Bois de Jasmin

Building Perfume Wardrobe Guide Part 3 : Lily of the Valley and Violet Florals

Building Perfume Wardrobe Guide Part 1 : Rose Florals

Building Perfume Wardrobe Guide Part 2 : Jasmine Florals

Brief explanation: I will indicate the major floral notes (in bold font) with which a fragrance lover should be familiar. The underlined floral notes are related to the major note, and they can be explored after one becomes familiar with the latter.

Lily of the Valley (Muguet)

Put rose and jasmine in just the right combination together and you get lily of the valley. It is a beautiful note with a green, watery character underpinned by a surprising streak of dark indoles and tangy sweetness. Christian Dior Diorissimo is the gold standard of the lily of the valley genre, and according to its creator, perfumer Edmond Roudnitska, it “is a pure lily-of-the-valley scent that also has the odor of the woods in which it is found and the indefinable atmosphere of the springtime.” In contrast to both rose and jasmine florals that have a voluptuous character, lily of the valley is softer and less assertive.

Holiday Gifts and Shopping : Free Shipping at Guerlain

Those who are contemplating their holiday shopping might like to know that Guerlain counter at Bergdorf Goodman is offering free shipping on any of their products from December 1 to December 6th as well as a free gift with $100 purchase.

Building Perfume Wardrobe Guide Part 2 : Jasmine Florals

Part 1: Florals ~ Rose
Part 3: Florals ~ Lily of the Valley and Violet
Part 4: Florals ~ Blends
Part 5: Wardrobe Essentials

It is easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of floral variations. This need not be the case. Once you know what rose, jasmine, violet and lily of the valley smell like, you already know a fair bit and have a nice foundation to continue with your fragrance explorations. Almost everything else would stem from these notes. In continuing my guide on building a perfume wardrobe, I will resume the discussion of floral fragrances, with the focus today being on jasmine. In marketing descriptions, jasmine, orange blossom, gardenia and tuberose are called white florals, which is a vague and confusing term. Rose, carnation and lilac can also be white. What unites the flowers in my group today is their jasmine character of apricot jam, banana peel and an inky touch of indole. The jasmine group also offers the most examples of prominent floral notes used in masculine perfumery.

Building Perfume Wardrobe Guide Part 1 : Florals

Part 2: Florals ~ Jasmine
Part 3: Florals ~ Lily of the Valley and Violet
Part 4: Florals ~ Blends
Part 5: Essentials

As much as the idea of a signature fragrance seems alluring, I find that the world of fragrance is too diverse and fascinating to limit myself to only a single olfactory idea. I eat different foods everyday, I change the music selection on my iPod, I read new books in hopes of learning and experiencing something new. So I do not see any reason why someone who loves fragrance needs to wear only one perfume for years on end. A perfume wardrobe, which is the subject of this series, is my idea of enjoying fragrance—a collection of perfumes that contain a variety of scents that are appropriate for different occasions and moods.

Paris Perfume Shopping : Directory of Fragrance, Food, Fashion and More

Paris and perfume… These words are synonymous for most perfume lovers, and shortly after creating Bois de Jasmin in 2005, one of my first long articles was devoted to perfume shopping in Paris. Part I and Part II offered a walking tour of the capital’s best fragrant treasures. Since then, I have been meaning to update these posts with a directory of Paris fragrant destinations, based on my visits and new discoveries. This directory will include various perfume shopping destinations as well as my other favorite addresses.

The directory is frequently updated, therefore please check back periodically to see new additions, changes and updates. L indicates Left Bank, and R—Right Bank. If you have your own favorite places in Paris, whether perfume, food, fashion or art related, please do not hesitate to share. Of course, if you visit any of these places and have your own experiences (and updates!), please comment!