Fragrance Review: Belle Fleur Home “A Room With A Scent” + Editors’ Draw

The past year has been twelve months of transition for me; as I have spent more time away from home and in hotel rooms I have learned the value of being able to scent my personal space with a room fragrance. When you feel like you have no place of your own, fragrance is a small way to make it feel like yours. So over the past year I’ve been slowly exploring room fragrances as a way to make my temporary quarters feel a smidge more like home to me.

When I was at the Elements Showcase in August I met Tony Perez and he introduced me to his line of room fragrances and candles. After talking with him I was very interested in experiencing the five fragrances which make up the Belle Fleur Home Classic Floral Collection. Mr. Perez’s partner and wife, Meredith Waga is the nose behind these fragrances. Ms. Waga comes to home fragrance from a successful career as a florist. That experience allows for her to truly know what a room of flowers should smell like. I think it is that sense of realism in these room fragrances that makes them so interesting to me. Everytime I sprayed one in my environment it felt as if a fresh bouquet of flowers had been placed in my room. The smell of fresh growing things really did do wonders for me as I was far from home.

Mayan Tuberose added a bit of opulent exoticism to my environment. This is a huge wave of tuberose which envelops you like a floral comforter. Vanilla and sandalwood add a needed counterpoint so that you don’t just get lost in the garden. If you love the smell of tuberose and just can’t get enough, Mayan Tuberose might be for you. I know that EIC Michelyn Camen loves this one so much she has been known to dab a bit on so she can take it with her.

Jasmine Verbena really strikes an exquisite balance between green and floral. The verbena adds the green and the jasmine takes care of the floral. They mix together and create that smell of fresh cut flowers. The green is intensified with the presence of vetiver and it adds depth to the overall effect.

Orange Blossom Pomegranate was the one I thought I was going to have the most trouble coming to terms with. It isn’t the orange blossom that I expected to have an issue with as that is one of my favorite smells; but pomegranate is not one of my favorite fruity smells. Which is why Ms. Waga’s choice to surround it with full-fledged orange, currant, and cassis helps the pomegranate from dominating. Then like a fragrant Benjamin Button the orange ages in reverse back to the blossom. Along for the ride are jasmine and geranium and they make the floral component in Orange Blossom Pomegranate very lively.

Grapefruit Muguet marries the two titular notes into a complimentary duet. The tartness of grapefruit and the shiny metallic nature of muguet make for good bedfellows or more correctly make for nice smelling bed linens. The citrus floral dichotomy is also carried through as petitgrain and jasmine are also present and create a similar bit of synergy.

My favorite of these five fragrances is White Orchid Tea. This had the ability to turn my lonely hotel room into a calming meditative place where I could let the fragrance center me and ground my emotions. From the early tea-inspired accord which then falls into a fully floral core allows me to feel as if I am looking over a cup of tea next to a bowl of fresh flowers floating in a bowl of water.

 

If I was going to emulate EIC Michelyn  (whose new  favorite is Mayan Tuberouse) and dab a bit of one of these on this would be my choice as there were times during my work day I could use a bit of fragrant peace.

I found all of the room fragrances in the Belle Fleur Home Classic Floral Collection allowed me to change my personal space for the better and can you ask for more from a room fragrance?

Disclosure: This review was based on samples provided by Belle Fleur.

Photo: NY Magazine

Editor's  Note: More than just a line of candles and room sprays , if you visit New York, stop by Belle Fleur in the Flatiron district for the most beautiful flower arrangements in the City . Just mention CaFleurebon and Meredith, who turns a single bloom into a piece of art, will give you the red carpet of roses treatment.Senior Editor Ida Meister flipped for Belle Fleur Imperial Oud Rose Candle

134 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10011
(212) 254-8703

Mark Behnke, Managing Editor

Thanks to Belle Fleur we have a bottle of my favorite White Orchid Tea to give away or (Michelyn's favorite and Tony's) Mayan Tuberouse. To be eligible leave a comment on which one of the Belle Fleur Room Fragrances you would like to create your own Room With a Scent. Draw ends September 27, 2011. We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

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27 comments

  • Michael Singels says:

    Mayan Tuberose sounds fantastic. I enjoy Tuberose Absolute a lot, and would be interested to see how its scent is combined with Sandalwood and Vanilla notes. Sounds like a heady dream come true!
    Thanks!

