Botanical Cologne of Love by Le Couvent des Minimes

Disclaimer: I purchased this.

Each spring I like to identify one or two new scents to wear, typically white florals (gardenia, honeysuckle, orange blossom) that celebrate the freshness of spring. This year it's the Botanical Cologne of Love ($16) by Le Covent des Minimes, an orange blossom centric fragrance with notes of bergamot, mandarin orange, wild rose, nasturcia, and petitgrain.

•Orange Blossom: source of softness 

•Bergamot, Mandarin: sources of serenity 

•Wild Rose: source of hydration 

•Nasturcia: source of radiance 

•Petitgrain: source of harmony

Nasturcia (Source: Fragrantica)

I find this to be a realistic orange blossom fragrance that smells much more high end than it's price would indicate. This is a 'feel good' fragrance for me, and I love wearing the body cream yo bed at night. Breathing in the scent just puts me in a good mood, which is a great way to end the day. It's not candy sweet or cloying, although it is decidedly feminine. 

Since this is a cologne, I like layering, starting with the Exfoliating Shower Pulp ($12), followed by the Moisturizing Body Butter ($18), and then finishing by spritzing with the cologne. The scent lingers for a good 7-8 hours, but I'd say it's more of a skin scent. That's actually perfect for me, especially during the warm weather months when I typically would wear it.

The Le Couvent des Minimes brand was created in 2004, but the actual convent has existed since 1862. Located in Haute Provence, France, the fragrances and skincare lines focus on blending natural, beneficial plants in time tested natural skincare recipes. Formerly owned by L'Occitane, they were sold in January of 2017 to HLD Group and Didier Tabary. 

Their website is 'under construction' and their Facebook page has not been updated since December of 2016, so I can only hope that they are in the process of rolling out their new online presence. In the meantime, their products are sold at multiple online retailers, including Ulta, which frequently has purchasing inducing sales.