One of my greatest pleasures is to travel with my husband, and until 2020, his work required him to travel a LOT. I couldn’t go on most trips during the academic year, due to my own job, but I was able to go with him usually at least once a year. 2019 was a banner year for such trips — I was able to go with him on business trips to Nice, then London, then Tuscany. The Tuscany trip happened in the summer, so we extended it for a real vacation and spent several days in Florence and Venice, which we had never seen before.

Florence, as it turns out, has a long tradition, centuries old, of perfumery, and is the perfect city to indulge in “perfume tourism.” We visited Santa Maria Novella, Farmacia SS Annunziata dal 1561, and the boutique of I Profumi di Firenze, Spezierie Palazzo Vecchio, among others. I acquired perfume souvenirs at each of them.

One of the bottles from the latter that came home with me was Jeunesse Il Giorno e La Notte, which is formulated as an eau de parfum. The notes list from the brand’s website includes Citrus, Italian Bergamot, Lily Of The Valley, Lavender, Floral Notes. Fragrantica adds that the base notes are white musk, and musk.

I should start this mini-review by noting that my 19 year-old son, who is usually pretty oblivious to his mom’s fragrance habits and applications, walked over to me today around noon to ask about yardwork, and immediately said, “You smell so nice!”. Music to a mother’s ears.

Jeunesse is, in fact, easy to like. It’s a very pretty, light green floral, with a gentle citrus opening. Lily-of-the valley makes itself known early on, as does the lavender. There is also a lovely, soft iris note, probably based on the legendary Florentine Iris. Not the root, mind you, which is what makes the Florentine Iris so valuable as a source of orris root, but the flower itself, which smells like a mix of subtle grape and violet.

There is a slight spiciness to the lightly musky base which is very appealing. I can’t quite identify it, though it is tapping at the door of my olfactive memory. In any case, Jeunesse turns into a skin scent a few short hours after application, but it lasts for several hours as that skin scent. It would be entirely appropriate to wear to one’s workplace. Although it leans toward the feminine, the opening citrus notes and the lavender contribute to a unisex attitude. Jeunesse would smell great on a man!

I can’t wait to start traveling again, now that we’re fully vaccinated. I don’t anticipate any international travel this year, but my fingers are crossed for 2022. We had planned to visit Paris with our kids in 2020, to celebrate two graduations and a major anniversary, but alas, that was not possible. Maybe in 2022 … Do you have any perfume tourism in mind? Have you been able to visit Florence? I would love to return some day.