Grasse, France – a region renown for producing some of the finest and most complex fragrances in the market today, is the inspiration behind L’Occitane en Provence’s latest launch, ‘La Collection de Grasse’, comprised of 4 distinct scent pairings – Jasmin & Bergamote, Magnolia & Mûre, Vanille & Narcisse, and Thé Vert & Bigarade.

A true homage to the perfume schools of Grasse, each pairing has been carefully selected by Karine Dubreuil, perfumer for L’Occitane who has trained with the Roure school of perfumery at Grasse and who is the “nose” behind many famous fragrances. Sourcing precious extracts from near and distant lands such as magnolia from the Far East, blackberry from the South of France, green tea from Japan, bitter orange from Tunisia, jasmine from Grasse and Egypt, bergamot from Italy, vanilla from Madagascar, and narcissus from France, the entire list behind each duo is like taking a worldwide journey.
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“Two by two, the ingredients have been brought together with supreme skill from Karine Dubreuil. Sometimes they seem destined for each other. At other times, it’s like a wonderful chance encounter. And then there are the ingredients that echo and enrich each other. Nothing is forbidden – boldness is embraced”

Designed by Olivier Baussan, founder of L’Occitane, the fragrance bottles were created in an almost-perfect square, in a simple style of thick and clear glass, inspired by the traditional perfume bottles of Grasse. The black caps and the face of the matt white card packaging, are decorated by the ampersand (&) symbol in relief (and in the colours of a key accord) – which represent not only the union of scents, but gives a nod to an age-old heritage: in Occitan, the “&” (ampersand) sign was read like other letters and considered the “27th” letter of the alphabet until the  19th century. The ampersand is a ligature of the letters in “et” – the Latin word for “and”.

For the Collection de Grasse, the ampersand becomes the unifying symbol declaring a marriage of contrasting or complimentary elements.

Of the four scent pairings, 3 of them have been specifically designed for women – Jasmin & Bergamote, Magnolia & Mûre, and Vanille & Narcisse, while Thé Vert & Bigarade can be worn by both men and women. Each composition is available in (all in Canadian prices):

• Eau de Toilette, 75 ml – $75.00
• Body Milk, 175 ml – $24.00
• Shower Gel, 175 ml – $20.00
• Perfumed Soap, 125 g – #10.00

L’Occitane en Provence – La Collection de Grasse

L’Occitane en Provence – La Collection de Grasse

L’Occitane en Provence – Vanille & Narcisse

L’Occitane en Provence – Vanille & Narcisse

L’Occitane en Provence – Vanille & Narcisse (ingredients list)

L’Occitane en Provence – Vanille & Narcisse (braille on packaging)

L’Occitane en Provence – Vanille & Narcisse

L’Occitane en Provence – Vanille & Narcisse

Vanille & Narcisse Eau de Toilette (CAD $75.00/75 ml) “Brazen Happiness”

Evocative of – an exuberant and expressive burst of laughter, the mellow warmth of the East

The Spirit – Vanilla lightly enveloped in white flowers

The Fragrance – Discreet at first, the scent of narcissus swells to reveal a bouquet of white flowers ad spicy heart accords. Finally, the rich and radiant vanilla borrows the wilder, untamed notes of narcissus that give it its spirit

Key Raw Materials – Vanilla absolute from Madagascar and narcissus absolute from France

Family – vanilla oriental

• Head notes: blackcurrant, bergamot
• Heart notes: NARCISSUS, gardenia
• Base notes: VANILLA, tonka bean

My experience: I usually avoid florals, as I have found that they do not agree with my body’s unique chemistry. Orientals, however, are something I absolutely love and with that in mind, I looked forward to seeing how this floral-oriental combination would work on me. Upon initial application, I sensed the barest whisper of the vanilla – a sly hint of what was to come later, overlapped by the early exuberance of white flowers. The blackcurrant & bergamot notes add a unique tangy touch, helping to offset what might otherwise become too floral for me, and when the scent finally settled into its final stages some 3 hours later, I was left with the warmer & mellower notes of the vanilla. Surprisingly, this turned out to actually be a floral I can wear, although my personal preference is that the muskier/vanilla tones were more dominant … but that’s just me. Still, this scent feels like the embodiment of modern femininity, without coming off as either too cloyingly girly or ambiguously asexual – very original, and fresh.
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Jasmin & Bergamote Body Milk (CAD $24.00/175 ml) – “Day and Night”

Evocative of – A light, graceful, sensual dance

The Spirit – The olfactory variations of a delicate flower observed in the light of dawn

The Fragrance – Bergamot discreetly lights up the scent and continues to retain a lingering presence. Contrasts blend with ambivalence, while jamine reveals all its facets. To convey this ambiguity, at least two types of jasmine would be needed: a jasmine from Grasse and a jasmine from Egypt. The balance fluctuates between petals and leaves, freshness and sensuality, day and night.

Key Raw Materials – Jasmine absolutes from Grasse and Egypt, bergamot essential oil from Italy

Family – jasmine floral

• Head notes: mandarin orange, BERGAMOT
• Heart notes: JASMINE, lemon leaves
• Base notes: sandalwood, cedar

My experience: With a formula that runs more on the thin than thick side, this body milk applied like a veil along my skin, was easily absorbed and left behind a well-hydrated feeling. The shape of the bottle fits comfortably in the hand, and I really like the convenience of the pop up dispenser – keeps any mess to a minimum and can be worked one handed. The scent is crisp & herbal/green, with a slight amber-like undertone and while it was a definite presence upon initial application, it then faded to a softer version of itself – but no less bright – some 3 hours later. As a bodycare product, it has a remarkable emollient quality and my skin felt quite nourished – the addition of fragrance helps it to serve double duty, providing an olfactory appeal as well.

L’Occitane en Provence – Jasmin & Bergamote Body Milk

L’Occitane en Provence – Jasmin & Bergamote Perfumed Soap

L’Occitane en Provence – Jasmin & Bergamote Perfumed Soap (ingredients list)

L’Occitane en Provence – Jasmin & Bergamote Perfumed Soap (braille on packaging)

L’Occitane en Provence – Jasmin & Bergamote Perfumed Soap

Jasmin & Bergamote Perfumed Soap (CAD $10.00/125 g) – see above for a complete breakdown of the scent.

My experience: This oversized bar, literally made my showering ritual an almost sensual experience; redolent with the sultry tones of jasmine & offset by the brighter notes of bergamot, the steam only amplified the fragrance – love it! Once you begin working this soap, it lathers up extremely well, but not to the point that it’s overdone, and after rinsing, my skin felt clean as well as supple – none of that usual tight feeling you get with some other bars of soap.

Last word: With Mother’s Day around the corner, any (or all!) of the four scent pairings from L’Occitane’s Grasse Collection will make the perfect gift. While I haven’t tried every single product available, the 3 I’m showing here were each impressive in their own right; the Vanille & Narcisse Eau de Toilette not only went the distance in terms of lasting power, but even suited a die-hard floral hater like myself. The Jasmine & Narcisse Body Milk felt wonderful going on, and the scent stayed on way past when I thought it should have faded – a good alternative for anyone who prefers a more subtle version of a fragrance, while the soap not only cleans amazingly well, but also imparts its own soft fragrant touch.
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The ‘Collection de Grasse’ will be available as of May, at all L’Occitane boutiques, as well as online.

*Disclosure: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration