Neroli
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.
Mood Scent 4 : Mainstream Perfumes : Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Tendre Jasmin, Accord Chic, Vanille Noir
Welcome to MoodScent 4!
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 Mainstream perfumes. 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 selection in the comments!
The Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Collection
As some of you already know, I love the Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Collection so I chose a couple of fragrances from this product line for mini reviews: Accord Chic, Tendre Jasmin and Vanille Noir. I reviewed Rose Oud earlier this year (see link at the end) and I plan on writing about Neroli soon.
The Secrets d’Essences Collection focuses on raw materials in perfumery like vanilla (2010), jasmine (2008), neroli (2013), iris (2007) and rose (2006). The Collection launched in 2005 with Voile d’Ambre.
I have all fragrances from this line as they can be found regularly on Marktplaats (Dutch eBay) for a decent price. Small 5 ml bottles can be bought at Yves Rocher for sampling. Recently they had 3 bottles on sale for 5 euro. Personally I find most of the scents fairly linear but very well made for a decent price and excellent to layer with, except for the intriguing dark Rose Oud.
Tendre Jasmin
Perfumer: Jacques Cavallier(Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey and Jean Paul Gaultier Classique)
Notes: Jasmine Grandiflorum Abs., Jasmine Sambac Abs., Mimosa Abs., Orange Blossom Abs., Lemon, Mandarin. Orange
After starting with rather annoying synthetic aromachemicals, Tendre Jasmin continues as a clean floral bouquet with a bit of a green fresh touch. There is nothing edgy about this scent, no animals or índoles but a beautiful light jasmine fragrance.
Layer with: Accord Chic
Tendre Jasmin in a few words: happy, careless like a butterfly, light, virginal floral, pristine Jasmine
Accord Chic
Perfumers: Olivier Cresp (also known for creating Thierry Mugler Angel) and Marie Salamagne
Notes: pink pepper, elemi, iris, benzoin and frankincense
Starting with a spicy note of activating pink pepper and elemi with a sweet balsamic undertone probably from the benzoin, this fragrance changes quickly into a slightly dusty, sweeter and smoother scent. The frankincense adds a greener and slightly damp note to the whole fragrance. After a few hours what remains is a smooth scent which reminds me of liquorice. Longevity is excellent after 7 hours I can still smell a trace.
The image I get, when I smell Accord Chic, is from a well dressed elegant lady in a thin black wool sweater and long white wide wool pants. Looking closer you can see these are luxurious designer clothes. The name Chic in the perfume is very fitting but I find Accord horrendous as a perfume name. If this scent was sold by a niche perfume house this fragrance could easily become a bestseller. This fragrance is well worth a try.
Layer with: Tendre Jasmin to enhance the floral heart or with Vanille Noir to link the benzoin in Accord Chic with the vanilla in the Vanille Noir to create a warmer fragrance.
Accord Chic in a few words: casual elegance and chic, refined, introverted, calm, intriguing
Vanilla Noir
Perfumer: Jacques Cavallier
Notes: mandarin, mimosa, Vanilla Bourbon, Ugandan Vanilla, Tahitian Vanilla, leather, cedar wood, orange blossom
This slightly dry vanilla seems to go directly to the base with sweet powder, liquid caramel and comforting woody notes. After a few hours what remains on the skin is a warm woody anisic skin scent. I find Vanilla Noir to be quite linear and not very interesting in the beginning but it turns into a fabulous warm comforting fragrance after a few hours. It is an excellent fragrance to layer with Guerlain Shalimar or Byredo Gypsy Water Eau de Cologne to enhance the vanilla in both.
Vanille Noir in a few words: warm, smooth, feels like a protective thin black soft wool blanket, comforting skin scent, not a gourmand vanilla
Layer with: Voile d’Ambre and Accord Chic, it probably works well with Neroli to create a fresh top note as well.
Bottom line: Tendre Jasmin, Accord Chic and Vanille Noir are all well worth a try, I find Accord Chic the most intriguing and Vanilla Noir the one I grew to like most.
Read my review of Annick Menardo’s dark rose creation for Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences and favorite from this collection here: Rose Oud
Tara’s choices from A Bottled Rose, Megan’s from Megan in Sainte Máxime and Samantha’s from I 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?
Have you tried this Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Collection? Do you have a favourite fragrance? Which one do you like most or would you like to try?
