PERFUME PLEASURES



'The best things in life are free', a phrase thrown around which has truth in most cases but an exception being one of life's greatest pleasures - perfume. From the exquisite bottles to the unique coloured solutions and divine array of scents, perfume has a vital impact on us as all scents do.

A wave of nostalgia and memories hit us when we catch a waft of certain fragrances the same way that the scent of homemade Anzac cookies remind us of baking on Sunday afternoons with our mum. These moments in our life that we hadn't thought of in years come flooding back in an instant like catching up with an old friend.

We grow up watching our mother spritz perfume on in the morning before work or for a nice evening out as a family. I know that every time I smell Elizabeth Arden Red Door I think of my mother and each occasion I walk by someone wearing Chanel No. 5 my gran comes to mind. Perfume has the power to bring someone back, even for just a second, despite that they are sadly gone.

It has always amazed me how a perfume can cause such a dramatic effect on me. How one spritz of DKNY Be Delicious can drag me all the way back to the beginning of high school where I feel the nervousness and uncertainty of what the future would bring all over again. For a second I step out of the present and time travel all the way back to that moment.

Maybe an even crazier thought is the impact of the fragrance that you currently wear, yes you know the one that sits on your vanity and you choose daily even though you have eight other options. Perhaps your sister finds comfort in the scent when she sprays some on to test in the shops or your mother smiles and thinks of you every time she smells someone else wearing it. Better yet, maybe your partner is over the moon because he knows what to get you for Christmas. Okay so the last one was less crazy but it is still a strange concept to think that the perfume you wear influences all the loved ones close to you.

I think those who understand this most are the perfume creators themselves, pouring their energy and passion into producing a scent that represents themselves and the brand. I wonder if they truly know what an impact they have or will have on so many people. Maybe it's a perfume that documents someone's first love and every time they spritz some on they smile and feel young again. Perhaps it is someone who wears the same scent their mother did and feels empowered and strong by doing so, the same way that daughter saw her mother when growing up.

Next time you are standing in the perfume section at David Jones or Myer, don't underestimate the power of perfumes because they just might become a vital and fulfilling part of your life.

 

As an extra bonus to this article, I also wanted to share my collection with you all so that you may find some inspiration or see insight into my experience with perfume. Unfortunately not every perfume I have ever owned can be included in this as they do have a lifespan meaning that they can go off but the ones I currently own are a mixture of new scents or nostalgic scents that I keep repurchasing because I can't let go of.

Perfumes: DKNY Golden Delicious, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Escada Irresistible Me, DKNY Be Delicious, Mariah Carey Ribbons, Brittney Spears Fantasy, Brittney Spears Believe, Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll, Gwen Stefani G, Gwen Stefani G Sea Edition, So..?, Eternal, Kiss Me, Brit, Superstar, Sinful, Sensual and Rock n' Roll.