For the Unconventional Chic: Valentina EDP+Perfume 101 with Arnaud Morellau

It has always been my dream to meet an expert perfumer--I’ve always wanted to learn a lot about the creation of perfumes and a couple of interesting facts on fragrances, among other things. So when Prestige Brands had invited me to a one-on-one with Arnaud Morellau, the company’s trainer and perfume expert, at the Valentina EDP launch, I didn’t say no because I would be a fool if I did! The event was at 11 a.m. and for the love of fragrances, I pulled myself right out of bed just to join him in this exclusive launch at Rustan’s Makati.

Prestige Brands presents the newest fragrance from the house of Valentino, Valentina EDP.

Valentina is the unique modern woman as perceived by the great Valentino: Chic, spontaneous, feminine, and yet rebellious. Like a fresh, blooming rose, her sheer beauty and sophistication enchant each and every person, man or woman. But underneath all that delicateness lies the natural rebel and temptress: Seemingly good and obedient by day but come nighttime, she wanders into the dark to break boundaries, capture hearts, and live her fantasies beyond imagination.

In this ad campaign for the fragrance, model Freja Beha Erichsen portrays the essential Valentina. The video was shot in Rome.

 The Fragrance: Valentina is a young, vibrant, and seductive fragrance: It is composed of Bergamot, White Truffles, Jasmine, Tuberose, Orange Blossom, wild Strawberries, Cedar, Amber, and Vanilla. It is a fresh floral-oriental fragrance. It is inspired by Rome, the home of Maison Valentino. Rome’s old world elegance and charm, and the mementos of its neoclassical aristocratic era are all captured in this refined fragrance.

The Bottle: The Rose plays an important role in the universe of Valentino for it is the insignia of the fashion house. The flacon of Valentina bears three molds of the iconic Rose, making the fragrance distinctly Valentino.

Click READ MORE and learn a lot of interesting facts on fragrances, as told by Arnaud Morellau!

 Arnaud had talked a lot about the creation of Valentina. Interestingly, the three notes of the fragrance had been broken down into individual bottles. Actually, I didn’t know what it was for but it was nice to smell the top, heart, and base notes individually. The notes are independently good enough to be worn on their own!

Here are the three notes that comprise Valentina:

 TOP NOTE: Exuberant Freshness

As per Arnaud, the top note is the grand entrance of the perfume therefore it should always be strong enough to be perceived. It is the quickest to dissipate, lasting for only 15 minutes right after application. The interesting fact here is the top note always has the pleasing fragrance because it is the selling point of a perfume. Makes sense because the top note affects our initial impression on a fragrance: If it’s nice and fresh, we favor it right away.

 HEART NOTE: Floral Irreverence

The heart of the fragrance lasts the longest, usually lasting up to 8 hours after application. The heart is the character of the perfume, containing the necessary notes that form its appeal. On the technical side, it masks the strong and deep-sometimes funky- scent of the base notes.  Valentina’s heart note smells so soft, pure, and dainty, but why is it referred to as irreverent? Arnaud said that the heart notes include wild strawberries, an extract that is traditionally used in the top note due to its fresh aroma. True to the spirit of the Valentino woman, Valentina breaks conventions by introducing wild strawberries in the heart note, giving the warm floral bouquet a kick of freshness. According to Arnaud, this unconventional way of using notes is quite an expensive process, and that makes Valentina all the more precious.

BASE NOTE: Captivating Ambery Woods

The base note is the anchor of the fragrance: Its warmth pulls the heart notes into place and thus allowing it to linger for a long period of time.

Here are some more interesting facts courtesy of Arnaud:

1. Do you remember someone telling you that the way to wear a fragrance is by spraying it on air and walking right into it? That ain’t a hoax, folks. Arnaud said that this is how perfumes should be worn because doing so activates the three notes, and enables them to fuse perfectly with each other--The result is a well- blended fragrance that lasts longer than you imagined. It sounds like a complete waste of perfume and money, but I trust him because he’s not an expert perfumer for nothing!

2. The dominating perception about perfumes is that the fragrance changes depending on the body chemistry of a person. That is not true anymore, specifically for Valentina, because recent advancements in perfume making have made it more stable--What you smell on the bottle is what you'll smell on your skin.

3. Traditionally, we apply perfume on the warmest points of our body (e.g. back of the ear, neck, pulse points, and inner arm) but sad to say, this is not the best way to make fragrance last longer as heat causes it to evaporate quickly. The best way to apply it is fact #1.

4. Finally, here's a little update on your perfume vocabulary: The fragrance of Woody and Earthy notes are sometimes interchanged because wood is an earth element, hence the notion. Arnaud said there are some striking differences between the two: Earthy notes are like earth: Fresh and semi- deep, whereas Woody notes are deep and warm.

Tip from Arnaud:

Perfume, just like jewelry, is an essential accessory. It wouldn't hurt to have a staple fragrance but just like jewelries, you change from time to time and you wear the piece that fits the occasion, as well as your mood and taste--The same goes to perfumes. Your taste, personality, and fashion preferences evolve, and the events you go to vary that's why your perfume should go along with the times. Your perfume is the invisible magnification of what you want to portray, and it can inspire a totally different personality depending on what is called for so make sure your scent is apt for your mood, taste, and the occasion.

I brought home this precious fragrance with me. My initial impression of the fragrance is it smells classy and luxurious! It's perfect for special occasions, specifically those that require me to be elegant and sophisticated.

Valentina EDP also has a complementing body lotion and shower gel.

Valentina EDP is available in 30ml (P3,600.00), 50ml (P4,700.00), and 80ml (P5,900.00). It is available in all leading department stores.