scent memories

For Saweetie, Friendship Smells Like Strawberry Cupcakes

Saweetie. Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Courtesy of SinfulColors

Scientific studies confirm that, of all the senses, smell offers the best recall. In “Scent Memories,” the Cut asks people about the scents they associate with different times in their lives.

Next up is rapper Saweetie. The budding style and beauty icon is the newest face of saturated, statement-making nail polish brand SinfulColors. In addition to curating shades and creating Claws, Saweetie is repping the line’s new Essenchills Collection, which features soothing, self-care-inspired colors formulated with scents like lavender, eucalyptus, palo santo, and chamomile, to deliver an even more chill pampering experience while you paint. The Cut caught up with Saweetie to talk pancakes, white sand beaches, and the weird place she applies perfume.

My first scent memory: I mean, this isn’t the best memory, but I know I don’t like the smell of alleyways with dumpsters, garbage cans, and water in them, because it smells super-funky. I remember as a little kid, it looks scary and it really stinks. It’s probably not my first memory, but that’s the first thing that comes to mind because that stench was the strongest.

Happiness smells like: Waking up to my grandma’s breakfast. My grandma’s a preacher, so she’d make scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes, but she’d call them “praise cakes.” She’d place the pieces of bacon so the pancake would look like it had arms, like “praise God!” [Laughs.] That’s always a fun family moment when I go home.

Heartbreak or loss smells like: Salty tears.

Love smells like: Food. Soul food: luscious, delicious, and savory.

Friendship smells like: Strawberry cupcakes.

Regret smells like: Smoke, because I want all the smoke. Just kidding …

Success smells like: Coffee. I think we need things to get us up and going in the morning and coffee is something I really love. I used to drink it straight like the mafiosos, but I crashed one day, and I was like, you know what, I need to take my time with it, so now I love it with a good hazelnut and French vanilla creamer.

The worst smell is: A fart. [Laughs.] I’ve lived with all boys, and they play too much. They’ll just fart around me, and I’m like, “What is that smell?!” and they’ll just start laughing. So definitely a funky fart.

My ideal vacation smells like: Beach Vibes, so waves, ocean breeze, and sand. But it has to be white sand, so I can see the water, and no sharks. I need to be able to see my surroundings, otherwise, I’m not getting in that water.

My home smells like: Vanilla-rose ice cream. I have a signature candle that I love to burn.

The first thing I smell in the morning: My breath. [Laughs.] My morning breath smells good, I’ve been told …

The last thing I smell before I go to bed: Toothpaste. Definitely some toothpaste, girl. That and lavender. I have a humidifier right next to my bed and I’ll put in lavender drops in there.

A scent or smell I love that others usually don’t: Gas. I used to get in trouble. I’d be like [sniffs], “Ooh, mom, I love the smell of this…” at the gas station, and she’d be like “Cover your nose!”

I smell like: I smell sweet, like my name. Right now, my nails smell like Coffee Drip. I just love the smell of coffee; it reminds me of a good, busy morning, and I have a lot of those. With perfumes though, I feel like I’m an oiler; I prefer my perfumes to be oil-based. I was told by someone at Neiman’s to apply your perfume on your ankles, because perfume rises. I put it everywhere, but my friends always laugh at me when they catch me putting it on my ankles.

For Saweetie, Friendship Smells Like Strawberry Cupcakes