These feel like tumultuous and uncertain times, so even though the weather is getting warmer for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it still feels good to wear a perfume that wraps us up like a comforting blanket. One perfume that provides much needed succor while feeling heartsick, is Flora, a warm and gently spicy fragrance that envelopes you in its pillowy petals.
Flora is an ode to carnations, which in their glory have nuances of clove, pepper, and floral green freshness. Like roses sold at the grocery store, carnations typically do not exude their amazing scent anymore. But if you smell heirloom carnations in a garden, you will experience their redolence first hand and appreciate this beauty. If you smell Flora, you will also come know the profound olfactory charm of carnation and its ability to calm the mind and relieve stress.
Other enticing and soothing floral essences are present in Flora like wild lavender, orange blossom, as well as grounding notes like vanilla absolute, sandalwood and dark patchouli. I love how the delicate use of lavender and orange blossom give a lightness to Flora which provide a lift to the spicy aspects of carnation allowing it to feel wearable in the heat of summer. Sandalwood and just the subtlest hint of patchouli deepen the experience of Flora, imparting a sense of security and coziness that vanilla augments as well.
Which brings me back to the beginning, Flora makes you feel warm and comforted. And the fact that it is 100% botanical enhances your well-being since you are not applying anything toxic to your body. Perfume may seem small amidst the scary and crazy things happening in our world right now, but if it can help center you, and bring contentment into your day, then by all means, breathe it in.
Flora was created by Julianne Zaleta, master perfumer and owner of Alchemologie based in Brooklyn, New York.
Please see my post Scents of Comfort: A Joint Blogging Project from March 2010 for more comforting perfume recommendations.
Flora is available at alchemolgie.com $75 for 15ml bottle. $9 for 1ml sample. Above images are courtesy of Julianne Zaleta.
Disclosure: Samples of Flora were sent to me for consideration. All opinions are my own and I am not financially compensated for my reviews.
thefloraesthetic.com 