In Your Opinion: 314 posts

What fragrances do you remember your mother wearing? What are her current favorites?

For many of us, our love for perfume has started out at our mother’s vanity table. A beautiful crystal glass bottle for which she would reach before going out into the world still out of bounds to us seemed irresistible. Applying the perfume, she would suddenly attain a new glamorous air. Sometimes I would ask my mom to scent me as well. I still remember the cold touch of a ground glass stopper on my wrist, the chill of alcohol and then the veil of fragrance that would stay even after my mom would be gone. Those fragrant drops from my mother’s perfume bottles always seemed like some magical potions, guiding me as through my childhood and helping form my own ideas of what it beauty and femininity mean.

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Spring awakens and excites. As the weather oscillates from chilly gusts of rains to languid sunny warmth, I find my mood shifting likewise. Yet, whatever surprises spring may offer, I nevertheless find it an enchanting period of transition. It is the anticipation of the balmy days of summer, of new adventures and of memorable discoveries that fuels my spirit every spring. As for seasonally appropriate perfumes, this season I realized that what drives me to change my fragrance wardrobe is not the weather, but my mood. I have been craving fragrances that are joyful and uplifting rather than challenging and cerebral, pleasing and affable rather than edgy and complicated. The plush oriental favorites from Guerlain (Shalimar, L’Heure Bleue, Tonka Impériale), fruity chypres (Gucci Rush) and fruity florals (Frédéric Malle Le Parfum de Thérèse, Parfums de Rosine Rose D’Été) have been a constant presence on my vanity table for the past few months, rain or shine.

With my Top 10 of Spring 2011 list, I would like to share with you several fragrances (and one delightful fragrance related activity!) that never fail to put me in a good mood. Since everyone has their own ideas about what makes a fragrance joyful, I would love to hear which of your favorite perfumes give you a rush of happiness and pleasure.

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Our topic today is quite wide: feel free to talk about anything perfume or food related. What are your most anticipated seasonal foods? What fragrances bring you out of the slumber of winter? If you are celebrating Easter this weekend, what is on your menu?

As I type, I am trying not to get the almond and lemon scented batter of my Easter cakes all over the keyboard. I think that it shall be my perfume this weekend, though I already anticipate changing into Guerlain Chamade parfum later tonight.

I love spring for the scents that it brings–fresh grass, cherry and apple blossoms, magnolia, maple flowers (they smell sweet and sour, with a hint of melon) and earth after the rain. I cannot wait for the first asparagus, green peas, strawberries and ramps. I look forward to baking my grandmother’s rhubarb pastries and making my springtime lemon scented risotto with asparagus.

Image: antique Russian Easter postcard.

Since I posted lists of the top 20 fragrances preferred by US and French women (men’s lists will be coming soon as well) I decided to compile a list of Bois de Jasmin reader favorites. You might recall a post I ran a few weeks ago in which I asked readers for their top five favorite fragrances. While blog readers are not at all representative of the general perfume-wearing population, I thought it would be interesting to see what perfumistas prefer. Moreover, many answers were unusual, with selections that inspired me to explore new lines and new fragrances.

So if you have not had a chance to share your top 5 favorites with me either here or on Facebook, please do. I will include your answers when compiling the Bois de Jasmin list of reader favorites.

Image: Chanel Cuir de Russie, one of my top 5 favorites.

Not a week goes by without me getting an email with this question: “what perfume drives men (women) crazy?” I will tell you honestly that I do not believe in any such magical blend that will draw the opposite sex. However, if something makes you feel good, it will definitely contribute to your confidence, and as a result, to your appeal.

Do you believe in perfume as a weapon of seduction? And if so, what is in your arsenal? What fragrances do you find alluring on men (women)?

My most seductive fragrances generally include those with incense, amber, sandalwood and oriental notes such as Hermès Ambre Narguilé,Yves Saint Lauret Nu, Guerlain Samsara as well as my recent favorite Guerlain Tonka Impériale. Moreover, I find lush florals like Ormonde Jayne Ta’if and Serge Lutens A La Nuit very alluring. All of these fragrance gather lots of compliments for me.

In same vein, the fragrances I find seductive on men are in the amber and oriental families: Paco Rabanne Black XS, Chanel Égoïste and Guerlain Habit Rouge.