Emma Mackey Wants You to Savor Burberry’s Newest Fragrance: “It’s a Treat”

I’ve never been frugal with fragrance, but one conversation with Emma Mackey has me rethinking my spritzing strategy. The actress, who was recently appointed as the Burberry Goddess ambassador, believes that fragrance should be a “treat”—for the wearer and the every-so-lucky bypasser. “I’ve always loved perfume, but perfume is a treat. It’s not something I would ever just buy for myself,” the Netflix star exclusively tells me. “I’ll only ever do two sprays max. I try to savor it. It’s a treat and I don’t want to waste it.” 

This technique, which encompasses one spray for the wrist and for the hair, has been with Mackey for life—but the sparing approach is especially applicable to Burberry’s luxe (and new) eau de parfum. “There’s vanilla caviar in this—it’s the first time the ingredient has ever been used in a perfume. It’s very fancy,” she says. That said, don’t mistake the fragrance for an intoxicatingly sweet aroma. “It is a little earthier and rounded than that. It has lavender in it, ginger root, and three different types of vanilla. It feels familiar enough, but it also has this kind of tang that comes in and makes it all a bit unexpected. It’s a nice combination,” Mackey notes. 

In short, she finds the blend “comforting,” which is in part why spritzing it has become her version of a pep talk before a big event. “Perfume is always there—it’s the one thing that can always be a finishing touch and make me feel like, Okay, I can take on the day. I can go to this meeting. I can do this thing. Any time I have to go on set, I prep with perfume beforehand. It’s a comfort thing,” Mackey explains. 

Filming the Goddess campaign was no exception. She sprayed the fragrance, set her intention, and, inspired by the perfume's aura of confidence and strength, was ready to (quite literally) run with the lions. “The whole process has been so exhilarating. I would not have had the confidence to do this even two years ago,” she says. “I’m just quite proud.”