Fragrance Friday: L'OCCITANE La Collection De Grasse

Last week at LuckyFABB I had the opportunity to get a preview of La Collection De Grasse, a new collection by L'Occitane. I haven't used anything from the brand before so I was excited to check it out! I just love the packaging and branding of this collection- it's so perfect for spring and summer, from the colors, the watercolor art, to the inspiration! This collection is inspired by the perfume capital of the world: Grasse, France, where local growers mastered the art of cultivating rare and delicate flowers such as jasmine, rose, and orange blossom.This collection was created with the help of Karine Dubreuil, what we call a "nose" in the industry. Karine is a true perfumer- she was born in Grasse, raised in Grasse, and studied in Grasse. She developed a palette of over 2,000 scents...all of which she can name from memory! Who better to create a Grasse inspired collection? Let's take a quick look into Karine's inspirations, straight from the source!Where do you draw your sources of inspiration?Karine: "My ideas come from my travels, encounters, food recipes, raw materials or even from a forgotten fragrance that I rediscover once again."Where do you create fragrances?"My places of creation are numerous- at my desk, in the laboratory, on vacation- but my ideas come to mind more often during moments of serenity and peace."What is your favorite raw material?"Mimosa (a childhood memory), orange blossom, anise, jasmine, rose and wood."Orange blossom...now you're talking, Karine! One of my favorite scents. Now...onto the fragrances!Jasmin & Bergamote is both elegant and romantic. This one is for people who love fresh scents, for sure! The jasmine gives it a beautiful floral note, but there is a great "grassy" note from the leaves. The cedar and sandalwood base notes make this a much more well-rounded scent.Magnolia & Mûre is both mysterious and sophisticated. I couldn't sniff this one, but it's a blackberry and magnolia scent. It seems like a perfect scent for someone who loves fruity scents but doesn't want to smell juvenile! The base notes of patchouli and moss will make it a bit fresher as well!Vanille & Narcisse is an intoxicating combination. At first it's a bit demure, until it gets warmed up by your natural body heat, where you get the sensual vanilla and spicier notes. This one reminds me of a particular person in my life...I love how fragrances can do that! I think this one is a favorite!Last but not least, Thé Vert & Bigarade is an explosion of freshness. I wish I got to smell this one, because I love the scent of bitter orange. I guess I'll have to stop into a store and smell it myself!Which scent suits you? I wish I had all of these to enjoy this spring!Each of the fragrances come in an Eau de Toilette ($75), shower gel ($18), body milk ($20), and perfumed soap ($8). Find the collection online and at L'Occitane boutiques April 17th! But, visit my hidden link to enter their giveaway for La Collection De Grasse and find out  how to get free samples at a boutique near you!This post takes me back to my FIDM fragrance class...now I have to find my favorite movie we watched: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer!