Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle

A selection of fragrances from the perfume house Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle

Mood Scent 4 Uplifting Perfumes

Welcome to Mood Scent 4!

We are four perfume bloggers based in France, Holland, England and Wales who post on a different jointed subject every couple of months. This time we have chosen uplifting perfumes as we moving into the autumn and winter season. At the end of this article you will find links to the blogs of A Bottled Rose, I Scent You A Day and Megan in St. Maxime.

I really enjoyed choosing 5 uplifting fragrances for our joined project. The fragrances I choose were the joyful L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons Eau de Toilette, invigorating Frederic Malle Cologne Bigarade, contemporary British Heeley Oranges and Lemons, bright April Aromatics Ray Of Light and energising Hermes Eau D’Orange Verte.

1. L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons Eau de Toilette

Notes: Linden Blossom, Lemon Tree Blossom, Orange Blossom, Jasmine, Tuberose Perfumer: Anne Flipo Year: 1999

La Chasse aux Papillons (Chasing butterflies) is a happy, joyful, floral bouquet of white blossoms of orange, jasmine and tuberose with some green leaves and creamy coconut. It is one of my favorite uplifting fragrances and I gladly use the Eau de Toilette, the accompanying body lotion and shower gel on grey rainy days to cheer me up.

In a few words*: innocent, romantic, joyful, young and light, white

2. Frederic Malle Cologne Bigarade

Notes: Bitter Orange, Cardamon, Pepper, Hay, Cedar Wood Perfumer: Jean-Claude Ellena Year: 2001

In true Ellena style this cologne is stripped from any distractions* by leaving out the traditional cologne herbs lavender or rosemary and concentrating fully on the bitter orange essence in all it’s splendour. It’s incredibly energising and an excellent choice for a dull grey autumn or winter morning. I used the shower gel some years ago and loved it too.

In a few words: refreshing, invigorating, clean, casual chic

3. Heeley Oranges And Lemons Say The Bell’s Of … St.Clements

Notes: Oranges, Lemons, Bergamot, Mandarine, Neroli, Petitgrain, Earl Grey Tea, Ylang Ylang, Vetiver Perfumer: James Heeley Year: 2010

Together with La Chasse Aux Papillons a beautiful name for a fragrance. Oranges and Lemons was inspired by an old children’s rhyme from the 18th century. The Bell’s Of St. Clements refer to church bells which can still be found in the historic and financial centre of the City of London.

Oranges and Lemons starts as a contemporary cologne with bright bitter orange flowers (neroli) with their green leaves to change into a slightly sweeter orange lemonade. There is a right balance between the shiny bitter neroli and sweeter orange. Longevity on my skin is good for a cologne style fragrance as it lasts several hours. Unexpectedly the dry down was quite calming.  If the fragrance would have a color it would be vibrant orange.

In a few words: modern cologne, relaxed, contemporary British, colour of bright orange

4. April Aromatics Ray Of Light

Notes: Lime, Lemon, Pink Grapefruit, Orange, Bergamot, Galbanum, Mint, Vetiver, Tobacco. Perfumer: Tanja Bochnig Year: 2014

Ray of Light is an all natural fragrance made by Berlin based perfumer Tanja Bochnig. The fragrance opens with bright sunny bitter green citrus leaves which quickly change into warmer lightly sugared lemon followed by some sweeter orange and a mellow herbal tobacco base. The galbanum adds an overall green bitter scent to the whole fragrance. When smelling and experiencing this fragrance the colour that came to mind was vibrant yellow. I find it a very cheerful and encouraging fragrance. It’s dry down is quite relaxing as well. Ray of Light will work well on those dark days in winter to get you out of bed and running as it will your energy rapidly moving.

In a few words: cheerful, bright, sunny, vibrant yellow, encouraging

5. Hermes Eau D’Orange Verte, I reviewed this energising scent and the shower gel previously on my website.  If you like Frederic Malle Cologne Bigarade you will probably like this too. Eau d’Orange Verte is a cheaper alternative as it is often on sale at discount websites. I use it quite often to refresh in summer and uplift in winter time. You can read my article here.

