Soft Spring – Le Soft Perfume

Somewhere in my wicked, miserable youth, I must’ve done Something Good – because we are having a nearly perfect Spring!  After a hectic rollercoaster of unwelcome highs and plunging lows, it seems my little pocket of Garden is settling into one of those mythical, magical Springs.  Warm breezes and relatively soft rains means I can put my seedlings out to harden and start reacclimating bamboos and elephant ears, etc to the outdoors.

It also means that I am able to enjoy softer perfumes that don’t represent all that well in extreme temps – iris, to be sure, as well as some of the lighter greens.  There’s also a delight to be found in perfumes that are designed to be soft  – one such line is the fabulous new line Sabe Masson Le Soft Perfume.  You know who I blame for this:  Beautyhabit.  Again.  I could choke Paula & Teresa for putting out such amazing catalogues, except I love pretty much everything on offer at Beautyhabit.   I am mostly inured to the hype – mostly – from perfumers and beauty lines.  But there’s something about the comfy-easy-breezy charm of Beautyhabit’s catalogues and website…aiiiiyy! it gets me Ever. Stinkin’. Time.   So I contacted Paula about this line, we decided I would try a few and let you guys know what I think.  So.

Okay!  First off, they are solid perfumes, from Isabelle Masson of Crazylibellule and the Poppies fame (remember her ‘perfumes on a stick’?) – I have a great fondness for perfume solids; they are easy to apply and not quite as harsh on application – I can imagine sneaking a tad of fragrance in a fragrance-phobic work environment, for example, without  freaking anybody out.    And these  Le Soft Perfumes  are perfect for a soft Spring day, when you want to enjoy the ‘day’ as much as the perfume you are wearing.  My favorite is Copacabana, from the Tiare line (Tiare flowers macerated in coconut oil).  Not quite what the name brings to mind – it comes down on the green side of floral, rather than all coconut and suntan oil.  And…may I tell you just how much I appreciate this deviation from tradition?  I mean, I love the idea of ‘beach’ – but not all ‘beach’ has to be suntan, right?  This is more Uninhabited Beach, with sparkling blue waters and gorgeous Tiare flowers at the edge of the jungle.  Some spicy-peppery bush that wafts a delicious scent when the wind blows just right…And a luscious little orange grove, just off to the side…….it’s delicious!

Nemamiah is from the Shea Butter line.  This is a perky little thing, perfect for a sunny day  – or any day you want to make sunnier!  A whole bunch of my favorite fruits:  orange/passionfruit/apple/mango.  Not one whisper of ‘fruitchouli’ – it manages to stay juicy in a good way, which is no small feat!  Sparkly and accessible without being ordinary, this is just a Whole Lotta Fun, even for this old cranky bat!  Every time I sniff this, I smile.

Parisian Rhapsody, from the Tamanu Mango collection, is the ‘nice’  of the three but that’s only because its powdery softness is Not My Thing.  It’s pretty as a garden, though and I actually like the collection of notes and imagine this would be a delight on someone who likes softer, powdery scents – I get a bit of a No22 vibe from Parisian Rhapsody, if No22 was at a sidewalk cafe eating a raspberry tart.  In Spring.  Under the almond trees.  In a light pink, crisp cotton dress.  Dang.  Maybe I’m just jealous of Parisian Rhapsody!  Really.  That sounds like an Excellent Life, doesn’t it?

The beauty of these little gems, beyond their great smells, is the packaging and the price.  They are just freakin’ DARLING!!!

And at $25 ea.  Yes.  I. said. $25  (or $45 for  a Discovery Set)  they are practically free!!!   I don’t think I can do a giveaway of these because they are solids and even though I cut off a piece, etc….I dunno…prolly some FDA rule against it and I have a nasty case of bronchitis and might give you the gallopinepazutick, as my mamma used to say.  But at $25!   Check out the whole, fun line at Beautyhabit!  I’m going to buy a bunch of these as fun little gifts for friends!  Dangit, Paula!