Photo: Sally Mann, Vinland (1992)

Last weekend I found myself happily catching-up and flipping through August’s Vogue, when an image caught my eye. I saw a woman and a boy sitting in my favorite neighborhood soda fountain shop. When I looked closer, I was happy to see it was a photo of model, Leilani Bishop and her son, this reminded me that I had met Leilani not too long ago at Elements Showcase. As I looked at her photo I was reminded of her ease and effortless beauty, and I recalled that her fragrances seemed to magically echo her ease and style. Leilani has created three pared-down fragrances that live in a nostalgic flacon that she designed. At times simplicity is refreshing in an industry saturated with so many noirs and ouds. Sometimes I prefer a scented haiku compared to a fragrant complex novel, here less is more. At first I pushed these three aside for not having enough gravitas, but when I tried them again they began to resonate on the skin and in the air, and I thought these might be great way sneak in some ease, simplicity, and happiness into the everyday life. Each perfume is framed around a single-note that speaks to a particular aspect of nature and time that are utterly personal to Leilani.

Detail of Pikake Lei

Pikake was inspired by Leilani’s childhood in Hawaii, dancing hula lead to an early awareness, respect and connection to nature. I would describe Pikake as a breathy heady white floral, tropical and lush. The initial hit is slightly butyric, in a good way, and as it settles it becomes buttery sweet on the skin. As I slumbered into sleep I imagined an invisible lei of pikake flowers around my neck, the scent rocked me into a deep comforting sleep.

The scent of lilacs soothed Leilani’s transition through her move from Hawaii to the East Coast. Lilac is a woody floral. It opens up very fresh and green and is a brighter fragrance compared to the other two, but it still remains efficient and to the point. I can’t help but think of Springtime. Lilac smells very much like lilac and remains that way from start to finish.

Orange Blossom speaks to Leilani’s love of travel, especially to Africa and the Mediterranean. Orange Blossom creates a kind of solar effect throughout the fragrance. It has warmth, and is sunny. There is also a milky quality to it too that creates a honeyed haziness to the fragrance that is pleasing on the skin. Throughout the day I am reminded of its delicacy, and I feel it so close to the skin and yet I keep getting complement after complement.

Thanks to Leilani Bishop we have a giveaway of a 2mL sample set of all three fragrances reviewed. This is a US only draw. To be eligible leave a comment on which you think would be your favorite and whether you live in the US. Draw will end October 31, 2013.

We announce the winners only onsite and on our Facebook page, so Like CaFleureBon and use our RSS option…..or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

–Valerie Vitale, Contributing Editor