Flower Galore: Floral-Based Perfumes

One bottle of perfume contains a whole gamut of notes blended creatively to achieve the desired scent. Each perfume is more than an olfactory experience, behind the notes are stories of inspiration, captured moments or a fleeting memory of something that piques the senses.

Flowers are one of the basic components in most perfumes and fragrance houses use flowers of every kind. These could be locally cultivated or grown elsewhere. Flowers evoke femininity, a gentle embrace or a light caress from a woman. In fragrances, it gives a certain character, a distinct trail, a representation of a specific era that take you to an olfactory journey.

Let’s explore some of the popular floral perfumes today.

Parisienne by Yves Saint Laurent

Parisienne is floral-fruity in the opening embellished with notable floral notes such as peony, rose and violet. It’s slightly musky but the rose component notably stands out. This is a lovely fragrance that lets the wearer experience the old the new. Roses have a way of adding a nostalgic flair to the overall appeal of the fragrance no matter how mainstream the fragrance is.

Pleasures by Estee Lauder

Pleasures is a sheer floral fragrance that centers on the rare essence of exotic Baie rose. It’s charming, fresh with plenty of lush floral notes – lilies, peonies, jasmine. Fresh-cut grass notes are also present.

Chelsea Flowers by Bond No 9

This fragrance is inspired by New York’s Chelsea Flower Market. So, imagine yourself swimming in a pool of flowers. The impression is dainty, fine and lively courtesy of the floral notes of peony, tulip, hyacinth, magnolia and rose. Definitely luxurious albeit expensive.

Versace by Versace

Versace is a blend of soft floral notes such as orchid, lilac, jasmine and lotus. It’s an abstract floral but comes out as a well-blended fragrance – fresh, clean and sparkling.

DKNY Be Delicious Night

Iris, freesia and jasmine captures the magical night life of New York. DKNY Be Delicious Night is floriental in composition – incense-y, spicy and mysterious.

More of these floral-based fragrances at discount perfume retailer, scentiments.com.

DKNY Black Cashmere

Donna Karan’s passion for cashmere takes you to another level of sensual drama. The remarkable blanket of comfort is still there but this time it’s more elegant, deep and opulent. Black Cashmere’s intense character arises from the mingling of exotic woods, spices and berries. Its composition is a cocktail of masala spice, white pepper, saffron, nutmeg, oriental woods, patchouli and bois de miel. This is a lovely rendition of an evening fragrance from DKNY. The melange of notes bring out a lustful affair of mystery.

The progression of woods is the highlight of the fragrance. At the beginning of the notes, saffron dominates with a sleek, linear finish. The incense at the top notes lingers for a long time then gradually   unfolds the more luxurious pair of incense and woods. The aroma straddles between the richness of dark orientals and the sweet base of caramelized fruits. The patchouli element doesn’t have a jarring  effect on the overall appeal of the fragrance. In fact, you can still discern the patchouli component in the background. Incensed woods is what Black Cashmere is all about.

Donna Karan‘s passion for cashmere takes you to another level of sensual drama. The remarkable blanket of comfort is still there but this time it’s more elegant, deep and opulent. Black Cashmere’s intense character arises from the mingling of exotic woods, spices and berries. Its composition is a cocktail of masala spice, white pepper, saffron, nutmeg, oriental woods, patchouli and bois de miel. This is a lovely rendition of an evening fragrance from DKNY. The melange of notes bring out a lustful affair of mystery.

The progression of woods is the highlight of the fragrance. At the beginning of the notes, saffron dominates with a sleek, linear finish. The incense at the top notes lingers for a long time then gradually   unfolds the more luxurious pair of incense and woods. The aroma straddles between the richness of dark orientals and the sweet base of caramelized fruits. The patchouli element doesn’t have a jarring  effect on the overall appeal of the fragrance. In fact, you can still discern the patchouli component in the background. Incensed woods is what Black Cashmere is all about.

Donna Karan features a suite of fragrances of the same calibre – classic, sophisticated with an overall impression that never fails to mirror the city life she has grown accustomed with. More DKNY perfumes and colognes at discount perfume online store, scentiments.com.

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist

Soft and velvety like real cashmere, Donna Karan Cashmere Mist combines a lofty-floral scent meant to be adored up close. Undeniably feminine and one-dimensional, this lush fragrance treats you to an oriental woody fanfare of Moroccan jasmine, lily of the valley, bergamot, sandalwood and amber. The notes are far from being tagged as mundane. It’s not your typical crisp and fresh fragrance either. It is beyond that. There’s an air of mystery inextricably anchored in the floral-suede essences it radiates.

Donna Karan wanted to create a signature fragrance that complements her personality. Apparently, she loves cashmere. She’s passionate about it, even obsessed about it, she says.

Cashmere Mist develops into a soft, powdery scent, a tad spicy and soapy in the dry down. The alluring scent makes you want to snuggle up so you can enjoy the comforting warmth it emanates from within. Another stunning characteristic is its straightforward appeal. Albeit contemporary, you wouldn’t mistake it for the ubiquitous unisex fragrance flooding the perfumery today.

The sleek bottle was designed by Donna Karan‘s late husband Stephan Weiss. His inspiration was the sensual lines of a woman’s back. The sculpted glass reflects the comely scent of the liquid inside just like the sheer beauty and confidence of a complete woman.

The first Cashmere Mist was introduced in 1994. Since then the fragrance has evolved into more interesting versions but the softness of cashmere remains. Cashmere Mist and its recent additions to the fragrance line are available at discount perfumes online.

DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom

DKNY Be Delicious

Donna Karan’s Fragrances recently launched the DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom, a new addition to the Be Delicious fragrance line for women. Fresh Blossom is a flanker of the 2004 edition of the Be Delicious fragrances with bolder notes of citrus and floral scents. The fruity aroma mimics the original version of the signature Be Delicious perfume that was introduced in the market in 2004. Its summer-y scent exudes the freshness and vibrancy of crisp red apples blended with lingering notes of woods. This new DKNY fragrance is targeted for spring of 2009.

Sephora described it as “a radiant new fragrance that marries freshness, vibrancy, and femininity. A blend of sparkling grapefruit, cassis, and sun kissed apricot meets a blooming floral heart of sheer muguet and petally rose wrapped in luminous jasmine. A base of juicy apple, mingled with lingering blond woods and smooth skin accord, completes the irresistibly sensual experience of the essence.”

Review-wise, the Fresh Blossom has its own share of followers and naysayers. Generally speaking, regular Be Delicious users find Fresh Blossom’s light and airy fragrance pleasant. It’s fruity like the original but with a soft fresh floral kick. The sugary sweetness is toned down. Plus, the strong hints of citrus notes are perfect for the sunny days. Others commented that the Be Delicious Fresh Blossom is reminiscent of Calvin Klein’s Euphoria Blossom. It has the same floral and citrus fragrance notes but sharper when it dries down.  The scent is just right: not too subtle and neither overpowering. The lighthearted finish is perfect for casual and daily wear.

DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom’s packaging comes in the distinctly and Be Delicious-ly  apple-shaped flacon with metal cap. It’s available in 30, 50 and 100ml parfum bottles.

Fashion icon Donna Karan introduced her line of fragrances in 1992. Since then, her company has launched a total of 34 perfumes. DKNY fragrances are created by top perfume designers which include Maurice Roucel, Alberto Morillas, Oliver Gillotin, Harry Fremont and more.

For more DKNY fragrances, visit scentiments.com for more details.