Guest Post by Brie in New York
Each of us eventually comes home to the thing that we have always been, to the thing that we really are.
-Alexander McCall Smith
Carlos Huber recently stated in an interview with The Fragrant Man:
My goal is to create….an artistic, ’emotional’ experience on your skin.
To which I replied:
For me perfume is completely about olfactive memories….ones that were created and ones that are yet to be created. Nothing can trigger my emotional buttons as intensely as scent.
My introduction to perfume was in the early 1970s when all fragrances were shrouded in mystery, neither the notes nor the composer or perfumer information was made available to the public. Granted there were advertisements that were meant to give you a glimpse at the genre or the population that it was geared to. Yet there was always room for interpretation. I loved the enigma…. the mystery of the anticipated perfumed experience until the moment that the fragrant liquid actually touched my skin.
Those who have read my posts up to this point would attest to the fact that I don’t have the desire to dissect a perfume. That talent I leave to the experts: some of my favourite writers who do it so succinctly…
…the lyrical writings of Barbara, the poetic and often hysterical musings of Neil, the hour by hour interpretations of Kafka and the chemical analyses of Lucas.
What drives my writing are the emotional connections which I have forged with certain scents. The perfumes that can conjure up memories of individuals and places or propagate time travel are the ones that resonate the most with me. And these are the scents that I often return to time and time again.
Oddly enough, there was not an earth shattering event occurring in my life when I first encountered Sonoma Scent Studio’s Jour Ensoleille. I received a sample several years ago along with many other samples from this artisanal line. Yet, upon first whiff, Jour Ensoleille touched a raw visceral nerve within my psyche in such a way that has never been matched by any other perfume. It was simultaneously euphoric and meditative, calming and exciting, gorgeously complex and extraordinarily simple in its exquisite beauty. It was the perfume I turned to time and time again just to whiff straight out of the bottle and it was as if I was smelling it for the very first time.
I usually relegate my perfumes to certain days, seasons and/or moments in my life. But this is not the case with Jour. I don’t want that distinct memory connection as I desire to be able to savor Jour wherever and whenever I please.
Rest assured I am not abandoning the other fragrant lovelies I so relish or giving up on finding new perfumes to enjoy. And then there are those perfumes whose bottles I have drained so often that they might very well be considered signature scents. As long as I live and breathe my fragrant journey is far from over. Yet were I ever to have the misfortune of being stranded on a deserted island Jour Ensoleille is the only perfume I would need in my possession if I were forced to choose just one. After 42 years of perfume wearing and 400 or so empty bottles later, I am finally home.
Notes:
orange blossom
neroli
tuberose
jasmine
beeswax absolute
labdanum absolute
myrrh
sandalwood
ambergris
vetiver
green leaves
oakmoss absolute
For tonight’s treat a 5ml travel spray of Jour Ensoleille. Just leave a comment on which perfume/perfumes have an emotional effect upon you.
Gift recipient announced end of May.
Plum Blossoms in Brie’s backyard, Brie’s hand with tonight’s gift.
The Fragrant Man 
Wow Brie, you’ve got some great emotions triggered by the fragrant molecules of Jour Ensoleille. I wish I had a scent in my life that I would be so emotionally attached to. I guess Prada Amber Pour Homme is the closest one to me.
No worries Lucas- it took me 42 years to find it! Sounds like you already have a special scent…
Dearest Brie
So good as always to hear your voice.
Indeed, it is the power of perfume to transport across time and space (without meaning to sound too science fictional about things) that most excites The Dandy.
But to have found a fragrance that always carries one home, that is truly a gift to be cherished.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
indeed it is a gift I cherish…Have you tried Jour Ensoleille, Mr. Dandy?
Dearest Brie
Not yet… but I’ve added it to the list!
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
My God! Now I have to really try this! And those perfume notes cemented that feeling. Orange blossom, labdanum, tuberose, sandalwood, beeswax….? Good God!
As for perfumes that have an emotional effect on me, that I don’t want to even analyse because it would seem like a travesty, well…. you probably can already guess: Vintage Opium. Nothing can quite match its symbolism in my mind, its importance and its impact, though I also love some other vintage fragrances dearly. But Opium is “my Preciousssssssssssssssss.” 😉
I know what you mean about vintage Opium….very few can surpass its unmatched beauty…and I have been telling you for quite some time about Sonoma Scent Studio…I hope that I have inspired you to try soem of Laurie’s offerings!
Kafka you left off one ‘s’ ! What did you think of Opium for Men?
It’s been a long time since I tried Opium for Men. (I stay away from all modern, current, reformulated Opiums. Too much heartbreak involved.) That said, I do remember liking the men’s version, though my vague memory of it was that it was lighter, less rich and less dark than the women’s. It was very nice, but it couldn’t and can’t compete with the women’s vintage version which is the version that I think everyone should try if they’re into hardcore Orientals. 🙂 I feel a little like Gollum when it comes to the issue of my Opium. lol.
What a wonderful review, Brie! Fragrance is a very personal and sentimental thing to me, too. I think in any future fragrance reviews, I would take a hint from you and describe how it makes me feel. My talent is not in my nose for parsing out notes, as some do very well. I thoroughly enjoyed this post, my friend.
Absolutely James….as I said above parsing out I leave to the experts :D!! And I would be excited to see a perfume review attached to your name….xx
Brilliantly written. And as you know, I loved the sample you sent me; I also felt extreme emotions when I smelled it for some reason, although in my case it was like dark clouds suddenly took over the sky, and the sun was eclipsed…it went from a euphoric opening to something that quite disturbed me, but, like you, it did tear some visceral nerve. And for a perfume to be able to do that is quite amazing.
Neil- You were in my thoughts the entire while I was writing this as I remembered you had communicated to me how Jour made you feel…it is utterly amazing that one perfume can capture such different emotions…I wonder what Jour was triggering in your unconscious self?
Nonetheless, it is truly a magical perfume!
I love the pictures throughout your blog post. Insightful writing.
Welcome, CologneDaddy! (love the name!!)
The photographers in my family are my teenage daughters…I will let them know of your appreciation. I thought the photos were quite appropriate for this post…sunny day, right?
Thanks for stopping by!
I love this type of stories – about perfumes that touch us. I had no idea you liked Jour Ensoleillé that much. I like this perfume and wear it as a sleep scent (so no need entering me into the draw) but I have a special emotion connection with this one as well: it was a first perfume in which I smelled and recognized orange blossom without reading notes first. I remember being very proud of myself 🙂
As to the other perfumes that carry emotional weight for me… You read already my blog: since I do not do perfume reviews per se I almost never write about those perfumes that do not have that emotional component. But if I had to name just a few… Lancome Climat (my first and all-time love), Miss Dior, Yves Rocher Nature and Venice, Ormonde Jayne Tiare and Ta’if (I haven’t told a story only behind the last one – but I will).
Undina,
And this is why I love reading YOUR stories so much! I am looking forward to your post on Ta’if!
And I think hubby would kill me if I wore Jour to bed! (right now there are only two that he tolerates for the night time…Cocoa Sandalwood and the Ume that you so generously gifted to me :)!!).
Always happy to see you here!
Well, I’m not wearing wearing it – just a dab on my wrist (though my vSO usually doesn’t mind havier applications as well).
Oh how I envy you :D!!! One night I came to bed wearing a heavy dose of fragrant hand cream (Bois de Santal by Soap and Paper Factory) and hubby asked “are you wearing perfume?” to which I truthfully replied, “no, just hand cream”. His response? “Good Lord even the hand cream is a nightmare!” followed by a chuckle from him !
What a lovely description of your connection with Jour. To know in your heart that this is the one, unequivocally, must be such a fantastic thing. I hope someday to find a scent that is 100% me. I have come very close, and I know the direction in which I am headed. It is just so exciting and fun to keep looking!! I know you won’t stop looking, but how nice to have your Jour Ensoleille. Good for you, Brie. And thank you for this bright hopeful addition to my day.
