Fragrance Reviews + Interviews
My last Mauritius post. Promise.
This one is moody. A bit like me.
While a change of scenery can be good for you, the reality is you take your inherent temperament with you.
Perhaps a new style in progress. Or not.
Technically these are not perfect. A tad grainy. But that’s why I like them.
As I hadn’t travelled abroad for quite some time, I’m blaming my notoriously bad packing (too much stuff, most of which I never wear) on that reality. Next time, I’m trying my cousin’s strategy of five of each items which, apart from simplifying my life, would have given me more suitcase space for Mauritius fragrance shopping. T-shirts, shorts, shirts, sarongs, flip-flops (and even swimming trunks, I’ll spare you those pics) became my best clothing friends. If you missed my first Ile Maurice post (island life in an impressionistic style), here’s the link.
I was far more disciplined when it came to packing my fragrance and skincare products, all of which I used regularly.
The Parfums-Jardins Collection (“jardin” = garden in French) has impressed me with its quality and refinement since its launch in 2003 with Hermès Un Jardin en Méditerranée EDT.
This 2023 addition maintains the standard I’ve come to expect from the range that takes its inspiration from secret gardens (this time, the Greek island of Cythera, also known as Kythira).
It gets going with the freshness of citrus and woodiness of olive trees.
Coumarin is known for its grassy and nutty attributes, and there’s just enough of that here to contribute to the sunny ambience. Slightly salty and warm, the pistachio (increasingly popular in perfumery and cuisine) completes the escapist mood.
Where previous Jardins were characterised by degrees of lushness and greenery, in-house perfumer Christine Nagel wanted Un Jardin à Cythère to be neither green nor floral (I’ve taken creative licence here to include greenery and florals in my pics because it looks good). She realises that with deceptive ease.
The French luxury goods brand (FYI: Its value passed the €200 billion market value earlier this year for the first time, making it the world’s second-most valuable luxury brand after LVMH) does things differently in a subtle way. This EDT is a perfect example of that approach and will always remind me of my time away.
The French pharmacy brand doesn’t only offer quality skincare products. Its fragrance selection is impressive too. Whether you’re on holiday or not, this 2012 Serge Majoullier creation (inspired by the smell of the company’s cult Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse) is fabulous stuff.
The opening is fresh with the citrus of orange and bergamot, but not for long. There’s a lush white floral extravaganza via orange blossom and magnolia. Creamy vanilla and sandalwood, bordering on coconut, are given beach sandiness with skilful use of mineral effects. If that doesn’t sound like vacay vibes, sorry, your visa has been declined.
What’s a goth to do when there’s sun, sun, sun? Apart from hide under a hat and avoid the rays (kind of difficult on a tropical island), time to slather on one of the best SPFs I’ve tried in a long time.
My sister gave this to me before I departed for Mauritius. So glad she did. It’s non-greasy, non-sticky, easily absorbed formula is made with La Roche-Posay thermal spring water.
My mood wasn’t the only prickly thing before my break. My skin was showing the effects of stress and not looking after myself properly.
Started using Reviving Eye Care Anti-Puffiness, Anti-Dark Circles; Glow Rich Moisturising Cream 24h (neroli scented!); Essential Antioxidant Serum; and Radiance Detox Mask from the French pharmacy brand’s Bio range shortly after I arrived and have continued to use it since getting back to South Africa.
Apart from their organic credentials (*see below), thumbs up to these products for smoother, more moisturised skin.
*FYI (from the brand website): Certified organic by Ecocert, the formulas contain an average of 99% natural-origin ingredients and an average of 63% cosmetic ingredients from organic farming, in comparison with the required minimum of 20% certified organic ingredients out of the total required ingredients depending on the product category and COSMOS charter.
I instinctively knew I was going to need something refreshing and rejuvenating and with temperatures of 25°C+, I was chuffed with myself for bringing this 2016 release from the family-owned French brand. I chucked it in my everyday bag and it went everywhere with me when I needed a cooling spritz. Which was often and around the clock. See goth problems above.
