A while back I travelled to Cannes for work, and while I was there I (understandably) fell in love with the coastline and views. I mean, how could I not? Blue skies, sandy beaches, a cooling breeze… so while waiting to board my flight back to London I had a cheeky poke about Duty Free to see if there was anything there that reminded me of Cannes that I could take home as a souvenir. And that’s when I found this Fragonard Bleu Riviera eau de toilette…

I’ve included a few pictures that I took in Cannes so that you can see exactly what I mean when I say this product caught my eye and reminded me of Cannes. But it’s not just the seaside blues and gorgeous skyline colours that reminded me – oh no, it’s the scent as well.

Bleu Riviera is a nautical-themed eau de toilette: osmanthus colored with sea spray scented notes of rose, jasmine, lilac, lily-of-the-valley and shades of amber and musk. To me it smells of summertime by the sea, a little salty and slightly masculine. It’s ‘freshness’ captured in a bottle.

I’ve never had a scent before – this was actually my first experience buying a scent for myself! – but when I tried this one I simply knew we were meant to be. (Side note: I wasn’t able to buy just the scent on its own, and I haven’t tried the soap yet, but through the packaging it smells just like the edt!)

One spritz and I’m transported to the seaside. The sun shines on my face and the salty air tickles my lips. Seagulls caw-cawing in the distance. The waves splash gently over my feet while my toes softly sink into the sand. I have the whole day ahead of me, and nowhere that I really need to be. I can continue walking aimlessly, casually; I could go for a quick swim or even back to my towel for a nap. I could even read whatever book I popped into my bag that day. The possibilities are endless.

And then I open my eyes and realise I’m still in London, getting ready for a day in the office. The scent doesn’t quite last all day on my skin, but while I’m going about my day and feel like I could do with a quick escape to the seaside I close my eyes and breath in deeply…

Do you have a signature scent?