Hey there A Bottled Rose, It’s a Mood Scent 4 week. WOO HOO! This month the crew are looking at Virtual Holiday Scents. This is particularly close to my heart because Jin and I love to travel and are keenly feeling our lack of ability to do it in 2020. Usually we try to get as many people, places and adventures in each year as possible. Under the current NO TRAVEL regime it might be nice to imagine what you’ll take on your next adventure, remember wonderful places you’ve already seen or even where you’ll be going when the ban is lifted. A good Virtual Holiday Scent needs to be versatile, able to conjur dreams, memories, wishes and fantasies from trekking to candle lit dinner, market shopping to meetings and fishing trip to art gallery. Obviously few fragrances can really run this gamut comfortably on their own, so a small selection is always called for.
Obviously, these choices are subject to change, daily.
Can’t wait to read about your favourite Virtual Holiday Scents in the comments too.
So excited to be blogging with these three superstars again: Esperanza L’Esperessence, Megan Megan In Sainte Maxime and Samantha I Scent You A Day. Check theirs out too.
Mood Scent 4: Virtual Holiday Scents
Divine EdP by Divine Parfums
Divine EdP is the CHANEL No 5 end game. An aldehydic floral done in the same basic pattern but SO MUCH BETTER! It’s fizzy, intoxicating and manages to redefine the genre beautifully. That 30ml travel case is also the perfect accessory. I might also have the extrait for less magnificent sillage and projection. SHHH! This is a rarely talked about perfumista gem that needs to stay secret. A bit too glam for a bus ride up the Himalayas but it was the only thing that kept me sane on that terrifying white knuckle ride. Nowadays it is the perfect memory scent of grand adventure.
Niki de Saint Phalle
What kind of a holiday would it be without a chypre to lift your spirits and bring a hint of mysterious glamour. Any of the most famous ones could have been chosen in this slot but what I love about Niki de Saint Phalle besides the fabulously charismatic fragrance is the sensational travel sized bottles chosen. They look so posh and unusual if you need to respritz, that bottle alone brings me such a rush of pleasure. Galbanum, mint, leather and oak moss given a lift with the brilliance of carnation. One of these magnificent 13ml travel bottles has accompanied me on many adventures through Europe and the USA but my favourite memories of it are in Paris 2018 with a bunch of perfumista buddies.
NO ± Suede by UER MI
NO ± Suede is an interesting leather. Made up of familiar pieces; plum, saffron, incense and oudhy leather, it should smell like Serge Lutens Daim Blond or Bottega Veneta EdP. The note list is where the resemblances end. We have no sweet, waxy coating here. There’s not that rush of high end handbag or shoe. NO ± Suede is infinitely calmer, more controlled and has a rugged, traditionally masculine bent all done with perfect poise and precision. I’ve not yet taken NO ± Suede on a holiday but it speaks to me of the Florentine leather markets where Jin and I might have bought some stuff.
Oriental Lounge by The Different Company
A softly spicy, sweet amber with floral hints. Warming but not sticky, a dry peppery spice over a cool resinous heart with little trills of rose to add gloss and shine. Perfect for so many occasions. I did have a 10ml travel but it was dropped in a Thailand airport lounge after having a shower. Irony in action. Whenever I spritz it the memories of my mate Michael & my 2014 Europe trip and our only ever First Class flights come flooding back.
Ubar by Amouage
There is still about 1ml left in my original 10ml decant of Ubar but it’s so banged up and daggy looking I used the bottle shot. I regularly take it with me on journeys to hot countries. There is NOTHING like a single spritz of Ubar in the dry desert heat od Rajasthan or the Australian outback. It’s enormous, kitchen sink like complexity and extraordinary resinous aldehydic floral size suddenly blooms in an unexpected way and is even more jaw droopingly beautiful.
Vanille Galant by Hermès
As you can see I’m well into my second 15ml of Vanille Galant. A lily like no other. Across the board I find myself wearing it for anything. It seems to fit in venues as diverse as the Louvre and the Busan Fish Market, Trans Siberian Railway to The Ritz and our most recent adventure in Koh Samui. Lily, vanilla, booze, chocolate and spices over a dedicatedly dry tobacco/woods base. Nothing else like it. I rarely wear it when not on holiday but when I do it is like a magic carpet ride of magical memories.
