It’s full-on fall, which I treat a lot like new years. This time of year I always step back and evaluate my life… my job, my fitness regime, my wardrobe, and most recently, my perfume collection.
Perfume is such a personal item. Due to body chemistry, it actually smells unique on each individual wearer. But it’s the sense of association that really makes perfume so personal. Perfumes are filled with equal amounts of nostalgia and future promises. Its top notes transport you back to another time, triggering memories (the good, the bad, and the ugly). Its low notes keep you in the present, inviting in all sorts of opportunities.
This summer, I ran out of my beloved L’Occitane Eau de la Recolte Bleue, and learned it was discontinued. (RIP.) I was heartbroken, as this scent held fond memories for me. I had purchased this scent when I was living in New York. I had just moved in with my boyfriend (now husband) and I bought it right around my birthday, on a hot summer’s day. The scent was clean and green, with strong lavender notes. The bottle was simple, tall and clear, with a small antique-looking label fixated across the body. Perfect for high intensity city living, as it always kept me calm.
So, on my latest trip to New York I stopped by Saks for a quick peek at their scent selection. There, the shiny Bond No. 9 perfume counter immediately drew me in. I’ve always been a fan of the brand, with its scents and bottles designed to reflect the local NYC hoods, while the logo pays tribute to the subway tokens of last century. The bottles are artful and the smells are distinctive. Without delay, I sat with the sales clerk and smelled every single one.
Which neighborhood signifies me? Am I green like the Highline? Am I flirty like Park Avenue South? Am I zesty like Wall Street? Am I edgy like Brooklyn? Or am I beachy like Montauk? … Who am I? Where do I belong? Those are the questions that one asks when smelling the range of Bond perfumes. It’s all very existential shopping.
After much sniffing, I decided I am none of those things. Or maybe I am all of those things. Because I am an expat living in London, with an inclination to adapt to urban lifestyles. With that in mind, I chose The Scent of Peace, in a pretty lavender bottle. It’s not a place, but rather an ethos that permeates both cities. A mix of soft floral and citrus notes, with a woody-musky base, it’s equally energising and calming – ready for whatever comes its way as the seasons shift. And sometimes a fresh scent is just what a woman needs as she moves forward.
The Scent of Peace’s Notes
grapefruit / black currant / lily of the valley / hedione / cedarwood /musk
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