Rose Intense, a 2008 release from Parfums de Nicolaï, is a puzzle. On the one hand, it features a lovely fresh-cut rose note that has been blended with dry and grassy chamomile. The combination of rose and chamomile—one of my favorites—makes Rose Intense a casual, outdoorsy scent  along the lines of Parfums de Rosine Rose d’Été, but less overtly effusive. On the other, there is nothing intense about Rose Intense.  It’s a good “starter” rose fragrance, one that is accessible and that smells good.

Smelling good might sound facile but it is not; plenty of non-mainstream fragrances go to lengths to smell what we might consider bad. Rose Intense is a mild, non-complex, and lightly powered fragrance that opens with a sudden smell of rosewater that segues immediately into a berried rose nestled in leaves of chamomile and geranium. The red fruit accord is as glossy as berry-glazed cake and indeed Rose Intense momentarily wanders into the sweet zone without becoming a gourmand.  As a soliflore, the rose note is featured without additional floral influences; in this way it is similar to Jo Malone Red Roses.

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The idea of picking up and moving to a new place has always seemed exciting to me. I was attracted by the idea of meeting new people, learning a new language, and cooking new foods. So, when it became obvious that my husband’s Belgian project is likely to turn into a permanent one, I fully supported his decision to accept it. The first few weeks of our stay in Belgium were a whirlwind romance, when every single quirk seemed charming and every new discovery a minor epiphany.

My vie en rose started to color grey the first moment I set foot inside the city hall that smelled of dust and desperation.  It suddenly became obvious to me that I’m not going back to the States at the end of the week and that this is not a vacation. As my list of things to do grew, everything became tougher. I didn’t know the rules. I missed the obvious social cues. A simple shopping trip felt like a nerve wracking oral exam in foreign language. One morning I felt so tired of everything that I just curled up under the blanket with hot tears rolling down my cheeks.

Anyone who has moved to a new place knows how hard these adjustments can be. I desperately missed my mom, my friends and my old way of life. Without having yet figured out the way things were done here, I felt very much out of my element. But I had to pull myself together. If I felt awkward and out of place, then I had to find small pleasures to comfort me while I got my bearings. Someone else might have poured themselves a drink, but I reached for another type of alcoholic substance–perfume.

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If you’re in New York on July 19th, don’t miss a book event at Book Court in Brooklyn. Author and blogger Alyssa Harad will be reading from her perfume memoir, Coming to My Senses: A Story of Perfume, Pleasure, and an Unlikely Bride. You will also get a chance to smell niche and vintage fragrances and enjoy cocktails created by Julianne Zaleta of Herbal Academy. The cocktails are inspired by Maria McElroy’s Aroma M perfumes, Geisha Blanche and Geisha Green (the samples will be free with the first 20 books sold).

7:00 p.m. July 19
Book Court
163 Court St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Free admission (Via press release)

Today is Bastille Day in France, so if you’re celebrating, I wish you clear skies and beautiful fireworks.

My topic for today seems straightforward–you open a bottle of perfume and just spray wherever you want, but every perfumista has her favorite tricks.  So, how do you wear perfume? Do you dab behind the ears, spray all over, walk through the scented mist? What’s your favorite way to perfume yourself?

The trick I learned from my mom is to apply fragrance when I’m fully dressed, so that a bit lingers on my clothes. Fabric retains fragrance really well, and this kind of application can be a great sillage booster for ethereal fragrances like anything from the Hermessence collection or L’Artisan Parfumeur. On the other hand, heavier blends work well dabbed right on skin. I apply Guerlain Shalimar parfum by dabbing a bit under my collar bone, on my wrists and behind my knees (to help the scent rise up).

Photography by Bois de Jasmin: escargots and hamburgers food truck.

The intense green of sun warmed tomato leaves, the salty taste of red fruit, the bitter pungency of black currant buds… On my wrist was the smell of my fantasy summer, long walks in the park and lounging on the grass included.  When I reached for the new Eau de Parfum formulation of Diptyque L’Ombre Dans L’Eau, I didn’t expect it to be dramatically different from the original L’Ombre Dans L’Eau. Much to my surprise, it was!

The fragrance was so exhilarating and vivid that a single whiff won me over. I stepped out into the grey afternoon holding the perfume box wrapped in thin, crackly paper. It might have been raining, but as I pressed my nose to my wrist and inhaled the perfume of crushed leaves and earthy roses, I didn’t even notice.

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