After My Own Heart - romantic and wistful and a beautiful harbinger of spring

Photo: perfumeniche

With apologies to Munro Leaf, author of “The Story of Ferdinand”.

Once upon a time, there was a perfumista called Gwen. She loved perfumes. She loved smelling them, wearing them, talking about them and sharing them. She loved most notes, but her favourite, above all, was lilac.

In springtime, all the other perfumistas would get excited about all the spring flowers and get together to sniff and smell, but not Gwen.  She liked to just sit quietly by herself and smell the lilac.
 
She had a favourite spot in the backyard under a lilac tree. It was her favourite tree, and she would sit in its shade all day and smell its flowers.
 
Her best friend, Cheryl, who was also a perfumista, would ask her to come out and sniff and smell with the other flowers with her. Gwen would just shake her head. "Lilacs bloom for such a short time, so I like it better here where I can just sit quietly alone and smell them."

Cheryl was worried. She knew that soon the lilacs would be gone, Gwen would be sad, and she would miss being able sitting quietly, smelling the lilacs.
 
Then, one day, Cheryl brought Gwen a gift. It was a perfume decant she had bought online. She handed it to Gwen and told her to smell it. Gwen took the vial suspiciously and reluctantly pulled the stopper out of it, put it to her wrist and took in a deep breath. Her eyes went wide.
 
“Lilac!” she happily declared.
 
“Yes and no,” said Cheryl. “It smells like lilac, but it’s After My Own Heart by Ineke”.
 
“It’s perfect! A beautiful lilac soliflore that smells like spring!” said Gwen.

The opening was fresh and bracing, like a spring breeze. It came from green bergamot. A note fruity, tart raspberry balances the green tang that carries over into heart, giving the impression of new leaves. Soon, the delicate, tender scent of lilac comes forward. Its lily of the valley and mimosa facets immediately conjure spring. Lilac has a creaminess that’s highlighted with a note of creamy, woody sandalwood. Heliotrope, almondy, powdery and green deepen those facets of the lilac, while musk adds a kiss of warmth to the fragrance.

After My Own Heart isn’t about notes and pyramids; it’s about the olfactory experience of lilacs: the leaves, the flowers and the stems all at once. It dries down to a soft, powdery floral scent that is wistful, romantic and a true harbinger of spring.

“I have to get a bottle!” said Gwen after using up her decant.

And so, she did and from then on, Gwen was happy. She didn’t have to sit alone under a lilac tree ever again. She could bring lilacs and the smell of spring with her wherever she went and smell them whenever she wanted.
 
And Cheryl was happy to have her friend back and together they joined all the other perfumistas in smelling the flowers, and other new fragrance releases, of spring.

The End.

Check out After My Own Heart in our Shop.