'A scent is more than a few dabs on the wrist and a brief squirt behind the ears; perfume is personal magic. It is a first impression and a lasting recollection, an invisible guide to personality, a key to individuality. It stamps your signature and leaves your calling card.'
I have written many times about my love of perfume. I believe that scent is one of life's great pleasures. Wearing a much loved fragrance can lift a mood and make even the drab, sad days feel better. I find there is a comfort to wearing my scent...a feeling of familiarity and a knowledge that I am well dressed...in the truest sense of the meaning.
For a woman a new fragrance is akin to a new romance...we must get to know each other... flirt a little... understand strengths and weaknesses and most importantly learn when enough is enough. Applying fragrance is an art and I very much follow the French way...a wander through a spray of mist...which not only coats me in deliciousness but leaves the bedroom and bathroom smelling sublime. A further dab on the wrist...no rubbing together... and perhaps a smidgen behind the ears...or knees...depending on my plans...Everything about fragrance is sensual... we must wear it like we mean it...
In SHOP FRENCH ESSENCE I have had such pleasure in putting together a list of the perfumes that mean something to me...If you have never tried Gardenia Passion or Fleur d'Oranger you are in for a treat...If you are a tuberose lover then Fracas is the original and best... Dipytique is heavenly for the bath and body... Online shopping is not the most personal way of sharing secrets and discoveries... I would much rather meet you in Paris, stroll the boulevards and take you to my favourite stores... Imagine that... we could be tempted together...but for now... we shall have to talk and shop beauty through cyberspace...
So I have an idea...Would you like to tell me your fragrance true love and why this scent is so special for you? I will create a special category on SHOP FRENCH ESSENCE...detailing why it is a 'love' and where we can all try new perfumes...There is nothing better than girl chat to give ourselves a fresh lease of life and spice things up. We girls have a lifetime of knowledge tucked away and who better to consult us than each other... I am ready to be inspired...
I hope you love my perfume selections as much as I do...I am excited to know yours...Do tell...xv
My new scent is Coco Chanel. I had been searching for something new. We went on a cruise this summer to Bermuda, where I picked up a bottle of Coco. The island was magical and so is my new fragrance!!!
ReplyDeleteMy two faves are Donna Karan Cashmere Mist, and Chanel No.5
ReplyDeleteThey make me feel special and complete.
Lovely post thank you
I tried for years (starting at 14 years of age, actually) to find a signature scent, and it's really not something you can rush or force. Last year I discovered a brand new bottle of Mademoiselle tucked away in my mother's cabinet after she passed, not knowing where it had come from (Mom wore Burberry Weekend), and we've been in love ever since.
ReplyDeleteLove this post because I love perfume! I wear it every day whether I am going out or staying at home. My favorite for many years is Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. It has a spicy pepppery scent and I have received hundreds of compliments when I wear it. I also learned never to rub together and that there are three layers of the perfume and it takes about 30 minutes before you get to the actual scent that will stay with you. Looking forward to reading the other comments!
ReplyDeleteI love the shop that you are building Vicki! And will you adopt me? Perhaps just for Christmas? :) We still do stockings in my family too, even though that means individually wrapping them to send in the mail with the rest of the presents.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to come back and see what perfumes your readers wear. As a redhead, I have notoriously finicky skin. Virtually nothing stays or if it does it burns down to something beyond recognition. I am currently wearing Musc Blanc from Santa Maria Novella (but find it too sweet) and have gone back to L'Ombre dans L'Eau by Diptyque but neither of these are "my" fragrance. I think that the closest I ever came was with the original Helmut Lang perfume...
My all-time favourite autumn/winter fragrance is Rive Gauche by Yves Saint Laurent. I have been wearing it since the early 1970's and it has never, ever lost it's magic. Nothing has ever beaten it...although Chance by Chanel comes a close second. It's hard to say why it is so special....I just love, love the fragrance.
ReplyDeleteMy father bought me that when I was a teen and the smell brings back memories of my youth to this day. I haven't worn it since and I'm not sure why because I loved it back then. Must look for it next time shopping.
DeleteVicki...so true! I totally agree and part of being feminine is the little touch of perfume splashed on each day! My favorite was a gift from a sweet friend. It is by TOCCA and is Stella! I gave all four of my daughters a beautifully wrapped gift in the beautiful bottle last Christmas! They love it too!
ReplyDeleteI love perfume! My favorites over the years have been Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte and Chanel No. 5. My current favorite is Crazylibellule's Amoureuse, which comes in a small perfume stick.
ReplyDeleteSadly, we have a strict no fragrance rule at work, so I don't wear perfume during the workweek, nor do I wear it if I'm wearing a jacket that I'll wear to work. No fragrant body lotions, either.
I have been wearing the same scent for many years now - Eau de Givenchy. It is light, fresh and yet feminine. There are many others I have worn and loved through the years including Fracas, Cristalle, Opium and 24 Faubourg that have suited different phases of my life but this has remained as a tried and true favorite.
ReplyDeleteOh this is so exciting! J'adore fragrance!! My most recent affair is with Atelier Cologne, and there are five scents which are creafted with rare and pure extracts said to capture a "moment" -- they are fresh and beautiful and last all day. I started with Grand Neroli and am loveinginly on to Bois Blonds. What I love about them is that they are meant to be worn as eau de parfum, yet they retain the freshness of cologne. It's never heavy or offensive to others. I haven't been this excited by fragrance in a long time. Not since eau de Haldrien by Goutal, or Champs Elysees by Guerlain. I also adore Bulgari original and the tea scents! Thank you Vicki for this post. xx!
ReplyDeleteWhat a grand idea!+ my favorite is Jean Patou, 1000. I will be in London 7-20Nov. Will you? Grand Post. xxpeggybraswelldesign@msn.com
ReplyDeleteYou're so right - fragrance can make us feel "complete" before we head out into the world! I consider my daily spritz of Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere my armor against the not-so-pleasant atmosphere at my job in this small midwestern farming town where I live.
ReplyDeleteI also fell in love with Fragonard Emelie when I was in Paris the first time, so I splurged on it when I was there the 2nd time. I wear it in the winter, as it's a little deeper and stronger fragrance than the Chanel.
I adored this post. I love fragrance. I lived in Costa Rica for three years and gave it up as living in the rain forest was not conducive to scent. I'm back in the states and rediscovering my love. Thanks for being a kindred spirit. My favorite is Chanel #5. And Opium....
ReplyDeleteVicki...I just love all your girl chat...for me it is Jo Malone Blue Agava and Cacao. I added one more to my perfume tray when I was in Paris this summer, Fragonard Belle de Nuit..they say it as magical as an Arabian night, I just had to have it. :) xx
ReplyDeleteVicki, this is such a lovely idea! I was a long-time Annick Goutal wearer {Passion was my favorite}. A friend turned me on to it back in grad school when I was doing the windows at Barney's and I visited the perfume counter and wore it up until I went to perfume school a few years ago. Now I wear my own scent. Hopefully when the bottle is finished, I can share it with you :)
ReplyDeletexo Mary Jo
http://ON-PCH.com
HI Vick, I am in love with Farmacia Santa Maria Novella products.. In the summer I love the lemony Acqua di Sicilia and in the winter mugetto...love your store.. Carla xx
ReplyDeleteThe three main perfumes I wear often are the original Fendi (spicy chypre), Bandit (green leather) and Sikkim (dry woods/leather). I also love Franch perfumer Serge Lutens, his Feminite du Bois is spectacular, so is Daim Blonde (white suede with apricot and cardamon in the top notes).
