The last year or so has had a lot of economic shifts, most of them uncomfortable. Like most people, I’ve tightened my belt, and thought more than usual before making purchases. Somewhere during those months, I started thinking about the nature of luxury, which used to be something that took time to acquire, and required not only money, but taste and thought to achieve. In recent years, it’s been pretty easy to snatch up a piece of perceived luxury. Designer sunglasses abound, the latest “it” bag is only a click away, and the pursuit of luxury has been mostly defined by the acquisition of expensive goods.
Perhaps this is a good time to remember that luxury is defined as a condition of great ease and comfort, something hard to obtain. After all, anything easily obtained becomes less desirable and less treasured. These days I want to spend my money wisely, on things of true luxury and taste—like my featured scents this month—that I will appreciate for years to come.
Tiare, by Ormonde Jayne
Tiare is the latest release from Ormonde Jayne, the London-based perfumery that recently celebrated its seventh anniversary. Listed top notes are mandarin, orange flower, and sicilian lime, with heart notes of tiare (Tahitian gardenia) freesia, water lilies, jasmine, orris, and ylang and base notes of cedar, vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, moss, and musk.
Winter may seem an odd time to release a white floral fragrance, but Linda Pilkington, founder of Ormonde Jayne, created Tiare to be a perfume you can wear anytime, anywhere. Very often that sort of description means non-descript but, as usual, Ormonde Jayne has come up with a fragrance that is anything but ordinary.
Tiare opens with big citrus bang that moves quickly into the bright, sun-drenched floral notes. One of the things I like about the citrus is that’s it actually smells like a citrus fruit rather than that jarring floor-cleaner smell that frequently passes for citrus in perfumes.
Unfortunately for me, I’ve never smelled a Tahitian gardenia so I have no idea what they smell like, but this is not a creamy, heavy, gardenia. It’s sharp and green, and you can smell a hint of the oakmoss almost immediately. The drydown retains a memory of the crisp opening notes, which is wonderful alongside the woody notes, which is what came through most on my skin. I don’t really smell much patchouli but I think that and the vetiver are what give the drydown such an interesting combination of warm woods and tingly greenery.
I’ve been wearing Tiare ever since I got a sample, including on days when it was really cold, and discovered there’s something perfect about wearing it on a brisk day. I’ve also had loads of compliments while wearing Tiare, which is always a plus. I realized pretty soon I would be out of my sample, so I ordered a bottle of the EDP, and I don’t regret my splurge at all. In fact, once I’ve used up that bottle, I may have to buy the parfum, because having a bottle of Tiare with my initials engraved on the crystal stopper really is my definition of luxury. The lasting power is excellent, as with all Ormonde Jayne fragrances.
After a recent redesign, the bottles are square, heavy crystal with frosted glass swirls on the back and are utterly elegant.
Eau de parfum and parfum, £69 to £210 (about $111 to about $340). Ormonde Jayne has reasonable shipping rates and your bottle will arrive fast.
Interested in learning more about Ormonde Jayne? Read my interview with Linda Pilkington.
Bond No. 9 Signature Perfume by Bond No. 9
Bond No. 9 has just released Bond No. 9 Perfume, with listed notes of oud, rose, tonka beans, and musk.
This scent is named for its downtown address in New York and is a parfum rather than an eau de parfum.
