Fragrance Columnist Demi Rawling On How The Power of Scent Can Evoke Memories of Being In Love

Bazaar Arabia’s perfume expert examines the physiological reason for why fragrances hold a special place in our hearts

Do you have a fragrance that reminds you of the time you fell in love? Perhaps a perfume worn by the person who cast the spell on you? What is it about the scent of love that lingers, sometimes long after a romance has ended?

I remember meeting my other half over two years ago, what he wore, his charming French aura, Elvis Presley-styled hair and, of course, the way he smelt. Ironically, we met at an olfactory event in France, which turned out to be both an unforgettable personal and business experience – my partner and I were getting to know each other, bonding over our shared passion, leading to a discovery that we shared the same favourite fragrance. Herod by Parfums de Marly; this is a cologne I have praised on my YouTube channel for years, naming it the “sexiest fragrance for men”. I was dreaming of the day when I’d get to smell it on a man – little did I know, my now-partner felt the same way about it. We talked for hours getting to know one another, the lingering notes of Herod in the air. It was an unforgettable evening.

Fast forward to a few weeks later – we met up again in Bali! You best believe I had a hard time choosing my fragrances for that trip. I wanted to smell like a feminine, tropical goddess so I ended up taking two of my ‘summer vacation’ favourites – Armani Privé Rouge Malachite and Fragrance du Bois Oud Jaune Intense.

Fragrance du Bois Oud Jaune Intense. Rouge Malachite is, to this day, the holy grail of perfumes in my opinion. It is simply, outstanding – a creamy, ambery, white floral scent with a warm, soft and woody undertone coming from the note of cashmeran. The fragrance becomes one with your skin, all the while maintaining a strong presence with fantastic longevity and a beautiful scent trail. It is wearable all year round, although I do recommend trying it in the summertime – the high heat makes it shine and brings the more oriental notes to the fore. Rouge Malachite is one of the few fragrances in my collection whose allure I’ll never be able to translate into words… you’ll just have to try it for yourself.

Oud Jaune Intense, sharing a similar olfactive profile to Rouge Malachite, is another stunning white floral fragrance, featuring one of my favourite notes, that of the tiaré flower. A creamy, tropical, slightly fruity smelling flower, I find most of my top summer perfumes contain this intoxicating note since it immediately reminds you of the scent of the season. Oud Jaune Intense is strong, flirtatious, fruity, floral – reminiscent of the scent of drinks on the beach – perfect for a summer getaway!

Circling back around to Herod – out of my partner’s large collection of over 300 fragrances, it is the only one I have a sentimental attachment to when he wears it. Herod is the ultimate day-to-night choice for any man and one I have recommended countless times. The scent is mouth-watering, at first appearing spicy due to cinnamon and black pepper notes, but settling over time as it develops into a delicious cherry, piped-tobacco scent with an overdose of raw vanilla, finally transforming into a sexy, ambery, slightly smoky, woody fragrance – pure heaven. I guess that’s why he chose to bring it to Bali with him, the scent definitely worked its magic!

All three of these fragrances hold a unique place in my heart and immediately evoke special moments with my partner. Herod still reminds me of the first time we met. Rouge Malachite and Oud Jaune Intense transport me to the two weeks we spent travelling around Bali, countless hours in the sun, too many adventures to count and of course the realisation that I was falling in love. I of course still wear both scents, but I prefer to save them for special date nights or vacations since they hold such special olfactive memories for me – although sometimes, I like to open the cap and just take a minute to smell them and reminisce about all the incredible memories I have wearing them.

I’ll leave you with a small scientific fact since I often get asked why we all share a very strong connection to some smells or fragrances in our lives. What is the reason behind this? We all have something called the olfactory bulb which runs from our nose, to the base of our brains, having a direct connection to the part of our mind which processes memories – the close contact between the two is why we have such an emotional link to some smells and fragrances.

It’s where love can linger.

From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s February 2022 issue