By Dane
If I had to pick on "white floral" note to wear everyday, it would be jasmine. It seems as though it's listed in every fragrance's advertised notes, but when the hunt begins for a full-fledged jasmine overload, the choices are surprisingly limited.
Jasmine is a flower of importance in numerous cultures, and is grown and cultivated all over the world. The most precious jasmine for use in perfumery comes from Grasse, France, yet due to cost, is only present in a select few scents (from the likes of Chanel and Jean Patou).
The fascinating aspect of jasmine is the element of decay. Any flower can smell pretty, but only a few smell truly beautiful. Jasmine's indolic qualities create a striking contrast between the living and the dead, and this element alone is enough to be perfume in its own right. Certain fragrances play down this element and stick to the "pretty". If that's your thing, check out Ormonde Jayne's Sampaquita or Bvlgari's latest, Jasmin Noir.
If, however, you want jasmine in it's full-fledged, stinky glory, then move on to some of my personal favourites. Serge Lutens has two stellar jasmine-focused scents. A La Nuit is a strong overdose of jasmine, showing it's ever aspect with a green, musky undertone. Sarrasins combines jasmine with fruity, apricot notes and a base of animalic civet. Etat Libre d'Orange creates a striking contrast in combining jasmine with smoky tobacco in Jasmin et Cigarettes, while Thierry Mugler attempts (somewhat unsuccessfully) to add a rich jasmine absolute to an Angel-esque base with Alien. All of these, along with Montale Jasmin Full, use (or at least attempt to use) the ingredient to its full potential and let the strength it emits shine without over-adornation.
While the above-listed scents use jasmine as the key player, most scents use it in a different manner. Jasmine can add substance, complexity, and mystery to any composition requiring some extra luxury. You'll find it in several classic florals such as Chanel No. 5, several Guerlain fragrances, Patou's Joy and 1000, along with hundreds of others. The most recent successful use of jasmine to complete a floral composition was Parfums MDCI's brilliant Enlevement au Serail. This throwback fruity chypre could easily have been marketed in the 1920's, but somehow fits perfectly with today's modern compositions.
Another important aspect of jasmine is only part of the picture. Namely, the synthetic isolate Hedione (also knows as methyldihydrojasmonate). Famously first used in Dior's Eau Sauvage and later in Diorella, Hedione has become a key player in modern compositions, and even used in severe percentages in futuristic scents like Comme des Garcon's 53 and 71.
There are tons of perfume ingredients that are rare, difficult to produce, and thus extremely expensive. When smelling jasmine in any composition, even an amateur can sense the luxury and extravagance it imparts.
Jasmine is a flower of importance in numerous cultures, and is grown and cultivated all over the world. The most precious jasmine for use in perfumery comes from Grasse, France, yet due to cost, is only present in a select few scents (from the likes of Chanel and Jean Patou).
The fascinating aspect of jasmine is the element of decay. Any flower can smell pretty, but only a few smell truly beautiful. Jasmine's indolic qualities create a striking contrast between the living and the dead, and this element alone is enough to be perfume in its own right. Certain fragrances play down this element and stick to the "pretty". If that's your thing, check out Ormonde Jayne's Sampaquita or Bvlgari's latest, Jasmin Noir.
If, however, you want jasmine in it's full-fledged, stinky glory, then move on to some of my personal favourites. Serge Lutens has two stellar jasmine-focused scents. A La Nuit is a strong overdose of jasmine, showing it's ever aspect with a green, musky undertone. Sarrasins combines jasmine with fruity, apricot notes and a base of animalic civet. Etat Libre d'Orange creates a striking contrast in combining jasmine with smoky tobacco in Jasmin et Cigarettes, while Thierry Mugler attempts (somewhat unsuccessfully) to add a rich jasmine absolute to an Angel-esque base with Alien. All of these, along with Montale Jasmin Full, use (or at least attempt to use) the ingredient to its full potential and let the strength it emits shine without over-adornation.
While the above-listed scents use jasmine as the key player, most scents use it in a different manner. Jasmine can add substance, complexity, and mystery to any composition requiring some extra luxury. You'll find it in several classic florals such as Chanel No. 5, several Guerlain fragrances, Patou's Joy and 1000, along with hundreds of others. The most recent successful use of jasmine to complete a floral composition was Parfums MDCI's brilliant Enlevement au Serail. This throwback fruity chypre could easily have been marketed in the 1920's, but somehow fits perfectly with today's modern compositions.
Another important aspect of jasmine is only part of the picture. Namely, the synthetic isolate Hedione (also knows as methyldihydrojasmonate). Famously first used in Dior's Eau Sauvage and later in Diorella, Hedione has become a key player in modern compositions, and even used in severe percentages in futuristic scents like Comme des Garcon's 53 and 71.
There are tons of perfume ingredients that are rare, difficult to produce, and thus extremely expensive. When smelling jasmine in any composition, even an amateur can sense the luxury and extravagance it imparts.
pic - bellasugar.com
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Parfums de Nicolai Number One is a wonderful "jasmine as lead player" white floral.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I must admit to liking Alien...
I *like* Alien, but there's just something about it that makes me not *love* it...not sure what. Good effort though.
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried Number One (shame, I know). de Nicolai scents have yet to move me, although I realize they're brilliant, I haven't found the one that suits me (yet).