What makes perfume such an interesting subject is really how personal and intimate it is. Not only do we all have our personal scent preferences, but our body chemistry can alter the way a scent develops. Our associations of smell and memory also play a major role. As I’ve discussed before, I love lavender. I love it in earthy, herbaceous forms as much as I do in sweeter, more vanilla-laced ways. When I spied Tom Ford Lavender Palm Eau de Parfum ($195.00 for 1.7 oz.) at Nordstrom a few weeks ago, I knew I had to try it. Tom Ford’s Private Blend scents have worn really well on me (anywhere from 12 to 24 hours, depending on the scent), and it’s lavender-based, so it really had my name on it

Herbaceous. Clean. Stylish. This sparkling Eau de Parfum is Tom Ford’s take on the free-spirited ethos and chic elegance that evokes California. The seductive interplay of two varieties of Lavender forms the heart of this captivating fragrance. Bright citrus notes layered with a moist palm leaf accord, clary sage, sensual woods, and smooth tonka bean brilliantly elevate the earthy Lavender note into a surprisingly refined star.

When I first spritzed it on my wrist, I loved the combination of earthy lavender and lemon with an underlying leafy green note.  As Lavender Palm develops, it becomes more sensual and smoother. There’s lavender, but it’s not as present as it was in the beginning, vetiver, and a little sweetness tempered by the citrus notes. A hint of incense dances lightly in the very background, just barely there. It’s not earthy lavender, but it’s not sweet, vanilla-and-lavender. It fits somewhere in between.  Lavender Palm has little sillage so it wears rather close to the skin, and on me, it remains highly detectable on the skin for six hours or so, and then it continues to be detectable but to a lesser degree for up to ten hours.

It feels like a surprisingly straightforward scent; it’s not the most complex, but as a fan of lavender, it works for me. I tend to gravitate towards rich, heady, sultry scents, and sometimes, they do feel heavy for daytime wear.  It’s a unisex scent, though I have heard several sales associates say this is better on men than it is on women.  I couldn’t say I agree, only because I almost love it on me (I really, really like it, but I need more time to determine if it’s true love), and if I can convince the Tech Guy, I’ll get him to try it (he already steals Oud Wood).

I have been continually reaching for it since it first arrived and sometimes wear it before bed.  There’s a lighter quality to it compared to other scents in the Private Blend collection that makes so wearable and fresh–so perfect for spring.  At this price point, this should be a scent you love and reach for often.  It should do something to you, for you; should make you feel beautiful, powerful, lovely, or bring you back to a most cherished memory.  If you like to wear lavender, this is worth testing.  I love sites like The Perfume Court, where you can purchase small samples of scents to try or for scents you enjoy wearing but perhaps not enough to own a whole bottle. I didn’t see this scent up there yet, though.