A young actress explains her love from light, floral perfumes

New actress Keerati "Gypsy" Mahaprukpong will never forget the gift she received from one of her very first boyfriends. "It was just puppy love," she says of the boy, "but the Ralph Lauren 'Romance' perfume he gave me nine years ago ignited a real passion for scent and today I simply can't be without it.

"In fact, I don't feel confident when I leave home without a few dabs of perfume," says Keerati who made her big screen debut playing a high school student in the comedy "Anuban Dek Khong" ("Dek Khong").

Unlike other pretty girls with a love for brand name cosmetics and beautiful outfits, Keerati doesn't spend money on her face or her clothes. She will, however, put aside her cash until she can afford her favourite fragrance.

"I hate make up. I prefer to keep my face free from cosmetics. I don't even like baby powder or sunscreen," she says.

Perfume is an expensive item for a young girl to buy and her parents are not the kind to spoil their daughter. "My mum and dad don't believe in paying for unnecessary cosmetics or clothes. We were taught to save our allowances and buy our own."

Keerati's scents have all come from her savings and the money she's earned from modelling and appearing in TV commercials.

In the nine years since she received her first fragrance, the young actress has collected more than 30 bottles of perfume. Her favourites, as can be seen by the empty flacons on the shelf, are Eclat d'Arpege, Summer by Lanvin, Young Sexy Lovely by Yves Saint Laurent and Incanto Shine by Salvatore Ferragamo. Some have yet been to be unwrapped while other bottles are still half full.

When she was younger, she tried different scents. She also bought some because she admired the beautiful bottle, "but it wasn't me when I tried it," she says.

"Now I know that I prefer lighter, floral scents so even when I change brands, the type of fragrance I choose will be similar," she adds.

And those that are unwrapped? "They are gifts from friends," she smiles.

"They know I collect perfume. Usually, the bottle has a great design but I don't like the scent. There's no point in opening them but it's the thought that counts so I like to keep them."