All that rose talk last week left me feeling like I was neglecting the King of Flowers, jasmine. I’ve been pulling out jasmine perfumes to sample all this week¹. I’ve satisfied my current jasmine craving with this soliflore, Ramón Béjar Jasmine Maat.
Jasmine Maat is a big ‘ole jasmine. It opens with sunshine and hay paired with a realistic, slightly honeyed jasmine. This brand‘s strength is offering fairly “simple” perfumes that emphasize the sophistication of high-quality notes. Jasmine Maat is no exception. I have a hunch on the origins of the jasmines in this, and trust me, they aren’t cheap. Jasmine Maat has all of the qualities that I look for in a jasmine – floral, indolic, rubbery/fleshy with a hint of warmth. And that’s the heart of Jasmine Maat. The fragrance enters its “dusk” phase which when the jasmine diffuses into a powdery musk and slightly waxy, sweet tiare. The dry-down slips into a slumber of a musky vanilla talcum powder.
Jasmine Maat is a soliflore which means that some may label it as “simple”. I’ve already said that I don’t find soliflores simple anymore; their complexities are more nuanced. Jasmine Maat is a straight-forward jasmine that is well choreographed. It’s beautiful and dances on the skin.
Notes listed include bergamot, black currant, chamomile, Egyptian jasmine, jasmine sambac, rose, tiare flower, vanilla and musk. Launched in 2014. PERFUMER – Ramón Béjar
Give Jasmine Maat a try if you like jasmine perfumes. Or if you like perfumes like Serge Lutens A La Nuit, Keiko Mecheri Jasmine, Montale Jasmine Full, Nasomatto Nuda and/or CB I Hate Perfume Jasmine Sambac.
Projection and longevity are above average.
The 2.55 oz bottle retails for $295 at Osswald.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Radiant jasmine soliflore. It’s expensive but it really is a luxurious jasmine.
¹I realized that I have very few jasmine perfumes in my collection and honestly, very few that I even like wearing. I have this issue where I almost view jasmine as “too sophisticated” for my usual wear but I’m fine with all other florals. Go figure. I think the “cost per wear” of something like Jasmine Maat would be astronomical for me since I’d probably only wear it once a year.
I love your descriptions of this! Maybe I should brave it and find a sample even though I’m not generally fond of solinotes and, as I said earlier, have had issues with jasmine. Maybe it’s the name that draws me in too, Maat was my favorite egyptian goddess when I studied egyptology!
I have that same “too sophisticated” issue with iris. The few irises that I have in my collection tend to just gather dust waiting for a properly elegant occasion. And even when that occasion comes I reach for something with more… well whatever is the positive opposite of sophistication! Lol!
I do love the goddess reference. That drew me in for sure.
Iris is one of those too. I wear them much more now than ever. Back in the day, I’d buy them and never wear them because they felt too post/sophisticated for my daily life. I know it’s silly because I should wear things that make me happy, but still, it’s like a “special occasion”. I guess there’s nothing wrong with that though. That’s what makes certain foods or activities special. We don’t do them all the time so they’re special!
Opulence was the word I was looking for! I’m more fond of opulence than sophistication. Sophistication has undertones of restraint and refinement while opulence has undertones of decadence and hedonism. And the latter is just so much more me. So iris for me is a very formal occasion sort of scent. At any other special occasion, as well as in daily life, I go for the opulent, decadent and over the top hedonistic! 😉 I’m all for treating every day as special!
That makes sense.
I used to not wear greens or iris and now they are my favorite. I used to joke that those are the sort of perfumes that if they were people they’d carry a small purse and have an organized desk. I couldn’t relate to either. But, something changed in me. And today, I’m the sort of person that carries a small purse or none at all. And has an organized desk. No clue what “snapped” in me, lol.
Lol, I can totally see that!
My favorite perfumes dress in fur and brocade, eat chocolate for breakfast, have a servant to carry their huge mountain of stuff for them and don’t even know what a desk is! *facepalm* Wonder what that says about me…
😉
I like contrasts or so I say. I like that I’m a rather different person than the perfumes that I wear. So, I think your perfume choices suggest that you’re “balanced” 😉
I wish! No, I think my favorites imply (rather accurately I must admit) that I am a lazy hedonistic decadent completely without self restraint! And just today I bought a brocade coat with fur lining… 😀
Well, at least I carry my own stuff and work for a living. That’s something… 😉
Haha, well that last part is the contrast 😉
After this post and your recent coverage of rose fragrances, I’ve realized that I really don’t have either a good jasmine or a rose scent in my wardrobe! For roses, I really like Stella, and I think it would be FBW if it were a little stronger. I think I’m drawn to more peony-rose scents, maybe.
As for jasmine, this seems right up my alley except for the price. I hope you end up doing a big jasmine feature so I can get some recommendations. I used to own Dior Pure Poison — I feel like it had some jasmine in it.
Anyway, also just wanted to say thank you for your blog! It is a go-to for me. 🙂
After testing this and having a jasmine craving, I realize that I have very, very little when it comes to jasmine (like maybe a travel size of something and my samples). I really need to think about it or do some “stash shopping”. Maybe I have more jasmines than I’m aware of.
There was this Stella Absolu like 10 years ago, I regret not buying it. It was Stella but amped up, so it was perfect. A friend gave me some of hers (like 1/2 oz). If you ever see it somewhere (discounter, etc), just buy it!
I feel like every single perfume I’ve sampled lately has been laughably expensive. Please tell me I’m out of touch and this is not the new normal.
Oh, I have Pure Poison, so that’s one full-bottle jasmine! I LOVE that stuff. I would say it’s a jasmine, like a waxy jasmine that reminds me of Southern California. Funny thing, that was the scent I wore today.
Have you tried Serge Lutens A La Nuit? Off the top of my head, I’m thinking that is my favorite straightforward jasmine.
And thank you for reading!
Oooh yes, I’ll keep my eyes peeled for Stella Absolu! It sounds like just what I would want.
I think Pure Poison is a great late winter scent — it transports me when the snow is still all dirty and soggy and all the clothes in the stores are for spring and summer. I totally get the Southern California thing, I was born and raised in San Diego so anything that smells beachy/oceanic/like sunscreen gives me all the feels. However, I also lived in Seattle for undergrad so your posts about that city also give me all the feels! Anyway, what a lovely coincidence that PP was your scent of the day!
Interestingly enough, both Stella and Pure Poison have pretty hilarious entries in Perfumes: The Guide:
Stella: “Stella is a fragrance for women who programmatically say no.”
Pure Poison: “It feels designed for the woman who wears a Wonderbra and no discernable blouse under her suit.”
I’ll have to seek out a sample of A La Nuit! Thanks for the recommendation.
I’m so mad that I didn’t buy a bottle but really, I didn’t know I liked Stella as much I do back then.
Those descriptions are truly perfect. Because, I do say “no” all the time. And I wish I could be the person that could wear a suit with no top and look chic.
Those are both great cities, especially for smells 🙂