Scent-sational La Botanique

July 21, 2015 posted by Vicki in Style

Scent is such an emotional transporter.

I could be at the mall doing errands and then a whiff of Drakkar suddenly reminds me of when I was a giggly teenage girl, meeting a group of high school boys for the first time at a house party. Whenever I’m in a bed outfitted with freshly laundered sheets, I snuggle in it happy and comforted of home. Chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven reminds me of my childhood and Creed Aventus just gives me the butterflies.

The French knew this. French men and women knew that an alluring fragrance was the cherry on top of creating a shroud of mystery to their persona, a little dab behind the ear for their lover to smell as they whisper sweet nothings or an unforgettable scent that adds to their signature style. Just check out Vogue’s list of 20 most memorable French perfumes.

In Ridley Scott’s movie Hannibal, Hannibal Lecter was an expert in olfactory matters (amongst many other, um, talents) and very particular about scents — he even had his skin cream custom-made with ambergris from a specialty shop in Venice. If Lecter walked into Cura V’s  La Botanique, latest pop-up bazaar featuring a festival of scents, I’m sure he would be able to sniff out every ingredient in every diffuser, perfume or candle on display at Chef Du Partie that Saturday.

Though there was no ambergris wafting around the room, there were some extraordinary scents crafted by both local and international purveyors, each with their own story to tell. Our blogger friend, the always elegant Grace Baja aka The Spoiled Mummy has recently launched her home line, Grace Home and her rose, talc and basil candles as well as her Olive and Milk and Talc and Vanilla scents were being sold. You can find out more about Grace Home in her blog.

I have been on a diffuser kick as I love how its scent lingers in my room as soon as I enter and seriously, I had a hard time choosing from the assortment offered by Vernice Songco and Marga Espiritu of Bungalow 300 (as seen in the opening photo). There was the clean aroma of Thyme, the fresh Ginger Flower and tart Grapefruit, amongst others, all locally made in the Philippines using sugarcane alcohol and scented oils. In the end I decided on the unique Ginger Flower. Those who missed this pop-up boutique can buy their scents on our favorite shopping site, Seek the Uniq.

Also found on Seek the Uniq are the well-loved Fäe beeswax candles and vegan luxury soaps created by style maven Macky Fah, also made here. Of course, a Cura V event isn’t complete without its own line-up of products such as the gorgeously packaged and inventive Voluspa candles and diffusers from the US in addition to complementary home accessories from Kassa such as linen napkins and place mats, leaf food warmers, trays, vases and more.

Though I was happy with my diffusers and home accessories, fashion designer of Two Chic Manila TC Alvarez-Sibal recommended I buy A to Z’s fragrance Gothic. I don’t usually buy local fragrances due to the fact that their scent doesn’t last very long, I was pleasantly surprised that Gothic’s top notes not only smelled fresh, its base notes lingered and developed into something I enjoyed smelling throughout the day. Thank you Emi Jorge for creating Gothic!

Yes, scent is truly an emotional device which makes us time travel and if you want the scientific explanation (which includes the olfactory bulb and all), you may read it in a New York Times article here. But take  a cue from the French and find yourself a scent for you and for your home that you can truly love and create new memories with them.

May all your gypsetting dreams come true,

Vicki

Cura V is located at Level 2 Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City tel +632 896 1691.