As I wrote a post on Maison Francis Kurkdjian - Baccarat Rouge 540 and how this perfume reminds me of the festive season, I immediately remembered another perfume that just brings me back in a second to the Christmas season in Paris. If any of you have followed me before you may know that I lived in Paris for a while. And I could swear - Christmas in Paris smelled like Lancôme - La Vie Est Belle. The hype was real back then, almost every female friend I had when I lived there, had a bottle of this perfume in her collection. It was so popular, especially during winter that even now, living in a different country La Vie Est Belle takes me right back to Christmas time in Paris, because I could smell this on so many people in the metro, in shops, basically everywhere. I never owned a bottle myself, but I adore this perfume just for the memories it brings back.
Speaking of Parisiennes and their perfumes, I was pretty intrigued to find out what are scents used and adored by them so I would always keep my eyes wide open when I would pass them in beauty shops, perfumeries, I would do my little innocent investigation haha because I was very intrigued. Perfume, after all, is something that adds to this intrigue that Parisian women have around them, that je ne sais qiuo.
So I was pretty surprised when I noticed they don't go that crazy about all the niche brands they have in their own country, IN FRANCE the land of perfumes, fields of flowers, and best perfumers in the world, you know. It was pretty evident that they preferred to have a unique signature scent, a scent that people would associate them with. A small collection of 3 maybe 4 perfumes is much more preferred than a huge one.
As I may associate La Vie Est Belle with Paris, another perfume just incarnates to me a French girl who strolls around the streets of Paris. Seconds after I smell État libre d'Orange - Putain the Palace I think of her, very chic but somehow a bit erotic. One of my most adored perfumes ever, a cloud of cosmetic powder with Violette flowers. To me this is a reflection of her, that woman living in le Marais, and carelessly marching the streets of the city in the evening.
Powdery scents were pretty popular in France for quite a long period. The cult perfume by Guerlain - L'heure Bleue is still used and I would even dare to say is one of the best sellers in France. It seems to me that the Guerlain brand is very appreciated by locals. The same is with Chanel, I guess there is no surprise here. But during my stay in Paris, I encountered more women who used Chanel - Chance than Chanel No. 5, which kind of took me by surprise. Because you know... Chanel No.5 is the perfume of the perfumes. Although I would not dare to say that it is not worn. I found that the older generation wears Chanel No. 5 pretty much every day and a bit younger females choose it for special occasions.
Although brands with legacy are still very much used, one particular quite modern, dusty rose bottle with ribbon proudly stands on a lot of cosmetic tables in Paris. Chloe by Chloe is the second perfume that reminds me of a modern Parisian woman chic and carefree but daring at the same time.
These were the perfumes I found my friends used most of the time in France, I think they are still popular. Maybe you have something to add to my shortlist?
Do you have any perfume that immediately reminds you of a French woman?
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