Elizabeth and James Nirvana Rose

I love living in Canada because we get a good taste of all the seasons. And while I love all of them for different reasons, fall and winter are probably my favourites. To start with, I don’t do well in the heat. My maxim has always been – if you’re cold you can put on more layers, but if you’re hot you can’t strip out of your own skin. I love the colours of fall – russets, burnt orange, fiery red. I love cable knit sweaters. I love pumpkin spice lattes, candy-cane hot chocolate, and eggnog.

Nirvana Rose 1.0 oz Eau de Parfum / sephora.ca

But I also love these cooler seasons because I feel like it’s the best time to wear perfume.

High end fragrances are some of my favourite beauty products, and I don’t always feel right wearing them in the summer. It’s hot, you’re sweating, there’s often already the smell of flowers and greenery in the air, people’s allergies are in full swing – plus I hate the idea of attracting insects like bees or mosquitos. So I tend to stick to very light, fruity body sprays or citrusy perfumes.

But in winter, it’s time to bust out all the scents I love – things that are dark, more heavily floral, anything with notes of bergamot or geranium. I love

Nirvana Rose by Elizabeth and James fits the bill perfectly. The fragrance embraces the darkness of rose – with hints of rose de mai, geranium, and vetiver. It’s seductive and sultry, but refined to the point where it’s very sophisticated. While I wouldn’t say that this is inappropriate for work or day wear, I would say that it’s borderline. I felt fine wearing it to class, but I could see it being too much for the workplace.

For me – this is the scent where, had I walked into an elevator that someone wearing it had just exited, I would think – I want to know what that is, because I want to buy it. If I was a man, the person wearing it would be someone I want to get to know better. It leaves a lingering impression of elegancy and luxury which is hard for a fragrance to achieve.

Nirvana Rose 0.34 oz Rollerball / sephora.ca

I love the bottle – the red with gold accents and the subtle textures is a perfect fit for the scent. It feels good to hold; like a fragrance that’s been around for decades and has become a classic.

You can buy it at Sephora right now for CAD $82 for 1 oz, $107 for 1.7 oz, and $30 for a 0.34 oz Rollerball. It’s also available as part of the Find Your Nirvana Rollerball Set for $35, in which you get 4 x 0.10 oz mini rollerballs in Nirvana White, Black, Rose, and Bourbon. It’s also available as a 100 point perk from Sephora’s Reward’s Bazaar for the moment, in the same size as the Christmas set.

I highly recommend this scent for a holiday party, date night, or if you feel like turning heads. Nirvana indeed.