Essences Insensées, which I call 2014 (Mimosa), was launched in 2014 by French indie house Diptyque as a limited edition edition eau de parfum. It's the first in their Essences Insensées collection of "mille-fleurs" perfumes.

The phrase "mille-fleurs" is French for a “thousand flowers” and refers to the small flowers and plants shown on a green ground background in tapestries from the Middle Ages and Early Renaissance. The phrase came into the English language in the 18th century as a term for a perfume that was distilled from many different kinds of flowers from all seasons – the post-harvest tradition in Grasse of using plant, floral and vegetable leftovers of abundant harvests to create a perfume of a thousand flowers.

Essences Insensées 2014 (Mimosa) opens fresh and green from violet leaf green warmed with a slight spiciness from pink peppercorn. The pink peppercorn smells rosy and lead to a note of lush, creamy, honey-nuanced rose de mai. Vanilla-tinged, almond-edged heliotrope and mimosa join with the rose de mai to create a rich, abundant, floral heart. Yet, the mimosa stands out - I get whiffs of green cucumber peel, powdery violet and honeyed almonds as it moves towards the base yerba-maté reins in the florals and tempers them with a bitter green note. The flowers really are on a green background – as in a tapestry. At the base, Bourbon vanilla sweetens the bitterness while notes of beeswax and musk give it a warm sensuality.

The drydown is a skin scent that is opulent, complex – I smell flowers and hay and notes of green – and sensual. It smells like I’m walking in a field of flowers on a warm spring or summer’s day, my feet crunching the green grass and plants, the flowers in bloom, the sun warm on my skin.  This is what I have been yearning for.

Notes: violet leaf, pink pepper, heliotrope,  mimosa, rose de Mai, beeswax, yerba-maté, musk, bourbon vanilla.