Cape Town - A fragrance can say a lot about a woman. The essence of sexy, fun, flirty are the attributes television presenter Jeannie D has tried to encapsulate in her new perfume.
A self-confessed “fragrance geek”, Jeannie says she’s obsessed with buying perfume. Because she spends so much time at airports, and bolstering her collection at Duty Free, Jeannie decided that the time had come for her own distinctive scent.
“I needed to wear a scent that captured me, a scent that I hadn’t found yet. I also wanted to give some of my brand to my fans who have supported me over the years, and I think this is a great gift – it is affordable, it is beautiful and it is a summer perfume,” says Jeannie of Jeannie in a Bottle.
But while she wanted something fun and flirty, she also wanted to be taken seriously.
“Strong independent women can be sexy and this perfume and scent says all that. Smelling like a goddess is key,” she says.
The process took just over a year, but Jeannie describes the experience as very exciting and rewarding. The fragrance was developed by Luzi Switzerland.
Perfume is described as having three sets of notes. These notes are created carefully with knowledge of the evaporation process of the perfume. Jeannie partnered with Forma Cosmetics and went through more than 50 combinations in four sessions with the Swiss-based company before settling on the scent.
Jeannie in a Bottle has fruity and citrusy top notes, infused with floral and spicy-woody middle notes, with base notes of amber, musk, tonka bean and vanilla.
“This is an absolute dream come true for me. I just love the jasmine-floral profile of this fragrance,” says Jeannie.
She says the sense of smell is capable of rousing nostalgia, like the scent she associates with her grandmother – Paris by Yves Saint Laurent.
“I still remember my grandmother by her scent, and that scent reminded me of feelings for her.”
Her other favourite smell is the one that lingers after rain.
Jeannie believes perfume is an extension of a woman’s mood. She has different fragrances for different occasions. Jeannie favours a darker, more masculine smell for business meetings, but when she goes out partying she wears something lighter and fresher. Jeannie in a Bottle is a combination of the two.
In the build-up to Christmas, Jeannie will be promoting her fragrance around the country, before enjoying some downtime.
For jetsetting Jeannie, downtime is a luxury, but she spends it with her boyfriend. The pair are foodies, and will spend a lot of time going to different restaurants and trying out different cuisines.
She’ll spend Christmas with her boyfriend and his family, and at the top of her wish list is a new puppy.
Bully, an English bulldog, is scheduled to arrive around Christmas and Jeannie can’t wait.
Jeannie, who’s lived in Cape Town for more than 10 years, names one of her favourite spots as Tintswalo Atlantic, beneath Chapman’s Peak. “I have practically been to every continent, yet Cape Town is my number one spot in the world,” she says. Jeannie adds that she and Top Billing co-host Janez Vermeiren pride themselves on being ambassadors for South Africa, and Cape Town in particular, when they’re abroad. - Cape Argus
* Jeannie in a Bottle is on sale from December 1 or is available online at www.forma-cosmetics.com