ReplyDeleteI looked long and hard for a signature scent and finally found Bvlgari omnia crystalline. I wear it because I love it, but so do men (including my fiance, thankfully!. I wear it everyday and get asked about once a week what I am wearing. I cheat a little here and there, thanks to Sephora and the sample size, I get to try a lot without committing!
ReplyDeleteVicki,
ReplyDeleteI love this topic. I am a fickle fragrance wearer but currently love Jo Malone Amber/Lavender for fall and winter and Jo Malone Mandarin/Basil for spring/summer. I enjoy testing new fragrances in the department store, as long as they don't spray me. Can't wait to read what your readers wear and maybe sample some new scents.
Karen
The scent I never tire of, and always receive compliments from, is SUNG by Alfred Sung. My favorite room mist is Japanese Quince by Seda France - it has notes of passion fruit, which I crave in any form :)
ReplyDeleteVicki - I too love Annouck Goutal's Gardenia Passion. I buy it at David Jones in Sydney but lately have been wondering whether it gets stale or they have old stock so will buy it direct from their Paris shop next time. I also love "La Nuit" by Serge Lutens (it's like walking past a full blooming jasmin bush). My other standby (which curiously I sometimes dislike) is Dyptique's Do Son.
ReplyDeleteMy Jo Malone favourites Tuberose and Jasmine & Honeysuckle have been discontinued. Jo Malone keeps discontinuing old favourites and replacing them with insipid, pointless, nothing fragrances.
Vicki,
ReplyDeleteCoco Chanel Mademoiselle is my signature perfume. I love how the fragrance transports me to another place; it elevates anything I am wearing to another level, and it makes me feel like a real "parisienne" strutting down the streets of Paris. I can detect this fragrance on any woman across a department store, and when I do, I nod to reassuredly to myself and think "That is the best perfume."
For a lighter more flirty fragrance, I love Fragonard's Miranda. My husband selected this perfume for me in Eze, France several years ago, and I still love it to this day.
Mandy
I just love Fleurs de Citronnier, it's so fresh and beautiful and I just want to keep smelling it!
ReplyDeletexxx
ps I've started doing perfume the french way now, misting & walking through it :)
I wear Coco Mademoiselle on a daily basis, and the perfume only of Chanel #5. I like it that the scent is abstract and that I don't smell like a particular flower. Also, Chanel seems to be the only brand of perfume that doesn't change to something awful on me. I adore other fragrances, but they don't seem to like me. Either go too sweet or sort of putrid.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite, and it has been my favorite for at least 25 years, is Must de Cartier. I have tried others, but none appeal to me as much as this one.
ReplyDeleteBest...Victoria
Dear Vicki, another great post here, thanks for sharing your picks, am taking notes of them to try in next profumeria visit : ) I would also love to stroll Paris streets with you : ) My favourite is Balenciaga and planning to get Jo Malone Bluebell and Guerlain Eau de Shalimar this month. If you really would like to know about my perfume taste, here are the links to my related 2 posts :
ReplyDeletehttp://lilamoonlight.blogspot.com/2011/10/over-my-vanity.html
http://lilamoonlight.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-perfume-collection.html
What a lovely idea for a post, sharing favourite perfumes.
ReplyDeletel wear Coco Chanel, absolutely adore Fracas and find Guerlain Vetiver perfect on a warm day.
Everyone here has fabulous choices for their fragrance wardrobe !
I love Chanel No.5..and Fidji..reminds me of the 70's living in PNG..and Balenciaga..of course many others..but..this could get boring..lol !
ReplyDeleteMy most favorite of all is (still - for years) Cartier Panther.
ReplyDeleteI cannot get it in Argentina, so my husband has to go through great lengths with visitors to carry down a bottle that he will order for me. Because of this, I have tried various other scents and mostly don't like any of them.
I do like and use Chanel - Coco right now.
For a short time, I liked Kenzo Flower.. the red one.
But for some reason, I connect the scent with the day Pup died so I cannot bear to smell it.
