Sometimes - if you're anything like me, at least - you get to the point where the stuff you can buy in a store just isn't good enough anymore. You yearn for something that's your own, that's personalized, that really says something about your preferences and tastes.

For some people, when this feeling strikes, they buy monogrammed shirts, visit a tailor, or invest in custom cabinetry.

As for me, I crave one-of-a-kind fragrances and other trappings of the beauty world. (Are you surprised?)

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So when I had the chance to meet Tristan Brando, creator of my beloved Monyette Paris, and have her create a custom fragrance for me, I was elated. In partnership with Sanrio's La Petite Parfumette (yes, the same Sanrio that brought us Hello Kitty - she's all grown up now), Tristan was on hand at Henri Bendel recently to blend custom fragrance oils and bath and body products for real product fiends out there, like me.

First off, Tristan is one of the warmest, friendliest people I have ever met. Before this meeting at Bendel's, we had only corresponded by email a few times, but I felt like we were friends instantly. She even invited my mom along, who she knew from the blog was a fragrance aficionado. We immediately got to work on the plethora of notes before us, each housed in a little glass jar with a Kitty charm (don't be put off by Kitty's presence - I am telling you, she is all grown up now and these fragrances are for women, not for preschoolers).

I went straight for True Mimosa, given my love of its scent (two of my favorites, Bond No. 9 Eau de Noho and Summer by Kenzo, feature it prominently). Tristan blended it with a light amber to create a gorgeous warm floral - dubbed Eau de Kristen - that I've been wearing nonstop ever since. Then we started playing with bath and body goodies, which led to my coming home with a body lotion that smells uncannily like Kenzo Eau d'Ete, and a shower gel I named Florist Fridge. Horrid name for a perfume, I know, but the combination of lime blossom and rose smelled exactly like walking into the refrigerated section of a florist's shop, so there you have it.

Even more fun than creating the fragrances, though, was the experience of chatting about fragrance with someone who clearly loves what she does and is so passionate about it!

You can visit La Petite Parfumette and blend your very own fragrance at Momoberry, Sanrio's "grownup" boutique in Beverly Hills. And you can visit the fragrance genius Tristan Brando at monyetteparis.com.