Chypre

Mood Scent 4 Jewels In The Crown Perfumes

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It’s Mood Scent 4 time again! Our monthly blogging project where Portia, (on A Bottled Rose) , Samantha  (I Scent You A Day), Megan (Megan In St Maxime) and I write about a different subject linking perfume to mood or occasion. This time we picked jewels in the crown, those treasured perfumes we can never be without.

I hope you started the new year well with everything that is going on in the world and manage to keep (relatively) calm, safe and positive. Not to mention healthy! We are in our second lock down at the moment in The Netherlands, most shops are closed and celebrating Christmas with a few family members on a schedule who got to visit when which was a bit strange. But I was very glad to be able to visit some of my family members including my dad and sister.

Back to perfumes again. In this article I have included 5 favourites from my perfume collection which can still be bought online or in a shop, so you are able to try them too if you like, starting with glorious Amber/Oriental Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan. (Continue Reading After The Photograph)

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan 

There are several perfumes I can’t be without and Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan is definitely one of them. Ambre Sultan is filled with warming benzoin, resinous labdanum, sweet vanilla, topped with spices and herbs found on the Marrakech souk (market). This warming fragrance gets a lot of wear during wintertime each year. Ambre Sultan is very well blended, not one specific note sticking out. If I could only have one amber fragrance it would be Ambre Sultan. Notes include coriander, amber accord, oregano, bay leaf, myrtle, angelica root, sandalwood, patchouli, benzoin and vanilla. Ambre Sultan is said to smell after the markets or souks in Marrakech, Serge Lutens Moroccan residence. (Continue Reading After The Photograph)

Hermes Caleche 

Soft, clean and floral Caleche is another elegant perfume jewel I can’t be without. Named after a special type of light carriage, Hermes Caleche invokes a feeling of Parisian sophistication with timeless classic brown satin dresses, expensive leather Hermes bags, exquisite hand sown silk scarves, pearl necklaces and the softest dark brown leather gloves. Caleche was created by master perfumer Guy Robert in 1961 as an elegant easy to wear refined fragrance.

It features notes of aldehydes, bergamot, mandarin, orange blossom, jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, gardenia, iris, ylang-ylang, oakmoss, sandalwood, cedarwood and vetiver. .(Continue Reading After The Photograph)Hermes Eau d’Orange Verte 

Another jewel in the crown is Hermes Eau d’Orange verte. Eau D’orange verte is an extraordinary uplifting scent adding sunshine and light to grey rainy days. True to its original name which was Hermes Eau de Cologne, Eau d’Orange Verte smells very much like a cologne focussing on freshly squeezed bitter orange tree leaves.

Hermes Eau d’Orange Verte was created in 1979 by French perfumer Francoise Caron. According to official Hermes training material Eau d’Orange Verte features notes of petit grain lemon, mandarin, bitter orange tree (bigadier) leaves and peppermint. Some online sources mention oakmoss and patchouli as well. This fragrance has been in my collection for 20 years, back in the days when I wore the same scent every day. (Continue Reading After The Photograph)

Guerlain Shalimar 

Guerlain Shalimar is one of the perfumes I can’t be without either. It is one of the perfumes which feel custom made to me and I reach for on many occasions. Sparkling green Bergamot lemon. smooth floral Rose and Jasmine, seductive balsamic Opopanax, comforting Vanilla, powdery Iris and Tonka Bean make Shalimar very soothing and relaxing. Shalimar feels like one of those fragrances which suit any occasion or mood. (Continue Reading After The Photograph)

Dior Miss Dior original 

Miss Dior has many faces nowadays but I am referring to the perfume from 1947 which is now very well named Miss Dior Original. Created by perfumers Jean Carles and Paul Vacher this classic masterpiece is another jewel of the crown. It has probably been changed many times in the meantime.

Some people might find Miss Dior Original too nostalgic for their taste which I can relate to as this was created in the “New Look” period of Christian Dior, at the end of the 1940ties. I rather like this elegant perfume which feels like wearing a made to measure exquisite dress, impeccable red lipstick, a well powdered face, some black eyeliner and a stylish large designer hat.  Personally I am glad we don’t have to wear these dresses anymore but have the choice to wear what we like and still get a glimpse of this elegant period by scenting and wearing Miss Dior Original. A bit of nostalgia after all!

Notes include: Aldehydes, Galbanum, Clary Sage, Gardenia, Bergamot, Narcissus, Iris, Carnation, Lily of the Valley, Orris Root, Jasmine, Rose, Neroli, Oakmoss, Leather, Vetiver, Patchouli, Labdanum, Sandalwood and Amber accord. (Continue Reading After The Photograph)

These are my top 5 Jewels in the Crown picks. Have a look on Samantha’s blog I Scent You A Day Megan’s blog  Megan in St. Maxime  and Portia on A Bottled Rose,  to read they choices too!

I Love To Hear From You
I hope you are able to share your favorite perfumes you can’t live without and let me know what you think of my choices too.