Tora,
I hope that when you do find your perfect scent that you will still enjoy the pleasure of sampling all of the other lovely fragrances that are available to us….I think this is what makes it so hard to find “the one”…there are so many beautiful perfumes, right?
Thanks for stopping by!
While I was prepping dinner, I buried my nose in the crook of my elbow, and exclaimed to my husband, ooh I just love this so much! Well, Steve is so used to me saying that, so I did not expect this response. He said, “you know, I think that perfume smells like You. So many fragrances you wear, while lovely, stand apart from you. This does not. It is not overpowering but when I get close, I love the way you smell .”
And, I have spent two days just immersing myself in this scent, from morning to night, at the gym, in the garden, at work.. I am not annoying anyone with it’s sillage, and yet I can smell and enjoy it. It is Maison Francis Kurkdjian Cologne Pour le Soir. It may not be “the one” but clearly, I have found a winner.
Tora,
This is fantastic! Especially when a loved one associates that perfume with you and enjoys how it smells on you! Time for a full bottle (if you don’t have one already). My hubby does not care for fragrance much due to allergies. There was only one scent he ever complimented me on (and needless to say I bought twenty bottles of it and wore it often around him). It was Heaven by the Gap…..of all the fragrances in the world that was his favorite scent on me!
Brie, it must be difficult to have to curtail your fragrances in your hubby’s presence. I am kind of lucky, because mine does not have the greatest sense of smell. I have to really overdo it to get his attention. and when I am at home, on my own time, I do love to overspray whatever I am testing. I think I sort of remember that scent by the Gap. Wasn’t it a bit while back? Was it a blue liquid, and baby powdery smelling? I could just be imagining what something called ‘heaven’ smelled like. I think you are right about the full bottle worthiness of MFK’s Cologne. Just in time for Mother’s Day!!
Unfortunately I also share an office with a co-worker who berates me on my perfume choices ( unless I am smelling of laundry detergent) so I get it from both ends! Yes…Heaven had a blue hue and was an amalgamation of white flowers…a very light floral that garnered me many compliments from others besides my husband….very light and non-offensive but was very agreeable on my skin (and very affordable as well!). I really do hope that you get that full bottle of MFK!!!
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Yes yes yes….I understand completely. It is magic isn’t it.
Lanier,
I knew that you would understand completely about the magic of fragrance…and it’s healing properties as well as the joy it can bring us…happy to see you here again!
I agree with you on this one. It’s a special scent. It really is like happiness bottled. It was love at first sniff for me which was surprising because it was the one I thought I’d like the least for some reason.
As far as a scent that has an emotional impact on me, the first that comes to mind is Heeley Cardinal. There’s something about that one that makes me feel peaceful and grounded. It’s like being in an old stone church on a bright sunny day.
Poodle, as soon as I read your reply, I ran to Fragrantica to look up Heeley Cardinal which I had never heard of. How wonderful to have you mention this perfume that now, I clearly Must try. Thanks bunches!! I love a good grounding incense.
Poodle-
Don’t you just love finding those hidden treasures that you’d never expect to find? And like Tora I am now intrigued by your special scent…happen to like incense so I will research this one…thanks for the suggestion!
It’s not as heavy as Avignon which I also love. If either of you want a sample let me know.
Poodle,
You are too kind! send my sample off to Tora as she is on a quest….but DO read your e-mail as I want to share a bit of what I have left of Victoria with you…since you are such a big fan of it!
Probably the scent that has the strongest emotional effect on me is Caswell Massey’s Purple Sage, one of my mother’s favorites from the 60-70s. Kind of obscure. They rereleased it a few years ago & I managed to snag a bottle. When I open it & take a sniff, it’s like my Mom is beside me once again.
Julie-
What a beautiful comment……and I am glad that you snagged a bottle of the fragrance that instantly brings your mum to mind!
