I am tempting to do the nigh on impossible here and that is to describe a perfume. Goodness I think that fragrance description really is the pinnacle of beauty writing, for how does one describe a scent? One could go down the route of notes or one could hone in on the experiences the smell evokes. Or one could do what I am probably going to end up doing which is a muddle of both.
I love perfume, to me it is a necessary frivolity, necessary because I want to smell nice just as I want to brush hair, it is a given. Frivolity because I can pick and choose on a whim, I can dismiss well known and expensive perfumes because I don't bloody well like the smell hello Chanel No 5, not for me - and I can embrace a cheaper perfumes because, well today I feel like it is a JLo Glow day.
I did not know of L'Eau D'Hiver until I read Sali Hughes's review and that piqued my interest. I let it alone for a while, mainly because it was not available in my locality, but at the start of this year it became a bit of an obsession and I tracked down a sample, which was enough to make me want to envelope myself in it, and low and behold Father Christmas headed my heavy hints and a bottle appeared.
So for me, this is quite a gentle scent, in that it does not smell citrussy or wakey uppy or zingy in any way. It does not require careful application, I can douse myself in this - partly due to it being an EDT rather than an EDP, it does not last greatly on me, or maybe it does but I can no longer smell it, it is quiet and understated. It is a skin scent rather than a fabric scent - what I mean by that is that it performs better if sprayed on skin rather than on fabric, on my skin and fabric that is.
To me it smells gently spicey, a bit liquoricey, maybe a note of frankincense? It is truly lovely, whether it translates into the height of summer I will wait and see.
So I only have a sample of this. I don't get on with the original Chanel No 5, be it EDT or EDP, sadly it dislikes my skin and becomes a hot stuffy mess of that spicey pepperyness of old books in direct sunlight.
And it really does make me sad because I love the idea of this fragrance and its instant recognisability. I have tried it in all forms and can just about cope with the body lotion and suprisingly the deodorant, which is incredibly effective for a deodorant rather than an anti-perspirant, but even the hair perfume is a bit too much.
But this, well it has a lightness and a freshness which seems to sit more happily on my skin. I love a good perfume and this maybe the next one for me.
I love fragrance. I love its ability to make me feel done, it completes my beauty ritual and if I go without I feel as if I have gone without my earrings in.
However, whilst I delight in complex and interesting chypre type fragrances, a lifetime of asthma and perfume induced headaches mean that I can admire from afar but cannot partake.
My fragrances tend to be described as "light", "every day", "gentle" and given a tendency for heavy handedness coupled with working in a hospital and getting up close and personal with unwell people on a day to day basis, this is what I require.
Hence Philosophy Amazing Grace, of which I have a stash.Perfumes are very difficult to describe on paper, but I will do my best. So this is a light fragrance. I use the EDT but it does come in a EDP. It is a floral and a white floral to my nose, a bit of jasmine maybe? Philosophy do not seem to like to list notes, preferring to give a overall impression, so to me it smells like a gentle white floral, warm and a bit fizzy if that makes sense, there is a whiff of sherbert to it.
What I like is that I can apply and apply and there is no sense that people are recoiling. I have had many compliments but of the "what is that lovely fresh smell?" or "somebody around here smells really nice?" rather than "that's a nice perfume, what is it?".
There are various permutations of this fragrance that can be purchased, from scrubs to body lotions to hand and foot creams and body sprays and deodorant.
Around £30 for 60mls - I tend to buy in bigger kits from QVC which can work out as better value.
