After helping our friends move today, I needed a little bit of down time to really do nothing. For some reason, flipping through magazines seems relaxing to me even if I am not really interested in reading any articles. Sometimes I just like to flip the pages, …flip….flip…flip…and then realize that I am flipping them unconsciously. As I flipped past one article in a very old Elle magazine (don’t even ask me why I still have it) from November 2005 the second page of an article I had skipped over caught my attention. The word was Mimosa (I love Mimosa) and I realized that it was an article about perfumes. I flipped back and read the article. It was an excellent and informative read that I wish I would have read back in 2005!
The article is called Modern Vintage. It spoke about how some perfumers are taking a cue from winemakers who make vintage wines and champagnes. A vintage wine is produced from an exceptional crop called a millesime. A vintage wine is not a blend of many different years, but is taken exclusively from the single outstanding crop. Other non-vintage bottles are made from careful mixing of crops that could be from seven different years and as many as 50-60 crus (high quality plots of land).
The article continued to talk about how perfumes like non-vintage wines are also usually “blended for uniformity.” The natural difference have been minimized as much as possible to please the consumer so that they would never notice a difference in the perfume runs.
Instead of painstakingly trying to erase the differences of the variations, some companies decided to embrace it with “a new crop of limited-edition scents that spotlights mother nature’s best work.”
“Givenchy turned to a 30-kilometer stretch of paradise between Nice and Cannes. The south of France is no stranger to perfect specimens, but every February something remarkable happens here…….A dense grove of wild mimosa trees suddenly comes to life, sprouting riotous yellow pom-poms of buds. These luscious smelling trees were imported from Australia in the 1850s by British aristocrats to brighten up the grounds of their summer homes; once they hit Grasse, the birthplace of the fragrance industry, it was only a matter of time until their essence found its way into perfumes. Mimosa was first used in Jean Patou’s 1937 fragrance, Vacance; it’s also a distinctive player in Givenchy’s 1991 floral, Amirage.”
The thing with Mimosa is that it is very delicate and needs conditions that are mild to harvest an excellent crop. With the winter of 2004, the temperatures were moderate, not much frost, and “mild mistral (the legendary wind that courses over the region, stirring up all its scents)” made for a beautiful “unusually powdery, pure-smelling” crop of blossoms. This is what Givenchy used to update Amarige with the release of Amarige Mimosa de Grasse 2005 Harvest. It has a 42 percent mimosa concentration and only 80,000 bottles produced, much less than millions that Givenchy sells every year. According to Alain Lorenzo, the CEO of Parfums Givenchy, “Harvest 2005 is like buying a vintage champagne, it’s a treat.” Most women don’t have just a signature fragrance anymore.
Now on to the one that I am dying to try. L’Artian Parfumeur’s Fleur d’Orange 2005 (a run of only 2,990 numbered, signed bottles). This fragrance is “based on a spectacular orange-blossom harvest from the Nabeul orchards of Tunisia. L’Artisan says this 2004 vintage epitomizes the unique duality fo the orange blossom itself: It is simultaneously fresh and warm. Bottling this precise, farm-fresh not meant distilling the flowers’ essences within 24 hours of when they were picked.” Not being able to get this exact crop with this exact scent at the height of perfection is what makes this so special. I decided to go on the lookout and scout out eBay to find out if there was a way to obtain this wonderful perfume. Only one completed auction and no active items. The auction was purchased at a “buy it now” at over $250 USD. I checked makeupalley and obviously there wasn’t any offerings. If only I would have read the article when it first came out, I could have at least sampled this supossed masterpiece.
Also noted in the article Donna Karen’s Scent Collection Essence based on “natures own limited editions”.
If I have inspired you to try Mimosa, here are some more affordable and available options from sephora.com:
The Champs-Elysees, birthplace of the House of Guerlain, inspires a fragrance that captures the spirit of Paris at play. Sparkling and vivacious, with fresh mimosa, crushed rose petals, and tart cassis berry, Champs-Elysees was created for the woman who follows her own instincts with confidence and spontaneity.
Notes:
Mimosa Leaves, Rose Petals, Cassis Berry, Almond Blossom, Hibiscus Seed.
Style:
Captures the spirit of Paris at play.1.7 oz. $62
This herbal-infused pomade controls frizzies and adds luster to all types of hair while imparting a sweet citrus scent. With protective alkanet root and annatto seeds for color, this pomade tames and softens permed hair to perfection.”
If you are on a budget, try the above hair pomade for only $9.50!
Yves Saint Laurent, an incurable romantic, created Paris in 1983 and dedicated it to the city of inspiration and love. Paris speaks to every woman, everywhere. The fragrance is a romantic symphony, a perfect orchestration of 232 notes blended with superb artistry. Like a lavish bouquet, Paris’ deepening chords of rose petal notes make this fragrance all the richer in its expression of warmth and affection.
Notes:
Rose, Hawthorn, Mimosa, Violet, Sandalwood, Moss, Iris, Amber, Musk.
Style:
An aromatic symphony of rose petals perfectly orchestrated with affection, warmth and romance.1.6 oz. $59.
Natural perfumes made of ingredients found at their peak in nature are beautiful. And Expensive. At least experience the greater things in life, even if that means just buying a sample once in a while, it’s worth it.