Nice job Brie
Portia xx
Portia,
You don’t know how happy I am to see your gorgeous face here! thank you! xxoo
You put words to my reaction to Jour Ensoleille! The first time I smelled this perfume I knew I needed that beautiful blend of notes around me at all times.
Desiree,
Another Jour fan! I am glad that you are enjoying its exquisite beauty…and thanks for stopping by!
A very lovely tribute to Jour Ensoleille, Brie. I find this perfume to have a rare combination of calm and sensuality – it stirs fantasies of being with someone who has a centering effect but is also incredibly sexy. No need to include me in the drawing – I own a bottle of this beauty. So glad to see it getting all the love it deserves.
You are right Suzanne! there is something very sensual about it….(perhaps this is why my hubby commented on it when I wore it yesterday). Nice to hear that there is yet another perfume we both adore (besides no 22 and Calyx, among others!). I also get that calming effect from Jour…something I strive for in my life!
So many of Laurie’s perfumes are hidden treasures that should be brought to the forefront in the perfume community…this is one of them!
Thank you so much, Brie, for your review! I am touched by your story and very happy that JE has brought you pleasure!
And thank you Laurie for making Jour and all of those other extraordinary perfumes that I so adore!
First revelation in this article is Kafka. I hadn’t read that blog before. Everyone has such a distinct way of speaking about perfume and feeling his way through it, that I will never get tired of the different styles in perfume reviews.
Second revelation is that so many of my favorite notes exist in the confines of the same bottle. If you switch tuberose for orris you get my actual list of most loved. Very excited to find out!
First revelation- we are a wonderful little community of perfumaniacs, right?
Regarding your second revelation- I really hope you get to try Jour Ensoleille..I promise you that you will not be disappointed, Amer!
Oh and btw have you tried any from the natural series of SSS? I have been dying to try the cocoa-sandalwood.
Amer,
I had been literally begging Laurie to make naturals so when she finally did I was one of the first to buy a full bottle! Yes, am on my second bottle of Cocoa Sandalwood and also have sampled the newest release of Spiced Citrus Vetiver….as soon as SSS has full bottles of that one I will be one of the first to order….and then I will be nagging Laurie about working on the third release of Amber Incense!
Yes I love Kafka’s writing too.
He also writes Courtroom Case Perfume Reviews
eg: The charge is olfactory assault and battery in The People v. Amarige, Case # 13-92745B and in the case The People v Xerjoff Zafar.
The word brief is used very expansively (although contectually correct) for the ‘en bref‘ reviews.
The last post I read before sleeping is Kafka’s.
I thoroughly enjoyed his slashing through Artisan’s Dzongkha although I have been wearing it and enjoying it for the past year.
Hi Amer. 🙂 I’m glad I could make you smile. I’m afraid I’m not normally quite that… er… heated in my approach to perfume reviews, but something about both fragrances — in conjunction and on the same day — triggered a minor meltdown. *grin* I look forward to reading and seeing more of you on Jordan’s wonderful perfume salon.
I laughed and laughed (then laughed some more) at “the word brief is used very expansively” for my “brief” reviews. *grin* I’m laughing even now. Can you imagine me ever trying to use Twitter??? 😉 xoxox
Just wanted to add that it’s always good to sample things first before buying a bottle because fragrances can smell a little different to each person’s nose and on each person’s skin. I want people to be happy with their choices. 🙂
absolutely Laurie! Which is how I got to know your fragrances…I believe my first purchase may have been 10 or so samples….and sometimes the one that enthralls you is not necessarily the one that you expected to fall for …. as was the case for JE and I!
Exactly! People write me all the time to say they fell in love with a sample they just threw in on a whim, and they don’t always love something that sounds like a good match. I’m a sample pusher and a wimp on blind buys, lol.
Lovely post! I so enjoyed reading it, and couldn’t agree with you more! I think Jour is as close as I’ve come to a signature scent in years! Even my mom says it smells like me.
Annina,
Isn’t it wonderful to find a fragrance that truly resonates with you? thanks for stopping by!
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