AD | This post is an advertisement feature with Boots UK, but the thoughts and stories I’ve shared are all my own. It’s dedicated to my mum Patricia.
Mum, did you know that when I was little I used to be sneak into your perfume collection? You kept your cosmetics in a kitchen cupboard along with our scrunchies and hairbrushes. I’d wait until I heard the hoover running upstairs, then I’d make a beeline for them!
My favourite was one that Dad gave you. I knew it was special because you kept it in the box and only ever wore it on special occasions. It had a beautiful jewel toned glass bottle that I coveted. The perfume itself smelt heady and intoxicating and very sophisticated to my young senses. I was hooked.
I can only apologise for spraying a fair amount of it into the bottle lid over the years. It was the best way I could think of to get a good sniff of it without actually spritzing any on myself. I was sure I’d be caught red handed if I ran around wafting Dior Poison in my wake!
Watching you get ready influenced my own ‘night out’ routine. You used perfume as the finishing touch to any outfit. To this day I always go for oriental, spicy fragrances too; luxurious, opulent scents containing amber notes and dark fruits that linger for hours. My favourite women’s perfume for evening is YSL Black Opium so we obviously share a love for perfumes with wicked names!
During the day I still gravitate towards strong scents but I prefer those from the floral family. I wonder if this stems from a childhood spent in the garden? Wherever we lived growing up your green fingers always managed to transform it into something beautiful and blooming.
You taught me that everything should be smelt as well as seen to enjoy it fully. I still automatically rub the leaves of any herbs I come across to discover if they’re minty or lemony or peppery.
Now that you and Dad have both retired, your garden has become an abundance of colours and bouquets. I always get a tour when I pop over to see you. It’ll be lovely when the first buds of Spring to burst into life so we can repeat our yearly ritual all over again.
This year might be the year that I start a rose garden of my own too. In the meantime, I’ve settled for a perfume that bottles it instead!
With fresh top notes of peony, mandarin and rose, a dusky heart of rose absolute and a warm base of amber, Stella by Stella McCartney is my perfume of choice in Spring and Summer.
It’s a gorgeous fragrance carrying through a hint of vanilla spice to balance out the florals. I find it modern, but nostalgic all at the same time. The ethics behind it means that there’s lots of my personality in the mix too! Stella ensured that it’s made using vegan, cruelty free ingredients and the packaging is sourced from sustainable, recyclable materials.
I was having a browse at the Boots perfume counter the other day and got chatting to the assistant. She asked me what sort of scents I like and I explained about the floral notes in Stella.
“Do you know the history of it?” She asked. “She made it in memory of her mum who loved roses.” Well isn’t that fitting!
I’d love to know what scents you all love too! Let me know in my poll below:
