Jasmin Angélique

I awake to an unseasonably mild early autumn day. My window is littered with rain droplets, twinkling like diamonds in this magical autumnal light. I have missed the earlier downpour and now the heat of the sun is burning off the mist from the harbour. In the distance, dark grey rain clouds retreat across the sea. The sky is powder blue as majestic cumulus clouds ride in slow motion along the edge of the world with a purpose all their own. I wash and know instantly what perfume to wear. For some reason Jasmin Angélique is the perfect choice for this unusual weather and for my confident yet aloof mood. The jasmine is identical in smell to a vial of pure jasmine essential oil that I purchased many years ago from India. It was incredibly expensive but was one of my most prized possessions for that period of my life. This jasmine is beautifully accompanied by the angelica and galbanum but for me, jasmine is most definitely the star of the show. It is a raw and slightly dirty jasmine, ripped from the plant by a sudden heavy rain, laying on sodden earth that is warming up in the heat of the morning sun. There is something slightly sullen about this scent. Or perhaps pensive is a better word. It is a grown up scent. A scent that has seen the world and knows a thing or two about love and loss. I step outside and the air is cool from the moisture that hangs in the air but the sun is very warm on my skin. The trees are just beginning to turn and are a mixture of emerald green and burnished gold in response to our planet’s elliptical dance as it moves ever more boldly into the autumn equinox. The birds don’t seem to know what to do with theirselves. The warmth of the sun tells them to mate but the angle of autumn light whispers words of caution to their instincts. Winter is coming and this warm autumn day is but a rare gift. Jasmine Angélique is a perfume to wear with confidence and to wear for yourself. It is a meditation on the beauty and fragility of life and an acceptance of the circle of the seasons, with all the bitter-sweetness such knowledge brings.

If you have ever been to North Africa, smell this. It smells exactly like I've stuck my face into a jasmine bush in Tunisia or Egypt. During my three years in North Africa, the scent of jasmine in the night breeze was one of my favourite things, so having this on my skin is pure joy. One thing- like many Atelier fragrances, the beginning is nothing like the middle or end. In Clementine California, this is a shame, because the opening is so airy and beautiful and the end is the spicy/smoky scent of cheap men's cologne. However, in this one, the initial blast of peppery smoke (which initially turned me off) is gone in about five minutes on me. Then it's jasmine in the night air which settles into the incredibly sexy scent of crushed petals and leaves on my skin. At the end, the amber and lemon play with the petals until it all but disappears about four hours in. It's going to the top of my wish list, and definitely fbw...someday.

I'm having an identity crisis, and her name is jasmine. If you asked a year ago, honestly a half a year ago even, I would have told you I would never pick a jasmine soliflore or jasmine-dominant/prominent scent. Something in me has *changed.* My gateway was Jasmin 17 (which to me is really more orange blossom), then Ikat Jasmine, and now I'm a full-fledged jasmine lover. I love Jasmin Angelique. The angelica and galbanum surround it with such a beautiful grassy green feel. I enjoy layering this scent when I want to add some fresh springy indolic green effervescence to something else. Sadly, I will say the sweet incense and amber scents from the blotter did not really translate to the skin. Part of what drew me to this one was the it was green, fresh and deep sweetness all at once. On my skin I really on get the green/fresh vibe (even a tad soapy). A slight disappointment on skin, but will still use for layering!

All you have to do is read a few of my reviews and it is easy to see I tend to gravitate more toward "masculine" scents. JA is my sort of feminine. JA opens green and stays green. The dry down does bring out the jasmine in such a lovely, soft way though. I adore the smokiness of this which is listed as incents in the notes. That smoke is barely present but it does take the scent from outright feminine to just teetering the unisex line. The Tonka bean is really the grounding note in this. It balances the angelica to me not allowing the floral in this composition to be over powering or predominant. I do not get ashtray at all. I do not get 80s. I do sense something familiar but I cannot quite lay my finger on it. I would not personally buy a large bottle but for the times I want to smell overtly feminine, I will utilize my smaller bottle as JA is a go-to for that.

I have been harsh in judgement on this fragrance. I remember when it arrived at the Atelier Counter in Neimann Marcus. I was very excited to finally have a jasmin scent in the Atelier line-up. But when I sprayed it, I didn't wait for it to dry and stuck my nose right in; all I could smell was the Angelica top note. It is SO GREEN and grassy. I didn't get any of the jasmine I was looking for. Now, a couple years later, I read reviews that sound different from what I experienced. I found an amazing deal for a 3.4 oz bottle of JA AND a 3.4 oz bottle of Rose Anonyme on Ebay so I went ahead and took a chance. Well...I just got it, sprayed it and I am getting a whole new impression. After 5 minutes or so the angelica begins to wear off and the beautiful jasmine begins to appear. It is gorgeous; excited to wear it this spring and summer!