Disclosure: All photographs were made by me and are meant as creative expression. The perfumes on the photographs were all bought by me. Some fragrances are sold in other bottles now.

 

Mood Scent 4 Unsung Heroes Perfumes

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It is Mood Scent 4 time again! Where Portia (now on A Bottled Rose), Sam (I Scent You A Day) Megan (Megan In Sainte Maxime) and I write about a joined subject each month, linking fragrance to mood or occasion. This time we picked unsung heroes! Those brilliant perfumes which undeservingly don’t get the attention they deserve.

We have returned to the new normal in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. As some parts of town are too crowded mouth protection needs to be worn in certain streets, markets but not everywhere on the streets. Still a bit strange and getting used too. We were planning to go to Spain in this period but we are staying closer to home visiting the Southern part of The Netherlands, Limburg so I am a bit in a holiday mood for this article too. Back to Unsung Heroes again with Ruth Mastenbroek Amorosa!

Ruth Mastenbroek Amorosa Eau de Parfum – Zest For Italian Life! 

Notes: Galbanum, Violet Leaf, Watermelon, Tuberose, Jasmine, Tiare, Ylang Ylang, Vetiver, Patchouli and Amber Year: 2012  Fragrance Family: Floral

Ruth Mastenbroek Amorosa is an unsung perfume hero which surprisingly hasn’t gotten much attention online. Ruth Mastenbroek is a long time perfumer, former president of the British Society of Perfumers and trained chemist. She started her own perfume brand in 2010 and has created fragrances for brands like Jo Malone (the famous grapefruit candle is her creation) before starting her own brand.

Amorosa was the second fragrance Ruth Mastenbroek launched for her brand. Meaning ‘a woman in love’  in Italian, Amorosa was inspired by her love for Italy. It is a luxurious and classic baroque floral fragrance. Full of abundant creamy flowers (tuberose, jasmine, ylang ylang and tiare), sweet juicy summer fruits, contrasting green fresh garden leaves with a surprising modern twist by the added refreshing watermelon note.

Ruth Mastenbroek created this fragrance celebrating life and happy time spent in her holiday home in green hilled Umbria, Italy. The innovative use of fizzy refreshing watermelon makes this a very interesting Eau de Parfum. It took me several wearings to appreciate the fresh aquatic note combined with the rich classic bouquet of flowers but it was definitely worth a wait. Amorosa is a must try for (White) Floral fragrance lovers looking for something slightly different and original. Wearing Amorosa adds a sparkle to the day and feeling of zest for life.

Ramon Monegal The Essentials Collection Mon Patchouly – Happy Ibiza Jasmine 

Notes: Indonesian Patchouli, Oak moss absolute, Frankincense, Geranium bourbon, Egyptian jasmine and Amber accord.  Year: 2009 Fragrance Family: Mossy Woods/Chypre

Mon Patchouly is another unsung heroes which undeservingly does not get a lot of attention. Although called My Patchouly this is more a fragrance for non patchouli lovers, as it is full of ethereal jasmine. This fragrance stays away from the usual wet earth scent the patchouli leaf is known for and focuses on its lesser known ethereal floral side. Mon Patchouly smells like little sweet sugared jasmine flowers dipped in bitter chocolate powder with some green piney frankincense. I get a gourmand touch as well of very light creamy coconut and whipped cream. This is not a night blossoming faecal* (smelling of excrements and found in small traces in indolic floral oils like jasmine absolute) jasmine but an innocent happy white jasmine flower.

Mon Patchouly is part of The Essentials Collection which was the first Collection to be launched in 2009 when Ramon Monegal started his own perfume brand after working for his family owned perfume and make up brand Myrurgia. The heavy perfume bottle is called Inkwell, not very practical but a beautiful design of Ramon Monegal nonetheless.

Nicolai Parfumeur Juste Un Reve – Cocktails On An Exclusive Tropical Island  

Notes: peach, coconut, jasmine, ylang ylang, tuberose, sandalwood, vanilla Year: 1996 Fragrance Family: Floral Fruity 

Juste Un Reve meaning just a dream in French, is another perfume which does not get a lot of attention. It is slightly reminiscent of tropical floral fragrances like Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess but more elegant plus added sweet fruits. If Bronze Goddess was a summer dress it would a short white cotton dress to go to the beach. Just Un Reve would be an elegant satin silk long dress to go for evening cocktails in an exclusive holiday resort on a tropical island.

Tuberose flowers and tropical lush ylang ylang are very well blended by perfumer Patricia de Nicolai with  light coconut and sweet ripe velvety peach. Juste Un Reve makes an excellent summer holiday fragrance even if you are staying home. I have finished 2 bottles of this fragrance which only shows how much I love this.

Over To My Mood Scent 4 Pals
These are my 3 picks for Unsung Heroes. Have a look on Sam’s blog on I Scent You A Day, Megan’s  Megan in St. Maxime and Portia on A Bottled Rose to read their surprising picks.

