I have the most beautiful, floral fragrance to share with you that’s so bright and lovely, that I think this is likely to become a Spring favourite for many; let me introduce you to Penhaligon’s Equinox Bloom, a joyful, floral fragrance for anyone who doesn”t like anything too OTT.
Interestingly this is the first gourmand fragrance for the brand, so there are some yummy, edible notes among the bright florals and greens. The top notes are Neroli Bigarade Essence, Violet Leaves Absolute and the first of the gourmand notes, Chantilly.
The next gourmand note is Frangipani NaturePrint, then the more floral notes of Orange Blossom Absolute and Jasmine Sambac Absolute, staying slightly sharp and not too overtly flowery. At the base there’s Ambrox, Benzoin Siam Absolute and another gourmand note, Brown Sugar. I have no idea what Benzoin Siam Absolute is, but a quick Google suggests it’s a perfumer’s alcohol that creates a cross between balsamic and vanilla, which I believe gives Equinox Bloom a little bit of edge.
Penhaligon’s Equinox Bloom is inspired by the a Afternoon Tea that was experienced by Olivier Cresp, the Master Perfumer behind the fragrance. He took inspiration from the atmosphere, the food, the area (London) and the general ambience of High Tea, as well as the transitional moments of day becoming night and Winter becoming Spring. As usual with Penhaligon’s fragrances, the inspiration becomes completely clear from the moment you smell the perfume – I just love how they always provide such wonderful stories.
Personally, Equinox Bloom is another big winner for me as I love everything about it; the paint-whipped box that houses the simple, traditional Penhaligon’s bottle and the girly pink ribbon that gives it all a little suggestion of femininity that hints as to what’s contained within. The thing I enjoy most about Penhaligon’s scents is how complex they are, and they always remind me of the Alice in Wonderland “Drink Me Potion” with every sniff revealing something new and different. If you like a traditional fragrance that isn’t too out there, this is a really good one to start with from Penhaligon’s as whilst it’s complex, detailed and beautifully inspired, it’s also a very pretty, grown-up and sophisticated perfume that contains some lovely, familiar notes. I thought it was launching this month but it might not be arriving until next month (March 2016) so I’ll update as soon as I know either way. It’ll be £90 for 50ml and £124 for 100ml.
*PR Sample
