Field notes from holidays, Prada Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger

Summer is a tricky part of the year for me. I can love it or hate it depending on how bearable the temperatures are. I like mild summer, with temperatures around 22ºC because I feel comfortable then & can wear airy t-shirts, shorts or linen pants. Of course I also have a little arsenal of fragrances that help to keep me cool. I love my citrus fragrances. I also love Prada, as a self-proclaimed Pradaholic it will always have a special place in my heart. Plus in fact I find most of their creation to go along with my taste, it’s a double win. If Prada goes citrus, count me in.

Prada Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger opens with a bright orange blossom aroma. It’s a sparkling sensation that I like to compare to bubbles in a glass of sparkling water. Every waft of it feels like a little bubble that then bursts, releasing a tiny cloud of fragrance. Few minutes later the floral opening becomes more aromatic, more juicy thanks to a note of mandarin orange. It introduces a fruity vibe that is very pretty and delicate like a summery dress. Mandarin also adds a tiny bit of zestiness blended with citrus pulp sweetness. It gives me relaxing, chillout vibe. The feeling is fresh and invigorating like a quick summer rain.

Composition develops further in white flowers direction. There’s a handful of jasmine in Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger but it feels light and airy. Tuberose is there too but just like jasmine, it’s lightweight and transparent. However there’s a twist to these as many people detect some animalic dirtiness in this fragrance. I feel it too & to me it’s faint but stands out in the context of a whole perfume. Perhaps it’s some indole from jasmine? Once it fades away, drydown reveals a sweet & soapy scent of neroli. It’s clean and fresh like a white bed linen in a summer resort hotel. That Ephemeral Infusion launched in 2009 as a limited edition (it’s still easy to find online).

Two years ago (2015) perfume division of Prada decided to revive Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger by launching Les Infusions de Prada collection, which is now further expanded. The perfume opens with almost identical orange blossom note as its predecessor but on my skin it has more citric qualities. The effect of mandarin is more intensive so that the perfume feels more vibrant and zesty. It’s still a bubbly, sparkling sensation full of happiness but now this glass of water has a few extra orange slices inside. Fruitiness of mandarin orange blends well with orange blossom to provide a cotton soft veil of scent.

Further into fragrance development jasmine appears just like in earlier version of Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger. It’s the same kind of ethereal, airy jasmine with a delicate warmth that gives it a charming sunny vibe. In this version in practise I didn’t smell the animalic aspect of indole that was mentioned above. Instead when tuberose joins the composition I detect a creamy vibe from this Prada that smells gently of coconut and suntan lotion. When neroli finally appears I smell familiar soapy vibe that I so like in Prada fragrances. In 2015 however it feels as if it was slightly more powdery and musky, but this could be as well just my imagination.

Both 2009 and 2015 Infusions have the same ingredients listed – Tunisian neroli, Moroccan orange blossom, Tunisian orange blossom, Indian tuberose, Indian sambac jasmine. To me the differences between these two Infusions de Fleur d’Oranger as so minor that you could say that it’s actually the same perfume instead of a completely new one. Both were developed by perfumer Daniela Andrier from Givaudan. Also both of them are incredibly light and deserve a title of a fleeting beauty as they’re completely gone in 1-2 hours. Well, it’s a summer fragrance alright so you might want to re-apply during the day, it’s alright. Probably only things that makes a difference between them is the packaging. The newer version has simplified and more clean-looking packaging & the glass of its bottle has a gentle orange hue. Do you think you could become friends with this perfume?

Triple trip with Maison Berdoues

In the past every now and then I could hear people talking about Maison Berdoues and their perfumes. However it hasn’t been until few months ago that I actually got a chance to try what this brand has to offer. I was surprised to learn that Berdoues history began in 1902 and that it was quite flourishing. But at Esxence they didn’t present any of their classic fragrances. Instead they flew with the current of time, presenting a modern like of Collection Grands Crus. The packaging is eye-catching & juices have a lot of fun in them. It’s actually hard to decide which one I like the most. Therefore I decided to write about 3 of them that I think are very suitable for summer season.

