Oriental

Mood Scent 4 Blogging Project: Rainy Day Fragrances

Welcome to the first joint blogging project by MoodScent4!

We are four perfume bloggers based in France, Holland, England and Wales who will be posting on a different joint subject every couple of months. Each time we will individually pick a selection of five or so fragrances to fit a particular mood or occasion. 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.

The first joined theme we picked are rainy day fragrances. As I live in Amsterdam, I experience quite some days of rain. On those days I like to wear fragrances contrary to the grey weather to add some sunshine and light to my day. These are generally energizing or uplifting citrus (with for example notes of bitter orange tree leaves or lemon) or cologne style fragrances like Hermes Eau d’orange verte, Annick Goutal Neroli Cologne. On other rainy days I choose more comforting oriental fragrances like Keiko Mecher Vetiver Velours, Guerlain Shalimar, Miller Harris Fleur Oriental or Mona di Orio Vanille.

One of my favorite scents to add sunshine and light to a day is the Eau de Cologne Hermes Eau d’orange verte. Eau D’orange verte is an extraordinary uplifting scent. True to its original name, Hermes Eau de Cologne smells very much like a cologne focussing on freshly squeezed bitter orange tree leaves. The Eau d’orange verte shower gel smells just like the Hermes Eau D’orange verte Eau de Cologne and is well worth a try for an energizing shower on a rainy morning.

Another very suitable fragrance for a rainy day is Annick Goutal Neroli Cologne. Neroli Cologne smells very much like a blossoming bitter orange tree filling the air with its magnificant scent, adding a feeling of a sunny spring morning near the Mediterranean coast.

A more comforting scent would also be a good choice for a rainy day to bring the feeling of being wrapped up in soft blanket, hanging on your couch reading a book with a cup of tea or Netflixing. Keiko Mecheri Vetiver Velours from the Les Merveilles Collection (previously The Bespoke Collection) is very suited for a grey rainy day. It is an elegant and sofisticated dry oriental woody fragrance leaving a soft powdery veil on one’s skin. Vetiver is very well blended into the whole fragrance by perfumer Yann Vasnier by not making it a dominant note.

One could also choose for the classic oriental Guerlain Shalimar or one of its modern (and one of my favorite) siblings Miller Harris Fleur Oriental. Fleur Oriental has amazing longevity and leaves a warm balsamic powdery scent. The soothing Mona di Orio Les Nombres d’Or Vanille would be an excellent choice as well. Vanilla is known for its comforting and uplifting properties. Mona di Orio Vanille is a more woody oriental fragrance. The perfumer Mona di Orio was inspired by an oriental romantic fantasy of an old ship travelling to Madagascar for vanilla pods, rum barrels, precious spices and sandalwood.

Have a look at the scented suggestions of Tara from A Bottled Rose, Megan from Megan in Sainte Maxime and Sam from I Scent You A Day for fragrances on a rainy day. I am curious what they have chosen, aren’t you?

What fragrance do you use on rainy days? A comforting one or do you choose an energizing scent? Let us know your choices!

The other blog posts on rainy days fragrances can be found here: A Bottled Rose, I Scent You A Day and Megan in Sainte Maxime.

Disclaimer: all perfumes mentioned in this article were bought by me.

Guerlain Shalimar Eau de Cologne Budget Beauty Pick Perfume Review

Shalimar Guerlain Shalimar Eau de Cologne was not a super bargain but it still comes at a fairly decent price given it quality. It has become one of my most cherished bottles this summer due to its smooth vintage vibe and beautiful older designed spray bottle. My Shalimar edc was produced in 2015. But scenting it, one would say it was in the 80 ties. When my favorite Shalimar Parfum de Toilette was produced. My personal fantasy is that at a Guerlain factory they still had some old juice lying around in a wooden barrel, watered it down a bit and sold it as edc.

On my skin Guerlain Shalimar Eau de Cologne is much smokier than the Shalimar I scented last year at the Guerlain counter in a department store. I find the newer Shalimar’s to be too much watered down and tamed. Although it says Eau de Cologne on its label, the fragrance lasts a whole day on my skin.

If you do not know Shalimar, grab your chance and get this edc bottle while you still can to experience this beautiful fragrance in its full glory. You never know how much more it will be altered by its producing company LVMH, given the financial driven and certainly not perfume loving decisions which are being made lately. If you like and love Shalimar buy this version, you will not regret it.

What does it do? It takes away rough and hard edges due to its balsamic properties acting like balsam for your soul. For me personally it works also comforting and sometimes I wear it to sleep.

How does it make you feel? Like a movie star in the nineteen twenties, with natural glamour and being sexy in an elegant way, like wearing a low cut black satin evening dress and feeling very comfortable and relaxed wearing it.

Notes: (source Michael Edwards Perfume Legends) Top: Sparkling Bergamot, Heart: Fleeting Rose and Jasmine, Base: Seductive Opopanax, Vanilla, Iris and Tonka Bean

Launched: 1925 at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris

Perfumer: Jacques Guerlain

Sillage: Medium

Longevity: Medium

Perfume Family: Oriental

Produced by: LVMH

Origin of bottle: my own together, bought for 47 euro at a Dutch web shop, I own other Shalimar versions and flankers as well

Photograph: my own

Much has been written about Shalimar, I have chosen to keep this review fairly brief. If you would like to read more about Shalimar, read more on this iconic fragrance on: Monsieur Guerlain and Perfume Shrine. Read another review of this marvelous Guerlain Shalimar Eau de Cologne at Australian Perfume Junkies written by Val.

NB: this is a Shalimar Eau de Cologne review with the box on the photograph, not about Shalimar Cologne EDT made by perfumer Thierry Wasser which can be sold at stores at this time.

 

Perfume Review: 4160 Tuesdays Shazam!

4160 Tuesdays Shazam!

I am really enjoying the 4160 Tuesdays scented advent calender. A generous 2,5 ml spray is beautifully wrapped in a differently coloured envelope every day. It looks like the colour of the envelope matches the fragrance. I like the perfumer’s eye for details. Sarah McCartney is the English perfumer of 4160 Tuesdays and Shazam! was created in 2013.

Today we are on Day 3 with an orange envelope and matching fragrance Shazam! Shazam! has a bright citrus tangerine note giving the impression of oranges.

I bought Shazam! this late summer as a 7-9 ml spray. It did not appeal to me then. But it was much warmer outside at the time. While retesting it now with colder weather, I really enjoy it. Especially the dry down.

The fragrance of Shazam! was inspired by the famous spice market in Marrakech. Shazam! starts off as a spicy oriental fragrance with a bright citrus note. The official note says tangerine. But it reminds me of sun-ripened oranges. Although I do not like spicy fragrances I find the spices in Shazam! to be very well balanced and not overwhelming. It would make an excellent body oil.

Shazam! gives me a more lineair impression than other oriental fragrances. Those tend to change more during time on the skin. Most of the ingredients of Shazam! are present from the beginning. There are not a lot of surprises, expect for the dry down, which is warm and comforting with uplifting elements, probably from the tangerine and pink pepper.

Bottom line: I like Shazam! and I am glad I restested with colder weather.

Try Shazam! If you like fragrances like Teo Cabanel Alahine or Dior Mitzah and fragrances with oranges.

Notes: (official 4160 Tuesdays website)

top notes: basil/tangerine/juniper berry

heart notes: atlas cedarwood/pink peppercorn/cardamom/frankincense

base notes: amber/patchouli/cocoa absolute

Photograph: made this weekend by Claudia Ros in Marrakech