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.
VIVACIOUS: Scent Semantics #8
This month it was Elena, The Plum Girl’s pick. VIVACIOUS is a spectacular word for Scent Semantics #8. Though I’ve used the word often to describe people and even pets it had never really crossed my mind that there might be an exact meaning. A meaning so simple and unambiguous that, while never having looked the word up in a dictionary before, the meaning in my mind from inference and reading was almost bang on. That’s always a good feeling to start the Scent Semantics experiment.
Strangely though, I had real trouble finding a few fragrances to choose from in my collection that fir the word perfectly. This is interesting because usually there’s a plethora.
This photo came up when looking for a vivacious image. I think it totally encapsulates the word and the three words the dictionary uses to describe it. So I’m using this image as my touchstone for VIVACIOUS and am thinking of a suitable fragrance to match the image, the people in it, its colours and the burst of life I feel coming through.
VIVACIOUS:
a vivacious folk dance.
Tubereuse Couture 17 Pierre Guillaume Paris
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Indian Tuberose, Sugar Cane, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Papyrus, Benzoin, Green Notes, Orange
As I was going through my collection looking for something to fit the word, and the image I’ve chosen, I felt the need to find something that wasn’t a hype machine. Something bright, fresh and infectiously attractive. For me VIVACIOUS often seems to be something/one with a bit of quirk, a separateness from the average and a fun twist. In people you might know Sandra Oh, Tilda Swinton, Emilia Clarke, Grace Jones, Hugh Jackman, Priyanka Chopra, Nicholas Hoult, Brittany Murphy, Lucille Ball, Queen Latifah and Tamsin Greig all fit into my idea of VIVACIOUS. It’s like VIVACIOUS needs to be something that comes forth from them rather than just the two dimensional. I also found perfumer Pierre Guillaume VIVACIOUS, in his drop dead gorgeous, French way.
So, partly this is why Tubereuse Couture 17 seems like a perfect fit to me. The opening is bath sweet and green, like a war between the two but both are perfectly balanced against each other. Projection and diffusion are quite big at first but not overwhelming. The bubble gum and leaf sap feel aligned. Then we get a beautiful, buttery waft of creamy, fatty, gooey tuberose. it’s like putting your face into a bunch of the cut flowers. Nearly overwhelming but it skirts the edges without ever becoming obnoxious (unless you hate tuberose and then you’ll be screaming).
The heart is dryer, calmer, more contemplative. That rush of headiness has softened and suddenly there’s some air and space between the notes. While I adore the opening and it’s a real eye popper as we head into the heart and then dry down I’m constantly mesmerised by the utter beauty. If VIVACIOUS is something that unfolds after an initial rush of WOW then Tubereuse Couture 17 is a perfect representation. I’m surprised vanilla and sandalwood aren’t mentioned in the notes, the base has that creaminess, warmth and cozy feeling I expect from them.
Tubereuse Couture 17 feels lively; animated and spirited. It’s a bit sideways and beguiles unexpectedly. Sure it’s bloody gorgeous as well and so rarely talked about anymore. A bit like the world we live in. Couldn’t every single one of us do with a little more VIVACIOUS?
How do you interpret and what perfume would you associate with the word VIVACIOUS?
Portia xx
Elena https://theplumgirl.com
A Bottled Rose 
My first thought was of Hiram Green’s Vivacious, which actually isn’t very vivacious in style. Your pick sounds more bubbly and upbeat. Love tuberose at this time of year, albeit it is not very flaming June-y at the moment.
Rather off-topic, but you have reminded me of the time I was interviewing a wholesaler in Boulogne about the attributes he looked for in Scottish salmon. He replied “an air of vivacity in its eye”, which at the time I thought a big ask from a dead fish, but there you go.
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Ha!
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I wrote about Hiram Green’s Vivacious, with a nod to Diana Vreeland, lol!
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HA! Vanessa I love that salmon story.
Portia xx
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Great word Portia and one I associate with my sister as she has such a sparkling personality.
Perfumes that come to mind are Bombay Bling! and Superstitious.
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Bombay Bling was my pick as well!
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Aah I was on the right track then with that one then, wasn’t sure. Great minds 😀
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OMG! Lisa isa the embodiment of vivacious Tara. You are right.
Damn! Bombay Bling is such a perfect choice. I feel I’ve missed a trick.
Portia xx
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I haven’t tried your vivacious scent, Portia, although I have a few of Pierre Guillaume’s fragrances. It sounds beautiful! Right now, the big white flower dominating my senses is gardenia. I have a few in my garden, but more than one home in my neighborhood has entire hedges of gardenias, as they are evergreen here, and they’re all in full bloom! When we walk our dog Lucy, the air is absolutely perfumed by them.
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Hi OH,
LOVE gardenias. They use them as hedging in loads of our civic buildings built before the turn of the century. I think they are too much trouble to keep looking good here and have been replaced by Muraya, which I also love.
Portia xx
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