Pamplelune
Everyone loves Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria collection, right? I mean, what’s not to adore about easy-breezy fragrances inspired by nature? Nothing – that’s what. This diffusion line presents fragrant ditties that sing with floral and citrus notes very much in line with the ‘Guerlain DNA’. All-in-all, it’s a very good line, and whilst I’m still lamenting the grossly unfair discontinuation of my beloved Lys Soleia (yes I’m giving you the evil eye, Guerlain), it’s hard to deny that the Aqua Allegorias, for the most part, are great perfumes.
Since the line’s launch in 1999, Guerlain have launched a whopping 31 Aqua Allegoria fragrances (according to Basenotes). Of course, many of these editions have not stood the test of time and despite annual launches, the collection currently stands at a neat total of 5 fragrances; Pamplelune (Holy Grapefruit), Herba Fresca (Magic Mint), Mandarine Basilic (Mediterranean Showdown), Nerolia Bianca (Orange is the New Blossom) and Limon Verde (Mojito Madness).
For my Escentual column this week I have sniffed and reviewed the entire Aqua Allegoria collection, including Limon Verde, the latest addition to the collection. So, if you’re in a summer mood and you’re wanting to hear some pretty little tunes played by the world’s greatest perfume house (an undeniable fact, I think you’ll find), simply click here to head on over to Escentual. As always, please feel free to leave a comment (either here or there) to let me know what your favourite Aqua Allegoria is.
The heatwave is finally here and as we all enjoy (or suffer in) the heat now is a good time to pull out those fragrances that refresh, revitalise & defeat the blazing heat of the sun and stuffy, humid air. It’s a time where perfume can be your greatest weapon when attempting to conquer the unrelenting enthusiasm of the sun.
My Escentual Post last week looked at two new releases that are perfect for summer (Guerlain Nerolia Bianca and Dior Homme Cologne 2013) and it got me thinking about those fragrances that I swear by in the summer – or as i like to call them: ‘my summer survival scents’.
Some days it seems almost too hot to do anything, but these scents can be an essential part of your summer survival kit. All you need is some cooling citrus, a few fresh fancies, a couple of manly mints and a generous dose of flowers and fruit, and you’ll be all set to tackle the heatwave of 2013!
Have you ever discovered a perfume that you’ve known about for years but never tried? I have. I cannot tell you how many times I have perused the offerings of many a Guerlain counter, spritzing on and sampling almost everything they have to scent me with, but I always seemed to overlook, nay ignore the Aqua Allegoria line, meaning that up until very recently I had never tried Pamplelune. Now I can’t help but think; “what took you so long Thomas?!”
It was Persolaise’s review of the latest Aqua Allegoria; Lys Soleia, that led me to seeking out the Aqua Allegoria line, and I’m very glad that I did. My interest in the line, and Pamplelune specifically, was further piqued by Birgit of Olfactoria’s Travels who had written that she was a big fan of Pamplelune but other people’s reactions prevented her from wearing it. Well after that I simply had to try it, and try it I did.
Pamplelune was part of the original crop of Aqua Allegoria’s released in 1999, a collection inspired by nature and intended to be more accessible to the younger Guerlain consumer. Available in a lighter concentration (EDT) and at a lower price point than the regular Guerlains, the Aqua Allegoria’s still manage to showcase fantastic ingredients, both natural and synthetic, to create perfumes that feel like non-ephemeral interpretations of nature for the skin.
Having stood the test of time, where other Aqua Allegoria’s have come and gone, Pamplelune was created to capture “the spirit of grapefruit” and that’s what it does. Now I should probably say that my opinion of grapefruit as a fruit is the same as my opinion of watermelon (see my review of Ruth Mastenbroek’s Amorosa), that is that I think It’s naff. It tastes so awful I don’t know why anyone would eat it, other than as a form of self-torture and on top of that grapefruit notes in modern perfumes are usually dire. Oh wait, now I know why it took me so long to try Pamplelune…
The Candy Perfume Boy 