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Tory Burch
Can you actually smell the scents in your dreams? Well, a study published in the Perceptual and Motor Skills Journal found that very few people report smelling scents in their dreams. 3,372 people reported their dreams, and smell or taste only showed up in about 1% of them.
Though dreams may not contain smells, they often serve as inspiration for fragrance collections. Take Prada's 2015 collection, Olfactories, for instance. It consisted of ten fragrances made of contradictory notes inspired by dreams. Replica's 2016 collection, Reproduction of Familiar Fantasies, drew its concept (and names) from common dream themes, such as flying and dancing on the moon.
The latest brand to interpret dreams and emotions into olfactory experiences is Tory Burch, debuting its new Essence of Dreams collection today. Burch's collection drew inspiration from our dreams when we're asleep and those we have when we're awake (i.e., dreams of unity, beauty, and a brighter future). The resulting range of perfumes is uplifting and optimistic, taking comforting notes from nature and blending them with unexpected scents. Ahead, read my thoughts on each fragrance in the Essence of Dreams collection.
Electric Sky
Electric Sky is sweet, like a warm breeze blowing through long grass on a spring morning. It's inviting and familiar but somehow mysterious, only in that it's hard to pin down what makes it so good. The fragrance is inspired by freedom and does evoke that feeling.
It starts with cactus flower for a mellow, dewy green note. Jasmine adds a fresh, sweet floral softness, and finally, woody notes ground the scent and add just the right amount of friction. This fragrance, to me, is a bit of a standout. It smells better the closer you get. And once you're close enough, you'll find it hard to pull yourself away.
Cosmic Wood
I go nuts for woody scents. They're familiar, homey, and magnetic. With this fragrance, Tory Burch reinvented wood, serving it up in a fresh and almost soapy way. Inspired by magic, Cosmic Wood blends wood with cardamom, sprinkling in spices for a pairing that's impossible to resist. They added jasmine for an effervescent white floral touch and vetiver for a clean, earthy essence that complements the woody base.
It's almost aldehydic without being sterile. It wears lightly but consistently, and keeps taking me by surprise. I wore this on a 95-degree day and was worried it would be too heavy for the hot weather, but it was delightful even after hours under the hot sun. This woody scent will be perfect no matter your fragrance preference or what time of year you wear it.
Divine Moon
Divine Moon is inspired by peace. It contains a white floral called Lady of the Night Flower, honey, and citrus. Personally, I'm not too fond of white florals, but this one isn't what you're used to. The honey adds a sweetness that's less pronounced than vanilla and has a more earthy, herbaceous character. The citrus note adds brightness and liveliness to the scent, making it come alive on the skin.
On paper, this is a fragrance I'd usually stay away from. However, my tune changed once it was on my skin. It's lightweight and airy, perfect for hot summer days. But, its alluring nature makes it ideal for evenings as well.
Mystic Geranium
I was in no rush to try Mystic Geranium because I thought it would be another typical floral. I thought wrong. I love it. It smells joyful but in a subtle way. It's a plush, earthy scent that's floral, but not really.
The fragrance blends bergamot with geranium and musk, which, in theory, sounds pretty straightforward, but in practice, it's so much more than that. It smells like a field drenched in sunlight toward the tail end of summer. It's not a skin scent, but it's soft and sweet like skin under a sweater after running around on a fall day. I'm surprised by how much I like it and how much I've returned to it.
Sublime Rose
It's hard to call the rose "underrated" because it's one of the most commonly used flowers. But what people don't realize about rose is that it's also one of the most versatile fragrance notes. It can adapt depending on what it's paired with. It can be boozy, smoky, jammy—it can be anything. But sometimes, a rose is a rose, and that's enough.
Appropriately inspired by love, Sublime Rose is an approachable, classic rose. It's paired with blackcurrant (to add a bit of sweet, juicy brightness) and wood (for depth and texture). If you like rose scents, this is highly familiar and wearable. It's a nice take on rose without anything to blur the vision.
Final Thoughts
The Essence of Dreams collection is a clean, concise curation of classic scents dreamt up in a new way. It truly offers something for everyone. Whether you wear them alone or layer them to create your bespoke fragrance, each helps to inspire optimism and dreams of a brighter future.
