Janeiro’s signature warmth with the intoxicating surprise of night-blooming jasmine.” After Hours doesn’t just set the scene; it transports you to paradise.
Given her childhood, Ferreira is a fragrance buff. Ahead, she talks about the role fragrance plays in her life, what she looks for in a scent, her favorite candles, and more.
On her relationship to fragrance growing up:
“Fragrance has had a sensory and nostalgic feel throughout my life. My grandma always had her staple [scent], my mom always had her staple [scent]—I grew up with them and looked up to them. I was always told that fragrance is unique and personal. It’s how you can leave a memory with someone. Everyone in my house was very loyal to their fragrances. I've always played around with oils and sprays; I love layering and switching it up, depending on my mood. Aside from Victoria’s Secret body sprays, essential oils were the start of my fragrance journey.”
On layering scents:
“I’ve learned not to use a heavily-scented lotion if I’m layering fragrances, but I do love the Bum Bum Cream, so I’ll put that on my butt and legs. Then I’ll use After Hours, and I love spraying some in my hair, too. I feel like it just adds to the fantasy of it all; I love it when I enter a room and people are like, ‘Ooh, what’s that smell?’
“I used to like vanilla, or sweeter, fragrances. I still do, but I love layering them with something warmer and a bit more floral.”
On her favorite candles:
“I’m a big candle girly. I love Eucalyptus by Diptyque, and I’ve been really into Frédéric Malle’s Country Home—it has a campfire scent which feels super cozy. I also love Byredo’s Altar Candle. Those are definitely my favorites right now.”
On what drew her to partner with Sol de Janeiro:
“I’m Brazilian, so it was an opportunity to work with a brand I like and go to Rio to do this campaign. The campaign was so much fun. I’ve been to Brazil many times, but never to Rio, and it’s been a dream of mine to go.
“For me, when I smell Sol de Janeiro, I smell Brazil. I’m transported to a beach, surrounded by foliage, wearing a string bikini with a Caipirinha in my hand. [The campaign] was my entire Brazilian fantasy. The only thing missing was my family, but it was special to get to explore Brazil on my own.”
