This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Fragrance is such a personal thing. We each have a favourite perfume but does everyone else love it on us? There are perfumes that trigger very strong memories particularly of loved ones. I am sure most of us can remember the perfumes that our mother and grandmothers loved. We may not have liked them however they do hold strong associations.
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ANNABEL: My favourite is Stella by Stella McCartney. My daughters would never want me to change as they say that whenever they smell that perfume on anyone else they think of me.
STELLA is a feminine and sophisticated floral fragrance, designed as homage to the English rose in full bloom in a classic English garden. This fragrance starts with citrus top notes which are followed by English roses, finally finishing with a warm amber base. I love roses so this is why I adore this perfume.
GRACE: My current favourite is Jo Loves, Pomelo. It is such a fresh, clean scent. I have the matching handwash too and every time I wash my hands the fragrance fills my little bathroom. Also I adore anything by Hermes – I don’t think you can go wrong with any of their perfumes.
JO LOVES POMELO – Instantly energising, this mouth-watering fragrance is fast becoming a cult classic. Inspired by memories of long summer holidays, this sharp, grapefruit-infused citrus is Jo’s signature scent.
BACKPACKING GRANNY: Mine is Giorgio .. I love it and my kids hate it … they say they can smell me before I come round the corner!
GIORGIO is a luxurious blend of sparkling white florals and sensuous notes comprised of magnolia, dew fruit, jasmine, iris, sandalwood and golden amber.
SASSY: I have worn Coco Madamoiselle by Chanel for years. I have several others but it’s always my favourite and the one I reach for.
COCO MADEMOISELLE Eau de Parfum Intense. The essence of a free and captivating woman. A woody and ambery oriental fragrance with a full-bodied character: sensual, deep and addictive.
BUMBLE: I always return to the brand Hermes after experimenting with other new fragrances. Galop d’Hermes was a considered purchase a couple of years ago …. and I adore it’s unique, warm leather smell mixed in with horses. The nearest to anything equestrian I can go – as I am very allergic to the animal itself!
GALOP D’HERMES is a contemporary manifesto that expresses absolute freedom in feminine expression and in a perfume. The leather livens up the rose, and the rose carries away the leather in a fiery dance. The stirrup bottle is an exceptional object, fastened with an orange leather tie.
ZEYNEP: I tend to stick to one perfume but not forever. Before I even buy a new perfume I already have a feel for it, a strange intuition that it will suit me. Once I start using one I tend to stick to it for a few years. Twilly by Hermes is my current perfume. I never leave home without a good squirt. It is fresh, spicy and sophisticated.
TWILLY: the scent of the Hermès girls, Twilly d’Hermès is a daring fragrance woven with striking ginger and sensual tuberose. A floral, spicy and oriental Eau de Parfum.
MARVELLOUS-MOTHER-IN-LAW: I have always loved woody, citrus based scents and, if you were to put me on the spot, I would have to say my all time favourite is Jo Malone’s good old lime, basil and mandarin. Scent is such an evocative thing, and my lovely husband first bought it for me as a surprise when it was launched in 1999 (one of his better surprises!). I have worn it ever since, although in this gender fluid world we live in now, it can be worn by both sexes, so not sure what it says about me!
LIME BASIL & MANDARIN: The signature Jo Malone™ fragrance. Peppery basil and aromatic white thyme bring an unexpected twist to the scent of limes on a Caribbean breeze. A modern classic.
VICTORIA BECKHAM: (not a CW!) she once posted on Instagram that she loved Room Service. This strangely named fragrance was inspired by silent movie star, Greta Garbo. However in an article that VB wrote on her favourite things she said, her favourite scent was “Anything by Byredo, especially Bal D’Afrique or Blanche.”
ROOM SERVICE: This elaborate bouquet features violet petals, pink orchid and green bamboo. Fresh mandarin nectar dances atop the sophisticated sandalwood infused base.
BYREDO BAL D’AFRIQUE: Inspired by the flamboyance of Paris in the 1920s – and its infatuation with African culture, music and art – this Eau de Parfum blends floral Jasmine, sweet Neroli and Musk for a warm and crisp fragrance. BLANCHE is a pure and clean olfactory perception of the colour white, incorporating fresh, delicate notes of white rose, neroli and blonde woods. And my personal Byredo favourite, GYPSY WATER which blends fresh soil and smoky campfires with lemon, bergamot and juniper berries.