Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Linden and Linen

Laundry on the line by MarleneFord
Laundry on the line, a photo by MarleneFord on Flickr.

L'Été en Douce (meaning Soft Summer, formerly known as Extrait de Songes - or the Essence of Dreams) is as light as a cloud and as fleeting as the aroma of linden blossoms which wafts through the streets in midsummer.

Reminiscent of fragrant twigs and freshly soaped skin, l'Été en Douce is light and ethereal and I find it wears better on fabric than on my skin. On fabric it unfolds with the subtle honey nuances of linden and orange blossom with hints of petitgrain; where as on skin, the clean "white musks" and synthetic "white woods" notes are taking over. And there is also an underlining bitterness, reminiscent of almonds but not quite - the mark of coumarin (hay is listed among the notes, but there is non of its delicious sweetness, so I think it's just coumarin - adorable all the same, but just a little flatter).

I'd enjoy it more if it was real summer here, and would wear it in the halo-method, when you spray it in the room and walk into its mist. Preferably while wearing white linen attire or gauzy white cotton shirt. But I'm enjoying just as much after accidentally spilling half of my sample all over my denim dress pants and silk blouse...

Olivia Giacobetti is the nose here, and like most of her creations - she used a very light hand, which makes for an easily wearable (and over-spilled) summer scent, a little abstract and obscure, but very true to its name.

Labels: , , , , , ,

4 Comments:

At July 25, 2012 6:31 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The best summer perfume I can think of is SUMMER LOVE by Rebel and Mercury, which has hay and vanilla among its fine ingredients. Heidi

 
At July 25, 2012 9:25 AM, Blogger Ayala Moriel said...

Thank you, Heidi!
I loved everything I tried that came from under Nikki's hands, but this must be a new one. Will have to give it a try next time I meet with her :-)

 
At July 25, 2012 2:05 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

No specific summer fragrance recs. as I'm going to be delightfully busy testing all those lovely samples in my prize package which arrived safely on Tuesday.

Right now I'm blissed out on your gorgeous Treazon. Thanks for the sneak peek and for the rest of the package.

-- Lindaloo

 
At September 06, 2012 10:51 AM, Blogger Bela said...

Hi,

L'Été en Douce does not mean Soft Summer, it means Furtive Summer. The expression 'en douce' means 'furtively', 'on the sly'.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home