Charli XCX Calls This Iconic, Anti–"Brat Girl" Byredo Perfume an "Essential"
Charli XCX singlehandedly coined and created the "brat summer" aesthetic this year. Named after her latest album, Brat, this aesthetic is all about a messy, It-girl party vibe. Think of tousled hair, late-90s-to-early-2000s–esque club scene, and unkempt makeup. The more lived-in and effortless, the better.
Essentially, it's the complete opposite of the "clean girl" aesthetic, and the "brat girl" look is a refreshing reminder that we don't *always* have to be perfectly put together. In fact, it's actually about letting loose and embracing a bit of chaos for the fun of it. As such, "brat"-inspired beauty products have been trending lately, and most of them come packaged in the official shade of neon green.
So, imagine our surprise when we watched a British GQ TikTok video in which Charli XCX herself shares her very luxe beauty essentials. Yep, that's right—her favorite products aren't very "brat" at all. She wears an iconic academia-inspired Byredo perfume for goodness sake. Surprised? So are we. Keep scrolling to find out what it is.
We would have never guessed, but this academia-inspired scent from Byredo is Charli XCX's current go-to. "This is my current favorite scent that I always travel with wherever I go," she says. "I actually like a lot of different Byredo scents, but right now, we're rocking with Bibliothèque."
With notes of plum, cinnamon, leather accord, violet, birch woods, patchouli, and vanilla, Byredo's Bibliothèque is formulated to smell like a library (which is what Bibliothèque means in French). As the brand puts it, this scent is reminiscent of "A world of old books, the scent of their leather-bound pages arranged on dark wood shelves."
We've been loyal fans of this fragrance for years, and we're happy to know Charli XCX appreciates it just as much as we do. "People have said I tend to over-spray, but that's their problem, not mine, because I think it smells great," she says.
Yep, you can add the iconic French fragrance house, Diptyque, to the list of Charli XCX's essentials. She displays two of the brand's fig-scented candles, saying, "I love these candles because they make the room smell really good, which is cool, especially when you're on tour and sometimes dressing rooms aren't super glamorous. People often think that they are, but they're often kind of smelly and gross. These really fix that problem."
She goes on to say that she likes to burn candles while she's recording music in the studio. Except, instead of Diptyque, she opts for a "dripping" candelabra for a more "gothic" vibe. There's the Charli XCX we know and love.
Last but not least, Charli XCX swears by the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (honestly, who doesn't love it?). "Every single content piece I've ever done, whether it's like, 'What's in your bag?' 'What's an essential item?' or 'What would you grab if you were running out of the house?' It's this."
After joking that she hasn't received any free product from Laneige (yet), she continues, "I use this every day to the point where I was going out and I didn't have a pot of this I would go home and get it and then go back out again."
She even reveals that she started using it when she developed severe adult acne and went on Accutane to correct it. Since one of the side effects of Accutane is severely dry skin, she started testing lip balms and found this one to be her fave.
Shop 5 More Luxe Beauty Products We Think Charli XCX Would Approve Of
Charli said she likes multiple Byredo scents, and we'd wager that this is one of them. With notes of bergamot, lemon, suede, violet, mimosa, amber, sandalwood, and tobacco leaves, it has a similar fruity yet smoky quality to it. We're obsessed.
The artist likes the fig-scented candles, so we're going to assume she also likes one of the brand's most classic scents: Baies (aka berries). It's a similarly sophisticated fruit scent.
Fans of fig fragrances will absolutely love Diptyque's Philosykos Eau de Parfum. The entire scent is a love letter to fig trees. Notes include fig fruit, white wood, and green fig leaves. It's both fresh and fruity, and the brand says it's reminiscent of "crossing a grove of wild fig trees during a summer in Greece."
Since Charli XCX uses the ever-iconic Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, we think she would like the brand's Lip Glowy Balms too. They're more lightweight yet just as hydrating, and they give the lips an incredible sheen. Plus, they come in similar fruity flavors. We have a special liking for the new blueberry version.
Kaitlyn McLintock is an Associate Beauty Editor at Who What Wear. Although she covers a wide range of topics across a variety of categories, she specializes in celebrity interviews and skincare and wellness content. Having lived in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, she recently relocated back to her home state of Michigan where she works remotely. Prior to Who What Wear, she freelanced for a variety of industry-leading digital publications, including InStyle, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Hello Giggles, and Coveteur. Before that, she held a long-term internship and subsequent contributor position at Byrdie. When she's not writing, researching, or testing the latest and greatest beauty products, she's working her way through an ever-growing book collection, swimming in the Great Lakes, or spending time with family.
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