MoodScent4 Project: Playing The Diva Perfumes
It’s with great pleasure I am writing a new episode together with fellow bloggers Sam from I Scent You A Day, Megan from Megan in St. Maxime and Portia from Australian Perfume Junkies.
Together we choose a different subject every couple of months and link fragrance to mood or occasion. This time we have chosen to write about “playing the diva perfumes”. Due to moving houses I haven’t written in a long time on my website. I am very glad to do so for this special festive event. My perfume collection is not completely unpacked so I was slightly limited in my choices and reviews. But let’s continue and play!
Madonna Truth or Dare Perfume Ad
Each of us might have a different image of a diva, To me a diva is a larger than (daily) life grand lady, preferably dressed in a long red velvet dress with feathers, wearing a faux fur coat, demanding and getting a lot of attention.
Vivien Leigh as Scarlet O’Hara in Gone with the Wind
If I were to play a diva with perfume this would be with a lush white floral fragrance from night blooming flowers like gardenia or tuberose. The perfume would have strong sillage* and leave a beautiful scented trail when walking down the crimson velvet stairs in the theatre or opera house.
Isabey Paris Gardenia
Isabey Paris Gardenia Eau de Parfum comes to mind. Isabey Gardénia was created in 1924 and won the gold medal at the prestigious International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris in 1925. As its face it had operetta singer Yvonne Printemps. Isabey Gardenia is a lush bouquet of white creamy flowers of tuberose and exotic ylang-ylang oozing vintage luxury from a bygone era. It leaves a harmonious veil of sandalwood, soft iris and musk which lingers for hours on the skin. A luxurious, mature and well balanced fragrance which makes you feel glamorous and like a diva from the roaring Twenties.
Its notes (according to the LuckyScent website) are Tangerine Peel, Ylang-Ylang, Orange Blossom, Gardenia, Bulgarian Rose, Jasmine, Iris, Ambergris, Musk, Sandalwood.
Yvonne Printemps
Robert Piquet Fracas and Madonna Truth or Dare
Other fragrances to play a diva would be tuberose classic Robert Piquet Fracas, created in 1948 by Germaine Cellier and said to be worn by Madonna. Fracas is still packed in a box somewhere so I can’t go into much more detail unfortunately. Madonna launched her own Fracas inspired fragrance Truth or Dare in 2012. Truth or Dare was discontinued but the shower gel and body lotion are still available online for very reasonable prices. You can have a lavish affordable bath in true diva style and still be able to pay your mortgage or rent.
Concluding: My personal picks to play the diva were creamy tuberose centered fragrances like Isabey Paris Gardenia, Robert Piquet Fracas and Madonna Truth or Dare bath products.
Have a look on the blog of Sam from I Scent You A Day, Megan from Megan in St. Maxime and Portia from Australian Perfume Junkies to read their choices. I am very curious how they play the diva, aren’t you?
How would you play the diva? Which fragrances would you choose?
*Sillage: meaning the scented trail left by the wearer of a fragrance
You can read my full review of Truth or Dare here.
Special thanks Vicky, from The Perfume Lounge, Amsterdam
Disclosure: all fragrances mentioned in this article were bought by me
August 5, 2019 @ 11:20
Hello Esperanza – you’re back! I really understand the diva quality of a tuberose too. Fracas is a perfume that definitely makes a bold statement. I have never tried the Isabey Gardenia and your description makes me really want to try it even more. ✨
August 5, 2019 @ 11:55
Hi Megan, interesting we both understand the diva quality of tuberose. Isabey Gardenia is gorgeous and worth a try if you like creamy tuberose fragrances. ✨✨✨
August 5, 2019 @ 11:49
Goed bezig! Ciao, Peter
August 5, 2019 @ 11:53
Dank je wel, Peter!
August 5, 2019 @ 19:05
That tuberose is proper Madam of a flower, isn’t she? Luckily I’m a big fan. So glad you mentioned Madonna Truth or Dare- such a pity it’s discontinued now but I think you can still find it iif you look, which is what i plane to do. I’m so cross I didn’t buy it when it was in the shops and cheap as chips, as we say in the UK. This is a wonderful round up, Esperanza and as always, I love your photos. Give my love to Rubio xxx
August 5, 2019 @ 20:28
It is a true Madam of flower, tuberose. Truth or Dare is rather hard to find here now, if you can find it, do buy it! Loved your choices too, must really retry Arpege. I will give your love to Rubio, please do so to your lovely furries as well!
August 5, 2019 @ 20:40
I’ve never tried Truth or Dare either. It gets mentioned a lot, and as Sam says…cheap as chips. As an aside I’ve tried to post a comment on Sam’s site I Scent you a Day, but I keep getting a message Account Suspended. Don’t know why this has happened.
August 5, 2019 @ 20:55
Hi Matty, you should try it if you can, Truth or Dare is worth a try especially if you can find it cheaply. Strange things are happening on the comment section. Portia was unable to post here. Luckily you were able to comment here. I will tell Sam.
August 5, 2019 @ 21:18
Thank You. I read Sam’s mood Scent posts and comments earlier today so I don;t know what’s happened in the meantime.I’m a regular commenter on all Sam’s posts.
August 10, 2019 @ 11:18
Welcome back, Esperanza. Hope the unpacking goes well. Tuberose sets the diva scene so well. I especially love the sound of Isabey Paris Gardenia Eau de Parfum. The first I have heard of it.