  • I would choose White Orchid Tea. In fact I love tuberose more but as a room spray it seems heavy to me contrary to orchid and tea combination that should be perfect match. Thanks!

  • The white orchid tea sounds lovely and I would be thrilled to win it! However, the orange blossom and pomegranate intrigues me as well (I love orange blossom and my son loves pomegranate so we would both be in bliss were this sprayed all over the house 🙂 ). Thanks for the draw.

  • Dear Lord !
    I love them both- but White Orchid Tea would be my want; meditative peace is paramount these days !

    Thank you Markins, MC, and the Perezes <3

  • White Orchid Tea sounds gorgeous for the tropics, I’d love to try that one. If I get to NYC, I’ll definitely stop in, it looks like a heavenly shop!

  • Masha IMHO if you are looking for a light tropical scent Mayan Tuberose reminds me of vacations in the Carribean. I don’t wear tuberouse perfumes but for me this wafts like an exotic breeze from an island faraway
    Both are gorgeous

  • I can tell you that between the most recent draws you have me panting. If I won this of course I would want the Mayan Tuberose! You know me the Tuberose houndog! A home spray that smells like the Caribean. Yes! I got married on St. Thomas maybe thats what it will remind me of. Love your draws as always:) xo

  • I would go for the white orchid tea, as I love the aroma/taste of all teas! By the way, the first picture on top is gorgeous! It’s inspiring me to chant “OM!” 🙂 I am not being facetious. I do practice yoga and this candle would also be a great addition to my yoga routine! Thanks for the draw!

  • I’d choose the tuberose! It’s one of my favorite flowers and notes and I’m always curious to try a new rendition.

  • I think I’ll just be a groupie today and emulate EIC Michelyn! The Mayan Tuberose does sound divine and the Sandalwood element must be a beautiful balance.makes me think Samoa.

  • mayan tuberose sounds divine. I love a good tuberose and the supporting notes sound like they make a great combo

  • Another vote for White Orchid Tea here. And thanks to Ça Fleure Bon for covering candles and room scents, too. I often don’t pay enough attention to these ambience-creating forms of fragrance, but thanks to Ça Fleure Bon, I have a reminder to do so!

  • Mayan Tuberose sounds wonderful, I appreciate tuberose more and more as time goes on. Thanks for the draw!

  • Both sound absolutely lovely. I must admit I tend to save all my pennies for my backlist of wanted fragrances, so have never actually purchased a, lets say, niche house fragrance. But now that you have brought it to my attention I sure hope this will not turn into a new obsession. With my room now demanding it’s own niche fragrances :o)
    ~ I would go with Mayan Tuberose I think. It’s the vanilla and sandalwood background that has swung the choice away from the tea one. … (Thanx for the draw !)

  • Tuberose for sure! I love the smell of real tuberose and the blend sounds brilliant. I will often stick a few stems of the rather homely tuberose into a larger bouquet just for the aroma.

  • Both sound wonderful but Mayan Tuberose is just something to dream for. There was too much water this year and my tuberoses didn’t make any flowers. I really need something to compensate for that. 🙂

  • Environmental fragrance is SO important I think. We all have our own stress and chaos. We need some comfort in our spaces. Who better than a florist to create something so beautiful for the senses, both sight and smell. Of the choices I think that I too would choose Mayan Tuberose. Thank you for introducing us to Belle Fleur. Should also say , Warm Scented Welcome to them to the Family of Cafleurebon.

  • That sounds lovely, the entire line does! As I was reading, I thought Jasmine and Verbena spoke to me and stole my heart, I will actually have to check it out.

    Please, enter me and I’d love White Tea and Orchid should I win.