Fragrant Summer Holidays by Guest Blogger ‘Chemist in the Bottle’

The smells we encounter on our travels can be some of the most intense­ and lingering travel experiences. Scent draws attention not just to landscape and vegetation, but also to culture and history. Today, we are pleased to introduce you to our guest blogger Lucas Szczesniak of Chemist in the Bottle. His love for perfume is infectious and this post is sure to inspire all of your senses. Enjoy! 

Summer is just about here! Soon the temperature will start to soar, encouraging thoughts of travel. When it comes to summer holiday destinations, there are a many options to scratch that travel itch. So where are you off to? Perhaps you fancy a dip in the salty sea, or hiking in the mountains. Maybe you’re into camping or some peace and quiet in the countryside? Wherever you’re going this summer – there’s always a perfect fragrance to wear!

SEASIDE HOLIDAY
Visiting Positano, Italy with Eau d’Italie

Ah, the sunny Italian coast! The region of the Mediterranean Sea has a most desirable climate – warm and sunny for most of the year. More dry in the summer, and more damp and humid in the winter. Perfect conditions for growing fruits and vegetables… And Italians do love their cuisine! Somewhere along colourful hillside of Positano lives La Sirenuse Hotel. Its owners created the brand of Eau d’Italie. If you’re planning a day on the beach in the morning and sightseeing in the late afternoon you are better off wearing no fragrance at all. There’s always a chance of sun burn and skin discolouration in spots where you applied perfume. After 4 PM, when the sun is not at its strongest, spritz on some Acqua Decima! As you take in the sights and sounds, its juicy smell of lemon combined with soft and floral neroli accords will remind you of fun in the sun, while the addition of mint provides a lovely refreshing and cooling effect. This perfume is sure to have you feeling  happy and optimistic! If you’re a nature lover and love to discover local vegetation, then Un Bateau Pour Capri is the fragrance for you! A very natural peach fragrance combined with floral notes of peony, rose and jasmine will guide you through the day and into the evening, where you will smell a slightly woody base combined with creamy musk and freesia in the base notes – absolutely delicious! Lazy evenings spent in a hammock or at the piazza sipping espresso and taking in the nightlife, calls for a different scent – Au Lac. This gentle and soft perfume will calm you with aquatic, tea-like aromas of water lily and osmanthus, while rose, fig leaf and bitter orange will harmonize your body and soul. Finally, a warm and ambery base will guarantee a peaceful night sleep and beautiful dreams of this beautiful part of the world.

MOUNTAIN HOLIDAY
Hiking in the Scandinavian Mountains

From the picturesque Mediterranean coast we are heading north-west to arrive in Norway! The Scandinavian Peninsula is one of those special places in the world where nature has been untouched. Believe it or not, only 10% of the area is arable land – the rest, all mountains. The look of the fjords and the mountain ranges with occasional spots of white or green offer some kind of inner peace. If you want to explore the peaceful nature of the Trollheimen mountain range, you could do so with the company of Ramon Monegal Barcelona Agar Musk. The untouched character of this area goes well with the raw scent of agarwood, which changes into something very peaceful thanks to vetiver and nutmeg. Musk and amber make for a very long lasting composition which becomes warmer after a few hours. On the other hand Umbra – from the same perfume maison, is a fragrance that somehow captures the natural beauty of the mountains. It smells of aromatic fir needles, warmed up by the sun on a chilly day. The crispiness of geranium, paired with a tingling spiciness of black pepper can make you feel like you were walking around the forest.  The woody vibe of Umbra comes from the vetiver note while the inner warmth is provided by tonka bean. A touch of oakmoss adds even more naturality and charm to this composition.  The Fjords are one of the main geological features that must be seen when you’re in Norway. The tall cliffs made of white, grey or black stone make a breathtaking impression! When I look at them I’m reminded of the Olfactive Studio Lumiere Blanche visual – because of the stone and water. It seems to me like this could be a good perfume to accompany you while visiting the fjords. The warm and creamy kind of sandalwood is coupled in this perfume with spiciness of cardamom and star anise. Bitter-sweet aroma of almonds and tonka entwine with musk, cashmere wood and iris tones to give you the overall impression of safety and peace. Breathe in the cold air of the Fjords and enjoy the view. If you’re visiting Norway on your own – because you want to run away from the crowded and busy world and spend some time by yourself- I think that Olfactive Studio Autoportrait can be your friend. Resins such as elemi and benzoin mixed with vetiver and incense will allow your spirit to calm down, to fully relax and contemplate in silence. A bit of cedar and oakmoss accords will be beneficial for a “lonely warior” who seeks tranquility.

