MoodScent4 Project

Mood Scent 4: Our Favorite Night Out Perfumes

Welcome to our latest post of the Mood Scent 4 blogging project!

We are four perfume bloggers from France, The Netherlands, England and Wales who write about the same subject every couple of months. A selection of fragrances is chosen by us for a special mood or occasion. You will find all the links to the other blogs at the end of this article.

Rainy Day Perfumes, Wedding Guest Perfumes, Mainstream Perfumes, Uplifting Perfumes were our previous topics. This time it is: Night Out Perfumes!

I have chosen several fragrances to fit different occasions to go out, going out for cocktails with friends at a club or bar, having dinner at a restaurant or watching a play at the theatre. My fragrance  choices are: 4160 Tuesdays Midnight in the Palace Garden, Olfactive Studio Still Life in Rio and Les Classiques de L’Occitane Ambre.

4160 Tuesdays Midnight in the Palace Garden – A Lush Oriental Dinner- 

Midnight in the Palace Garden was created by Sarah McCartney and includes notes of Atlas cedarwood, skin notes, frangipani, jasmine and neroli, sandalwood, cedarwood, 20th century wood-like modern molecules, blood orange, vanilla and coffee.

With its notes of sweet orange fruit, sweet orange flowers, candied orange rind, vanilla and woody notes Midnight in the Palace Garden is an excellent fragrance to go out and have dinner at a Moroccan restaurant filled with embroidered cushions, coloured lights and divans. If you do not have such a Moroccan restaurant nearby, just close your eyes and let the fragrance transport you to one. Midnight reminds me of the beautiful Alhambra Nasrid palace in Granada, the most beautiful part of the Alhambra, once home to Moorish sultans and their wives.

Olfactive Studio Still Life in Rio – Going out for Cocktails- 

Still Life in Rio was created by perfumer Dora Baghriche together with Céline Verleure. It includes notes of yuzu, ginger, mint, lemon, mandarin, peppers, coconut water, Brazilian Copaiba, accords of white leather and rum.

Like all Olfactive Studio fragrances the inspiration for the fragrance is a beautiful photograph. Still Life in Rio has more citrus notes (mandarin, lemon and the Japanese citrus fruit yuzu) than its older sister Still Life. Still Life in Rio is full of bright lively sparkles and an excellent fragrance to go out for cocktails. This fragrance will get you in a party mood immediately as it is very uplifting, no drugs or alcohol are needed!

Les Classiques de L’Occitane Ambre – A Night Out in the Theatre- 

Les Classiques de L’Occitane Ambre (in short Ambre) was relaunched in 2016 and includes notes of bergamot, freesia, labdanum, ambre accord, musk, patchouli and vanilla.

The warm, resinous and rich Ambre is an excellent choice when going to a play in an old theatre with red velvet carpets and shining chrystal chandeliers. Although it might be wise not to overspray this classic fragrance and keep the scent close to yourself as it might be a bit overwhelming for other people. Ambre feels very comfortable, lush and luxurious especially with colder weather.

You can find Tara’s choices from A Bottled Rose, Megan’s from Megan in Sainte Máxime and Samantha’s from I Scent You A Day by clicking on the names of the websites. I am curious about their favourite Night Out fragrances, aren’t you?

Which fragrances do you choose for a night out?

Mood Scent 4 Uplifting Perfumes

Welcome to Mood Scent 4!

We are four perfume bloggers based in France, Holland, England and Wales who post on a different jointed subject every couple of months. This time we have chosen uplifting perfumes as we moving into the autumn and winter season. At the end of this article you will find links to the blogs of A Bottled Rose, I Scent You A Day and Megan in St. Maxime.

I really enjoyed choosing 5 uplifting fragrances for our joined project. The fragrances I choose were the joyful L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons Eau de Toilette, invigorating Frederic Malle Cologne Bigarade, contemporary British Heeley Oranges and Lemons, bright April Aromatics Ray Of Light and energising Hermes Eau D’Orange Verte.

