Oh to be French. A French woman to be exact. From Paris. They have that certain quality about them, don’t they? That certain, je ne sais quoi which I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s the ‘I woke up like this’ look that is quite hard to get down, the casual sexiness. There is also something very sexy about French fragrances as well and what better way to get closer to being more ‘French’ than to experiment with some of its most famous fragrance houses?
Oh let’s go ahead and start with my favourite of the three I have picked, the Five O`Clock Au Gingembre by Serge Lutens. This is the one for me, the one that if you wore it, would certainly give off a casual sexiness.
How do I feel about this fragrance? I think it’s sexy, spicy, masculine, powerful and unique (nothing like I’ve smelled before). I am love with the spicy, ginger scent of this. This is perfect for a date and seriously sexy. A real head-turning fragrance.
This fragrance falls into the Oriental category due to its spiciness. The top notes are tea and bergamot; middle notes are ginger, cinnamon and woodsy notes; base notes are cacao, honey, amber, patchouli and pepper.
I am a huge fan of patchouli in fragrances and the bergamot, ginger and cinnamon are the real kickers here. This fragrance reminds me of being in a cigar room for some reason – it’s complex and woody and lasts a long time on the skin. It’s the kind of fragrance that makes me stop and smell my wrist again and again throughout the day – it’s that good.
Next up is Arpege from Lanvin (Eau de Parfum 100ml). This is an interesting one because it was originally launched in 1927 and was relaunched in 1993 so it’s like history in a bottle. I can imagine that this was a popular fragrance of its time in the roaring 20s. Arpege is quite intense and heavy and reminds me of soap and heavily-scented powder rooms where ladies of the day would gossip and plan their next dinner parties together.
The fragrance comes in a gorgeous bottle – honestly the bottle is stunning and the scent is super feminine, with notes of florals like honeysuckle, jasmine, roses and orange blossoms with base notes of vanilla and sandalwood.
For me this is more of an interesting scent. It’s quite heavy and most likely suited to a very particular type of woman. To me this smells of powders and soaps, and I can tell why it was a classic of its time. Bravo to the brand for reintroducing it however because it really does take you back to that period!
French women come across as carefree and playful at times as well, which is exactly what this Annick Goutal Rose Pompon feels like. It doesn’t adhere to the typical rose fragrance rules – it’s somehow lighter and fresher than the others. It’s pretty, sparkling, fun and classic. For the feminine in every woman who also has a playful side – this is classic, light and not overpowering rose. I loved it. Perfect for spring and fresh, fresh, fresh.
The fragrance contains sparkling notes of blackcurrant and raspberry, spicy pepper which meet the freshness of pink pompon.
How gorgeous is the bottle? I think packaging is so important when it comes to fragrance because overall, fragrance is a real luxury, a joy to use. It’s purpose is to evoke a feeling of well-being and confidence and a beautiful bottle sitting on your shelf helps!
We don’t have to use fragrance or invest in it but we do, time and time again because it gives us a nice feeling. It’s fun to use and it makes us feel a certain way, depending on our mood. And because we are all multi-faceted, it means you can never truly have too many.
To compliment the Annick Goutal Rose Pompon fragrance there is a beautiful Creme Splendide for the face which contains Anjou Rose petal extract which helps to regenerate and hydrate the skin. It’s also rich in Vitamin C, improves skin cell regeneration and eliminates toxins. The cream is perfect for the day, it’s lightweight and sinks into the skin quite well so would be perfect under make-up. It’s very lightly scented with rose as well so this would make an uplifting morning ritual in combination with a spritz of Rose Pompon!
What is your favourite French fragrance?
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter @jamierockers for all my latest updates!
