Leighton Meester mixes her own perfume.

The 'Gossip Girl' actress loves experimenting with different fragrances to suit her mood but prefers to create her own scent from essential oils.

She explained: "I love perfume and I wear all kinds of different types depending on my mood.

"But for the past couple of years I've been making my own perfume out of essential oils, so I use that. It's kind of a vanilla scent."

Though the brunette beauty takes time to blend her perfume, she admits she doesn't spend long applying her make-up every day.

She added to Britain's Cosmopolitan magazine: "I never wear make-up when I'm not working. Very rarely I'll put on a little bit of concealer here and there and maybe some red lipstick just to make it look like I made the effort - it does wonders."

The actress also revealed her beauty icons to be actress Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett and Dame Helen Mirren.

She said: "I really love Julianne Moore for having fair skin and a really beautiful smile. I love Cate Blanchett because she glows from within. And I love how Helen Mirren has aged so gracefully. She's gorgeous and quite sexy."