1. L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons Eau de Toilette

Notes: Linden Blossom, Lemon Tree Blossom, Orange Blossom, Jasmine, Tuberose Perfumer: Anne Flipo Year: 1999

La Chasse aux Papillons (Chasing butterflies) is a happy, joyful, floral bouquet of white blossoms of orange, jasmine and tuberose with some green leaves and creamy coconut. It is one of my favorite uplifting fragrances and I gladly use the Eau de Toilette, the accompanying body lotion and shower gel on grey rainy days to cheer me up.

In a few words*: innocent, romantic, joyful, young and light, white

2. Frederic Malle Cologne Bigarade

Notes: Bitter Orange, Cardamon, Pepper, Hay, Cedar Wood Perfumer: Jean-Claude Ellena Year: 2001

In true Ellena style this cologne is stripped from any distractions* by leaving out the traditional cologne herbs lavender or rosemary and concentrating fully on the bitter orange essence in all it’s splendour. It’s incredibly energising and an excellent choice for a dull grey autumn or winter morning. I used the shower gel some years ago and loved it too.

In a few words: refreshing, invigorating, clean, casual chic

3. Heeley Oranges And Lemons Say The Bell’s Of … St.Clements

Notes: Oranges, Lemons, Bergamot, Mandarine, Neroli, Petitgrain, Earl Grey Tea, Ylang Ylang, Vetiver Perfumer: James Heeley Year: 2010

Together with La Chasse Aux Papillons a beautiful name for a fragrance. Oranges and Lemons was inspired by an old children’s rhyme from the 18th century. The Bell’s Of St. Clements refer to church bells which can still be found in the historic and financial centre of the City of London.

Oranges and Lemons starts as a contemporary cologne with bright bitter orange flowers (neroli) with their green leaves to change into a slightly sweeter orange lemonade. There is a right balance between the shiny bitter neroli and sweeter orange. Longevity on my skin is good for a cologne style fragrance as it lasts several hours. Unexpectedly the dry down was quite calming.  If the fragrance would have a color it would be vibrant orange.

In a few words: modern cologne, relaxed, contemporary British, colour of bright orange

4. April Aromatics Ray Of Light

Notes: Lime, Lemon, Pink Grapefruit, Orange, Bergamot, Galbanum, Mint, Vetiver, Tobacco. Perfumer: Tanja Bochnig Year: 2014

Ray of Light is an all natural fragrance made by Berlin based perfumer Tanja Bochnig. The fragrance opens with bright sunny bitter green citrus leaves which quickly change into warmer lightly sugared lemon followed by some sweeter orange and a mellow herbal tobacco base. The galbanum adds an overall green bitter scent to the whole fragrance. When smelling and experiencing this fragrance the colour that came to mind was vibrant yellow. I find it a very cheerful and encouraging fragrance. It’s dry down is quite relaxing as well. Ray of Light will work well on those dark days in winter to get you out of bed and running as it will your energy rapidly moving.

In a few words: cheerful, bright, sunny, vibrant yellow, encouraging

5. Hermes Eau D’Orange Verte, I reviewed this energising scent and the shower gel previously on my website.  If you like Frederic Malle Cologne Bigarade you will probably like this too. Eau d’Orange Verte is a cheaper alternative as it is often on sale at discount websites. I use it quite often to refresh in summer and uplift in winter time. You can read my article here.

Bottom line: my top 5 choices for uplifting fragrances were the joyful L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons Eau de Toilette, invigorating Frederic Malle Cologne Bigarade, contemporary English Heeley Oranges and Lemons, bright April Aromatics Ray Of Light and energising Hermes Eau D’Orange Verte.

You can find Tara’s choices from A Bottled Rose, Megan’s from Megan in Sainte Máxime and Samantha’s from I Scent You A Day by clicking on the names of the websites.  Go to their website to read their choices of uplifting fragrances. I am very curious to read which fragrances they choose!

Do you use fragrance to uplift you? If so, what are your favourite uplifting fragrances?

*in a few words was inspired by the excellent The Scented Hound website.

*read Clayton’s more elaborate and  interesting article about the making of Cologne Bigarade on What Men Should Smell Like

Disclosure: all photographs were made by me.