BRILLIANCE: Scent Semantics #7

Hey Crew. Scent Semantics?

We get a word, we get a date, we have to choose a single fragrance that fits the word and then have to explain how it fits together, in our way. As much or little as we feel the word/fragrance connection needs. We are going to probe a little into how each of us bloggers see the world, fragrance, ourselves. We get to see how one word can inspire different directions in connection. or not.

BRILLIANCE: Scent Semantics #7

This month it was my pick. Actually, my word came from how I feel when reading the other Scent Semantics crew posts. Every one of us has a different bent, a new insight, a way of looking at the chosen word that speaks to me of BRILLIANCE. This is such a satisfying feeling, to be in with a group that is educated, involved, proficient in and aware of so much more than I am. They say that if you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room. I’m definitely feeling like this is a good room to be in for me.

BRILLIANCE

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Gardenia Peach Apricot Hyacinth Orange Blossom White Rose Water Lily Mandarin Orange Sage
Heart: Tuberose Jasmine Magnolia Lily Carnation Rose Lily-of-the-Valley
Base: Vanilla Amber Tonka Bean Musk Patchouli

Childhood memories of having four TV stations and reading trashy tell all supermarket magazines are full of the glamour and mystery of Elizabeth Taylor. She was the most decadent, over the top, beautiful, tragic figure and I desperately wanted to be that interesting and beloved. Nobody on earth seemed to have the same BRILLIANCE and lustre. Even that she was so unlucky in love seemed to be a fair payment for the amazing life she got to live. It was as if she paid her dues in emotional unhappiness. That seemed like a very reasonable trade off to a young, aspiring, self styled theatre prodigy.

We would watch her movie reruns again and again. National Velvet, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Father of the Bride, Lassie, Giant and Little Women would be watched every time, oohed and ached at just like the first time.

Let’s not forget her huge love of jewellery and the diamonds dripping off her. The 33+c Krupp Diamond and the 68+c Taylor-Burton Diamond added to her allure and mystique.

So, though I know it’s hardly as expensive or beloved as Elizabeth Taylor, today for BRILLIANCE I dismissed all the beautiful, sparkling, aldehydic CHANEL, Bulgari, Boucheron, and Cartier fragrances. Yes, perfect fits all of them BUT the thing that Elizabeth Taylor did was bring the idea of everything she had, was and dreamed of to us. For next to nothing we could imagine that with a few spritzes of her perfumes that we too had that Elizabeth Taylor BRILLIANCE.

I have a few of the collection here but the one I keep coming to and spritzing is Diamonds and Emeralds. You can see that about 20% is missing from an 100ml bottle, that’s a lot for a perfumista. The kitchen sink approach has been used in compiling the note list but for me it’s a much simpler creation. An aldehydic fruity floral with a sweet and warm base that lingers for hours and hours. Its BRILLIANCE is dazzling. Glittering, frosty peaches and a white floral bouquet drizzled with honey and vanilla heavy amber.

Amusingly, though many of my fragrances are award winning and or expensive it’s Diamond and Emeralds that gets the ‘What is that fabulous perfume?”.

How do you interpret and what perfume would you associate with the word BRILLIANCE?
Portia xx