Lilac Dream

lilac dream is a faded memory, a picture of a little house framed on the wall of your childhood home; it reminds me of a plaque i bought at church as a kid using "goodie points" from learning verses by heart that read "HOME SWEET HOME" on a background of calico print. it smells like the dusty corners of an old spiral staircase; counting dust bunnies, christening each one. marie, wallace, bonny. a little sigh and they all flit away. it's languorous afternoons: sleeping dogs lay in curtains of sunlight. has that same golden quality that violette hay has, like fields of gold, softspicy tickle of eyelashes against your neck, a spray of baby's breath; no, it's how i'd imagine a baby's breath to smell if i were playing house. exhaling powdery bouquets of warmth. something familiar and soft: hands folded in laps, dog-eared pages of books, turning down the bedcovers. glowing lampshades. tiptoeing past nightlights. tea party with the stuffed animals at midnight. it's telling me, come to bed. it's past your bedtime.

Lilac dream is a long cotton nightgown, with a tiny blue bow. In the kitchen, before sunrise, barefoot with the lights down low. A humble, homemade cake with vanilla frosting- not too sweet- is on the counter with a slice already taken. You’re standing by the open window, blooming lilacs just outside, making chamomile tea. At first, I wasn’t too fond. I lean towards bright, vibrant green scents and prefer to smell like a tomato vine as opposed to dessert. But I started putting on Lilac Dream before bed (maybe I took the hint?) and before I knew it my sample was gone. I’m laughing as a write this because I can’t even explain how much I have been *craving* this scent since running out- I can’t get it out of my mind, like a burning crush. I was set on buying a full bottle of Petrichor, but I may have to break the bank and go for them both... I already have Violet Hay!! Which is another unexpected enigmatic love to write about soon.

Like the other person who reviewed this, I got a sample and thought, “This is lovely, but I’m not going to get a full bottle.” Then I was sad when I ran out and decided to get a bottle for myself. This fragrance sits close to the skin, so it’s more of a “just for me” scent that I put on before bed. On my skin, it lasts two hours max, but on fabric it lasts at least 8 hours, if not more. It smells very true to lilacs, with a nice green note and a bit of vanilla cake in the distance. It feels like an outdoor party in spring. I actually enjoy wearing it when it’s cold out so that I can carry a bit of springtime with me. Edit: I recently wore this during the day, and my partner commented on how great it smells as I walked by. So the projection is much better than I thought! Also, now that the weather is much cooler, other elements are coming through, showing how complex and lovely the fragrance is. Marissa Zappas is a true artiste.

I love wearing this fresh out of the shower! It's very feminine and the moment I smelled it, I was reminded of Ulta's Lilac Breeze lotion (which I don't think they have any longer). Years ago, I used to keep a bottle of the lotion in my car and would wear it while driving to Starbucks or running errands in my college town. Although this scent is perfect for spring and summer...due to my scent memory, I prefer it in fall. It's a reminder that even though it's about to get mad cold...there's hope that we'll have fresh flowers blooming in the future. I love this perfume house and own a couple of scents and adore each one of them! Very different scents and a great perfumer who stands out.

This fragrance transports me to springtime in upstate New York. It's the first really warm spring day. The lilac bush in the backyard is blooming. The sun is shining. The grass has grown long enough to cut for the first time that year. The ice cream shops have just opened and you are eating a vanilla cone in your backyard while enjoying the fragrant lilac blooms. Definitely lilac/ floral, green, and vanilla. What a lovely fragrance! I feel nostalgic and yearn for spring when smelling this scent. I think I need this one in my collection.