The Weirdest Scent In My Collection: Un Jardin Apres La Mousson by Hermes

Yes, you read that correctly the weirdest scent in my collection is from Hermes Un Jardin series, which is essentially for the most part fairly easy going and pleasant. The scents are interesting, but weird is not an attribute you give them.

What makes Un Jardin Apres La Mousson such a little oddity is that it plays with the idea of fruit and savory notes. For me it is close to the equivalent of one of my favorite combos in the summer for when the days are absurdly hot. Chilled watermelon sprinkled with chili powder and salt and a squeeze of lime or lemon. My boyfriend's mother prefers her's with a sprinkle of cumin seed and salt instead. So what does Mousson do? Mousson is the combination of cardamom, ginger, and watermelon, it sounds intense, but it isn't. Jean-Claude Ellena is able to do an incredible balancing act of juicy watermelon combined with spicy cardamom all on a bed of vetiver.  It is light, tangy, and spicy, with watery notes. Some have accused it of being re-interpretation of the 1990s aquatics but those things always gave me a headache where as Mousson does not. It is a fruity scent that never tips itself into the banal category. I find it refreshing and cooling.

Try if you like: Ao by MikMoi, Voyage d'Hermes by Hermes, or Declaration by Cartier.

First image from Olfactoria's Travels
Second Image Caribbean Gal

Putting Spring in Your Perfume

In California it has been Spring for awhile, so I have actually had the chance to get out my spring perfumes, and really figure out which ones are the most spring-ful to me. So without further nattering my picks for Spring. Also, this following list is only for perfumes still in production.

1. Elie Saab Le Parfum. Do you need a resplendent orange blossom with a bit of earthy cedar and honey? Which is also easy to find? Then pick up the original Elie Saab scent. You will glow in this scent and get compliments. It is the best orange blossom on the mass market at the moment and I still love it.

2. Jour d'Hermes by Hermes. Do you often wonder what a modern spring goddess would smell like? I suspect it would probably be this. A tart tangy grapefruit opening followed by a bouquet of flowers. The funny thing with each wearing I get a different emphasis on different flowers or notes. Sometimes it is tiare, other times freesia, in other moments sweet peas, and one time delicious musk.

3. Le Temps d'Une Fete by Nicolai Parfumeur Createur. A glowing yellow field full of earth, musk, narcissus, and sweet herbs. Utterly gorgeous and just makes you want to keep inhaling. A unique take on oakmoss that I actually like.

4. Cassis, Rose, & Sandalwood by Dame Perfumery. Juicy current and peonies followed by roses and woods, I am reminded of easier going L'Ombre Dans L'Eau by Diptyque. If you have ever found the L'Ombre Dans L'Eau too harsh and green try this one.

5. Trefle Pur by Atelier Cologne. Need to feel fresh, earthy, and completely classy? Pick this one, I am always reminded of rolling green hills and green ferns when I wear this one.

6. Neroli Blanc Intense Eau de Parfum by Au Pays de la Fleur d'Oranger. The great orange blossom gourmand, sweet and lively, this scent is for feeling joyous. It makes me think orange blossom cream and first stone fruit of spring.

7. Lieu de Reves by Sonoma Scent Studio. Rainwater violets, sweet rose water, heliotrope and with a sweet amber iris dry down. A lovely rainy spring day at a pastry shop.

8. Pepper Ylang by Smell Bent. The hot cold sweet scent of heady ylang ylang with a smooth drydown of vanilla and myrrh. A happy yellow scent.

image from ili-ili.net

A Trick of Light: Jour d'Hermes by Hermes

How do you make a floral that does not scream floral? Well I would go talk to Jean Claude Ellena because he has just done that and that is where this fragrance makes the most sense as in why I really like it. To explain it better, I should mention that I am not the woman who gravitates towards fragrances called floral, there are floral notes I love, but scents marketed in the floral category are usually not my ouvre.

