If you’re in the last throes of Christmas shopping, and the various strikes are proving problematic for those last minute online orders, the answer to your gifting dilemma could be waiting for you on the high street instead. It might be the last place that you’d usually plan on visiting when the crowds start pushing and shoving, but simply stepping out of the “new release” queue could save you a lot of time and a lot of stress. There are thousands of fragrances that, while not “new” to the industry, will be “new” to the recipient, and my top tip for floral lovers is the delicious 2018 Dylan Blue Pour Femme from Versace.
There are scents from our childhood that have such a strong association that they almost conjure up an emotion inside you rather than a memory. That wonderful wash of happiness, or sadness in some cases, cannot be contained and bursts through the dam-like walls of our very souls. Sometimes even the description of a fragrance does it and that was exactly what happened to me when I read about Teisenddu by Frassaï. Proudly described as “the first woman-owned niche fragrance house from Argentina,” I knew that I had to discover more about the fascinating links with my native Wales.
When Olivier Baussan first started manufacturing soap in 1976 nobody could have imagined that he would go on to form the globally recognised L’Occitane. With an emphasis on sustainability he attracted a loyal following, which meant that he was able to open his first store in 1981, but it was a focus on the Provencal traditions that set him apart when he ventured into fragrance in 1991. L’Occitane’s most recent release is Terre de Lumière, a “Gourmand Aromatic” fragrance, and it is definitely one that will surprise a lot of people. Come with me as we discover what is known as the “Golden Hour”.
