Written while Drunk on Thoughts

18 Jan 2013

Vanilla

Vanilla. What is the first thought that came into your mind? Simple? Basic? Plain? Some say vanilla is plain. Sure enough, Vanilla is the most basic flavour in the ice cream selection. Vanilla sex refers to plain sex without any tools or toys (thanks to 50 shades of grey). In the world of finance, vanilla derivatives are the most uncomplicated derivatives in the derivatives' world. I call vanilla - heaven, happiness and warmth.

Vanilla is associated with being sexy but most importantly, it represents love, warmth and care. I think this is the reason i love it so much and I love it more now during the cold months of winter and having to live alone for months. My love for perfume started when I was 15 years old, my first perfume is a citrus-y scent from Lacoste. I never used to love sweet scent, i am always fresh scent kind of person until some time 2 years back. I forgot when exactly but should be around the time when everything started to crumble. It was then my vanilla obsession started. I hated sweet scent. I thought i would get sick of it in a few months time. But here i am, looking for the perfect vanilla perfume where there are more gourmand based (imagine food-like vanilla) than oriental based (more spicy).

Of course there are cheap ones and expensive ones. I came across this brand, Le Labo. It has an exclusive perfume that you can only get in Paris. Naturally, it is Vanille 44. It was branded as scent of love in the city of love. I was excited to get my nose on it since i will be visiting Paris. But haven't taken into account most boutiques close on sunday, i doesn't have the chance to pay the boutique on Boulevard Saint Germain a visit. Now that i read it is the perfect vanilla pod scent. I crave for it even more.

So, I was searching high and low for a good alternative to Le Labe Vanille 44 and came across Diptyque's Eau Duelle. Boy, was it expensive. 50 ml cost £50. I always thought vanilla is cheap as it was the most basic scent that ice creams could offer. Of course, I was a kid. Hahahaha. I wouldn't bore you with the pictures of my perfume wants. I just wanted to convey the message that Vanilla has to offer.

Just like flower, I believe that all scent has a meaning, the feeling and message that gave the person who is wearing it as well as the person around them. Rose means mature and alluring. Camomile means calming and soothing. Vanilla reminds most people of ice cream and the cookie flavour they had when they are young. It also represent simplicity and purity, hence the word plain vanilla. It was also shown in researches that it reduces stress and anxiety (Source:http://www.sirc.org/publik/smell_vanilla.html). I guess this is why I started to like vanilla. I felt happy whenever I took a whiff on anything vanilla. Now, I wear perfume to bed and it acts like a security blanket. It soothes me, like how lavender soothes and helps people to get a better quality sleep. Mine is vanilla.
Source: Le Labo website

Le Labo's Vanille 44 has the nicest description that conveys love (and sex) - "We all know that Paris is the city of love (and hence sex). remember, Paris is always only a memory away…" fitting description. =) I had a good time in Paris, it contains my bitter past and wonderful future as well as the most promising present. Vanilla is just like Paris, bitter sweet. Just like all life experience, it has sweet times, bitter times (it is the burnt Vanilla scent) and the "warm" feeling you get from spicy scent (Yes, Vanilla is a spicy scent if its the Oriental group).

Perhaps when i visit Paris again with my lover and he / she get me the perfume. It all suits into the whole love, warmth and care criteria, don't you think? For now, i am still looking for that perfect vanilla scent. Perhaps i should just make my own vanilla scent by smearing myself with the inside of vanilla pod for now since that could be the cheapest alternative for now. I found happiness in Vanilla, once in a while I was reminded of the lingering bitter past and with the promising warmth of the future.

What is your scent? Are you a warm / fresh / floral person or are you au natural?

No comments :

Post a Comment