Jour d'Hermes is such a wonderful trick though, starting off with a stemmy green milky mango rhubarb green peach skin grapefruit note that catches you with its zippy tartness yet strangely creamy quality. The scent moves on to opal like floral middle where facets of flowers move in and out of focus much like an opal in sunlight as you tilt it to see all the colors. I get rose then jasmine followed by sweet pea. Then a warm musk comes out just lifting the flowers up enough that the scent blends to the skin, at this point the fragrance is somewhat hide and seek, at moments I get rose then a shift to ylang-ylang or tuberose, and then a shift to gardenia all the while it maintains a gauze of musk. Some days it is very earthy on me with vetiver quite obvious other days it becomes a rather balmy tropical gardenia scent with the tart musk to never let it stray to much.

This scent is a changer and never in the same direction in a row. It is fantasy floral and in my mind it is the scent of the lovely flower rununculus that has no scent but has incredibly layered petals.

The amazing image above is from No Wordz Photography.

SOTD: Vanille Galante

Once again I am giving my full attention to a sample this week, this time Hermes' s Vanille Galante. What has struck me everytime I have tested it out is the saltiness of the scent. I have this image in my head of lilies by the ocean being misted over with salt water while an vanilla orchid blooms in the background. In my head it is tropical flowers growing on the coastline of Oregon.

image provided by artnet.com

image: Mirage by Iran Issa-Khan 2008

Creating Ambre Narguile in the Kitchen

Sometimes I forget that apples for most of their time in history have been a fruit of sensuality, not the humble everyday fruit it has become. I also often forget their connection to the beautifully exotic quince that must be cooked to enjoy the layered flavor of apple, lemon, rose water, and peach. This all stopped today when I yet again I used another recipe from my quickly becoming a beloved cookbook The Worlds Best Recipes by Mark Bittman, once again it was a recipe the used very little ingredients, only four: apples, sugar, cinnamon, and butter, the recipe: Caramelized Apples. I will say this now before going into more detail I think part of the reason this turned out so gorgeously was the organic heirloom apples I got last week at the orchard.

It began with the scent of the apples caramelizing in the oven, topped with with only a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, the scent was quite dazzling, and immediately an identification came up in my mind, the uber expensive and frankly delicious Ambre Narguile by Hermes. What was also amazing was the sheer aromatic power of the apples, at one point I was tempted to open another window the scent of apples was so intense. Then I took them out and a few minutes later scooped some out into a bowl, the apples at the bottom had becom translucent in the caramelization process, yet remained firm with a candied texture. The color though was what shocked me it become a light pink tinted amber, reminding me of quinces when cooked. Eat this with a splash cream, creme fraiche, thinned sour cream, crema, or greek yogurt. No ice cream (too sweet and rich).

image provided by artmagick.com

image: Venus Verticordia by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

SOTD: Un Jardin Apres La Mousson

Today I am wearing the much disputed Hermes Un Jardin Apres La Mousson, technically I should hate this, I mean is smells of melon, but here is the thing I don't. Chandler Burr hates but he may have answered why I do like it, it does not actually use the infamous calone for its melon note. This is a lovely watermelon with a hint of tartness and the earthy binding of vetiver. I could see this being a summer fragrance next year.

And thank you Mary for introducing me to this lovely song (It's been awhile since someone did a really good break-up song and sounded so lovely singing it) Warwick Avenue by Duffy:

video uploaded by ChrisZuid

SOTD: Osmanthe Yunnan

So I finally got my order decants from Fishbone (by the way she is awesome). I ordered a decant of Hermes Osmanthe Yunnan unsniffed she reduced the price heavily and I could not pass it up (this is also my first Hermes from the special collection). So this is an interesting take on osmanthus, starts off with the smoky tea note that definately has an anamalic musk note going through it. Enter the freesia and orange which when intertwined give this fragrance a hint of pine, and finally the lovely osmanthus in all its leather apricot glory. This is a bit of a smoke and mirrors fragrance with its opening. Interesting I have some Peet's Osmanthus Yunnan tea and well I am going to have to get that out.

Music: Never The Same by Supreme Beings of Leisure (oh how I love pandora)

Quote of the Day: I'm too shy to express my sexual needs except over the phone to people I don't know. -- Garry Shandling

image provided by artnet.com

image: Jeune Fille au Turban Orange by Tamara de Lempicka