So what are your favourite Virtual Holiday Scents and where will you be going once the travel ban is over?
Portia xx
A Bottled Rose 
London hopefully!! 2021
My last trip I wore Coco edt..
Bought at Sydney airport before my flight….first USA holiday .. nothing to do with each other .I just wanted to be a classy Aussie in USA lol.
LikeLike
Hey there Anna Maria,
Fingers crossed for Europe. I’m itching to get back.
Coco EdT! You were a fab smelling world traveller. So glam.
Portia xx
LikeLike
I rarely travel, and when I do it is local in my home state of Colorado. We are blessed with magnificent beauty and I never tire of the mountains. I won’t travel without my dogs so it’s always a drive vacation. Therefore I have the luxury of bringing full bottles. Typically whatever is new or getting a lot of wear at the time. I love to bring samples on vacation as well, love sampling when I have time to savour.
LikeLike
Hey Kathleen,
Colorado! How fabulous. I have a girlfriend who skis there every second year. Apparently it’s one of the best places in the world to do it and she also loves the scenery.
You travel with the fur babies! How lavish. I love that idea.
Portia xx
LikeLike
Because of you, I recently bought a sample of Divine (you mentioned it multiple times, and it sounded … well, divine 🙂 ). It is all you wrote about this perfume, I like it and might eventually buy (especially if that travel-friendly format is available), but it’s such a big perfume, that I don’t see myself bringing it with me – unless I’m visiting some gala event, which I doubt 😉
I have a full “tropical vacation” set of perfumes, so if I’m not allowed to travel, in September I’ll be wearing them all. The main one – Bronze Goddess.
Volutes EdT is perfume that my vSO and I have been sharing for all plane trips in the last… 6-7 (?) years, so for me it’s an ultimate travel perfume.
LikeLike
Hey Undina,
WOW! I love that I inspired you to get a sample of Divine EdP. Especially glad you like it. Yeah, that 30ml is the perfect travel size.
I know that you wear Bronze Goddess on your tropical adventures. It’s your morning spritz, yeah?
Volutes EdT is a beautiful plane frag. So calming and glamorous.
Hugs,
Portia xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’ve decided not to take holidays abroad this year. We’re going to support our own economy by holidaying here instead. There are lots of beautiful and interesting spots we can hit.
But if I was getting on a plane to somewhere beachy I know what I’d be packing. I’d have my little baggie of decants. Lancôme o’Dazur for morning freshness at breakfast. Bronze Goddess for just about whenever. For late evenings, getting ready for cocktails and dinner I’d be dialing it up. Sex and the Sea Neroli would be the first one I’d decide on. Coco can smell amazing on a hot night so she’s coming too. I’d definitely have a couple of BWFs as well. Nuit de Tubereuse would stand up to anything. Franck Boclet is another fab one, and has a beautiful monoi note. OJ Frangipani, because it is always perfect.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good idea Cassieflower,
I think we won’t be going to Europe in November or Koh Samui for Xmas. Hopefully we can go somewhere though, as much as I understand the need for restrictions I do like to get out and away.
WHAT A LINE UP! Like the Cool Kids perfume selection handbook.
Portia xx
LikeLike
You live in an amazing country of such diversity. I’m sure you’ll find somewhere to get away to😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, so far we are allowed to travel within NSW and Victoria. There’s quite a lot to see in those two states, you’re right Cassieflower.
Portia xx
LikeLike
Not planning to fly again for at least a year, we will be making road trips in Canada and doing some camping, which is not conducive to perfume wearing (attracts bugs). But I have some tropical scents I wear to Hawaii, and tend to just grab random decants & samples for road trips. Will probably bring my Aedes travel sprays of Oeillet Bengal and Iris Nazarena.
LikeLike
Hey TaraC,
So no migration this year? That will be hard.
CAMPING! I love that people get enjoyment out of it but having been a cadet in school, nope. Also, everything in Australia is deadly and wants to kill us.
