In the second of three new videos this week, I am sharing my new signature scent with you. I actually shot this video in early November but because of the many family events we had that month, I am just publishing it now.
A signature scent is a wonderful thing... A fragrance that encapsulates you, that your family associates with you... a scent that you can smell in the middle of a hectic day and be greatly soothed. A signature scent should be one that you not only adore but that evokes strong feelings, romance, luxury, whimsy or delight.
Perfume is that intangible mystery that can add so much to your life. Many of you are familiar with my signature scent journey. Stella has been my signature scent for nearly a decade, with a brief detour to Bvlgari Rose Essentielle. Even though I love and have loved Stella, I always knew that I would graduate from it and one day find the perfect scent for me. After much research, I can now say that I have found it! I've fallen in love with Jo Malone's Blackberry & Bay.
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There are many ways to wear Jo Malone fragrances. Many people like to pair them with other fragrances (incidentally Blackberry & Bay pairs nicely with Jo Malone Red Roses. I've also heard it pairs well with Fig & Cassis). Or you can wear the scent with the body cream, which I enjoy doing with Blackberry & Bay.
Jo Malone describes Blackberry & Bay as: Childhood memories of blackberry picking...A burst of deep, tart blackberry juice, blending with the freshness of just-gathered bay and brambly woods. Vibrant and verdant.
I find this description to be very accurate. The initial top notes suggest very green, almost unripe blackberries. (Some people might take this as a sour top note but I see it as verdant.) Then the fragrance settles into a heady mix of deep crushed blackberries and woodsy notes. For me, this is fragrance heaven.
Now perfume is a very personal thing and what is ecstasy for one person, can be diabolical for another. So while Blackberry & Bay is my new signature scent, it might not be your cup of tea. Enjoy the sensual hunt and take your time, the perfect scent it out there for you.
Check out the video above to learn more about my new favorite perfume. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or check out my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur
Today I would love to know... what is your signature scent? How long have you worn it? Are you looking to change? As you get older do you notice a longing to change your perfume? What is your favorite classic scent? What is your favorite new scent? Have you tried Blackberry & Bay?
See you on Thursday for another bonus post: an outfit of the day (OOTD) video and a giveaway from the lovely Shannon Ables of the Simply Luxurious Life blog.
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26 comments:
I have worn Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine for 3 years. I discovered it as a free sample and love it! I also love the description. The creators say that every scent tells the story of treasured emotions and powerful memory.
“It was the kind of moment you would want to revisit. Everyone was here, gathered on the terrace for breakfast, and the scent of fresh oranges was diffusing in the yellow heat. A symphony of their laughter and waves hitting the cliffs played in the air.”
The Jo Malone fragrances all smell wonderful, but I found that the scents didn't last very long. Blackberry & Bay was actually one of my least favorites of all the Jo Malone scents that I tried. But when I smelled it on someone else I really liked it! It smells nice initially, but it completely changes after it settles into my skin and doesn't smell good at all. Funny how perfumes do that. Nectarine Blossom & Honey is my favorite of the Jo Malone scents and is great for summer.
My signature scent was Neoroli by Laura Mercier, but they quit making it a few years ago. I have been on the hunt for something as decadent and perfect for me since then, to no avail. I could just cry thinking about it. If anyone has any suggestions for a Neroli replacement, I beg of you, help!
You're right about perfume and body chemistry - every Jo Malone I've tried has run very sharp on me. You're lucky to be able to wear them!
For the longest time I wore Creed's Spring Flower, but by chance I was sent a sample of a fragrance called Eternity Aqua and I fell in LOVE with it - I couldn't wear the original Eternity, but I adore Aqua - it is, as the name suggests, an aquatic, but it also has green notes, and apricot, which is a note I loved in Spring Flower. I feel weird wearing Aqua during the winter - it seems like a summery scent - but I love it so much I don't care anymore :) I keep a little bottle at work and relax immediately when I reapply it.
Rachel! Check these out!
http://www.fragrantica.com/notes/Neroli-17.html
Also these for neroli:
http://theperfumedcourt.com/Categories/Perfumes-by-Notes/Citrus--Hesperide-Notes/Neroli-Note.aspx
I have been wearing Shalimar . . . wait for it . . . for 46 years! I have many beautiful memories associated with that scent and love that so many of my friends and family think of me whenever and wherever they encounter that unique scent. Occasionally, I will wear Chanel #5 during the winter months, as it reads very heavy on me, but I am never without my Shalimar. It makes me happy.
