Katy Perry's New Fragrance Casts a Spell at LA's Magic Castle

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When we meet Katy Perry at The Magic Castle for the launch of her seventh perfume, Mad Potion, she is wearing a stunning black lace Libertine dress and her lavender hair is coiffed perfectly in a retro 'do as she sits on a plush purple throne in front of a wall completely composed of fresh flowers in various violet shades. She keeps touching our knee. "Sorry, I just did it again," she says as she gestures to make an emphatic point about the fragrance she calls herself "annoyingly involved" in creating.

Before enjoying the night's activities, we got to partake in a quick talk with the pop queen. When asked about her favorite places to shop in Los Angeles she says, "I love vintage, so I used to be a big Golyester girl. I also love futuristic Tumblr looks, which for that I go to Opening Ceremony." We also had to know, besides fragrance (duh), what beauty booty can't she live without? The former Proactiv spokesperson says she still swears by the line's cleanser and toner, which she calls "life-changing" and tells us that the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil with a warm washcloth "pulls everything out" at the end of the night and that even though Terry's Baume de Rose salve is undeniably pricey, "it's gold for your lips!"

And when asked whether she had any funny stories from the long creation process of Mad Potion, Perry replied, "I never put on a lab coat. I find it ridiculous when people put one on and pose with a decanter. So I was like, I'm not putting one on unless I'm literally a chemist!"

With references to old-school apothecary bottles and a wink to the Mad Hatter, Mad Potion's debut at the legendary private clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts was oh-so apropo. Guests sipped martinis spiked with Chambord and vanilla (the perfume's most prominent note) and observed acts by contortionists, snake-charmers, and of course magicians. Katy even got in on the act when she appeared in a trick in which an audience member's $1 bill was made to disappear, then re-emerge inside one of the fragrance bottles.

Of course, the multi-platinum mogul couldn't resist indulging in a moment of product placement and sneaking a whiff of her latest creation, which she describes as "soft, approachable, sweet, and edible."

Buy Mad Potion ($30) directly though the fragrance's Twitter pop-up shop here or at Kohl's department stores.