Season 7 • Episode 39: On The Scent Re-visits Sali Hughes
While Suzy and Nicola are on a short pod-pause (as Nicola’s been on holiday), we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to revisit one of our all-time classic episodes, with @salihughes - well known for her brilliant ‘Perfume Diaries’ series on Instagram, and for being a fellow fragrance fanatic.
Sali is, of course, a hugely influential journalist with her regular Guardian column, a broadcaster, author of the books Pretty Honest, and Pretty Iconic, and often found ferreting around in celebrities’ bathrooms for her fascinating podcast & YouTube series ‘In the Bathroom With…’ As if that wasn’t enough, she’s also Co-founder of @thebeautybanks - an organisation that gets donations of self-care and hygiene products directly to those in need. [Do check out their Insta for details of the INCREDIBLE goodies up for grabs in #TheBeautyHeistfundraising auctions and raffle!]
We could have talked to Sali for hours, but in this episode we delved deep into the fragrances Sali first fell in love with, and then focused on those she uses in her emotionally-supportive toolkit now, and cannot be without.
These include…
Signature scents:
‘N°5, the very essence of femininity. An aldehyde floral bouquet housed in an iconic bottle with a minimalist design. A timeless, legendary fragrance.
The eau de parfum draws inspiration from the parfum with which it shares its floral aldehyde signature. This floral bouquet composed around may rose and jasmine features bright citrus top notes. Aldehydes create a unique presence, and the smooth touch of vanilla an incredibly sensual trail.’
Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
‘Free, sexy and unpredictable, Rive Gauche expresses the quintessence of Yves Saint Laurent’s eternal modernity. Since its creation this revolutionary fragrance has kept its evocative power thanks to its inimitable scent and the very original design of its bottle. The fragrance opens with lively touches of bergamot, aldehydes, ylang ylang and freesia. Then rose and jasmine merge together in the heart of the fragrance to give it its floral intensity and very fresh, modern character. The base notes embrace vetiver, musk, oakmoss and myrrh which spice up the essence giving it strong powers of attraction.’
Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle L’Eau D’Hiver
‘L'EAU D'HIVER, the absolute poetry of a minimalist, comforting fragrance, by Jean-Claude Ellena.
Here's a fragrance like a perfect scarf, warm and light at the same time, inviting you to curl up with it. "Warm water" that takes its lucid minimalism from eau de Cologne, and warms you at the same time. The freshness of bergamot and Hedione unveils a tender, powdery cloud of heliotrope and hawthorn. A fluffy sensation like a mimosa pompom, with notes of sweet almond and honey, that seems weightless on the skin. A subtle, poetic expression of inner comfort.
Notes: bergamot, hedione, hawthorn, heliotrope, hay.’
Confidence-boosters:
‘COCO expresses the intensity of Gabrielle Chanel's personality and her love of all things baroque. A luxuriant ambery symphony that gradually reveals its contrasting notes.
The fragrance opens with a citrus note of Sicilian mandarin, and reveals a voluptuous heart of jasmine absolute, heightened with touches of ylang ylang from the Comoros and Tunisian orange blossom. A captivating harmony that leaves behind a vibrant trail of Indonesian patchouli, tonka note and benzoin.’
‘Beginning and ending with the unique scent of black hemlock absolute – rarely used in such luscious quality and quantity – this utterly hypnotic, unconventional and mysterious woody essence is combined with jasmine and violet absolute to create a dusky, seductive perfume.’
‘Mitsouko... This name that means mystery in Japanese, is also that of the heroine in Claude Farrère's novel, La Bataille. Caught between the oath she has made to her husband, the young marquis Yorisaka, and her secret love for an officer from the Royal Navy, Mitsouko nobly struggles against her heart’s desires. Inspired by this woman, Jacques Guerlain created this subtly androgynous, yet wildly feminine chypre. To lend it incredible modernity, the perfumer combined the fruity, velvety spiciness of peach with the woody scent of patchouli for the first time. This daring combination with the taste of a forbidden fruit makes Mitsouko a ground-breaking, avantgarde fragrance and the symbol of a strong femininity that dares to reveal its masculine side.’
Va-va-voom sexy (for herself):
‘A perfume for night birds fed by the memory of Parisian nights during the Palace and Bains Douches era. A galbanum top note immerses us in an electric atmosphere with accents of nicotine, on a musky and addictive patina, somewhere between the scent of crimson velvet seats and the sensuality of the nape of a neck fragrant with vanilla.
Notes: galbanum, white orris butter, patchouli, tree moss, vanilla, musk.’
Immediately calming:
Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle Cologne Indélébile
‘COLOGNE INDELÉBILE, an eternally fresh fragrance by Dominique Ropion.
Innocence on one side, temptation on the other: white musk has two faces, and this dualistic perfume shows both simultaneously. Everything starts with a deep breath of luminous freshness. Lemon, bergamot, rosemary and orange blossom mingle together in an ideal eau de Cologne. But don't be fooled by its innocent appearance: it’s set against an ocean of white musk. The two together create a clean, seductive scent on the skin, which lasts for hours and is eternally intriguing. And so, slowly but surely, COLOGNE INDELÉBILE draws you in irresistibly, like a moth to the flame.
Bergamot, orange blossom, narcissus absolute, white musk'.’
Wild card (for its beauty):
‘Almond trees filtering the morning sun. The dew ladened grass stretches out as far as the eye can see, and as if in a dream, a multitude of wildflowers rise in simultaneous bloom.
♂ Dreaming in a country orchard.
♀ Kissing in a country orchard.
Green almond, mint leaves, bluebells, osmanthus, linden blossom, white musk.’
Whether it’s for the first time, or as a delightful rediscovery, we just know you’re going to LOVE listening to this joyous (and often revealing) discussion…