I love scents that smell clean. I wore Tova's signature scent for years and then Amazing Grace by Philosophy for the last ten years or so. Recently I changed to Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle which is a bit heavy to start but fades nicely to a beautifully subtle scent.
I love fig fragrances and Jo Malone is one of the few that makes one,it is lovely...but alas, after a very short time it completely disappears. So sad because I really like it.
In my 52 years I have never had a signature fragrance, but I recently received a sample of Gucci Flora - Gorgeous Gardenia and I am in love with it. Oh my goodness. But I just can't justify the cost. Maybe someday.
Another Shalimar wearer here! I never thought it would be my signature scent as my mom has worn it for many years, but after trying several other fragrances, I just found that Shalimar was my favorite.
Mademoiselle by Chanel is my current scent. I can't get enough of it and my husband loves it!
I am in love with Tom Ford Neroli Portofino, but my boyfriend hates it. Prada Infusion d'Iris is another favorite, but a little too soft sometimes. So, for now, I'm using L'Occitane's almond scented products while I keep searching.
I am currently wearing wood sage & sea salt - loving it for winter! Do you think the fragrances should adjust with seasons?
I am so sensitive to any fragrance (even natural fragrances, including essential oils that seem to be so popular right now) so I have a hard time wearing perfume! Before I had my daughter Halston by Halston was my signature scent but I haven't been able to wear it since I was pregnant with her (so...for six years now). I have a natural vanilla perfume oil from Whole Foods, which doesn't have the sophistication that "real" perfume brings, but I enjoy wearing it. :)
I have been wearing Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle ever since I discovered that my favourite Chanel No.5 was also worn by my sister-in-law (purchased by my brother). Ewww! I decide that was creepy.
So it has been Mademoiselle all the way since then.
However, like Tammy, I am very sensitive to certain ingredients as I have a naughty, sneezy nose. So, prior to discovering Chanel, I wore Crabtree & Evelyn's Vanilla scent - but they discontinued it :-) It was perfect and never made me sneezy. Men also always made nice comments about it - probably because I smelt like food!
More recently, I have discovered Loccitane en Provence's Magnolia & Mure - this is so beautiful, different and non-sneezy! What's more, it is more affordable and not as many people wear it as Mademoiselle - clearly a prefered scent for the Connoisseur ladies!
Eclat d'Arpège has become my signature scent. I will occasionally wear Blumarine II, a light rosy scent, or in summer one of the light Estée Lauder scents (Pure White Linen in the blue or green) and the other scent I have is L'eau de Chloé, but Eclat is the one I use most often and always love!
Recently I was given the very plain-looking Juvena body care shower gel and body lotion and am totally crazy about the spritzy smell, so fresh and nice. So I got the deodorant, too, for my basics. This is a Swiss brand that is not so easy to get, though.
I find that scents I love on others often don't work on me!
Hi Jennifer!
I really enjoyed both videos, a double treat! I can't wait to try making the mints.
I love Jo Malone fragrances and the line body products, as well. The texture of the body cream feels luxurious on the skin. My favorite Jo Malone fragrance is Pomegranate Noir. I enjoy wearing this through the fall and winter months. In the spring and summer, I switch it over to Creed Virgin Island Water. It is certainly important to fall in love with the fragrance, as it is indeed an investment!
I do not have a signature scent. I have about 16 signature scents plus another few dozen perfumes I also love. One perfume cannot capture my every mood. In addition, if you wear the same perfume everyday, you stop smelling it. Your brain just blocks it out, like you don't smell your own house because you are always in it, but you notice other people's homes have distinct odors.
I am baffled by the general appeal of a signature scent. I believe my daughter will associate me with many different beautiful smells as she grows up. And besides, I wear perfume for my pleasure, not others' pleasure. So, I want to smell my perfume, and changing my perfume often makes me enjoy it more. You wouldn't want to eat the same dinner every night; why wear the same perfume every day? This idea of your child or that sexy stranger in the elevator forever associating you with a certain perfume because it was your signature scent is some kind of marketing hype.
