If you’ve ever questioned the nostalgic or intimate connection that perfumes evoke, look no further than music producer Benny Blanco’s heartfelt admission: he wears girlfriend Selena Gomez’s perfume to feel closer when they’re apart. Yeah, this man went full-emotional and we love it.

It's maybe even sweeter than Gomez’s signature scent.

In a TikTok video posted August 5, 2025, Benny Blanco revealed that when he and his fiancée Selena Gomez are apart, he “sprays [the perfume] all over me so I can remind myself of her”. Gomez playfully called it “so cheesy,” but the sentiment didn’t feel cheesy to the rest of us. It felt profoundly romantic.

@rarebeauty These two 🥹 @Selena Gomez @benny blanco Rare Eau de Parfum + Fragrance Layering Balms can be all yours early on the @sephora app August 6, in-store and online August 7 #rarebeauty #selenagomez #bennyblanco #selenaandbenny #rareeaudeparfum #fragrance ♬ original sound - Rare Beauty

The Nostalgic Power of Perfume

Scents are powerful memory triggers. They bypass language and logic to evoke emotion—sometimes transporting us back to a specific moment, place, or person with a single whiff. Psychologists call this the Proustian moment: when the aroma of madeleines brings back childhood recollections. Benny’s ritual reflects a desire to hold onto a shared presence, even when miles apart.

Rare Beauty’s First-Ever Perfume: A Scent with a Story

Selena Gomez’s beauty brand, Rare Beauty, entered the fragrance world with Rare Eau de Parfum, launching August 7, 2025 (with early access starting August 6 via Sephora’s app)  . The scent is described as “warm and decadent with a touch of spice”  .

Fragrance notes include:

• Top: Caramel, pistachio, pink pepper

• Heart: Vanilla, ginger, cocoa beans

• Base: Sandalwood, tonka beans, skin musks 

Designed with accessibility in mind, the bottle features ergonomic elements to accommodate those with limited hand mobility, reflecting Gomez’s personal experiences with lupus.

Perfume and Nostalgia: Why It Resonates

Benny’s choice to douse himself in Selena’s scent isn’t just romantic—it’s deeply human.

Fragrance lingers in memory far longer than images or words. There's a lot of science that support this as well. 

A 2002 study highlighted on Emory University’s “Arts on the Brain” blog found that familiar scents trigger clearer and more emotional memories than visual cues like seeing a perfume bottle.

Rare Eau de Parfum’s gourmand, spicy, warm accords—creamy caramel, nutty pistachio, sweet vanilla, grounding sandalwood—form a multisensory experience that evokes comfort, intimacy, and emotional resonance. And apparently, Blanco fully agrees with all that.