Coastal freshness in a bottle - Maria Candida Gentile Maître Parfumeur, Sarzana

Dear readers, as I was staring at my stack of soft linen shirts in my closet the other day, I started to realize how much I am longing for a summer holiday as it’s been such a long time that I literally have a hassle-free holiday and vacation, remembering how much I like spending time by the seaside, under the light blue sky and inhale the fresh and gentle summer breeze, the oceanic fragrant from the sea and the cleanness from the sunray, I guess this roughly summarized my perception about how a summer holiday basically smells like. When it comes to fragrance for this summer, the discovery about an artistic Italian niche perfume house, Maria Candida Gentile, is quite refreshing, their fragrance collection somehow reminds me of summer vacation in southern France by the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Founded by Madame Maria Candida Gentile herself, an esteemed Italian perfumer who is the very first woman and Italian to be accepted into the Grasse Institute of Perfumery, her distinctive fragrance creations has been a sought-after for elite and famous, the names from Madonna to H.R.H. Caroline of Monaco are just a few; with her casa-atelier located in Sarzana, a tranquil and historic town in Liguria, Italy, such atmosphere becomes the cradle of Maria’s fragrance creation, enables her artistry and passion over perfume flourishes over time.

One thing that is rather impressive about Maria’s fragrance, is her uncompromising anti-commercial approach towards her own fragrance creation, which she emphasizes the artistic origin of her work that each fragrance is created out of her love and attention for the purest of ingredients and spiritual integrity, and wearing a perfume is an act of purification, intimate and essential to our fundamental well-being, which goes beyond the conventions of fast fashion and commerciality. In addition, the perfumer herself is true devotee to the world of art, having collaborations with some of the famed contemporary artists and participated in multiple esteemed art exhibition, taking olfactory art into the world of contemporary and conceptual art.

To evoke your summer vacation feel, both ‘Finisterre’ and ‘Kitrea’ Eau de parfum might do the work. While ‘Finisterre’ has a certain coastal, oceanic element included notes such as wet wood, marine accord, grey amber and Sandalwood, ‘Kitrea’ has a more energetic summer character thanks to its bright, citrus and woody notes such as bergamot, winter lemon, geranium and grey amber, giving a hint of coolness at the hot summer coast.

A coastal summer vacation feel is only a splash of fragrance away, enjoy!

Image courtesy of Maria Candida Gentile Maître Parfumeur, Sarzana

www.mariacandidagentile.com