Like everybody, some days I feel good and some days I feel bad. Some days it’s easy to smile – even with people you don’t know. And some days even familiar faces feel intimidating.
It could just be an illusion, but perfumes seem able to generate a particular frame of mind. For instance, when I recently wore Mark Buxton’s Wood & Absinth I was instantly plunged into a pit of despair. I had a hopeless day and wallowed in self pity. Today, however, I’m wearing Dior’s Escale à Portofino and I’m feeling pretty chipper.
Escale à Portofino has an unquestioning air. This is not the aroma of self doubt. It’s the smell of privilege, wealth and self-assurance. Some fragrances smell like a complete personality. It’s not that they remind you of somebody – but the fragrance itself embraces the wearer with its own aura. And I’m not suggesting that the fragrance is wearing you. It’s more subtle than that.
Escale à Portofino isn’t a one-note fragrance. It’s a fabulously rich blend with a lot of depth. There’s a citrus note that brings with it the unquestioning self confidence. There’s a lushness to it. Escale à Portofino smells green and fresh, but without any sweetness or any unnecessary tomfoolery.
There isn’t an element that I don’t like in this perfume. (And as I write this blog, that list of notes is getting longer: Rose, Tuberose, Amber, Benzoin, Vanilla, Tonka….). Here’s what the reliable source, Osmoz, says: Top notes of Bergamot, Citron and Petit Grain. Heart notes of Orange blossom, Almond and Juniper. Base notes of Cypress, Cedar, Galbanum, Caraway and Musks.
Despite my inverted snobbery of trying to stay away from the Haute Couture brands, Escale à Portofino has totally won my heart. This is a fragrance that will inspire you with confidence and make you feel positive. Wear it to daunting social events, to meet your boyfriend’s parents, and quite frankly on the daily school run.