Scents and Sensuality
Wearing scent is one of life’s great pleasures. Perfumes express certain emotions and trigger old memories. I appreciate the compliment: “Annick, you smell good” and I don’t shy away from acknowledging new fragrances on people around me. You would have thought being allergic to strong colognes would deter me from wearing them. Don't worry, I still found ways to rock my favorite essences.
The origins of perfumes dated back to the Bronze Age when the Egyptian Civilization attained its first peak in complexity and achievement. Upper classes would wear fragrances as a symbol of stature. Persians explored the arts of perfume using ingredients from Africa, China and India. Arabs perfected the distillation process of concentrates. Centuries later, Romans and Greeks acquainted themselves with the world of scents. The first modern perfume can be traced back to 1370. It was called Hungary Water (based on rosemary) and was made for Queen Elizabeth of Hungary. With her marriage to King Henry II, Catherine de Medici brought her trusted perfumer along to France, which quickly became the European center of perfumes. By the early 1800s so much perfume was being produced that it was accessible for everyone, and no longer reserved for the nobility.
The world of perfume grew exponentially over the year. During the 70’s, fragrances became the vehicle fashion designers would use to reach millions of women who could not afford a designer's piece but loved the idea of wearing Yves St. Laurent. Now, we are constantly bombarded with mini-movie like perfume ads of celebrity and models. One of my favorites is J’adore by Christian Dior featuring Charlize Theron. I particularly enjoy the gold and hypnotizing effect. It enhances the glamorous femininity. J’adore was crafted in the Ylang Ylang (the Flower of Flowers) essence. The flower is grown on Nosy Be island, North of Madagascar, around the Indian Ocean. In Grasse (city in France), it is turned into a tailor-made essence for Dior perfumes. 100 kg of flowers are needed to extract 1 kg of the essence. J’adore is perfectly designed for mass markets. The top notes of Ylang Ylang nab you from the first sniff. That is why it is a widely popular fragrance. Considering perfumes are heavily commercialized, your outfit is almost incomplete when you miss a hint of fragrance. It is an integral part of one’s personality as much as one’s type of skin or more. J'adore might be your go-to when you need to make a statement. Kaleidoscope of Fragrances will be dedicated to exploring the vast world of fragrances and understanding how your favorite colognes are made. I'll guide you through your choices for the perfect scent to express your sensuality or maybe help you find one perfume for every occasion.
