I love scents! Fragrant, lingering scents that is! I love everything from perfumes, colognes, skincare products, candles, linen and room sprays, flowers, etc. etc. etc. My preference for scents has changed a lot throughout the years. My first memories of fragrances were of my mom’s vanity table lined with beautiful bottles of perfumes. I was probably four or five years old then. I would see my nanny trying on my mom’s perfumes whenever my nanny cleaned the room. My mom never used her perfumes that much so she didn’t really mind. I remember my nanny spritzing on some Dior perfume on me for my cantata in school when i was in fourth grade. All my classmates, even my teachers, complimented me on how nicely i smelled. Then came my high school days, when I’d save up a little bit of my allowance so I could get myself one of the citrus scents I liked back then. During my college or university years, I was so into all the celebrity scents. It did not matter to me if I actually liked the scents as long as I had the latest Jennifer Lopez perfume or owned the fancy Britney Spears cologne bottle. I think it was when I started working and earning my own money that I tried to learn more about scents and perfumes. I did a bit of online reading to know about the different notes that go into making a perfume. So I started learning about top/head notes, middle/heart notes, and base notes. This was also the time I started learning about layering fragrances. My idea of layering scents then was to be able to choose and use the right products to achieve the overall scent/smell that I wanted and to make the scent last longer—from my shower gel, to my body cream/oil, perfume, powder, etc. Basically, it was simply layering all these products as I go through my day/or night routine. I wanted to know about these things so that I can invest in products I’d be happy with and get the most out of the money that I spend. Prices of good quality perfumes and skin products vary. I think it is very important to know which ones actually suit your skin. An expensive product does not necessarily mean it will be the best one for your skin. Products react to one’s skin making them smell and last differently on each person. Sometimes the weather plays a role as well, ergo you have winter scents and summer scents, etc.
So I was excited when I got my birthday treat invitation from Jo Malone in the post. I love, love, love Jo Malone products. Whenever I walk into one of their shops, it just smells so lovely. Their stores are always sophisticated and elegantly decorated in black and white. The birthday treat was a gathering that Jo Malone staff would arrange for the celebrant. I think this is something they do for regular customers as they do not do private events. I booked in the date that I wanted at the store and brought one of my friends with me. It was late in the afternoon then, so the store was not too busy anymore which was good. My friend and I sat on barstool-like chairs in front of two arm massage stations prepared for us. Our lovely host that day was Lauren. She first asked us to take off any jewellery we had on our hands and arms and put them into a small Jo Malone black pouch (that we got to take home with us as well). She then asked us what type of scents we like and if there were specific Jo Malone fragrances that we like. Then she went on to explain to us about layering of the Jo Malone scents. If you have ever been to a Jo Malone perfume bar, then you would know there are so many possible scent combinations you can come up with. My friend really like citrus and fresh scents, while I love floral and vanilla scents in general. I sometimes try and experiment with spicy and earthy/woody notes as I am trying to develop my nose to appreciate other scents. Lauren masterfully whipped up some very good scent combinations from the bar for us based on what we liked. She made three combinations each for me and my friend. Then we get to choose which combination we liked the most. My friend went for the Basil & Neroli and French Lime Blossom. I chose the Pomegranate Noir and Peony & Blush Suede. Lauren then gave us each a hand and arm massage using products that we liked. My friend and I both had the Geranium and Walnut scrub to start our massages. Then I had the Peony and Blush Suede shower oil which Lauren took off with a nice warm towel afterwards. Then she put on my arms some of the body cremes and perfumes that I chose earlier.
During the massage, we just chatted away about girly and skincare stuff. Lauren gave us lots of tips on how to layer scents. So I learned that with layering scents, there are really no specific rules but there are particular scents that complement each other very well. You could go on combining the same family scents like citrus on citrus, floral on floral, fruity on fruity, and so on. Or you could have a bit more fun by combining scents like citrus and floral, earthy and floral, fruity and spicy, etc. There are even ways to make fresher fragrances or warmer fragrances. For me however, I was most interested in making masculine smelling scents a bit more subtle. I have always found my Lime Basil & Mandarin and my Wood Sage & Sea Salt colognes a bit strong for me. For that Lauren suggested the Peony and Blush Suede. She says it is a very good scent to layer on any of the Jo Malone scents if you wanted to make them more feminine. In between all these, we munched on some dark chocolate and drank fresh fruit flavoured water. My friend and I also received sample-sized products to take home–a body creme, a shower gel and a small spray bottled perfume for each of us. The body creme and shower gel I gave to another dear friend. I kept the small Blackberry and Bay spray cologne as a souvenir of my birthday Treat. I also stocked up on some of my favourite Sweet Almond and Macaroon Home candle and treated myself with the Peony and Blush Suede shower oil and cologne before we headed home.
It was definitely a simple and girly afternoon at the Jo Malone shop but I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot from it. Now at home, I have been playing with more scent combinations. I have been wearing Wood Sage and Sea Salt with Peony and Blush Suede (which the husband really loves), also Mimosa & Cardamom with Basil & Neroli, and when I am feeling a little extra feminine, I still go for my Pomegranate Noir and Peony & Blush Suede. I have also tried to play with my other perfumes. I tone down my Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet with a spritz of Prada Infusion d’Iris. On the other hand, I sometimes complement the same Prada perfume with a little bit of Roses de Chloe. Another thing I have tried is spraying a subtle perfume scent over baby colognes. I find that you could get a bit of alcohol smell from some affordable baby colognes. So I spray one of my floral scents over my Nenuco cologne, too! 🙂
Now lets all stop to smell the flowers… 🙂
Singkititay♥