Ophelia Eau de Parfum by HEELEY

Here I go again with a new fragrance discovery: Ophelia Eau de Parfum (pricey at $180) by HEELEY. I'm having a blast trying new scents. After I fell in love with HEELEY Oranges & Lemons Say the Bells of St. Clements, I was determined to try another HEELEY fragrance. I read the descriptions of all of HEELEY's fragrances at LuckyScent, and it took me only a split second to select Ophelia.

A flowing gossamer gown, long streaming hair adorned with fresh blossoms, ribbons fluttering in the wind – that enchanted moment of young love before disillusionment comes creeping in. Fresh green flower stems and a delicate orange lead to a heart-breakingly lovely jasmine, like a summer morning so beautiful and clear that it bring tears to your eyes. Languidly sensuous ylang ylang and creamy tuberose intertwine with the jasmine to create a luminous bouquet that perfectly balances headiness and warmth. The three flower absolutes are cradled in a smooth and dreamy white musk that keeps them under control – the flowers stay radiant and fresh and never become shrill. Utterly feminine and bewitchingly romantic, this would be absolute perfection on a bride. However, it’s far too beautiful to save for only one day. Devastatingly pretty.

Sounds "frilly," doesn't it? If you love Italian orange, green flower stems, jasmine, ylang ylang, tuberose, moss, and/or white musk, how could you resist that description? I couldn't, and my Ophelia Eau de Parfum was ordered. For the last few weeks, I have worn it nearly every day.

It is floral and feminine. It's also fresh. I suspect the green stems and ylang ylang give it that freshness, and the orange adds the a fruity touch that balances the intoxicating white flowers.

I just don't understand Ophelia's name. Ophelia was Shakespeare's romantic and heartbroken heroine. Pining with love, she watched the development of what appeared to be Hamlet's madness and suffered his coldness and strange behavior as he rejected and humiliated her.

Hamlet: ...I did love you once.
Ophelia: Indeed, my, lord, you made me believe so.
Hamlet: You should not have believed me...I loved you not.
Ophelia: I was the more deceived.
Hamlet: Get thee to a nunnery...

Of course, she had rejected him through her loyalty to her father, who disapproved of the relationship. After Hamlet's murder of her beloved father, she fell into genuine "insanity" and eventually drowned, whether by accident or intention is unclear. Part of the tragedy of her character was Shakespeare's dismissiveness of her death. She faded like the flowers for which she was so well known and died offstage. Was that because she was a woman or because Shakespeare's interest was in Hamlet's complexity and the mysteries of life? ¹

I try not to think about her demise when I wear this refreshing floral - so like her flowers, but so unlike her death.

There's more to Ophelia's story. Read Shakespeare and try to figure out how James Heeley selected the name for this gorgeous fragrance. Or just forget the perfume's namesake and try it! This is one divine fragrance.

You can purchase it at LuckyScent and Barneys. The HEELEY Web site provides a list of international sources. If you like green floral fragrances, you should look for it!

¹An oversimplified account of the tragic relationship

Photos: Top photo courtesy of LuckyScent; Ophelia from an 1894 painting by John William Waterhouse

Oranges and Lemons, Say the Bells of...St. Clement's

Oranges and Lemons, Say the Bells of...St. Clement's ($150) - the name of this new HEELEY fragrance is quite a mouthful. The Eau de Parfum, whose name is taken from the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons (circa 1740) that refers to church bells located within or near the City of London, is a citrus and orange blossom delight. Oranges, lemons, bergamot, and neroli combine with notes of Earl Grey tea and vetiver to create a new English classic.

Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement's

You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's

When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.

When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney

I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow

Here comes a candle to light you to bed
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!

Because the rhyme was used as children's game, the last line isn't as awful as it sounds. On the last word, the children forming an arch drop their arms to catch the pair of children currently passing through, who are then "out" and must form another arch next to the existing one. In this way, the series of arches becomes a steadily lengthening tunnel through which each set of two players have to run faster and faster to escape in time. Sounds like musical chairs!

I was intrigued when I read about the fragrance at LuckyScent. I always study the notes before I order a fragrance scent unsniffed. The notes of this one were reassuring, filled with scents I love: oranges, lemons, bergamot, mandarine, neroli, petitgrain, Earl Grey tea, ylang ylang, and vetiver.

When it arrived, I was impressed with its case. It was outfitted in black molded foam to protect it from careless handling anywhere between its production and arrival at its destination. The foam was wrapped with recyclable card stock, with the name, brand, and other obligatory information.

I had never purchased a HEELEY fragrance before. Here's what I learned at LuckyScent.

As a designer influenced by nature, it was natural that James Heeley was fascinated by the world of fragrance. When he met Annick Goutal in 1996, he discovered how scents are designed and set off to create his own. His first scent, Figuier, is remarkable for its precision in evoking the natural scent of a Mediterranean fig tree. With time and experience, his beautifully constructed, simple, and fresh scents evolved into more complex creations such as Cardinal, Esprit du Tigre, and Cuir Pleine Fleur. His continually evolving collection now includes nine contemporary scents made according to the art of traditional French perfumery.

Every detail, from the creation of the scent and selection of ingredients, to the recyclable packaging and engraved wooden tops, is designed in-house. Today, HEELEY is one of the few owner-founder, luxury perfume houses in Europe. This independence allows the creative freedom to create individual, quality scents that are quite simply unique.

It's hard for me to find the right words to tell you how much I like Oranges and Lemons, Say the Bells of...St. Clement's. My first impression was that it's a unisex fragrance. The opening notes are tart, crisp, and fresh. As the fragrance dries down, it mellows, turning into a soft expression of white flowers with a bit of green and wood remaining. The tea may be there, but only as a supporting character. I'd be happy to smell this on a man, but I think its close is more feminine.

It's a light scent - it won't hang around all day (about four hours on me), but the bottle is large enough that you won't mind decanting some into a spray container to take with you.

You can purchase Oranges and Lemons, Say the Bells of...St. Clement's at LuckyScent and Barneys. The HEELEY Web site provides a list of international sources. If you like fruits, greens, and white flowers, you should look for it!

Photo courtesy of LuckyScent