Paris diaries: Diptyque

When I first started to plan my latest trip to Paris, Diptyque immediately jumped on my mind as one destination definitely not to miss. I've been admiring their story and craftsmanship for years, but only from afar. This time I actually decided to cave in, and make my very first purchase. Of course I've been swooning over their candles forever, but I was also tempted by their unique and head-turning perfumes. I opted for the Diptyque corner at Printemps Beauté, and I couldn't have made a better choice: I had a pleasure of meeting the loveliest and most competent assistant who made my whole shopping experience very special.

Jasmine candle was an obvious choice: I'm utterly in love with the jasmine scent, its delicate and rich fragrance that is so unique and recognizable among dozens of other scents. Surprisingly, I wasn't that much impressed by the Baies (which is all the rage in the blogosphere). Instead, I fell under the spell of Tuberose, which is probably going to be my next gift to myself (I'm a firm believer in buying gifts for myself: it's proven to be good for my soul!).

Shopping for a perfume can be a little bit daunting sometimes, due to the huge number of options out there. New scents are jumping at us practically every week (dare I say every day?), all of them promising to be the next big thing. But lately, I've been drawn to a more unique and special scents, and in this department, Diptyque (alongside with Annick  Goutal or Artisan Parfumeur) is a clear winner to me.

The whole experience was extremely lovely and agreeable: the assistant, who took me under her wing, spent a great deal of time walking me through every single scent, explaining their composition. Then we had a long discussion about the scents I love (florals with powdery undertones), that I have some beautiful memories attached to, and of course, those I simply can't stand (in my case, all the scents that are overly woodsy or spicy). She picked up four scents that matched my criteria, spritzing them on little papers for me to try out. After much deep inhaling, I singled out two fragrances: L'Ombre dans l'eau (with the notes of blackcurrants and Bulgarian roses) and Do Son (bursting with tuberose and a selection of white flowers). The assistant put a spritz of each one on my wrists, then told  me to take a walk around the Printemps beauty floor, so the scents could properly develop and present me even with their deeper, more hidden notes. This was such a wonderful idea, because I truly got the opportunity to appreciate the perfumes in all their glory before making my final choice. I loved the softness of L'Ombre dans l'Eau (it would be a perfect spring and summer scent), but it was Do Son that truly stole my heart and it was the one I came back for.

The assistant described this fragrance as "un jardin anglais juste après la pluie" (an English garden just after the rain) which set my imagination running: I could almost see myself walking barefoot in the freshly mowed grass in the English countryside, wearing a lightweight white lace dress, inhaling deeply the intoxicating scent of tuberose covered in sparkling raindrops. I knew it was made for me.

This was truly the best perfume shopping experience I've ever had. My love for Diptyque now knows no boundaries, and I simply can't wait to organize my next trip to Paris, to explore this brand and its story some more.

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