Aedes does excellent fragrances. I loved Iris Nazarena and always said I’d buy it when I went to the Aedes store but then …….
Hopefully one day.
Portia x
LikeLike
Oh yes, we are driving back and forth from Montréal to San Diego as usual. We are planning a big road trip for the return, all the way west across Canada and then down the pacific coast of the US. We don’t have as many deadly critters as you do, mostly mosquitoes, a couple of snakes and of course bears. I love camping. 🙂
LikeLike
Oh cool. So you ARE having a holiday. It just lasts 6 months.
LikeLike
Hi Portia – you have a huge choice here and the Divine sounds pretty good to me. LOL re your camping comment on Australia and all of its crawling and slithering friends! Xx
LikeLike
Hey Megan,
That Divine is perfectly named. they also do a mens sage fragrance that is really special.
You’re originally an NZ girl so you KNOW how deadly our Aussie fauna can be. I think of the 10 most deadly creatures on earth 7 or 8 of them are Australian natives. My fear is well based in factual encounter too. Met up close and personally a brown snake, a red belly black snake, platypus, crocodile, many funnel webs, white tail and redback spiders. They’re just the ones I’ve identified on close inspection. Camping? Nope. ALL the nopes.
Portia xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah camping in Australia sounds like an anxiety nightmare. Much easier in NZ that’s for sure!
LikeLike
PLUS you get Hobbitses.
LikeLike
Hi Portia, oh Divine! Must smell wonderful on you as you mentioned it quite often. Those Hermes travel sprays are wonderful aren’t they? XxxEsperanza
LikeLike
Hey there Esperanza,
Divine EdP sits on my desk at my right hand, next to my computer mouse. It gets a lot of skin time and is always top of mind. I don’t think of not as a signature but I do love the way it smells.
15ml is the PERFECT travel size. Hermès nails it beautifully with their slim line, extra tough bottles. Made for throwing in your kit and running out the door to catch that flight to adventure.
Portia xx
LikeLike
Hey Portia
Dreaming of holidays past is a nice thing to do during this time. I hope to be able to travel again next year as soon as I can have a vaccine.
Enjoyed reading your choices, especially Vanille Gelant. I’d take Cedre Sambac in the travel size along with the Niki de Saint Phalle you gifted me – it always feels right.
LikeLike
Hey there Tara,
Jin, Kath, Anna Maria and I have spent hours reminiscing together and separately about our various adventures. Like when YOU popped over to Venice for a few days, Australia for a couple of weeks or Paris for a couple of nights. Next stop has to be somewhere in Asia if possible. I think it’s time for you to do South Korea and Japan. I’ve just learned about a Japanese island with a selection of Niki de saint Phalle sculptures! It’s rocketed to #1 on my Must See List.
Portia xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Portia! Do you know what? I haven’t tried ANY of these and that’s what i love about working with you. Just when you think you’ve smelled everything after seven years of blogging, you find a new seam of gold to mine. Will you still be coming in November or are you seeing how the land lies? I’ll bring you so many samples I’ll need to buy two seats on the train! xx
LikeLike
WOW! That is fabulous. Not even the Hermès Sam?
We still have flights booked for Novemberbut Jin is holding off boring hotels etc till we know. The Australian Government has said probably not. We live in hope.
OMG! It will be a fabulously sample laden trip back to Oz! Woo Hoo!
I do hope we get to do it.
Portia xx
LikeLike
Fab choices, Portia. I hope you and Jin manage to go somewhere. It’s been a nightmare hasn’t it ? X
LikeLike
Thanks Matty,
Yeah, fingers crossed.
It has been surprising. I’m so shallow, people are dying and losing their livelihoods and I grumble about not travelling. Seriously need to check myself sometimes. I feel really bad for anyone who can’t get what they need.
Portia xx
LikeLike
I love Vanille Gallante and did in fact wear it the other day when I was on a lily kick! Oriental Lounge is a perfume I have a sample of and have been meaning to retry.
LikeLike
Sorry, got carried away with my double ‘l’s.
LikeLike
Hey there Vanessa,
RETRY Oriental Lounge please. I’d love to hear how it wears for you.
Portia xx
LikeLike