I am waiting for a new perfume to come now - Cartier Orange. We will see how it goes.
In my past .. my favorite for years was Paloma PIcasso in the black bottle.
My grandmother had a dressing table covered with perfume bottles, my mother says I get my love for scents from her.
Thank you, Me mere ~
vicki ~
ReplyDeletemy ultimate dream is to have annick goutal customize a scent just for moi. i loved how you described the beautiful art of applying a chosen fragrance.
i do not have a total favorite right now, but instead, i wear sean's tom ford. somehow, i just feel so grand when his signature scent follows me. i used to wear carla fracci but have not been able to find...lovely tuberose essence.
bisous,
melissa
Estee L's Knowing - always & forever.
ReplyDeleteMillie xx
My scent is Cherry Blossom - L'OCCITANE en Provance. I feel with clean and feminine.
ReplyDeleteI've been wearing Samsara by Guerlain for years.I've worn other perfumes, but I keep coming back to Samsara. I get so many compliments on it. I also wear L'air du Temps by Nina Ricci for a lighter scent
ReplyDeleteBonjour,
ReplyDeleteI am Chilean (living now in Paris) and when I was a little girl my parents used to travel a lot to Europe. My mother always brought a bottle of Guerlain's Shalimar, with her. I can remember the scent very well after all these years. It was her signature perfume and with the fantastic fragrances of the Chilean eucalyptus and unique plants, the scent was really unique and extraordinary.
Francisca Mattéoli www.franciscamatteoli.com/blog/
I have a few, Bvlgari Rose I wear almost every day, and alternate with the new fragrance by Narcisco Rodriguez which is soo yummy and I do enjoy Chanel no. 5 at night. I have tried many and do occasionally venture off path but those are three "sure things" that I know work with me and my body chemistry...and I still have Fracas, when I got married that was "my" scent and I do still on occaison use it....an oldie but goodie! Fun topic...
ReplyDeleteMy favourite perfume is Ananda by M Micallef, a small French perfume house. It's so feminine and I love the gorgeous bottle too (but it's almost empty!) Elle by Yves St Laurent is my everyday choice and my latest fragrance is Tom Ford's Oud Wood - not my usual style but a change, great for winter and reminds me so much of my travels in the Middle East!
ReplyDeletehttp://missbbobochic.blogspot.com/
I love fragrance--both my parents used it when I was growing up and I just don't feel "dressed" if I leave the house without it! I love to try new things, but have been using Chanel's Coco since I found it as a young lieutenant traveling in Europe 20-something years ago, and lately have fallen in love with another classic, Caron's Tabac Blonde. In the summer I love Jo Malone's Lime, Basil and Mandarin. I love Chanel #5, but I won't use it--that belongs to Mom!
ReplyDeleteI have only worn Diorissimo for years. And you are so right... I simply do not feel "me" without it. There was a period here in the states when it was incredibly difficult to find. I would call Dior in Paris, with my abysmal command of the French language, to order it. True devotion, that.
ReplyDeleteIn keeping with my Scorpio nature I love mysterious, heady fragrances. I've worn 'Coco' since it was first launched...not the new lighter version, but the original that reminds me of incense in churches. Men always ask me what it is. I also love 'Casmir' by Chopard, another man pleaser, but when I met my husband I was wearing 'First' by Van Cleef and Arpels. For something lighter - Route du The' from Barney's is heaven.
ReplyDeleteCatherine
I have stayed with 24 Fouberg from Hermes for years now. There are others that I enjoy, and occasionally try out in the summer, but always go back to 24 Fouberg. It's just a part of getting dressed in the morning - like combing my (VERY) long hair and putting on pretty lingerie!
ReplyDeleteI feel "unfinished" without a spritz of Chanel no. 19 - the eau de toilette, not the parfum (although the parfum lasts longer, I prefer the blend of the eau de toilette, which is slightly softer and more feminine).