I am always amazed that very fashionable people, like Garance Dore and Jenna Lyon, seem to pay very little attention to how they smell. These days the focus is on the visual, and wearing a different outfit everyday. I will stick with my classic ensembles and change up my perfume, thank you very much. As Carla Bruni sang, "Pour que ma journee sois belle, je me perfume a Raphael…"
I pay very little attention to Jo Malone. I have not been impressed with what I have smelled, and the names sound like kitchen smells, not beautiful perfumes. If you are looking for classic, French perfumes that are absolutely beautiful at a very reasonable price, I recommend Parfums de Nicolai. She has gorgeous colognes (like Eau d'Ete) and wonderful florals (like Odalisque) and then orientals (like Sacrebleu, her take on Guerlain's l'Heure Bleue)
But besides Nicolai, there are so many beautiful perfumes, from Serge Lutens, Frederic Malle, Guerlain, Estee Lauder, Eau d'Italie, Comme des Garcons, Tom Ford, Amouage, Etat Libre d'Orange, Hermes…I could go on and on.
There are hundreds - no, thousands - of perfumes out there. Order samples, go to the shops, and just sniff and familiarize yourself with your nose and what you like. The perfume industry tries to retain an air of mystery but it shouldn't be that way.
When I was an adolescent, one of the presents my mother gave me for Christmas was a bottle of Frances Denney's Interlude bath and body perfume. I have no idea why she picked such an adult fragrance for me, but, boy -- was she right on the nose! I loved it from the get-go! (I was always precocious; no sweet florals or fruity fragrances for me. I was always into the sensual orientals.) Interlude has base notes of sandalwood and musk, top notes of lilies and citrus. I can swear that I smell a hint of vanilla, too. It lasts -- I kid you not -- for well over ten hours. I generally put it on after my evening shower, and it still smells wonderful as I go through my day the following day. In fact, it smells even better the next day. It was my signature scent for a long time in my early years, and is my (recent) signature scent once again.
For about a decade in between, I wore patchouli as my signature scent. I liked the way it smelled like the forest floor as one hikes through the woods in the fall. At least, that's what it smells like to me.
Why did I go back to Interlude? For one thing, my nose became so accustomed to the patchouli that I no longer smelled it, which kind of defeated its purpose. But also, I've been changing my "look" recently. Got a new haircut and color. Incorporated other colors into my wardrobe besides black. (Just neutrals -- not actual "color" color. But, hey -- baby steps.) Have developed better, healthier habits where food and exercise and meditation are concerned. I guess I wanted a more complex scent than straight patchouli. And most of the modern scents that I've tried just seem to have such a chemical smell to them. i'm glad that I re-discovered my first perfume love!
Has anyone read "Perfumes. The A-Z Guide" by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez?
It's fun to read about so many well known perfumes and the writers commentaries on them. Amusing and a very pretty book for the dressing table!
I was down to 3 fragrances and went on a quest for multiple signature scents. I sampled over 50. I settled on JoMalone's Wood Sage/Sea Salt, Jo Malone's Ginger/Nutmeg, Diptyque Eau Duelle and Serge Luten's Jeux de Peau. I am waiting for L'artisan'S Tea for Two to be released inthe U.S. and then I will give my wallet a break. As I type this I am wearing Stella, the very last of a bottle I bought for my 50th b-day. For the neroli fan, try Diptyque's neroli. Very nice.
My signature scent is Arpège 'Éclat d’Arpège' Eau de Parfum by Lanvin. It is so lovely. Paired with Jo Malone's Nectarine Blossom and Honey body lotion...exquisite!
Hi Jennifer,
It's raining on your parade:
http://www.ewg.org/research/not-so-sexy
The Environmental Working Group and many others have raised very serious concerns about fragrance products. You may want to do some research as it concerns the health of you and your family.
Hello Jennifer! My scent has been CK One for about 20 years now. A gay friend of mine wore it when we were in college, and I liked it so much that I started wearing it. At which point, he quit wearing it. There have been three or four scents since then that have tempted me, most recently Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt.
Scent and the memories it provokes are so powerful. When I was a little girl, my mom wore Estee Lauder Youth Dew. She has since moved on to other fragrances, but I have told her that Youth Dew is still "Mom, bottled" to me.
Hi, Jennifer! I'm a Japanese reader of your book! I also love Marie Kondo, so I got so excited when you introduced her book. She's published 3 books so far. She writes about how to deal with your other family members, including children. I hope all other books will be translated soon!
Anyhow, I like the blackberry & bay, too! My signature scents are:
IF by Apothia
ANTONIA'S FLOWERS by Antonia's flowers
SILVER MOUNTAIN WATER by Creed
WARM COTTON by Clean
DREAM by Gap
STAY(Sandalwood) by Musasino works(Japanese maker)
COCO MADEMOISELLE by Chanel
Thank you for reading this! Have a nice day!!
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