Posh and Pretty - Penhaligon's Peoneve

 

What is is about peonies? I'm not sure I've ever met anyone that doesn't adore them, the way their tight buds unfurl into those heady, blowsy blossoms, tipping drunkenly on their unsteady stems. There's a particularly dreary spring drizzle out today, so I'm splashing on some Penhaligon's Peoneve to transport my senses to a sunny summer day, knee-deep in a bed of the fragrant, velvety blooms.

 

Peoneve starts out with the sharp, peppery, unmistakeable hit of peony - a very lifelike facsimile that other peony-based fragrances never quite seem to capture. The note is is fleshed out with more than a litle tea rose, which shares a similar note and compliments and strengthens the peony . This isn't your typical perfume rose, but more of the fresh, prickly, antique variety, very bright and tart.  A natural hint of violet leaf ties all these blooming notes together, and though it imparts a strong freshness, a certain dewy garden quality, I wouldn't consider this a stridently green fragrance at all - it's far too...well, pink. There's a fresh, almost watery impressionistic feel to it overall, like freshly plucked peony blooms floating in a delicate, china bowl.

 

 

All this bright, tart freshness dries to a very clean, very faint base with just the tiniest hint of creaminess. Unfortunately, the simple, light feel to the fragrance translates into very little staying power. What lingers is lovely and subtle, but it never really changes into anything different or unexpected on skin - what you first smell is basically what you get, which will be a selling point for some, and a disappointment for others.  

 

Overall I find it very pretty, very polite, but am left wanting a bit... more. More depth, more realness, that little hint of something unusual or even a bit off to really pique my interest. I personally like that old fashioned hint of powderiness or spice to really round out the base of a fragrance, but it's also very out of fashion these days, and this offering is a clever way to bridge that gap for Penhaligon's. It's the perfect choice for people who like the idea of an elegant, simple floral but have found the London landmark's more classic offerings too old-fashioned for their tastes. Peoneve is the perfect scent for a May wedding or a lazy summer picnic on a cool, green lawn - light, tart and modern without sacrifing its feminine prettiness.

 

The Scents of Summer....

I'm over at She Said Beauty this week, sharing my picks for five charming, wearable, and wildly summer scents. Is your favorite on the list? If not, tell us about it below.....

Penhaligon's Bluebell

Since we were on the topic of bluebells anyway...

I've worn Penhaligon's Bluebell since I was seventeen, and I hope the day never comes that I tire of it. I live in fear that it will be discontinued, and don't feel really comfortable unless I have at least two bottles in the house as back ups. I practically bathe in it - on my pillows, in my hair, it's spritzed liberally and extravagantly as I try to capture its ethereal beauty for a little longer. Come to think of it, I probably I reek of bluebells most of the time, and maybe everyone is just too polite to say anything.

I wear it with such abandon because I don't see how would it be possible to reek of something so delicate and fleeting and light. I have trouble breaking down its notes at all, because I know it so very well, and because part of its magic is that through layering it's created almost a very basic soliflore - the simple scent of a spring bluebell. There's tiny blue bell-like blooms - fragrant and a little sharp, like a slightly shyer, more demure hyacinth - then the dew-laden, green stem, icy and crisp, pulled from cold, damp, dark soil with the tiniest hint of earthy spice at the roots. The beauty of it is, none of this smells like a synthetic blend of notes - nothing about it shouts "perfume" - it's just pure, quiet, peaceful English woodland, a beautiful captured moment from a perfect day. Its lasting power isn't terribly strong, but the tiny whisper of scent it does leave behind is exquisite, understated and charming, just like the flower itself.

I know it's not for everyone - people tend to feel quite polarized about its charms - but I'm perfectly happy with that - it's mine, and I don't want everyone splashing it about carelessly anyway- and I'm sure those of us who love it will be quite content to go in living in our bluebell-scented haze forever.

The Scent of Spring

Happy April! No, that's not snow falling outside, shh. Ignore it and it may go away. Instead, why not come on over and visit me at She Said Beauty, where I've rounded up five of the prettiest, freshest, greenest scents for spring?

Do you have favorite spring fragrance - is it the smell of a cool rain, green grass, apple blossoms, hyacinths, the damp earth, or the potted flowers on your front step? And have you found a perfume that captures that feeling yet? I'd love to hear about it below.....

It's the weekend. Have a drink.

Penhaligon’s ad campaign for their new gin-inspired Juniper Sling fragrance is a charming homage to the flapper era, and during the month of its release the bar at the Dorchester in London created and served a cocktail in its honor. Should you feel like adding a little jazz age flair to the new year, whip one up yourself and toast to a hedonistic and happy 2012. Good luck finding the bergamot syrup and forbidden fruit liqueur. The recipe is below for the adventurous amongst you. I think I'll just have a g&t myself. Bottoms up and happy new year to you all!

The Dorchester Bar’s Juniper Sling

30ml London Dry Gin
30ml Sloe Gin
10ml of The Dorchester’s Forbidden Fruit Liqueur
15ml Bergamot syrup
20ml Lime juice
10ml Sugar Syrup
20ml Pineapple Juice
Sprinkle of fresh nutmeg

Shake and serve on crushed ice and garnish with lemon grass, rose petal and mint.

Pics via Pinterest.

Penhaligon's Juniper Sling

I think the start of a new year makes everything seem bright, shiny and fresh, so what could be a more suitable scent for this weekend than Penhaligon’s newest concoction, Juniper Sling, which the British perfume institution describes as “A playful, chilled and mysterious homage to the Bright Young Things of London’s roaring twenties.”

In the bottle, Juniper Sling does smell very much like a beautifully mixed gin and tonic – cool, sharp and smooth. This is an excellent start for a gin lover like myself, and I can’t pretend that a little part of me didn’t want to pour a splash over ice and settle down for the evening. But thankfully for those who don’t want to reek of booze anymore than they already do, once on the skin it settles and softens into something more sweetly aromatic and much more nuanced. The peppery crispness of angelica, orris and juniper settle softly onto a faint bed of smooth leather and a suprising hint of brown sugar sweetness at the very heart. It’s a very interesting departure for Penhaligon's - while it harks back to another age, it’s also one of their most modern and linear scents for me, and could be worn beautifully by both sexes . The lasting power is a little fleeting, but keeps the scent light and subtle.

I highly recommend at least sampling this if you can – I love the icy etherealness of the scent, the snappy name and the fantastic art deco style styling of the bottle – it makes me want to revamp my dressing table into something mint green and mirrored, and start shingling my hair. Samples are available from Luckyscent, or visit Penhaligon's if you'd like to own one of the beautiful bottles.

Have any of my lovely readers tried this, or any other Penhaligon's scents? Do you have a favorite? I adore Bluebell above all, and practically bathe in it daily.

My sample was kindly sent by Penhaligon's for consideration.

Photo via Pinterest

Gift Guide - Penhaligon's

Much as I would love to receive the beautiful goodies inside these Penhaligon's Gift Boxes, they're really just a bonus - I'd be quite happy with just the incredible cardboard houses straight out of Victorian London, with secret scenes on the back to give you a glimpse into each household. I'm dying to pull out my old Victorian dollhouse and its eccentric cast of Playmobil inhabitants and add stacks of these boxes to make a dark, foggy street plagued by a spate of Ripperesque murders. I even know who the first victim will be. Aunt Lucinda. She always looked like trouble.

For the more mentally mature among you, their perfume and products are gorgeous classics, and they make the most wonderful gifts. I adore Penhaligon's, and will be reviewing their lovely Jazz Age inspired scent, Juniper Sling, next week. I may go crazy and do a whole twenties themed weekend. Prepare yourselves.