CITY HOLIDAY
The streets and parks of Berlin

Joe Cocker once sang about “Summer in the City” and it was a pretty cool song. Sometimes you don’t want to spend your summer lying on the beach or hiking in the mountains. Having a great summer in the city is not impossible – especially when you’re visiting a completely new place. From Norway’s Fjords I’m taking you to one of the most beautiful capital cities in Europe, to Berlin, Germany. When I think of a city I think of steel, concrete and an overall industrial feeling. In the perfume world there are a couple of perfumes that fit this scenery really well, Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling for example. Notes of juniper berries and black pepper give a very specific cold and metallic feeling to this fragrance making it also a very modern creation. The metallic chill of this perfume can resemble the cold metal constructions of skyscrapers. Another great perfume for city wear is Escentric 01 by Escentric Molecules. What can be more industrial and futuristic than a perfume created from a single synthetic aroma molecule such as Iso E Super. This perfume is a city spirit bottled! If you’re planning to spend your summer in the city you simply cannot forget about all the parks with fountains which are located around the city. You can relax sitting on a bench and enjoying an ice-cream. Does Histoires de Parfums Blanc Violette sound like a good choice to wear for a little picnic in the park? To me it does sound great because it’s delicate, sheer and a refreshing perfume. L’Artisan Parfumeur Caligna would be another awesome choice! A slightly milky fig with herbal and aromatic twist provides a great refreshment on scorching hot days. One additional non-perfume tip for those who are spending a summer in the city – always carry a bottle of water with you. In the city, when the air circulation is worse and where fumes float in the air it’s easier to dehydrate because heat is intensified.

EXOTIC HOLIDAY
The mysteries of Istanbul

Sometimes the summer months of June, July and August are the perfect opportunity to organize a trip to a place that is not very distant but it’s a whole different world. I think that’s the case of  Istanbul, the biggest and the highest populated city in Turkey. It’s one of two cities in the world that is located on two different continents – Europe and Asia. The city is placed on both sides of Bosphore, so I guess there’s no better perfume than L’Artisan Parfumeur Traversé do Bosphore. This is the kind of perfume that could be described as “intercontinental” offering the scent of both Europe and Asia. The European tradition meets the exotic culture. Etra by Etro is another perfume worth taking with you on a trip around Istanbul. This fragrance is a marriage of oriental spices, soft flowers and precious woods, a true combination of Eastern and Western styles of perfumery. How about Amouage Dia Woman? It’s one of the lighter scents from the house and as long as its structure represents the Arabic style of fragrance creating, this perfume also has many elements that are European. The freshness of fig, bergamot, herbs and cyclamen, combined with rose, incense and woods will make a trip to Turkey an unforgettable experience! And don’t forget to take tons of pictures!

I hope that you enjoyed this virtual trip to the seaside, mountains, city and and exotic land. There are many more perfumes that could be recommended but remember that it’s you who has to make the decision, so wherever you’re going on your summer vacation – wear a perfume that you’re comfortable with.

Happy summer!

Lucas Szczesniak, Chemist in the Bottle

Chemist in the Bottle is a perfume blog by Lucas Szczesniak. Lucas lives in Poland and is a recent graduate of Cosmetic Chemistry at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. Some of his favourite notes are iris, lavender, amber, vanilla, neroli and petit grain. He hopes to one day become a perfumer. With his nose and passion for the industry, we have no doubt that he will be very successful and we are excited to see where his fragrant journey takes him! Read more from Chemist in the Bottle HERE.