Tolu by Ormonde Jayne - fragrance review

The best was saved for last

Ormonde Jayne - Tolu

The fragrance for your true love!

Back in January this year I was reviewing Ormonde Jayne fragrances and one of the perfumes I fell in love with was Tolu (from the Sample Programme kit I received from Sarah Ehrlich). I wanted so much to review this fragrance, but I put it aside because I could not find any idea, picture or music that would be fantastic enough to illustrate the article. Nothing seemed to be good enough for this outstanding perfume!

So, since last week with my cravings for powdery perfumes, I decided to take this challenge and wear Tolu for a week till something would come up.

Juniper berries

Tolu has a fantastic opening with notes of Juniper berries, clary sage and orange blossom.

A green, aromatic-herbaceous and slightly floral touch from the clary sage and the orange blossoms. The peppery hint comes with the juniper berries. It tickles the nose and awakens the senses. It is the thrilling sensation we get before going to a party.

I got this feeling before my wedding.

It is a very unique opening for a perfume. Rich and caramelized, but silvery and green at the same time. I guess this is where I got the idea of the wedding! Although it is a happy moment, a celebration of love, it has a heavy load of commitment. The fun and the joy of the party is the silver green, and the serious side of it is the caramel, rich touch.

The aromatic green whiff fades away slowly on my skin, which is a plus. And it gives place to a richer accord of flowers. The orchid and muguet blends smoothly in the resins of Moroccan rose, Tolu, tonka, frankincense and amber. The notes dance on the skin like the newly weds in their first dance.

The powdery notes bring dryness and mix with the resins making a rich blend that smells heavenly! very sophisticated.

So I had a wedding in my head, but it had to be a very special one!

As I looked for an image that could express the Tolu experience on my skin, I found the beautiful Marc Chagall painting called the The three candles - 1938-1940.

The three candles - 1938-1940

The three candles is a remarkable piece of art that I love very much.

In this painting Chagall interprets one of his favorites subjects, love and religion.

In the background we find angelic figures floating around on the sky. The young couple appears to be rising up with the angel holding each other tight, because they are in love, they can't feel the ground. It is the sensation that moves the world: to be in love!

The woman is wearing a wedding dress so it is a religious ceremony.

Also, the bride and groom are looking to the candles, another religious icon in Chagall paintings.

I could find all these elements in Tolu!

The resins used in religious ceremonies and temples are explored in this fragrance in one of the most amazing ways I ever had the chance to experience. The sweetness of Tolu, tonka and amber is represented by the hand of the man holding his beloved bride. The powdery notes represented by the lovely small clouds on the sky. The warming sensation that this fragrance brings represented by the red, orange tons and brownish colors of the canvas. And like Linda describes them so well in her video, "cognac, autumn, golden, honey-ish colors"...they are all there!

The blue goat, the small village houses, the flute and violin players...

This painting is probably someone's dream about his bride to be.

The cozy, secure feeling of being held by the lover represents the very essence of Tolu. The dream of having the person you love beside you, caressing you. Tolu is a work of love. It is about having each other in the arms, nurturing, taking care of each other. It is about dreaming, or being half awake. In a state that you mix reality and fantasy.

Tolu brings the best I have in my soul.

To listen to Loyko playing click here

To Chagall's bio click here

To Ormonde Jayne click here

Ormonde Jayne - Tolu Luxury Perfume from Ormonde Jayne on Vimeo.