Jasmine – Worthy of Second Chances
Jasmine – Worthy of Second Chances
First impressions make it or break it. Seems like that’s usually how it goes for anything – trying new foods, meeting people, visiting a city, going to a restaurant…
It’s hard to break out of those first impressions, and that’s what happens when analyzing perfume materials, at least to a newbie.
Jasmine comes in many varieties, and to my surprise, not all jasmine is created equal. I’m glad I tried Jasmine CO2 first, because it was LOVE at first smell. When I go back through my notes, my first impressions were: “I adore this scent. It reminds me of the real deal, a fresh cut flower”.
I also wrote: romantic,delicate, elegant, powerful…
Almost seemed too good to be true, it fit perfectly with how I envisioned my first perfume.
Excited about the possibilities, I went back to research the other jasmines that were available and ordered four other varieties. I desperately wanted to find a jasmine that was easier to work with since the CO2 can be a little tricky.
Unfortunately for the other jasmines, Jasmine CO2 had made quite a first impression. It was going to be hard to find a substitute. My notes about the other jasmines were a bit mean if I do say so myself.
They read:
“Not impressed. Doesn't even smell like jasmine to me. Hate the dry down. What a shame.”
It was going to be difficult to find an exact substitute for that gorgeous CO2. To give a little leeway to my rookie self, I was naïve to think that all jasmines are created equal. I had no idea about the incredible difference from one variation to another.
Fortunately, I decided to give these beauties a second chance.
Months later, I went back for more research. This time, I wasn’t looking for a substitute. I genuinely wanted to get to know each variety and their properties. To dig deeper and find out how they behaved when combined with other materials and with each other.
To my wonderful surprise, my notes read entirely different:
“Sophisticated, well rounded, complex, beautiful, power house, a beautiful flower”
Every way I turn, I’m finding out that perfume making is very introspective. Jasmine schooled me on first impressions. Makes me rethink how I am in other aspects of my life and whether I give first impressions a second chance.
I didn’t think I would work with any other jasmine variety after my encounter with jasmine CO2, but alas. I adore Jasmine Sambac, Jasmine Absolute Egypt, and Jasmine Absolute India. They are all different, unique and a powerhouse when used in combination.
No wonder jasmine has been referred to over and over again as the King and Queen of Flowers.
Its earliest tracings are to the 3rdCentury, however it came to Europe in the 16thCentury where it quickly grew in popularity especially as it was adopted by French perfumers.
In addition to its raw beauty and gorgeous smell, jasmine is highly regarded in aromatherapy. It has been utilized for centuries for its medicinal qualities in China, Arabia, and India.
Its therapeutic properties include antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic and calmative.
Jasmine’s romantic scent is believed to have an aphrodisiac effect, but there’s not a lot of research that proves this belief. However, a study published in the Journal of Health Research examined the effects of jasmine oil on the central nervous system and mood. The scent of jasmine oil affected brain activity and mood, and the participants reported feeling more positive, energetic, and romantic.
Jasmine has inspired poets for centuries, accompanied lovers and adorned brides and sails of royalty.
It’s referred by many as the morning sun, a shining star, the moonlight in the grove…
It’s present in more than 80% of high quality perfumes, which would explain the popular saying
“There is no perfume without jasmine”.