Scorza di Sicilia

Its Italian name means Sicilian Bark. Composition of this fragrance opens with a vibrant cocktail of citrus. Ultra fresh and energetic, it feels like a deep dive into a swimming pool. The citrus accord is exhilaratingly chilly so you’ll definitely experience a cool-down effect once you spray it on skin. Within few minutes the juiciness boosts up and becomes aromatic. To me Scorza do Sicilia smells like a just picked, sun-drenched fruit. I can clearly smell zesty rind as well as tart and sweet pulp. On their website they mention citron but to me it’s more complex, like a combination of lemon, lime, orange & bergamot. After a while the composition warms up. There is a cedarwood accord that brings substance and weight to otherwise fleeting citrus. Its woody aroma is gentle, blending harmoniously with citrus notes. There’s a certain warmth to this woody aspect as well as a tiny hint of soft spiciness. Vetiver has a grassy, kind of lemony vibe in this scent. It’s also a sunny but contrasts with juicy citrus as itself it has some dryness to it. It’s an aromatic blend that is truly mouth-watering. Great and optimistic blend for vacation in Italy. Perfumer – Sebastien Martin.

Assam of India

Immediately after applying this one on skin I experienced a green wave going through my nose. There’s something wild about it but then it leaves the impression of green grass on a summer morning, when it’s still covered with dew drops. There’s something certainly watery about the opening. Lightweight substantivity arises few minutes later and you realise that what you smell on the skin is a tea note. Since it’s Assam of India, the tea is nothing else but assam, a black tea. It smells aromatic and somehow comforting, with this specific vibe that tannins are able to introduce. Then we have a true lemon – juicy and a bit sour it blends so well with assam that it smells like a cup of your favorite beverage (hello tea lovers!). Assam note also gives me this blurry impression of something woody but it’s very faint. Freshness of tea with that extra drop of lemon juice is definitely a key aspect to Assam of India. At some point sandalwood joins the composition and it really adds few extra kilograms to this perfume. Now it sits on the skin with more confidence and substance, it no longer feels like it could be gone by next time you’ll want to smell your wrist. There’s even something balmy about it now. Truly amazing perfume for summer. Perfumer – Jennifer Riley.

Vanira Moorea

Out of the bunch featured in this post I find Vanira Moorea to be the most interesting and unusual perfume. At first whiff all I get is a very naturally smelling orange. I can literally smell a whole, round fruit. There’s some zing coming from the zest, tart & aromatic albedo and the sweet scent of its juicy flesh. It’s a very playful scent that puts a smile on my face any time I smell it on my wrist. Some time later a gorgeous vanilla joins the composition. There are many words to describe it. It’s lush, luscious, creamy, sweet, balsamic – all this at the same time. Its smell reminds me of vanilla ice cream but the best way to sum it up perfectly is to say that Vanira Moorea is a tropical vanilla. There’s something really exotic and fruity about it, even though no exotic fruit is mentioned anywhere in its press release. To me this perfume also smells like an expensive suntan lotion with a glittery shimmer. It’s a yummy smell of having fun in the sun. Later on this vanilla accord develops a powdery facet. This facet is very pretty and has some moisture to it, which instantly brings to my mind the association with a coconut pulp. It even smells slightly similar. Addition of petitgrain adds a warm freshness. It’s vital part of Vanilla Moorea, otherwise there would be a high chance the perfume would feel to heavy and cloying to wear during hot days. Nothing like that happens and I wore it on a day when it was 30°C. I can’t get enough of this one. Perfumer – Alexandra Monet.

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Not only these three from Berdoues Collection Grands Crus are playful scents because the other ones are just as playful. There’s a lot of fun to these perfumes & I’m sure they will bring you lots of pleasure when you get a possibility to test them. All of them are concentrated at eau de parfum level – this provides great lasting power and decent sillage. Bottles of this collection are absolutely an example of perfume bottle porn. Each 100 ml flacon is decorated with a special motif assigned to each composition. They are also very good value for money, as a big bottle costs only 79 €. I am seriously tempted to buy that pretty bottle of Vanira Moorea and douse myself in it regularly.