Bottom line: my top 5 choices for uplifting fragrances were the joyful L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons Eau de Toilette, invigorating Frederic Malle Cologne Bigarade, contemporary English Heeley Oranges and Lemons, bright April Aromatics Ray Of Light and energising Hermes Eau D’Orange Verte.

You can find Tara’s choices from A Bottled Rose, Megan’s from Megan in Sainte Máxime and Samantha’s from I Scent You A Day by clicking on the names of the websites.  Go to their website to read their choices of uplifting fragrances. I am very curious to read which fragrances they choose!

Do you use fragrance to uplift you? If so, what are your favourite uplifting fragrances?

*in a few words was inspired by the excellent The Scented Hound website.

*read Clayton’s more elaborate and  interesting article about the making of Cologne Bigarade on What Men Should Smell Like

Disclosure: all photographs were made by me.

MoodScent4 Project: Wedding Guest Fragrances Pick the Perfect Scent To Your Outfit

Welcome to MoodScent4!

We are four perfume bloggers based in France, Holland, England and Wales who post on a different joint subject every couple of months. This time we have chosen Wedding Guest Fragrances as June is the wedding month.  You will find links to the other blogs at the end of the post. We hope you have fun reading our different choices and adding your own in the comments.

My choices were inspired by wedding guest outfits. I have matched them to fragrances. The outfits I chose are the Cocktail Dress, Gala Dress, Chanel Tweed Jacket/Formal Suits, Informal Jeans and Barefoot at the Beach Dress.

Try A Rich Abundant Bouquet Of Flowers – The Cocktail Dress 

When invited to wear a cocktail dress a good choice would be the abundant floral bouquet Jean Patou Sublime. This is one of my all time favorite fragrances.  Created in 1992 by master perfumer Jean Kerleo this classic rich scent starts with sweet sugared orange rind to continue with a warm floral bouquet of Rose, Jasmine, Lily of The Valley and Orange Blossom. Try the older round vintage bottle shown on the photograph and the richer Eau de Parfum if you can. It has a dirtier drydown probably due to the added civet, making it more sophisticated and intriguing. Some would say making it more French.

Notes for Jean Patou Sublime: Bergamot, Mandarin, Orange, Ylang Ylang, Rose, Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Orange Blossom, Madagascar Vanilla, Amber, Sandalwood.

Select An Elegant Flower – The Chanel Style Tweed Jacket 

Invited to a formal wedding and plan to wear a Chanel style tweed jacket with pearls or another more formal suit? Try Frederic Malle’s Iris Poudre. This cooler more introverted elegant fragrance is an excellent choice for those weddings where you want to keep a bit to yourself and keep some distance for whatever reason.

Notes for Frederic Malle Iris Poudre : Aldehydes, Iris, Ylang Ylang, Rose, Vetiver, Musk, Vanilla, Tonka Bean.

Pick A Crisp Fresh Floral – Informal Jeans 

When invited to an informal wedding where you can dress as you like and even come in jeans, a crisp soliflore (based on one flower) scent is a good choice, like the gardenia inspired Hothouse Flower by Ineke Fragrances. This is a fresh natural green fragrance with green stems, creamy white petals and green foliage. The dry down is inoffensive but lovely like white clean transparent cotton.

Notes for Ineke Fragrances Hothouse Flower:  Earl Grey Tea, Green Foliage, Cypress, Gardenia, Fig, Frankincense, Galbanum, Guaiacwood, Musk, Corn Silk.

Choose A Big Bold Flower – The Long Evening Dress 

When going to a wedding dressed in a long evening gala dress, you could select the iconic big floral by Serge Lutens Fleur d’Oranger. Fleur d’Oranger contains notes of white flowers like white rose, orange blossom, jasmine and tuberose. Which makes it very fitting for a wedding to wear. Although named after the orange blossom this scent can be more an opulent creamy tuberose scent to some.