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine every wearing anything else. I have worn it for about 25 years and j'adore....even just a whiff of it makes me feel happier!
I get asked often what it is - by men and women.
On a different "note" - love this post and your blog!
x
I began wearing L'Air du Temps as when I was 18. That was 35 years ago and it is now so completely my scent that I don't consider wearing any other, except on occasion I simply apply French Lavender essential oil. Lavender is healing for my hair and skin which are dry in winter.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vickie for your wonderful daily addition to our lives. Your posts are so uplifting.
Patricia
My comments keep vanishing into blogland here goes my fourth attempt.
ReplyDeleteVicki I love this girl chat! I started with Estee L Youth Dew as a teenager, Rive
Gauche YSL in my early 20s reminds me of travelling the world, Opium on the honeymoon, Chanel No 5 and Coco Mademoiselle wife and mother.My husband bought me White Linen Estee L when my third child was born I loved it for years. My daughters boyfriend recently bought her back a lovely perfume from Paris Fleur De Liane I would like to steal it.I can not believe that I ran out of time to visit a perfumerie in Paris last year, I had not seen Paris since my 20s.I have used many different perfumes but always come back to Coco Madem and No 5 such classics.I am loving seeing all the different perfumes as I would like to try something different.Have a great weekend. Beautiful day here in Sydney.xx
Chanel No. 5 for me. My mother wore it and I never tire of it!
ReplyDeleteDior's Poison Hypnotic, this may have something to do with my other love... cakes and sweets! Anything with a vanilla base attracts my attention.
ReplyDeleteAllison
My favorite has been and will always be Coco Chanel among the others I have. Michael, Shi, Allure, Poéme, Calyx, Beyond Paradise, Soleil, Sung, Intuition, Bvlgari, Pikaki. A dear friend who is a make-up artist taught me different seasonal scents.
ReplyDeleteI love fragrances and parfums, but most for some reason smell like bug spray on me. Right now, I like and wear Angel.
ReplyDeleteI was given a bottle of L'air du temp a couple of weeks before my wedding by a friend who had just traveled overseas and of course I fell in love with it on my wedding day almost 20 years ago. I've tried other perfumes since than but keep coming back to it, and my daughter says this is my perfume so I guess I've got a signature perfume now.
ReplyDeleteA favourite of mine, which is apparently no longer being made (tear), is Giorgio Armani Sensi. Very seductive & womanly. I was given a few samples in Italy while on a backpacking European adventure with my best girlfriend back in 2005. Every single time I wear it, it reminds me of this amazing trip. Naturally I bought a full bottle upon my return home. I now only have a few drops left & can't bring myself to spray away the last remnants....
ReplyDeleteMy signature scent would have to be Chance by Chanel. I adore it. I wore it on my wedding day & now I wear it on all special occasions & whenever I feel I need a little luck!
~ Clare x
I have always loved Caron fragrance: Nuit de Noel, Narcisse Noir, and Bellodgia the best. Chanel No.5 is still tops; and sometimes I wear Annick Goutal's Heure Exquise.
ReplyDeleteChere Vicki,
ReplyDeleteI am so loving this post!!! Fragrance is a huge part of my life. I wear it day and night, even to bed. One of my dreams in this life has been to work as a "nose"! I actually began wearing "Toujours Moi" and "Muguet du Bois" as a little girl (maybe at age 9)..do you remember those? They were by Coty, I believe.
Anyway, I adore so many fragrances I don't know where to begin. I love Annick Goutal, Guerlain..so many of my favorites have been mentioned here. Chanel 19, Angel, L'Air du Temps, Chanel Mademoiselle, No. 5, "So Pretty" by Cartier...the list goes on!
Right now my arsenal consists of Nirmala by Molinard, No.5, Mademoiselle, Tocca Touch (discontinued..aarghhh), and Inner Grace by Philosophy.
