Uplift- Kiki by Vero Kern (and a giveaway)

During the wonderful dinner at the restaurant that is fast becoming my favorite eatery in Manhattan, Broadway East, the conversation turned to things we do to cope with stress and improve our outlook. A couple of my friends are outdoorsy and look to nature for inspiration. Another is into zen and likes reading about Eastern philosophy. I don't do spiritual. At least not in the traditional sense of the word. Corrupted by earthy, sensual pleasures, I go for the bottle. The perfume bottle, that is. I'm not really comparing, but it's simply one of my greatest joys, and the right scent not only makes my day, but also changes the way I feel about things.

Kiki by Swiss perfumer Vero Kern (creator of the irreplaceable Onda) is among the happiest things you can find in a bottle. In theory, the mix of notes should never have worked: lavender, caramel and exotic fruit sound like a nightmare brought by those who unleashed Angel upon us and cast the cruel spell that made women all over the globe believe they smell "yummy", while most of us gasp for air as they leave their unmistakable sillage around us.

But Kiki is a winner.

Maybe because it's Paris in a bottle. Lavender is a very French thing. Little embroidered sachets hidden in drawers housing exquisite lingerie. Expensive laundry detergents. Cool and crisp linens. White sheets on a fluffy hotel bed in a room with a very Parisian view, the smell from a nearby pastry shop wafting in through the window.

The exotic fruit note is not what you think. It's more of a subtle candied element, just as the caramel is more praline than fudge. It makes me think of lavender-infused milk chocolate, there's no chocolate note, and the perfume is only marginally sweet. It's just heavenly like that.

Not everyone enjoys lavender, and if this herb normally makes you think of your great aunt Tilly and her moldy purse, then you may skip it. Gourmand notes haters are not as easily excused. This might be the one to change your mind about them. Or at least make you crave this.

Thanks to Vero's generosity, I have a sample to give away. If you're interested, please say so in a comment. I'll announce the winner next Monday.

Vero Kern's perfumes are only available from her web site. All of them come as extrait de parfum, the highest concentration, and have an impressive staying power. You can purchase a sample set of all three scents (a review of Rubj is coming soon), which is how I first fell in love with them.

Image: Lavender's Sway by Fawn McNeill Barr from EBSQ Gallery.