Notes for Serge Lutens Fleur d’Oranger: Orange blossom, Jasmine, Tuberose, White Rose, Citrus Peel, Hibiscus Seeds, Cumin, Nutmeg.

Pick A Natural Flower – Barefoot White Dress On The Beach

For a wedding on the beach, in nature, garden or outside wear the all natural April Aromatics Jasmina. With jasmine, pink grapefruit and ylang ylang this scent is happy, sensual and uplifting but makes you feel relaxed as well. I have used the oil version regularly lately and very much like it.

Notes for April Aromatics Jasmina: Jasmin Grandiflorum, Ylang Ylang, Pink Grapefruit

Tara’s choices from A Bottled Rose, Megan’s from Megan in Sainte Máxime and Samantha’s from I Scent You A Day can be found by clicking on the names of the websites. I am curious about their choices, aren’t you?

What fragrance would you pick as a wedding guest? Will you be going to a wedding this year? If so, what fragrance will you wear?

 

 

Disclosure: all photographs were made by Esperessence, April Aromatics Jasmina was a pr sample, the other bottles were bought by me.

 

Frederic Malle En Passant The scent of Spring passing through

In a search of perfumes made by the perfumer Olivia Giacobetti I came across the perfume En Passant. I already knew other perfumes made by her: Tilleul by Parfums d´Orsay and L´Ete en Douce by L´Artisan Parfumeur.

Olivia Giacobetti made En Passant for the exclusive brand Frederic Malle Editions de Parfums. Frederic Malle perfumes are very special in the sense that all perfumers were given the oportunity to create their own perfect perfume. All perfumers are displayed in the shop with their photograph.

Olivia Giacobetti Olivia Giacobetti´s perfumes can be very light and almost made for another realm, the one of elves and nymphs. Like making perfumes for Arwen Undómiel in Lord of the Rings played by Liv Tyler.

En Passant is a perfume inspired by the idea of passing through a branch of lilac flowers during spring. It means passing through in French. This makes En Passant an excellent scent to use in spring or if you want to invite spring into your life.

The most wonderful thing happened after I applied En Passant this week. After spraying En Passant, I passed a lilac bush near my home and I could smell a wonderful light trail of lilac. This was the whole intention of the perfume and I got it in an instant. Not complicated, just a light trail of lilac. The perfume En Passant is passing through as well on your skin as it leaves after two hours. Maybe that´s the whole idea although I have noticed Olivia Giacobetti has made more perfumes which do not stay on very long like L´Ete en Douce. When you spray it on, you get a wonderful fresh lilac scent. You would want it to stay that way for hours and hours. So personally I think it is a pity you can only smell it for a short while. The only remedy is to keep on spraying or to use it with the bodylotion and layer it that way. Haven´t tried the bodylotion but would really like to !

Passing through lilacs in Amsterdam

En Passant is simply lovely and fresh. Not fresh like fresh washed white cotton shirts but like light fresh white or pink flowers. Personally I smell lilacs, cucumber and linden blossom. Some others state notes are white lilac, watery notes, cucumber, orange tree leaves and wheat. En Passant really reminded me of another of Olivia´s perfumes, the linden blossom scent Tilleul by Parfum d´Orsay. This is an adaptation of an older version of Parfums d’ Orsay Tilleul and it is one of my favorite perfumes. Both Tilleul and L´Ete en Douce are wonderful summer perfumes.

En Passant is superb to wear right now that lilacs blossom outside and it is springtime. It would make an excellent gift for a young girl as her first perfume as well. I can imagine it be suited for people who do not like to wear perfume as it is so fresh and stays very close to your skin.

Bottom line: I love it. My advice: Just smell it !

Photograph of Olivia Courtesy of Guillaume Luisetti, http://www.luisetti.net/ Thank you very much !

Originally published: May 10th 2012

Photograph 1. Olivia Giacobetti. Made by Guillaume Luisetti

Photograph 2. Passing through lilacs in Amsterdam. Made by Esperessence