Paris Hilton Dishes on Her New Fragrance—And Her Biggest Fashion Regret

When she's not busy being an aunt to sister Nicky Hilton Rothschild's new baby girl or performing epic DJ sets around the world, Paris Hilton continues to grow her beauty empire. The socialite and entrepreneur just launched her 20th fragrance, Gold Rush, in June. 

The perfume, which is being sold exclusively on HSN.com until July 31 and can be found at other retailers worldwide after that, oozes old Hollywood glamour, from its notes— including bergamot, rose, and vanilla bean—right down to its sophisticated bottle, which looks like something Elizabeth Taylor had in her closet.

Paris' more mature scent reflects her years of experience in the beauty industry. During that time, she has not only picked up some valuable wisdom in this arena, but as she recently dished to The Lookbook, Paris has also learned a lot about her own personal taste in perfume and beyond.

The Lookbook: This is your 20th fragrance. How would you say it compares to the other fragrances you’ve launched in the past?

Paris Hilton: It’s completely different than any of the other perfumes I’ve launched before. Since I have 20 now, I like to make sure that they’re all very different and new. And this one, just like I have grown up and matured, I wanted that to be with my fragrance as well. So, it’s very sophisticated and sensual and just the name Gold Rush, it’s just about that feeling of love and when you first meet somebody and that feeling. And I really wanted to have that come out in my perfume.

Gold Rush's bottle is also very different from the other perfumes you’ve released in the past. Can you talk a little bit about its design and why you decided to go that direction?

Because I wanted something completely different than anything I’ve ever done and just coming up with this bottle with the team, I thought it was the perfect bottle for Gold Rush. It’s very sexy and beautiful and different. And the box with the gold sparkles, was just, I love how it looks. It just looks really, just beautiful. And I love that, with the bottle, it’s more of a collector’s item. It’s so special.

What kind of woman do you see wearing this fragrance?

A woman who wants to feel confident. She wants to stand out. It’s really a perfume that, when people smell it, they are gonna remember you. When you walk into a room, everybody smells it and loves it. So somebody who really wants to get some attention and feel great.

How would you say your own personal taste in perfume has evolved over the years?

It’s definitely evolved a lot. Especially with my fragrances in the beginning, they’re very girly. Fairy Dust [featured] me dressed like a Tinkerbell fairy. And then Siren was me as a mermaid. So they’re just very girly. And the scents were as well. And this one is definitely more sophisticated and romantic than all my other perfumes.

What would you say is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from working in the fragrance industry?

Well, now that I’ve launched 20 perfumes, I feel like I really am a pro in this area. And I know what people want. So I’m always coming up with new ideas, and I always like to make everything different and special and get involved every step of the way from the designing of the bottle, the campaign, the name, what the campaign’s gonna look like, the packaging, the scent. So, I’m literally involved 100 percent from the beginning to the end.

Who first introduced you to perfume? How did you fall in love with it?

When I was a little girl, my mom [Kathy Hilton] would go out of town, and my sister and I would go into her boudoir and just play dress up and use her makeup and her clothes and her shoes. She had this big, beautiful crystal thing that all of her perfumes are in, which had, like, hundreds of perfumes. So my sister and I would just sit in there and play and spray the perfumes all over us, and I really had a love for perfumes way back then. And I even said to my mom when I was a little girl, 'One day I’m gonna have my own perfume.' And I didn’t know that I would have 20, but that was always a dream of mine. It’s just funny, remembering saying that to my mom and now, looking today at what’s happened, it’s incredible.

What are some of your favorite scents ever?

Well when I was little, my mom and my grandmother wore a perfume called Joy, which is like, very old-school. I loved that perfume when I was little. And for my favorite notes and scents, when I’m developing my fragrances, I love the vanilla bean and rose and, like, a juicy nectarine. I love, like, cashmere woods smell. So those are some of my favorites.

What about some scents that you don’t like so much, ones that you can’t stand?

I’m not really into anything that’s, like, piney or too Christmas-y. I’m not into that kind of scent.

Looking back at all of the fashion and beauty products you’ve worn over the years, what are some that you regret?

The scrunchies. Like, I used to be obsessed with neon scrunchies on both sides of my hair and it’s, like, very '80s. I think that back then it was awesome, but now, looking back, I would never wear those again, obviously.

What are some of your beauty essentials right now, beauty products that you always have with you?

I actually have my own makeup line and my own skincare line. So that’s all I use. And they are amazing products. I also love La Prairie. They have beautiful products as well. I like my new haircare line as well. And Shiseido eye cream, I love. It’s really good. 

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