Just the four of Us- Fragrances for me.

It’s taken me quite some time to get what they call your ‘signature scent’ right. From the first spritz of the Body Shops White Musk, in perfume, body spray and bars of soap I will have you know! To when everything was Vanilla smelling during my A levels, I still struggle to this day to not project out my A Level Theatre Crucible Monologue on a whiff of the Vanilla pod!

I think from there I up graded for a few years to Cerruti 1881, well everyone was wearing it and so of course I followed, it didn’t matter if I liked it or not. A bit of a question mark was my time with Givenchy’s Organza, not that I dislike the smell and I remember the cool bottle, but why I felt the need to wear such a heavy scent at 19, who knows. I think then for a few years I literally just squirted anything on from my house mates, to magazine samples, to even running into Debenhams in Manchester before a night out, come on student living! All before settling into a bit of a relationship with Jean Paul Gaultier Classique although loved it at the time, and the bottle, if I come across this aroma today, I do seriously struggle with the flash backs to late 90’s /early noughties behaviour with this one, but enough said on that!

So after dabbling in a maturer collection I would say from Vera Wang, to SJP’s Lovely, to Channel’s Allure, I think it has taken my thirties to really find not only what I like, but what suits me. My friend for years wore Thierry Mugler’s Angel and it smelt incredible on her, but when I tried it I literally nearly choked myself and anyone in the surrounding vicinity to death!

But isn’t that what is so lovely about perfumes? Okay they maybe pricey and they may come with slightly over the top indulgent television adverts, but they are completely personal to you. Even though we can all wear one brand, we can all wear it so differently but also in time create memories for good or embarrassment that are only ours.

So on that ‘note’, here are the 3 potions I have been sharing my life with over the past few years.

La Labo Thé Noir 29

Le Labo’s Thé Noir 29, is actually the newest member of my collection, but it took a bit of investment and time to find the right Le Labo scent. Le Labo’s Fine Fragrances are a rather special collection of perfumes. Once you have selected the company hand blend your bottle. You can purchase the collection in Liberty’s but a little tip if you walk five minutes up the road to Beak Street, to the Stand Alone, you will not only find an incredible piece of London architect (walk right through to the back) the guys that work there are super friendly, passionate and informed and also talk to you like you are a person. What is rather fab about going into the store is you can buy all the different fragrances in tester bottles for about £4, as these perfumes do not come cheap, and I mean these are for special, special birthdays, so you really want to take your time and choose wisely. Which is what I did, a few tester bottles of Santal 33 and Jasmine 17, I decided Thé Noir 29 was the one for me. Bergamot and bay leaves , cedar wood, musk, smokey, bold all pretty sensuous, and with a strong note of fig, (always, always a fig). It is warm and with soul.

When other people ask what the perfume it is you are wearing, you know you have chosen right. The Stand-alone’s and the website also offer the smaller more affordable 15ml bottles too, which suited me to the ground. The aesthetic, packaging and ethos of the company is so beautifully considered, and the best part is they hand pour it into your own little bottle and they print your name or whatever you would like printed on the bottle. All especially for you!

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Amor Amor

Amor Amor is my midweek perfume and has been for a long while. Working all day long in a sweaty dance studios and in very close proximity to people I feel it only polite to keep myself smelling as fresh as one can be! Obviously perfume is not cheap and so I do like to savour some of those potions to designated times. But Amor Amor is the perfect everyday scent, it is light with hints of Lily and Jasmine, with top notes of Blackcurrant and Mandarin and and base notes of musk and amber, it also comes in a red ‘firey’ bottle! Floral, Fruity and Fresh.

I took it with me on holiday to Thailand one year when we were moving around a lot and needed to keep toiletries down, so every spray of this a little holiday memory will also come floating back. At under £15 a for 30ml, it’s ok to throw in your bag and onto sweaty skin. Not the advert the company were looking for I’m sure, but a reality at least and a firm favourite of mine!

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Coco Mademoiselle

My Mum has always worn Channel Number 5, Coco Channel herself, I have always felt was the epitome of classic chic, and of course anything Francias, is an all round elegance bonus for me. I first came across this perfume in Singapore Airport, when Duty Free actually made a difference, I brought a bottle and used it a few times, in my try anything days, then left it to look pretty on the shelf. It wasn’t until a good few years later when I got engaged that I re found my little connection with Coco Mademoiselle. It has been the perfume that I have requested for birthdays and Christmas on repeat, I even think for my wedding I had the shower gel and body cream, the beautiful trinket style pot for this, I still have sitting on my dressing table, yes I indulged galore. Although apparently now you can get a hair mist, ahh imagine! This for me is not an everyday perfume but is my special occasion perfume, whether that be a wedding, a holiday, or a good date night. The scent is bold, it is surprisingly fresh, sparks of orange, fused with the calm Jasmine and Rose. Beautiful, ardent, distinct, and sexy all in one bottle. A little spray of this and I can jump into a whole plethora of ‘happy places’, and the bottle is particularly pretty with the blush colour peeping through. This will forever be my favourite!