Fragrance

Okay, you guys, I’ll admit it. I’m literally obsessed with perfume. I have upwards of 30 bottles, ranging from Stella to a few Diptyque, Jo Malone and even Serge Lutens, so it’s safe to say that in my time I’ve sniffed a fair few fumes (I dare you to say that three times fast).

One of my greatest pleasures in life is pairing a fragrance with my mood. There are two kinds of perfume lovers; those who find a cherished fragrance and don’t mess with success, preferring to repurchase bottle after bottle, and those who are a fragrance’s fair weather friend, adoring many and exhibiting fickle favoritism. I unquestionably fall into the latter category.

And, of course, as the trees are finally bursting forth from their skeletal winter forms and blooms are popping out of every garden bed it’s only fitting that I reach for a flourishing floral with a strong bouquet, and for that I have recently been drawn to Clean Blossom ($72 for 2.14 oz).

Clean fragrances have been available for over a decade, all owing their popularity to the very first (unsurprisingly entitled Clean), which was said to have been inspired by the beauty in a bar of soap. Since the first smash hit, Clean has released a bevy of “spin-offs” all inspired by simple fragrant pleasures: skin, linen, laundry and rain.

Blossom is the latest release in the deceptively simple range. To my nose it smells of heavy white floral blossoms on a hot summer day. There is a definite dewiness that makes me think of the sunny early morning hours, when the plants are still damp and the smell of night mingles with dawn. Top notes of neroli, lilac and freesia account for the heavy floral burst. Supported by middle notes of orange blossom, lily and magnolia, it is unquestionable that white floral reigns supreme as the chief impression left by Clean Blossom. Musky cottonwood and sandalwood serve as base notes and account for the subtle yet unmistakable deep scent of night that lingers in the floral air.

It’s poetic, and I adore it.

Perfume tells a story, so I always do my best to look up the perfumer’s inspiration. Sephora often provides this information, and I find it provides insight and context into the selected elixir of top, middle and bottom notes:

“Blossom is based on one of my favorite flowers, neroli (orange blossom). Its distinctive aroma fills the air of my childhood places—the south of France, the French Riviera, and the Italian Coast—as well as my current home in Arizona. The name ‘neroli’ is a tribute to Princess Nerola, who made this flower essence famous by using it as a perfume at the end of the 17th century.”

— Claude Dir, master perfumer at Mane and the creator of Clean Blossom

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