I realize that a vacation at a tropical destination is a luxury, and many people cannot afford those or even going to the seaside. But since both my vSO and I work and work hard, as a rule, we try to go to Hawaii every second year. Last year we had a business trip combined with visiting relatives back in our country of birth followed by a week in London. It wasn’t the easiest trip (if not to count the UK portion of it, which was fabulous in all respects), but it ate up most of our travel budget and time off, so I was looking forward to going to Hawaii this year.
When the pandemic started, I was still hopeful that it would get resolved in the next several months, so I even booked a plane part of the trip late in March, and as September/October (the planned time for the trip) was approaching, I was still optimistic that the 14-days quarantine mandatory in Hawaii would get eased up, and we wouldn’t have to postpone the trip (the air tickets these days are easy to be moved or canceled – no penalties or change fees). The closer we got to the time, the less likely it seemed that we would be able to go, but it wasn’t until August when our airline sent me a notification that the flights have been canceled. They offered to move our itinerary to different days… But that’s when we decided that we should move that trip to the next year.
It was a disappointment, but on the grand schema of things, it’s not the worse what could have happened or is happening to many, so I’m trying to be positive about it and hope that we’ll go there next year (and I might even be able to shed some pounds by then – well, one can dream, right?).
But one thing that struck me as something sad and depressing was that, in addition to clothes that I wear only while in Hawaii, I have a list of perfumes that I also tend to wear mostly when I’m on a tropical vacation. And not going there meant that those perfumes would be waiting one more year for the skin time.
So, I decided to do a mini-project: a week of perfumes of my Hawaiian vacations. I thought about doing this project during my staycation, but then I figured that to keep reminding myself that we had to stay at home instead of enjoying time somewhere else would be too depressing. Besides, the week of my staycation promised to be pleasantly cooler (and it was). But the week before was hot, so it was just perfect for the project.
Almost all these perfumes I wore in Hawaii before (the picture above is from one of the previous trips), and I even wrote about some of them before – so, I knew that I liked them and would enjoy wearing them again. So, I’ll share just a couple of thoughts here and there, as well as several pictures from the previous visits to Hawaii – not pairing those images to perfumes, just using them to set the mood.
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau Fraiche Skinscent
Bronze Goddess is one of those perfumes that could have completely gone by me if it weren’t for Perfumeland. But thanks to a perfumista friend who shared a decant with me many years ago, this perfume became a staple of all my Hawaiian vacations. Working from home, I didn’t follow my usual vacation ritual of getting the bottle cold from the fridge and using it as a body mist, but it was extremely enjoyable still.
Ormonde Jayne Tiare
Two years ago, I complained that Tiare, my proven friend and companion on many tropical vacations, felt completely out of place in the office environment. This time, worn for the evening neighborhood walk on a warm evening, it was pleasant again, and we rekindled our friendship.
Ormonde Jayne Frangipani
Whenever I wear Frangipani, I realize how much I like it. But then I forget about it again until the next time I pack for my trip. It blooms wonderfully in hot weather, and I know that when I’m done with the last travel spray, I’ll want more.
Byredo Pulp
I don’t think I can wear Pulp where I live: even in hot weather these overripe fruits seem too much and almost nauseating. But I know that I feel completely differently about it when I put it on in Hawaii. Conclusion: I need to go to Hawaii.
L’Artisan Parfumeur Traversee du Bosphore
Traversee du Bosphore works for me only when it’s hot. I checked: it doesn’t have to be Hawaii, as I proved to myself this time wearing it in hot Californian weather. But it needs heat to bloom. So, as much as I like this perfume, it’ll be a while before I finish my decant, and until then I probably do not need a bottle.
Neela Vermeire Creations Bombay Bling!
As I discovered the last time when I wore Bombay Bling in Hawaii, it smells the best in A/C’d environment. This time I wore it again on a hot day in the house with working A/C, and it was beautiful. So, I think in future I’ll keep wearing it at home and let one of the two new to my collection perfumes mentioned further to take up its place in my holiday wardrobe.
Parfums DelRae Bois de Paradise
Many years ago, one of the bloggers sent me a small sample of Bois de Paradise, and I thought it was the right choice for my vacation wardrobe. I brought that vial with me on one of my trips and used it up there. Since then I had it somewhere on the back of my mind that I wanted to buy it. But I was waiting for the brand to release it in a smaller bottle (I hoped it would be released since they were asking opinions on the size on Twitter, I think). It had never happened, and once I saw it on sale at Luckyscent last year, I immediately bought it. I was right: the brand went out of business later that year. Since then I’ve been waiting for the chance to wear Bois de Paradise in Hawaii… Since it didn’t happen, I’ll wear it at home. It’s great, and I even got a compliment from a friend (from my “extended bubble”).
Byredo Bal D’Afrique
I’ve never tried Byredo Bal D’Afrique in Hawaii, but it was very pleasant both in humid heat or New Orleans and in drier Californian heat, I suspect I will like it in tropical environment as well. If I ever get to go there again.
