Sweet vanilla scent

“When I feel sad, I open a jar of vanilla beans that I brought back from my vacation in Bali. Rough to the touch, dark brown fragile pods smell of childhood, sweet grandmother’s buns. I breathe in this aroma and feel – I relax, I stop being nervous, irritated, ”admits 38-year-old Alena. Today vanilla notes are heard in many perfumes, it is added to body creams, candles, lip glosses – literally everywhere. There is something both erotic and innocent in this fragrance: oriental incense intertwines with a floral bouquet and breathes with confectionery sweetness. Sometimes vanilla is even considered an aphrodisiac.

“This is definitely a sensual fragrance,” says aromatherapist and cosmetologist Elena Evseeva. – But her sensuality is not aggressive, not animal, she has a different nature. Vanilla soothes, reduces stress, liberates and, most importantly, gives a warm, enveloping feeling of security – like at home, in childhood, in mother’s arms. In such a peaceful state, those of our emotions and desires, which we did not notice behind stress and worries, become more obvious, obvious, significant. Hence the eroticism that is often attributed to this fragrance. Combining with other essential oils – rose, ylang-ylang or coniferous – vanilla helps them open up. It is for this property – to enhance the surrounding aromas – that many perfumers love vanilla. (Except for those who are convinced that “culinary ingredients should stay in the kitchen,” says provocative perfumer Geza Schoen, creator of Escentric Molecules fragrances.) “For me, vanilla is a celebration, a spontaneous smile, an explosion of emotions ”, – describes his feelings aristocrat Kilian Hennessy (Kilian Hennessy), creator of fragrances by Kilian. Another perfumer, Romano Ricci, the grandson of the legendary Nina Ricci and author of fragrances under the Juliette Has a Gun brand, recalls that kings and emperors have always sympathized with vanilla in the past: “Vanilla sounds interesting on men’s skin.”

“Many people like vanilla, but definitely not everyone,” comments Elena Evseeva. – The reaction to a particular smell, of course, reflects our emotional state at the moment and emotional needs. Perhaps now we just need not the sweet, soothing smell of vanilla, but invigorating bergamot or ritual, deep sandalwood. In addition to unconditional aromatic merits, vanilla is also valued in cosmetology. “I add a few drops of essential oil to dry skin care: it makes it more dense and elastic,” Elena Evseeva continues. Green fruits and flowers of Madagascar vanilla became the basis for the active ingredient Planifolia in Sublimage cream, Chanel. This valuable ingredient protects skin cells from damage, moisturizes, evens out skin tone and gives the face radiance. It is not easy to get it: 60 thousand green pods and 14 thousand flowers are spent per kilogram of the active ingredient. Both dry vanilla pods and essential oil are expensive. The reason is labor-intensive production. The first flowers on the plant appear only three years after planting. Green fruits must spend at least nine months on the branch, after which they are harvested by hand, and then dried for a long time, in stages … It remains to add that, according to legend, Christopher Columbus brought vanilla to Europe. Once on the American continent, he tried liquid chocolate flavored with vanilla, which was presented to him by the leader of the local tribe – as a sign of peace and kindness.