I recently took a weekend trip home to do some pre wedding celebrating with my sister and mom. They really out did themselves. We ate tons of great food, wandered the shops of the local town, and got ridiculously pampered at a couple of spas. Shout out to you ladies if you’re reading this! On top of all that, upon arriving, my sister pulls out a set of Nest perfumes as a gift. I start laughing at the sight of it! I originally planned on getting this collection for her for Christmas but it kept going in and out of stock before I got the chance! (I ended up getting her one similar to this set by Maison Martin Margiela). As someone who’s been adverse to perfume most of her life this set is a great introduction into something I previously avoided. I am just now, as I reach my 30’s gaining respect for scents, enjoying the private luxury they provide and the sense memories they evoke.

The Nest Eau de parfum Collection includes seven different 0.1 oz rollerball scents, several exclusive to Sephora. The founder of Nest, Laura Slatkin, was inspired by the art work of 18th century artist Mary Delany. Delany was a powerhouse of a women: progressive, resilient and fascinating. Her beautiful and botanically correct prints of various plants might at first seem like paintings, but are in fact paper collages. Seriously, go do some google-ing, she’ll have you intrigued.

Each of these scents is unique and complex, expressing the artwork that represents it. I’ve been discovering new favorites each time I reach for them, picking whatever suits my mood at the moment. Probably Nest’s most popular and blogged about perfume is Indigo, a deep scent of cardamom, bergamot and tea (although I smell blackberries… odd). It’s a very very sexy perfume.

Currently the fresh citrus scents of Paradise and Amazon Lily have been staples, filling the bottom of my handbag. Paradise has sharp, cleansing notes of ginger and blood orange while Amazon Lilly is an uplifting blend of lilies, tangerines, and lime.

Dahlia & Vines is the most feminine of all the scents (it is pink for christ sake), and although lovely with its notes of peonies and roses, has been the least worn by me. White Sandalwood, on the opposite side of the spectrum, is rather masculine in its notes, with a musky combination of almonds, spices, and (you guessed it) sandalwood.

The exotic notes of Midnight Fleur have made it my favorite for evenings. It has an intoxicating blend of vanilla, jasmine, black amber and patchouli. Verde is another fresh scent I’ve been loving. It notes of vetiver, cedar and verbana layer beautifully with Amazon Lilly.

The set, although months after the holiday season, is still popping in and out of stock. You can find the Eau de parfum Collection at Sephora. They also have a plethora of rollerballs, full size bottles and a few other well priced sets (here, here, and here) if you are on the hunt for a great gift. What’s your favorite scents to wear these days? What was one of the perfumes you first fell in love with? I’d love to know in the comments below!

-pence

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