Fragrance Reviews

Jardin de France: Eau de Colognes 1920

01/30/09 01:55:34

Jardin de France is a French perfume & cosmetics house that is based right in the ‘gardens of France’, a nickname for the picturesque Loire Valley. Abundant flora of its meadows, its stunning sights and mineral springs, as well as its many medieval chateaux, make the area extremely attractive to nature lovers and history buffs alike. The perfume house was established in 1920 and is best known for its eau de colognes.

In 2006, the company decided to relaunch its cologne line (which now boasts 21 fragrances) and in 2007 the house received a prestigious Cosmétique Mag award (the French perfume industry equivalent to ‘the Oscars’ given out to the best beauty products since 1990) in the ‘mixed fragrances’ category. The eau de colognes come in classically elegant vintage-looking flacons housed in blue boxes boasting the house logo. The sizes available are 250ml (splash), 100 and 25ml (spray).

The Jardin de France eau de cologne line would impress anybody with its enviable assortment, as well as its quality and affordability (e.g 22 E for 100 ml). Traditional natural-smelling fragrances could be found in many a French cosmetic line and yet it seems that everyone has their own way of creating single note fragrances.

True to their roots, Jardin de France offers us their fragrances in light, timeless yet very of-the-moment eau de cologne concentration, which is truly refreshing and a true respite from the routine of everyday life: it gives one energy in the morning, a sense of coolness during the day and the feeling of calmness at night. Each fragrance is great on its own, all of them are extremely wearable, they won’t stifle or bore you, giving you joy much like a really good aromatherapeutic product, and yet their delicate quality doesn’t hinder their original characters in any way.

Any of the Jardin de France eau de cologne can be used alone or they can be layered and mixed together. The selection the line offers makes for a great be-your-own-perfumer opportunity, where your fantasy is your own best guide.

Green tea (The vert) is so juicy, so green and so wonderfully fresh that it makes you smile the moment you put it on, helps you to keep it positive during the day and relaxes you in the evening. And, if layered with Jasmine, Muguet and/or Lilas, it smells like a spring garden in bloom.

Citron vert (lime) is a citrus fragrance: sweet as a ray of sunshine, it will remind you of the good times in your life and, being a rather universal citrus fragrance, would be a playful addition to any of the collection’s other fragrances. Naturelle (classic citrus cocktail), Extraveille (Extra Old) and Oeillet (Carnation) are rather nostalgic which isn’t a bad thing at all: it makes you look into the past and sort of echo our ancestors who proclaimed that old equals good.

Classic floral lovers would be wise to pick out Rose (it is fresh yet intense), very green and charmingly fragile Muguet with unusual soapy glean nuances (Lily-of-the-Valley), powdery and slightly sweet Violette or the simply stunning Jasmin. Subtle green notes make most of the Jardin de France flowers truly vibrant.

In addition to the traditional fragrance selection, Jardin de France offers us the oriental Ambree, the sensual Gingembre (Ginger), and the powdery green Angelique. Men might be interested in Tabac, Fougere or the classic Vetiver, which is green, woody, subtly earthy and truly gorgeous.

All merchandise sold on the company’s website, including eau de colognes, is on sale until February 4th, 2009. Every 100 ml eau de cologne is reduced to 16.50€ (from 22€) and gift sets (100+25ml) cost a mere 17.50€.