11 Minutes With E11even

We sit down with best friends turned business partners, Cat Deely and Amanda Grossman to discuss beauty tips, must-have products and their new fragrance brand: E11even.

Whether it’s a bottle of perfume you’ve worn for decades or a loyalty to a certain fragrance family be it floral or fruity, we all have a signature scent. For best friends Amanda Grossman and Cat Deely, it is a “secret fragrance oil”  created by Amanda back in 2005. In no time at all, it became a highly coveted fragrance amongst celebrity A-listers. And until now, it has remained a top-secret scent between Amanda and Cat.

Almost two decades since its creation, the duo are finally sharing this secret vial of fragrance with the world launching their very own brand E11even. A unisex fragrance oil featuring a roller-ball applicator, the fragrance bursts open with fresh top notes of rose and geranium, with a sparkling citrus note – then warms down to earthy patchouli woods from Indonesia, drying down to an almost ethereal veil of amber undertones. To hear more about the fragrance and find out their biggest beauty secret, we sat down with E11even’s co-founders Amanda Grossman and Cat Deely at the launch of their fragrance in Brown Thomas.

Describe E11even in just three words…

BOTH: “Unisex, sexy, unforgettable!”

What was the inspiration behind E11even?

CAT: “It really comes from my best friend, Amanda, because essentially she used to make small, special batches on her kitchen table using all different essential oils that she would mix together to create this amazing scent and nobody knew the secret recipe!”

AMANDA: “I was inspired by my love for travelling and the feeling that evokes but I also just really wanted to create something that made an impact on anyone.”

Fragrance is so special because of the feelings it can evoke, how does E11even make you feel?

CAT: “For me, E11even is sunsets, it’s travel, it’s luxury and it reminds me of special times - but it also really reminds me of home. When I would be away from home for work, I would put E11even on a tissue and put it on top of a lamp and it would make my entire hotel room smell like home or I’d place the tissue in my case so the minute I’d go to unpack, I’d be brought back home.”

AMANDA: “E11even, for me, represents a time I was totally free. It evokes a sense of timelessness, really. It brings me back to when I travelled the world, all the countries and cities I visited. It evokes adventure and reminds me of freedom. And what I love the most is that no matter how old I get, I will always feel that sensation, each and every time I put it on.”

What makes E11even so special compared to other fragrances on the market?

AMANDA: “To sum it up in a word: impact. More than anything, after two decades of wearing it myself and also Cat wearing it, what we always say about this fragrance is the impact it has. Not just on you, but on those around you.”

CAT: “Exactly that, impact! It’s also unique. It can be calming to one person but uplifting to another. I mean, it reminds me of home but to Amanda, it’s about adventures. You could wear it out on a date to impress or wear it to bed to help you sleep.”

AMANDA: “But no matter what, it gives you confidence and helps you feel liberated.” 

What is your biggest beauty tip?

CAT: “Invest in your hair. I’ve never really been that person that loves wearing makeup day to day. My thing was always getting my hair done because it doesn’t matter what shoes you’re wearing - you always wear your hair! So I spend my money on my hair and getting my hair done because even if it’s just a simple blowdry, I feel like I can go anywhere and do anything. It gives me confidence.”

AMANDA: “Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!”

What are your must-have beauty items?

AMANDA: “Scent is so important to me, it represents who I am and how I want to feel so I feel naked if I’m not wearing E11even. Second to that would be a really great eyelash curler. Curling your eyelashes is an absolute must whether you then wear mascara or not. Finally, I’d have to say a fantastic facial oil. Once you nourish and moisturise your face with an oil, you need very little else…other than a blowdry!”

CAT: “Same answer! I completely agree.”

What is your biggest beauty secret?

AMANDA: “Well I can answer Cat’s for her…it’s water! I’ve never met anyone who drinks as much water as you do and it’s why you have that gorgeous glow. For me, it’s also about hydration however hydration using skincare. Whether you choose a moisturising cream, serum or facial oil, it takes 30 seconds in the morning and 30 seconds at night but it makes a massive difference.”

E11even is available at Brown Thomas for a limited time only. Shop it now in-store at Planet Beauty or online here.