I Wasn't Allowed to Wear Perfume, so I Created This Viral, Compliment-Inducing Scent

The Lineup is a monthly series where we're giving you an inside peek at the beauty lineups of the most sought-after experts and tastemakers in the industry. Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at all the can't-live-without products that make their worlds go 'round.

Perfume was the product that sparked my love affair with beauty. In elementary school, going to the mall and browsing the fragrances at Macy's, Bath & Body Works, and Victoria's Secret became one of my favorite hobbies. I started building my collection, and soon my dresser was decorated with countless perfume bottles. But DedCool founder Carina Chaz had a very different introduction to the world of fragrance. "As a kid, I wasn't allowed to wear conventional perfumes," the founder of the sustainable fragrance brand says. "So I started creating my own. At 13, I made my first fragrance—Taunt ($90)—which still exists in our line today and is one of our best sellers."

Chaz started DedCool as a passion project in 2016 when she was only 21 years old. "By this time, I'd been making scents for myself and friends for years and finally decided to share them online," she says. "I wanted to challenge the binary, overly polished norms of the luxury fragrance world with something genderless, clean, and expressive." This scrappy start-up began with a little bit of savings, DIY labels, and stock bottles, and nine years later, it has become a best-selling fragrance brand whose latest launch—Mochi Milk ($90)—garnered a wait-list of thousands.

So what exactly launched DedCool into social media virality and onto the best-seller list? If you guessed XtraMilk ($90), you'd be right. According to Chaz, this creamy, musky scent is just what the community asked for. "People loved the original Milk ($90) but wanted something a little stronger and longer-lasting, so we built on that," she explains. "It still has that cozy, skin-like vibe, but with more depth and staying power." Chaz went on to tell me this ultra-personal and easily wearable scent embodies her brand's ethos as a whole. "DedCool is about creating your own vibe, not following someone else's," she says. "I want to empower people to wear scent however they want, wherever they want, and to see it as part of their everyday life, not just a finishing touch." Preach. Considering Chaz's über-popular fragrances, I had a feeling she had some other cool-girl beauty recs to share, so I asked her to spill them all below. Keep scrolling to shop her favorites, from glass-skin serum to her go-to brow gel to the spray she calls a skin savior.

DedCool

Mochi Milk Fragrance

"Our newest launch and the scent I can't stop wearing. It's got this soft, sweet, nostalgic vibe—peach nectar, pillowy marshmallow, and sweet rice milk all grounded in sandalwood and musk. It's like a warm hug, but make it DedCool."

Herbivore

Cloud Jelly Plumping Hydration Serum

"I'm all about hydration, and this gives my skin that bouncy, glassy look without being sticky. Also the texture? Dreamy."

SOFIE PAVITT FACE

Mandelic Acid Exfoliating & Clearing Serum

"I totally trust Sofie with my face. This exfoliates without freaking out my skin, and it keeps my pores in check without drying me out. It's gentle but serious."

Dedcool

Dedtergent Xtra Milk

"This is what my whole life smells like. It's clean, cozy, creamy-skin scent heaven. Bonus: Your clothes become a walking fragrance experience."

Kosas

Chemistry AHA Serum Deodorant

"I've tried a lot of natural deodorants, and this one just hits right."

MARA

Chia + Moringa Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil

"Allison is a friend and genius. This cleanser melts off SPF and makeup without stripping, and it's part of my wind-down routine at night."

Tower 28 Beauty

SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray With Hypochlorous Acid

"This stuff is a skin savior. I keep one in my bag, one in my bathroom, one in my car. It calms everything—redness, flare-ups, whatever. It's like a reset button in a bottle."

Kosas

DreamBeam Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40

"I'm a minimalist when it comes to makeup, and this is my dream product. It's glowy, protective, and makes me feel polished without trying too hard."

MILK MAKEUP

Watermelon Jelly Brightening Serum Stick

"Such a fun product and makes my skin look instantly alive!"

Kulfi

Free the Brow Volumizing Brow Gel

"Feathery brows forever. This holds without crunch, and the tint is subtle but perfect. Plus the packaging is so fun—it makes me happy every time I use it."

Crown Affair

The Brush No. 001

"Honestly the prettiest brush I own, but it's also functional. This plus the leave-in are my detangling heroes!"

Crown Affair

The Leave-In Conditioner Cream

"It smooths without weighing things down and smells like a spa. I apply it post-shower and my hair actually behaves."

U Beauty

Resurfacing Compound

"This is my skin's reset. I use it a few times a week when I feel like my face needs a little reboot—it makes everything look smoother and more even."

Youth To The People

15% Vitamin C + Caffeine Brightening Serum

"This smells fresh, feels light, and makes me look like I got eight hours of sleep even when I didn’t. It's one of the few vitamin C products I've stuck with."

Dedcool

Aura Air Freshener

"I spend a lot of time driving around L.A., and this turns my commute into a fun scented moment that makes mundane (and sometimes stressful) everyday things feel fun and elevated. It's bright and happy—perfect for summer with notes of vanilla, jasmine, and pear!"