Bonne Journee et merci!!
xoxo,
- Irina
my fave is bulgari for womnan
ReplyDeleteDesign House:Bvlgari Year Introduced:1994
Fragrance Notes:violet, orange blossom, and jasmine.
it is absolutely beautiful
and offends no one!!
Chanel No 5. Reminds me of my mother. She died when i was 20, she was 42. My sister gives her daughters a small bottle every year for Christmas. Isn't that lovely!
ReplyDeleteI have long been a fan of men's fragrances. Chanel Antaeus was a favorite for many years but I find it too overpowering now. I really like L'Occitane's L'Occitane which is really an oddly appealing mix of lavender and burnt wood. My husband loves it. Their Rose jardin delice is nice when I want to be super feminine.
ReplyDeleteI love the girl chats - it's like having sisters! Sadly, I have none - just brothers, so please adopt me as yours! :)
ReplyDeleteFleur d'Oranger. Hands down.
xo isa
I began wearing Shalimar in high school and with only brief flirtations elsewhere, it has been my steady, signature scent ever since. I also happen to be addicted to Earl Grey tea and found out that both contain bergamot. As others have said, I wear it daily, even (or most especially?) to bed.
ReplyDeleteMy fave is Beyond Love By Killian
ReplyDeleteI've ordered and/or sniffed literally hundreds of fragrances, and nothing can rival Profumum's Dulcis in Fundo. It's a beautiful orange and vanilla scent I absolutely die for.
ReplyDeleteMy skin brings out the powder in a perfume (no No5 for me) but that means that Chanel No19 EDT is ideal. It gives me such pleasure to wear. I LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteThere are a few perfumes which I select for a change: Sensi by Armani or Jo Malone's Red Roses if I'm feeling pinks/purples/feminine; original Fendi, sadly discontinued, is my autumn staple; Jo Malone's French Lime Blossom Cologne comes out when the first leaves of the year appear; Guerlain's L'Instant Magic, the Elixir version and Paloma Picasso EDP back me up if I'm feeling strong and a little minx-y!
A Guerlain saleswoman recently recommended Chamade on the basis of my No19 passion. The lady knows her stuff: it's wonderful as an any-time, any-place, any-mood perfume and has become my second-favourite. Nothing, however, can take the place of No19 as my true love, speaks-to-my-essence signature perfume!
Coco Mademoiselle and Nanette Lepore Eau de Parfum are truly divine and so were Ralph Lauren Glamourous and Christian Dior Chris 1947 both are discontinued *weeps* I learnt from my mother to use a man's perfume (Chanel Allure sport or Terre D'Hermes) as base, it makes your scent lasts longer. Another lovely post!
ReplyDeleteClean classic eau de parfum is also wonderful as everyday wear :)
ReplyDeleteWell, are you girls interested in some Italian Scent/Essence in here?
ReplyDeleteI am and I totally adore Carthusia Perfumes...
It's a company based on Capri island and you don't find their scents that easily. I usually order them on line through their website. Try "Aria di Capri" or "Via Materelle" and you'll immediately find yourself among the gardens and the picturesque little roads of the island. "Via Materelle" though is another kind of path: the perfume is named after the haute couture winding street of the island. Just loved it!!! "Mediterraneo" is another perfume I usually wear. Definitely kept the last drops of that bottle for my wedding day on another island, in Greece, Andros...
I'm always changing my scent. My boyfriend is sensitive to perfumes so have to be selective. I discovered Coco Mademoiselle and fell in love but haven't used it since I wore it just at the end of my marriage. Some memories of stress are assosiated with it. Cashmere Mist is beautiful and was given to me by my daughter when she was small, also associated with my marriage. Yikes, I must have a real memory triggers to scent. I'm now wearing Givenchy, Irrisistable given to me as a gift so not something I would have chosen but mellows beautifully on the skin. I love Ralph Lauren's Notorious for fall/winter. I love your blog and site! Thanks Vicki.
ReplyDelete