It’s simplicity itself with notes of verbena (lemony-clean), yuzu (tart and green) and musk (for a bit of longevity, but not too much, it’s an EDC, after all, but so reasonably priced, just spray some more.)
My only complaint: I wish the company would share the name of the perfumer who created this gem, as it does with the releases from its Collection Grands Crus.
When I was in the mood for something warmer and more sensual, this 2019 release did the trick rather nicely.
It starts out all citrus-y with notes of bergamot and orange. The florals of freesia and jasmine add to the freshness. The cotton effect from the scent’s name is achieved through some clever lab work and accentuated with the enveloping woodiness of the synthetic Cashmeran and white musk.
If you asked me to sum up the smells of the island, it would include words like salty, marine, curry, floral, spicy, piment (the green chilli paste), Phoenix beer (especially when offered so early in the day and as I was on vacay, merci beaucoup). And citronella.
I doused myself in one of the local mosquito repellents but alas, the critters still wouldn’t leave me alone.
If South Africa is a blip on the global fragrance market, Mauritius is but a speck of sand. When I got home I realised all the island’s fragrance retail outlets would still be outnumbered by those in my local shopping mall. Obvious conclusion: You don’t go to Mauritius for fragrance shopping but don’t let that stop you from indulging in this essential activity.
In convenience stores (increasingly common), such as Intermart, London Way and Winners, you’ll discover eaux de cologne from brands such as Bien-être, Berdoues, Labell and L.T. Piver, all brilliantly priced. At the time of writing this, you’d be able to get your hands on 250ml of Bien-être L’Original Lavande de Provence EDC for roughly R130 / $7 / £5 / €6.
You’ll also find cheapies from brands such as Ulric de Varens. Don’t be put off by the lack of glamour and style in the way these are presented in-store. Apart from their value for money, EDCs are perfect for the island’s climate and lifestyle: splash and go.
Depending which one, you’ll find brands such as L’Occitane en Provence, Roger & Gallet and Yves Rocher.
The chain Mado offers a more conventional retail environment for fragrance and skincare shopping, with a wide selection of the usual designer brands (Dior, Chanel, YSL, Calvin Klein, etc). Twenty years ago, a shop like this would have been unthinkable and unviable. Mauritius has come a long way.
IMAGE: Mado.
Spotted this shop at the rather upmarket shopping centre down the road from where my aunt lives. The small international selection (Lalique and others) expensive, but the brand’s own fragrances cheap ’n cheerful. EMNT (explore more next time).
Never heard of this French company before, but apparently originally founded in 1747 in Grasse. Tried a selection of their fragrances (including the Collection Privée) and intrigued enough to want to know more about what they do (for example, fragrance workshops). DEMNT (definitely explore more next time).
So this is more like it. Spotted loads of bargains and stuff I wouldn’t normally be able to find easily in South Africa (for example, the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Collection). Well priced too, even with charges in euros.
However, with their low prices on booze (whisky, etc), my carefully cultivated holiday mood was under threat from the hordes loading up on Johnnie Walker and I made a quick exit. Next time, I’ll know what to expect.
The pic below says so much…
Me waiting for the flight to be called. Thinking, relieved to be away from Duty-Free, need to see my barber pronto, had a great time but this pigmentation needs serious attention. Will I get home in time before the scheduled power failure?
I was waiting outside the So’flo shopping mall, admiring the vegetation, when an employee of the Mauritius Tourism Authority and I started chatting. He recommended the following four essentials to buy while in Mauritius: vanilla, rum, masala, tea.
I agree, especially the locally produced rum, with two brands standing out for me: Chamarel and Bougainville (yes, my cousin’s wife’s family owns the company that produces it, but I’d still praise the deliciousness of this spirit, which up till now I’d only really appreciated as a perfume note).
Some of you might have noticed I was offline recently. If you were asking, “Where the hell is Richard?”, this post will provide several answers.
