Breathe

All the "big" perfumes, the ones that are much-hyped and declared to be: "Genius!".... Sure, I appreciate them, and they do have a prominent place in the pantheon. Sometimes, though, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." They try sooo hard. They are, even in all their complex glory, so....obvious. We coo and cry "sophisticated" and "rich." Those are great qualities, but the incredible depths of skillfully crafted simplicity hold more allure for me - if for no other reason than that a whisper can often be heard more clearly than a scream. For all its simplicity, this perfume is amazingly evocative. I don't just think of a brook, I think of an ice-cold stream fed from a nearby mountain. Not just peonies, but peonies that are heartbreakingly close to the point of wilting, at the very moment when their fragrance is starting to darken. Etc. with the lilies - crisp, young, and understatedly energetic. This perfume ends up being more than just the sum of its parts. It's elusive but honest. Did I mention that I like it?

To me this smells like a mixed bouquet of June flowers and a citrus cocktail. It's a nice spring floral scent, and the slightly sweet fruity notes compliment the floral and green elements quite nicely. I grow several kinds of peonies and oriental lilies in my garden, and adore their fragrance, and I have to admit that I don't smell them specifically here, but I like what I smell all the same. An odd tidbit: my husband says it reminds him of Sunflowers, which all the girls wore in my high school in the 90's... I kind of remember hating that perfume. Much later UPDATE: This became one of my favorites and I now have a full bottle. The longevity and sillage from the full-sized spray bottle (as opposed to dabbing from the "little luxe" bottle) are much greater.

I originally met Breathe with a hand creme sample from a local niche product website. Floral and green deliciously cool and watery, it perfectly suited the sultry heat of an Australian summer. It took me to glades of water lillies and other watery blooms in a cool dark forest where one might hide from a long hot day. I then purchased the mini fragrance splash and it did not disappoint. This is a summertime fragrance, but would work equally well in late autumn. Floral and endearing, simple yet exquisite, Breathe is as light and airy as a breath.

This smells EXACTLY like the Amlika leave-in conditioner from The Body Shop that I had many years ago. I always thought it smelled so good... It is a very happy, casual and pleasant scent. I could swear that there's a little bit of rose in this, but maybe it's just the mix of flowers that gives that impression. Not sure whether I would want this as a perfume since I associate it so strongly with hair care product. On the other hand... it smells so darn good.

Peony is one of my favorite fragrance notes and this is an absolutely beautiful interpretation of peony perfume! Breathe is a very feminine, soft, and sweet (in a floral way) perfume. I love it! Sillage seems to be pretty good. My husband noticed my perfume when I was next to him (within 5 feet). Longevity is decent. I can smell this perfume on my skin and clothes for about 5 hours.