Folie Florale

February 3, 2016 posted by Stephanie in Indulgences

There’s nothing more romantic than the promise of spring. When the first frost starts to melt away and the hibernating, frozen trees begin to bloom. With their delicate petals and delicious, intoxicating scent, cherry blossoms are the most iconic symbol for this amorous explosion of life. While we almost always automatically associate cherry blossoms with the picturesque landscapes of Japan, the old world also has beautiful sceneries to offer. Stunning orchards abound with soft white flowers set against the clearest of blue skies set deep in the heart of the Luberon countryside in the south of France. A treasured enclave in Provence from which all the most intense and hypnotic scents are born.

And while we may not be able to personally witness all this natural beauty we can wear that same spirit, that hopeful promise of spring and sunshine with L’Occitane’s latest scent: Fleurs de Cerisier, Folie Florale. The bottle in itself just incarnates romanticism, pale pink, long walks in the countryside, rosy cheeks blushing from your first kiss and its lingering memory. And as sweet as all this may sound the beauty of L’Occitane is that founder Olivier Baussan and his team have a wonderful talent of layering scents so that they are not one dimensional.

Personally I’m not a fan of overly sweet scents but this is as fresh a the first whiff of cool, crisp country air early in the morning. Mixing bergamot, mandarin and bright green notes with the cherry blossom, a touch of rose and violet, anchoring it all with some musk, creates a wonderful scent that will surely put a spring in your step.

The collection is made up of an Eau de Toilette (P2,400), Sparkling Flowers Shower Gel (P1,100), Petal Soft Body Milk (P1,600), L’Occitane’s iconic shea butter Hand Cream (P510) and a Fresh Face Mist (P750, not pictured.) If you’re like me and is loyal to one perfume, my favorite way to enjoy new scents is to indulge in the shower and after the bath. I love using scented lotions and keep quite a few different ones in the car. I see it as a little moment of escape when you’re stuck in traffic during a hectic day.

 It’s a wonderful Valentine’s gift to yourself and a beautiful scent for the warm season ahead.

Love and Light and Blossoming Dreams, Stephanie

The cherry blossoms are delicate and ephemeral. Farmers harvest the blossoms by hand in order to extract all it’s wonderful scent through low temperature. The scent itself is reminiscent of walking under a shower of blossoms as the a gentle breeze rustles the orchard grove.