Okay, so I was in Mauritius. Visiting and reconnecting with family, attending a wedding, escaping from incessant power failures and relentless pessimism about the state of South Africa, taking a break from IG and experiencing a world that couldn’t be more different from the city I live in, Johannesburg. Actually, it was my first proper and much-needed holiday in years.
I was away for three weeks and it’s taken me another three weeks to go through and edit all the hundreds of pics I took. So here’s some snaps from my time in Ile Maurice, the Indian Ocean island that’s a four-hour flight from JHB. Trying to keep this mostly visual. Impossible to show everything. Wouldn’t want to be a vacay bore.
Part 1: Island life in an impressionistic style and in no particular sequence or importance.
Part 2: What I wore fragrance-wise, fragrance shopping, plus some skincare products.
Part 3: Moody. I’ll leave it at that for now.
Firstly, let me start by saying I was overwhelmed by the generosity and hospitality of my family, many of whom I hadn’t seen for decades (I was last in Mauritius in the 1980s, oui, I’m that old). They were most tolerant of my mangled Fran-glais and often took me on sight-seeing excursions. Some pics in this post taken from a moving car, hence the blurry drive-by shooting effect, which I quite like.
Going back to the wedding (my second cousin Alexandre et Rachel), these Mauritians sure know how to party. Below, guests at the wedding celebrating the entrance of the bridal couple. Standing on chairs, waving their napkins and singing the anthemic Johnny Hallyday hit Allumer le Feu. Apparently, the last people left the next morning at 4am. I left at the very sensible hour of midnight. Mon dieu!
If you want to see the more traditional postcard vistas of sun, sea, beaches, colourful architecture, mountains, etc, here we go…
And then flowers and more flowers. I became increasingly obsessive, as is my wont, with photographing blooms and the lush vegetation (the island was verdant, thanks to good rains). So just two of my favourites here, which capture the tropical vibe of the island well.
Even when overcast and misty, Grand Bassin / Ganga Talao is spectacular. It was deserted on the day we visited, apart from noisy monkeys. Imagine being here during the Hindu festival, Maha Shivaratri, when thousands of devotees celebrate the god Shiva.
Hunting is popular. Here, deer in the blurry distance. It’s incredibly well controlled and regulated. And if you’re okay with eating industrial-scale meat, you can’t really complain about shooting these animals. For the record: I didn’t take out Bambi’s mother but I understand the process more than I used to.
Beaucoup développement. All the more noticeable when an island is so small (61km long, 45km wide). The proliferation of roadworks, luxury homes and shopping malls a sign the place is in demand and on the up. How much is too much? Well, that would require another post.
Once almost totally reliant on sugarcane and tourism (still the mainstay of the economy), Mauritius has been positioning itself as a high-tech hub. Cybercity is an expression of that ambition.
ALIEN INVASION? Non, c’est le Mauritius Commercial Bank on a rainy day.
With development and increased prosperity, traffic congestion (“embouteillages” en français) is becoming a problem. But at least the scenery is a distraction while you’re waiting…
It’s going to the dogs. Non, pas de cette manière. The island is doing quite well in the scheme of things and is seen as an African success story. But there are lots of ownerless dogs loitering about. Like their human counterparts, they’re generally laid-back, not vicious at all. This cutie snapped outside the local shopping mall. No, you can’t come home with me.
It’s not all sun and beaches. There’s poverty too, especially among the Creole population. I took this pics on the bus (frequent and cheap) from Tamarin to Riviere Noire.
The bloody mosquitoes. Gosh, these things wouldn’t leave me alone, devouring me, I couldn’t stop scratching. Fresh South African blood, according to my cousin. Hmmm…
This rather threatening and ugly building is the Russian embassy. Opposite my aunt’s home in Floréal. I resisted all temptation to graffiti the walls with pro-Ukraine sentiments. Bon garçon!
As Mauritius imports most goods from countries such as South Africa, prices can be eye-watering if you’re not in the pound / euro / dollar seats. That sting was softened by the lure of fragrance shopping, which I will explore in the next post.