The Scent of Brisbane

September is the time of the year when all the Le Labo City Exclusives become available in every Le Labo boutique worldwide. Consequently, I’ve made several posts this month discussing the collection. And now, with the month drawing to a close, I decided to pose a question to myself and tie it back to the City Exclusive concept. That is, how would my city smell? And which notes would feature in my city’s perfume pyramid?

Interestingly, a few years ago, there was an exhibition that showcased the scents of Brisbane. The Museum of Brisbane undertook an engagement and consultation process to select the winning smells. Four defining odours came out on top. They were mangroves, sunshine, frangipanis, and the scent of rain following a summer thunderstorm. I agree with all four choices, and they seem like logical foundation points for my hypothetical fragrance.

In the top notes, I’d use some citrusy elements, perhaps bergamot, to mimic the abstract scent of sunshine. Alongside the bergamot, I’d include a note to showcase the natural environment. Indeed, eucalyptus trees are abundant around my suburb, so eucalyptus slots in here as an appropriate choice. Another tree that characterises the area is the lemon myrtle. I’ll include myrtle in the top notes to lend the opening stanza a lemony herbal quality.

The heart of my scent has to have a floral tone. Here, I’ll use frangipani, jasmine, and violet leaf. Paying homage to the Brisbane River, which plays a necessary transportation and commercial role for the city, the violet leaf will impart a green ozonic watery effect over proceedings. Moreover, I prefer utilising an ozonic violet leaf ingredient over a traditional calone-like marine accord to achieve this watery aspect.

For the base, I maintain the naturalistic theme. Therefore, I’ll select patchouli and moss to anchor and ground my perfume. And to recreate the scent of rain, a petrichor accord chimes in. For the concluding stages, I’ll go with some clean musks to convey the smell of the clean, crisp air of the city’s many parks.

I think I’ve done a pretty good job with my scent. Perhaps the top notes and mid notes are interchangeable. As can be seen, I’ve chosen a more warm-weather theme for this perfume. Undoubtedly, It’s the spring/summertime when the scent of Brisbane is at its strongest and most distinct. In summary, here’s the final breakdown:

Top Notes: Bergamot, myrtle, eucalyptus.

Mid Notes: Frangipani, jasmine, violet leaf.

Base Notes: Moss, patchouli, petrichor accord, and musk.

What would your hometown note pyramid/perfume look/smell like?

All photos are my own.