• About
  • Login to comment
    • Bluesky
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Now Smell This

a blog about perfume

Menu ▼
  • Perfume Reviews
  • New Perfumes
  • Archives

Frangipani and ylang-ylang trees in Mayotte

Posted by Robin on 26 March 2013 8 Comments

The most memorable scent I have experienced while travelling is of frangipani and ylang-ylang trees in Mayotte, an island that sits somewhere between Madagascar and Mozambique...I crossed the island in a jeep at 3am so I could smell the trees, which look strange – their branches made me think of witches’ hands. The ylang-ylang flowers are so perfumed – the island women cut them from the trees by hand.

— Perfumer Mathilde Laurent tells the Telegraph about her favorite "fragrant destinations"; read more in Perfumed planet: fragrances around the world.

Filed Under: perfume in the news
Tagged With: mathilde laurent

Advertisement


8 Comments

Leave a comment, or read more about commenting at Now Smell This. Here's our privacy policy, and a handy emoticon chart.

  1. Marjorie Rose says:
    26 March 2013 at 10:45 am

    Ok, so now I’m wondering if ive seen/smelled these in Madagascar and didn’t realize it at the time?

    *does an image search*

    Don’t recognize the ylang, but definitely saw the frangipani! Never occurred to me to go around at night to sniff stuff, though!

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      26 March 2013 at 11:02 am

      Longwood Gardens brought in some ylang trees when they did that Perfume exhibit a couple years ago. They were amazing.

      Log in to Reply
  2. Karin says:
    26 March 2013 at 12:38 pm

    Hmmm…this is strange. She mentions, “My latest scent, La Treizieme Heure…” La Treizieme Heure was released in 2009! Perhaps an old interview re-published?

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      26 March 2013 at 12:50 pm

      Good eye, I didn’t even notice.

      Log in to Reply
  3. Kelly Red says:
    26 March 2013 at 12:45 pm

    I’ve smelled ylang ylang in the jungles of Belize. Going to sleep with the heavy scent in the air and tree frogs making a chorus.

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      26 March 2013 at 12:50 pm

      Nice!

      Log in to Reply
  4. Joe says:
    27 March 2013 at 8:21 pm

    I had a friend who lived in Mayotte for a year — it’s still a Département d’Outre-Mer of France and her then-boyfriend (now ex-husband) was doing his national service there. Nice work if you can get it, eh?

    I really love me some ylang-ylang. You know what’s a good scent? Demeter YY body/massage oil. I got some on sale for $9 and it couldn’t please me more!

    Log in to Reply
    • Robin says:
      27 March 2013 at 9:47 pm

      Oh, good to know!

      Log in to Reply

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Advertisement

Search

Recent reviews

Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus
Moschino Toy Boy
Arquiste Misfit
Diptyque Eau Capitale
Zoologist Bee
Parfum d’Empire Immortelle Corse
Comme des Garcons Series 10 Clash
Frédéric Malle Rose & Cuir
L’Artisan Parfumeur Le Chant de Camargue
Yves Saint Laurent Grain de Poudre
Régime des Fleurs Chloë Sevigny Little Flower
Chanel 1957
Gallivant Los Angeles
Amouage Portrayal Woman

Blogroll

Bois de Jasmin
Grain de Musc
Perfume Posse
The Non-Blonde
More blogs...

Perfumista lists

100 fragrances every perfumista should try
And 25 more fragrances every perfumista should smell
50 masculine fragrances every perfumista should try
26 vintage fragrances every perfumista should try
25 rose fragrances every perfumista should try
11 Cheap Perfumes Beauty Outsiders Love

Favorite posts

The Great Perfume Reduction Plan
Why I Love Old School Chypres
New to perfume and want to learn more?
How to make fragrance last through the day
Fragrance concentrations: sorting it all out
On reformulations, or why your favorite perfume doesn’t smell like it used to
How to get fragrance samples
Perfume for Life: How Long Will Your Fragrance Collection Last?

Upcoming

List of upcoming Friday projects

12 July ~ summer reading poll

 

 

Back to Top

Home
Archives
About Now Smell This :: Privacy Policy
Perfume Reviews
New Perfumes
General Perfume Articles
The Monday Mail

Glossary of Perfume Terms
Perfume FAQ
Perfume Books

Noses ~ Perfumers A-E :: F-K :: L-S :: T-Z

Perfume Houses A-B :: C :: D-E :: F-G
H-J :: K-L :: M :: N-O :: P :: Q-R :: S
T :: U-Z

Copyright © 2005-2025 Now Smell This. All rights reserved.