Good morning lovelies. You may remember back in November I shared the beautiful new collection of bridal hair accessories by Chic Vintage Brides favourite Erica Elizabeth Designs (if you are new to the blog and haven’t seen it, do take a peek here because it is utterly enchanting!) and in it, there was mention of an exciting new project she was working on – a romantic perfume, perfect for your wedding day. Well today, I am excited to be sharing with you all the details of this lush new floral scent.

The rose is a timeless metaphor for love and romance and now Erica Elizabeth Designs has captured the essence of this most enchanting garden delight in a perfume, and beautifully bottled it for you to wear on your wedding day. Erica spent a long time perfecting her perfume, paying attention to every detail to ensure it has the same air of romance and exquisite quality as her bridal accessories. Working with master perfumer Sarah Horowitz she learnt a new language, that of fragrance; training her nose to detect the multiple layers that combine to create a timeless, elegant, and long lasting perfume; and now Erica is excited to share her latest passion and first foray in to fragrance with you, Eglantine.

Eglantine is pure parfum oil (the most concentrated, long lasting form of fragrance) with a sumptuous bouquet. Both fresh and warm, thanks to its floral heart and musk base notes, it is a sophisticated, modern spin on the classic floral fragrance. Immediately familiar, and yet absolutely unique, Eglantine is not your typical rose scent (this is definitely no Nanna’s parfum!), it is is the darker side of rose, a scent that is meant to seduce! A captivating blend of tea rose, gardenia and Arabian rose with a heady top note of blood orange, it has deep, warm base notes of rich amber, incense and African musk, which linger on the skin long into the night.

I want to share a few words from Erica on her inspiration for her perfume and what enticed her into the world of scent. “Branching out into the world of fragrance is something I knew I wanted to do after reading Justine Picardie’s The Legend & Life of Coco Chanel. Coco Chanel’s contribution to women’s fashion in the twentieth century cannot be overlooked, so I wanted to follow her footsteps in my own tiny way. I knew I wanted to create a scent that was unique yet familiar, a pure perfume that would transport me to my favorite place, the garden and that would beguile all you blushing brides-to-be.”

“For generations, my family history has been entwined with the wonders of the garden, and roses have always held a special fascination.  My father was a particularly gifted gardener; once retired, word of his talent for cultivating exquisite roses spread and found him designing & cutting gardens to grace the yards of Hollywood celebrities.

I’m delighted to contribute to this shared history with the creation of Eglantine, a pure perfume oil that’s a sophisticated, modern take on the timeless floral scent. To create a private label perfume that captured this intoxicating garden smell, I collaborated with the master perfumer Sarah Horowitz.  After extensive testing and many formulations, we were able to create the signature scent so cherished by my family – the rose, re-imagined, with a darker floral heart.

Science tells us that our sense of smell holds the most powerful memories and triggers emotions that last a lifetime.  My goal was to create a custom perfume oil with a captivating scent that aligns with this most romantic time in a woman’s life.  My wish is for you to build your special moments and make them unforgettable with Eglantine.”

And if you’re wondering where the unusual name came from, it is as romantic as the perfume itself “The provenance of the name, Eglantine, can be traced to the Middle English eglentyn and from Old French aiglantin.  Meaning “wild rose,” the term was coined in the 14^th century to describe a particularly beautiful blushing rose growing wild in the European countryside.”

Although Erica is a much loved Sponsor of Chic Vintage Brides, she has not paid for this post, nor would I ever say anything on these pages (regardless of remuneration) that I don’t wholeheartedly feel and believe. She did however kindly send me one of the beautiful 8ml bottles to try (here‘s a little peek of it that I shared on Instagram when it arrived), so that I could give you my honest opinion. And here it is, Eglantine is everything a wedding day scent should be! It is unabashedly romantic, a chic classic yet utterly modern; fresh and young, but oh so sophisticated; and it lasts! Each beautiful layer develops, softens and changes throughout the day, but even the tiniest dots dabbed on my wrist smell as lovely when I go to bed, as it does when I first put it on. I am in love with this fragrance! But it is so much more than just the scent that makes me love it so.

Wearing Eglantine is such a luxury! It feels like a special occasion every time I open the box, elegant in its simplicity and so pretty with a pale pink lining; to see the gorgeous little french glass bottle (manufactured in the old world ways in Normandy, France) nestled within. Its gold rimmed neck is decorated with a tiny delicate pink ribbon and topped with the gorgeous glass globe stopper that gives it such an opulence and vintage charm. It makes me feel like one of the sirens from the silver screen, who in my favourite black & white movies always used to dab their perfumes so seductively on their pulse points. And it reminds me of when I was little, and my Mum would elegantly dab Chanel No 5 on to her wrists before going out, I used to love watching her do it. So now applying my perfume each morning is no longer a quick spritz and go, it is a luxurious ritual.

If you don’t believe me though, why not take a peek at some of the other lovely comments left on Erica’s website…..

“Love it love it love it!” ~ Deborah D / California

“…. it’s just lovely! It’s the only rose scent I’ve worn that does not give me headaches too…..” ~ Jessie O / Australia

“Eglantine has a great clean rose scent. I like to wear just a dab and its so soft and subtle and lasts all day! It smells very pure and fresh. ” ~  Lindsey B / Los Angeles

Eglantine is now available for purchase from Erica’s website here and, because it is pure parfum oil, you’ll be pleased to hear it can be shipped worldwide! I would definitely recommend, if you’re considering buying it, buying a sample vial first, as understandably returns on fragrance products are not permitted. The sample sells for just $20 and shipping is free. Once it arrives be sure to dab a little on your pulse points (wrist, neck and decolletage – not a sample strip or anything else as you won’t know how it truly smells until it is able to warm to your skin) and allow it to dry as it is only then you will be able to smell and appreciate the beautiful top, middle, and base notes.

Every bride should have a special scent for her wedding day, one that will make you smell as amazing as you will look. One that will last long into the night, and forever hold the memories of your magical day . And if I were getting married again Erica’s new perfume Eglantine would be the one for me!

Amy

x

Photography by Caroline Tran