She may forever be Pretty Little Liars’ Hanna Marin to many of us, but Ashley Benson says picking a favorite character she’s played is next to impossible. “They’re all so different and I’ve had an amazing experience making all of them unique,” she tells us. “They’re all so special to me.”
While her acting career is still booming—Benson stars opposite Shiloh Fernandez in Private Property, released earlier this year—the multihyphenate is adding one more line to her resume with the launch of her first-ever fragrance line, ASH by Ashley Benson.
“Scent has always been a big part of my life,” Benson tells us. “I have always been drawn to all things fragrance-related: perfumes, candles, incense. I’m constantly traveling and a simple spray of a familiar scent instantly grounds me and makes wherever I am feel like home. I love how a scent can take you back to a particular moment in time or how it can softly leave your mark when you exit a room.”
But creating perfumes isn’t completely foreign to the star. “I am constantly mixing different scents to create something unique to me,” she says. “I wanted to dive deeper into my scent mixing and have something that I could finally share.”
ASH by Ashley Benson, available now, launched with two distinct scents, East 12th and The Eighth, each representing an important place in her life. “East 12th is inspired by New York City’s East Village with notes of delicate rose damask, intoxicating black cedar and zesty orange,” Benson explains. “The Eighth, inspired by Paris’ Eighth Arrondissement and my frequent travel to Paris, is a blend of bright bergamot, soft musk and creamy cashmere wood.”
Do you tend to gravitate towards one fragrance depending on your mood?
“The Eighth is my personal favorite because it takes me back to all the memories I’ve had in Paris. Every time I’m in Paris, it just brings me back to the energy there. It’s sexy, it’s intimate and it’s very much my vibe, so I feel that reflected every time I wear The Eighth.”
If you had to pick one, what is your favorite skin-care product?
“I’m currently completely obsessed with the Peter Thomas Roth Hyaluronic Cloud Hydra-Gel Eye Patches.”
What is your go-to skin tool?
“My favorite skin-care tool by far is my ice roller. I use it literally every single morning while I make my smoothie or coffee. I even use it mid-day as a refresh. It helps so much with tightening your skin and reducing that morning puffiness. One of my favorites at the moment is The Hot Mess Ice Roller from The Skinny Confidential.”
If you had to pick one beauty product to never run out of, what would it be?
“Face masks and lots of them! I can honestly say that not a day goes by that I don’t put a face mask on. Right now I am loving Loops face masks.”
What’s your secret to keeping your blonde hair so healthy?
“I am loving K18’s Leave-in Molecular Repair right now but I definitely switch it up frequently depending on the season or how often I am coloring my hair. I’m also a big fan of taking supplements for your hair as well. Right now I love the OUAI Thick & Full supplements.”
