Meet the aesthete Béatrice Thivend, head of Service of the beauty department at Gala magazine. Interviews

“Fragrance is a way for me to be confident.” Béatrice Thivend, head of Service of the beauty department at Gala Magazine.

What is your strongest olfactory memory?

My oldest son was born at 34 weeks, too early. He was placed in an incubator for a few and we had to thoroughly disinfect our hands and forearms before entering the premature room to see him. It is definitely not a happy memory. It was our first child, we were constantly panicking and during these scary weeks, I did not necessarily pay attention to the smell of the liquid soap that we were using this whole time… And then a month after his release from the hospital, we had an appointment with the pediatrician in the same hospital. When I got to the consulting room, I asked to wash my hands. It was the same soap. The smell literally attacked me; a clean smell that brought up all those (bad) memories in seconds. I left the toilet in tears, suddenly relieving all the stress of the last few weeks… No one really understood why or asked about it but since the hospital is not necessarily a place linked to good news, it almost went unnoticed !!

Do you wear a D’Orsay fragrance?

“Il n’y a pas de bien ni de mal. T.J.” apparently intended for strong personalities, which flatters me when I wear it! Incense, Oud wood, Patchouli, Vanilla… At the same time mystical, charismatic and almost jubilant!

What does this fragrance mean to you?

For me, it represents sensuality with a capital “S”. Maybe even sexuality, I think it has a rather interesting sulfur side… (laughs)

What is the craziest declaration that has been made to you?

I really enjoy the work of Charles Fazzino, an American pop artist known for his very colorful paintings, made in a 3D pop art style. For my 35th birthday, my husband asked him to personalize four paintings (which were part of a series on New York City).
When he offered them to me, I didn’t immediately notice the surprise hiding in these four masterpieces. Fazzino’s creations being extremely rich in detail, I began to scrutinize each painting, as it is to me the only way to appreciate them, to discover their richness, diversity … And then, I noticed little words intended for me scattered throughout the hundreds of houses, buildings, shop windows, facades, trees, cars, etc. which made up these scenes of urban life: Happy Birthday Béa, Béatrice Jewelry Center or even Good 35 years… It made me so emotional (of course, I cried like a Madeleine).

What is the most unusual place you have ever been asked on a date?

Not a romantical date, but a professional one. A trip to Brazil, to Rio, with Paco Rabanne perfumes to discover their next body fragrance. I had an appointment with Anne Flipo’s nose, but I didn’t know where… A driver was waiting for me in front of the hotel to take me… to the heliport in Rio… with an unknown destination. After an hour flying over magnificent landscapes, we landed on a micro-island, the size of a pocket handkerchief, and more precisely on an airstrip which was the size of a 2 euro coin. (I’m barely exaggerating)… To live a totally unforgettable day!

Is perfume a source of inspiration in your creative process at work or in your life?

Of course, but more than a source of inspiration, it is a way for me to be confident. I like to change the scent according to my schedule, according to the person I will meet, the weather, the seasons as well. Perfume is like a traveling companion… Some are intimately linked to events in my life and will remain carved in my memory forever.

What scent would you like to make into a fragrance?

There aren’t really any … I like the idea of having an instant crush on a fragrance. I think that certain notes that I particularly like (such as those from the scrubland or the Corsican maquis, eucalyptus leaves, mimosa, but also fresh coffee – although I don’t drink it – etc.) must remain fleeting, ephemeral and above all not be trapped in a bottle to be truly pleasant. .

Perfume and seduction, still relevant to you?

I dont see perfume as a weapon of seduction, it is the personality that comes first, and not the scent of a person… Seduction in 2021 is embodied in the small daily attentions that the we can have for one another, in the things in which we believe, for which we fight… the perfume must be a little “icing on the cake”, an “extra” touch.

Tell us about a moment in your life when you wished for time to stop and that it would last forever?

My honeymoon trip to the Maldives, 20 years ago …

What is your favorite time of the day?

The (hot) shower in the morning, the most amazing moment and very often, I say to myself: “but how do some people not wash themselves, like are they aware of what they are missing?! “(Laughs)

What are your plans for this year?

Start traveling again, keep making great encounters, try new things and a move to the other side of the periphery… for a greener, calmer, healthier life (thank you quarantine)!