I Love To Hear From You
I hope you enjoyed my Unsung Heroe picks which are slightly holiday oriented as well. Hopefully you are able to stay safe, centered, positive and healthy with everything happening around us. Please leave your choices for unsung heroes in my comments or your thought on my choices. I love to hear from you!

Disclosure: all photographs were made by me. The jasmine flower (called Biznaga) on the second photograph was handmade and based on the floral tradition in Malaga, Southern Spain to make these flowers by hand. You can read more about the Biznaga here.  The Amorosa bottle is an older model. The fragrance comes in other bottles now.

 

Mood Scent 4 : Virtual Holiday Perfumes

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It is Mood Scent 4 time again! Where we share our views on the same subject linking perfume to mood or occasion. This time Portia (guest blogging on A Bottled Rose), Sam  (I Scent You A Day) Megan (Megan In Sainte Maxime) and I chose to write about taking a virtual holiday with perfume as for the moment most of us, will not be travelling very far and enjoy our staycation.

We have all been affected by the virus in different ways. Some are not able to go out. Others see themselves without income, work or faced with health challenges. Work at home without being able to relax. Teach their children at home while still having to work at home. Not being able to visit their loved ones or elderly parents and the list goes on. For me personally, frivolous as it may sound, it has been challenging not to be able to go to Spain on holiday and not knowing when this will be possible. I made a roomspray reminiscent of scents of Southern Spain. Using this spray has bought me a lot of joy. 

As it is not always possible to make your own fragrance I have chosen 4 “virtual” holiday scents for you to enjoy. You will be taking a little mini break to a lush Mediterranean garden, damp Portland Forrest in the US, dry herbal Kibbutz near Jerusalem and Spanish Orange Tree Orchard. All wonderful olfactory escapes. 

Travel To A Mediterranean Garden With Hermes Un Jardin En Mediterranée

Notes include mandarin, orange, bergamot, lemon, fig woods and leaves, orange blossom, white oleander, cedar, cypress, juniper and musk.

Inspired by a Tunisian garden, perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena invites us to experience different plants, trees, fruits and flowers in a blossoming Mediterranean garden. Un Jardin En Mediterranée offers ready to eat ripe figs, crisp green fig leaves, uplifting orange blossoms, refreshing lemon, white oleander, woody notes of cypress and cedar.  When visiting a botanical garden in Southern Spain several years ago I came to understand this fragrance completely as it had many of these plants and flowers to be admired. The photograph above was made in this botanical garden under a fig tree.

Travel To A Rainy Forest In Portland With Envoyage Perfumes Rainmaker

Notes include: rose leaf, silver pine, citrus, incense, patchouli, iris, rhododendron  (see photograph above) cedarwood, fir, redwood needles, petrichor (scent after the rain) Accord, oak moss and amber accord

Rainmaker inspires us to visit a green damp mossy forest in Portland with wet earth and uplifting incense like the one sold in Indian shops on the background. This is the happy acquaintance of visiting a new town with a surprising bohemian culture. Perfumer Shelley Waddington was inspired to create Rainmaker when she moved from sunny California to the rainy and colder climate of Portland, Oregon on the Pacific North West Coast of the US.

Travel To An Israeli Kibbutz With Anat Fritz Tzora

Notes include: cassis, clary sage, bergamot, pepper, magnolia, osmanthus, jasmine, cedarwood, vetiver, patchouly, musk and moss

Tzora Eau de Parfum was inspired by a kibbutz 20 kilometres from Jerusalem where Berlin Based designer Anat Fritz used to go during Summertime. Tzora was created by German perfumer Geza Schoen. Smelling Tzora is like taking a walk in sandy hills where it hardly ever rains with very dry herbs and trees on a magical evening filled with Golden sunlight. The day was very hot which you can still feel, golden rays of sunlight linger through the leaves of the few left trees. A light soft breeze allows you to smell the clary sage and other dry herbs. Uplifting pepper makes the fragrance more interesting and contemporary. 

Travel To A Spanish Orchard of Orange Trees With Ramon Monegal Entre Naranjos

Notes include orange flower, orange, petitgrain lemon, neroli, amber accord and patchouli.

Entre Naranjos ( Which translates as Surrounded by Orange trees) is a very fresh, happy fragrance inspired by the blossoms, wood, leaves and twigs on the orange tree. Reminiscent of cologne, which can be found easily at Spanish supermarkets, Entre Naranjos wears luxurious due to the woody notes and amber accord providing more depth and longevity. You can still smell Entre Naranjos after a few hours unlike a cologne. 

These are my 4  picks of  Virtual Holiday Perfumes. Have a look on Sam’s blog I Scent You A Day, Megan’s  Megan in St. Maxime  and Portia on A Bottled Rose to read their picks and see how they are doing during this exceptional period. 

I hope you and your loved ones are able to stay healthy, calm, centred and positive during this period we are all experiencing.

Do you use perfume to take a little holiday break with perfume? Which one do you use?

Disclosure: all photographs were made by Esperessence.

 

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