Dashing onto the scene just in time for Valentine’s Day is a new Tom Ford Private Blend, ‘Beau de Jour.’ It will certainly take the guesswork out of Andy’s search for a heart-day gift, and though I hesitate getting a scent unsniffed, it has paid off handsomely in the past. A little glory is worth a little risk. There’s safety in the description, too, as the literature makes it sound like a scent made in my own little paradise planet:
“Classic. Sharp. Maverick.
Beau de Jour presents the perfectly groomed gentleman who considers every detail. He exhibits the best version of himself to the world, but underneath the surface is something deeper, refreshing and sublime in all its layers.
A fresh, commanding entrance of Lavender from Provence introduces the clean and fervent facets of the Beau de Jour scent. The cool and refreshing open is further amplified with an infusion of energetic hybrid of lavenders. The core beats with the herbal inflection of African rosemary and floral green geranium with its subtle hint of mint inflection, a powerful contrast to the leather-like warmth of oakmoss and the electric green of basil. Patchouli and amber create an earthy foundation of radiant wood and sensual musky warmth, further elevating Bea de Jour’s refreshing notion of masculinity through the finish.â€
To say so much and so little in such breathlessly frilly prose is an art form unto itself, and that description alone is enough to set my olfactory excitement into overload. I’ve always been a fan of lavender, and was actually on the hunt for something similar to see us through the brunt of winter. Lavender is one of those calming scents that, when done right, eases the mind and relaxes the body. We need that more than ever in the winter months. I’m a big fan of Ford’s earlier effort with the scent: ‘Lavender Palm.’ That veered into slightly perfume-like territory, not necessarily a bad thing, but it lingered in the upper register of notes, whereas I prefer something a bit deeper. ‘Beau de Jour’ on paper sounds like it fills that bill.
Having most recently purchased his ‘Fougere d’Argent’ I am just the slightest bit wary of putting another fougere-like scent into the repertoire so soon, but the moment calls for peace and refreshment, and that’s what lavender does best. Stay tuned…
UPDATE: This weekend’s Boston visit afforded me the chance to try this one out and I was pleasantly surprised. I like it better than the other Fougere offerings Ford has released of late, and part of that is due to the lovely hints of lavender, along with some potent staying power. Definitely worthy of Valentine’s Day…
