Scent of a Woman

Fragrance magic happening right behind these blooms!

To say I fall in love with fragrance is an understatement. I’ll find a perfume I like and wear it until my nose becomes dumbstruck. For years (I’m talking high school, college and beyond) I doused myself in Calyx by Prescriptives (which has recently been re-introduced by Clinique). Now smelling that distinct citrus, floral mix I’m reminded of a steamy Boston summer during college where I’d just dyed my hair cherry red and was looking for a job (note to the wise: don’t dye hair cherry red right before job interviews). I’m reminded of my cramped NYC apartment, tiny and shot-gun style in Chelsea, furnished in way-too-much IKEA. I’m reminded of sitting on a London bus on my way to my (very low paying but seemingly fancy) magazine job. My uniform at the time was head-to-toe black so my chic-editor-boss wouldn’t notice that my wardrobe consisted of about 10 pieces of clothing because my crap salary allowed for little more.

    Cut to now: I’ve cycled through Jaisalmer by Comme des Garçon (still love it, we’re just on a break), Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone (turned out I liked it on other people but not as much on myself) and some oil I got at an Indian grocery store while I briefly flirted with Ayurveda (that is completely different story that I’ll spare you). Recently I sniffed upon Aloe by Carthusia I Profumi di Capri. I like it because it just smells clean, almost utilitarian in its simplicity. The blurb on the box says it has aloe, geranium, jasmine and lavender and it’s the lightest thing I’ve ever applied. I don’t have a sophisticated perfumers nose, I just like what I like and this is my fragrance equivalent of crawling into clean sheets…dreamy.

    I’d never heard of Carthusia I Profumi di Capri until I actually visited Capri (that
sounds so freaking fancy I’m almost embarrassed I typed it…so if it’s any consolation I was with my brother and wearing a fanny pack because that’s how Euro tourists roll). We walked into this tiny Spanish villa, dripping in bougainvillea and found out they’d been distilling and mixing fragrance since the 1940s (it’s also the smallest perfumery in the worId). I wouldn’t say it was mad, crazy, instant love, I just grabbed a bottle because: A) I love to shop on holiday and B) the sing-songy accent of the Italian saleswoman totally persuaded me. Good thing it totally turned into serious, scented love. I’ll check back with you in 10 years when I’ve moved on.

Truly I’m also a sucker for anything written in gothic font.