I didn’t get to wear one more of my “usual suspects” for tropical vacation – Yosh Ginger Ciao. But unlike all other perfumes in this mini-project, I wore Ginger Ciao several times this summer, so I didn’t feel like I abandoned it. But whenever I go to Hawaii the next time, this Vacation in a Bottle is coming with me.
Images: my own
Undina's Looking Glass 
If I lived in Cali, I’d be going to Hawaii every other year, too. It’s mainly 2 long plane flights each way that has kept me from ever visiting Hawaii. But since, with climate change, I pretty much live in the tropics year round I wear the ‘tropical’ perfumes in the summer in Florida. I love Ormonde Jayne’s Frangipangi for summer and VC&A California Reverie. Gardenias are perfect for hot humid days, as are magnolia scents so I wear those for beach vacays as well.
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If I lived where you do, I’d be going to Europe more often :) Though, at this point trips to any of these locations seem unlikely (sigh).
I love gardenias in any weather :)
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I got dumped in the spam folder again. Arrgghh. :-)
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No, not this time. It just didn’t refresh immediately, I think.
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This mini project was a great idea. My favourite of these is Frangipani. It’s so relaxing it gives me all those laid back tropical island vibes.
Your pics were lovely too. I’ve never seen such an amazing sunset.
Hope your staycation was enjoyable in the end.
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As much as it could, the staycation was nice (and in retrospect, it was great ;) ).
I really enjoyed selecting those pictures for the post: that was the case that looking at all those pictures brought back pleasant memories and hopes I’ll be able to experience some of those moments again.
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The next time we are able to go away we are all going to appreciate it so much.
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I love Hawaii and we are planning to go next year for our 20th anniversary. Normally I wear Monyette Paris, Coquette Tropique, Kai and Creed Virgin Island Water. I also bring small tubes of tropical scented lotions from B&BW. I have a United ticket that is paid for and needs to be used by April 2022 so really hoping the health situation allows our trip to happen.
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We’re in the same boat… I mean, plain … situation: we have a credit for the tickets we haven’t used, and we need to use them until approximately the same time as you. Let’s hope we both will be able to do that.
What island do you plan to visit?
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We normally go to Oahu as we have friends there, but may go to Maui next time for a change.
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I have both Bronze Goddess and Frangpiani, agree with both as great tropical perfumes. I wore both over the summer on some of the hottest days. I have only been to Hawaii once – 7 years ago, Maui and Oahu -but definitely want to return even though it’s a haul for us to get there. Years ago a CA friend told me to go to the Caribbean instead of Hawaii as it was nearly the same and closer- but honestly I don’t agree. Something special about Hawaii. Hope you get back sooner rather than later.
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I haven’t been to Caribbean, but I understand what you mean. I don’t want to have a beach vacation in a poor country. I know that it’s more expensive in Hawaii, but paying more in the US, I enjoy it more because I don’t feel guilty because people who service my vacation are poor (I visited Mexico once and didn’t like this aspect, so I decided not to repeat it if I can afford it).
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I’ve never been to Hawaii. Your pictures are beautiful as is your perfume choices.
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Thank you.
I would have been really surprised if you had been: Hawaii are great, but this type of a vacation doesn’t warrant traveling half the world. I’m sure that there are great seaside destinations closer to where you live.
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Great idea! I may emulate you in that I have perfumes I’ve bought on trips as souvenirs, and I can do some virtual “ perfume tourism.”
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Please do! I hope you have pictures from those trips (love seeing pictures from real people).
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I do! I’ll have to share some of those. I just love to travel, and we too had the disappointment this summer of having to cancel a family trip to France (it would have been the first trip to Paris for 2 out of 3 kids, and my husband and I haven’t been back since we honeymooned there). Fingers crossed for next year! Or the one after that …
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I loved the sound of your project and how great that the weather played along. You brought back memories of perfumes I have tried much earlier in my perfume hobby, as well as ones I am currently homing in on, like Bronze Goddess. I was thinking of Frangipani earlier today in fact and thinking it is my next favourite of the OJs after Ta’if, and perfect for that weather. Interesting to get your thoughts on which scents work in which conditions – I wouldn’t have associated Traversee du Bosphore with the heat, for example, but scents can often surprise you.
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For me Tiare and Frangipani is a tie for the second place as summer perfumes, while Tolu and Orris Noir compete for it during colder months.
About TdB: I wouldn’t have thought about it as a hot weather scent, but somehow it just “clicked” – and after that I just cannot wear it in fall/winter season.
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Great idea. I don’t have perfumes that I only wear during vacation but I have some that I keep in my suitcase because I usually pack at the last minute although I’ve been better lately (i.e. the vacation pre-COVID). These are decants or travel sprays or smaller FBs — Chanel No.19 EDP, Chanel No.5 EDT, Chanel No.5 L’Eau, Atelier Cologne Cedrat Enivrant and Hermès Eau des Merveilles Bleu.
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I remember your “suitcase perfumes” :) While I understand the idea, I don’t think I could do the same: all my trips are so different that I need to think each time what I want to bring with me. Packing perfumes for a 3-4-days trip usually takes about an hour :)
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A pity you had to postpone your vacation, but such is life in 2020. You’ve set the mood beautifully with this wonderful selection, Undina.
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Hopefully, there will be other years :)
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