A Wren Says

Something about me. Anytime I need to go somewhere new, I take time to zoom into the area on Google Maps. As I planned my trip to New York, I saw the word Elorea on my screen. Of course, I needed to know more, did some digging, and found out it was a fragrance store. Enough said, it got added to my trip itinerary.

I visited the Elorea flagship on Spring Street in Soho. There it was nestled in a bustling area flanked by trendy fashion stores. The crowded streets outside provided a wonderful foil to the peace and calm inside their doors. I was greeted by the associate and went on a smelling journey.

In the middle of the store was their full set of eau de parfums. Each had a cloche with the scent, but the associate was there to assist by spraying fragrances on sheet. On one wall was candles. On the opposite side was the travel size items. At the back of the store is a cafe. I made sure to get a refreshing drink at the end of my shopping trip.

The scent profiles are pulled from the Korean heritage of the brand. They use ingredients that you might find common in perfumery from a European lens but highlight those found in Korea as well. A great example of that is their scent which uses perilla leaf. Perilla leaf is an ingredient often used in Korean cuisine and herbal medicine.  The flavor is described as between basil and mint. I imagine it is used to bring and herby, green note to the fragrance. Despite the name, Gentle Shower  is a green scent and not at all a clean soapy fragrance.  Going even deeper, the name of that scent, and all of those others in the Forgotten Words line, nod to words in Korean that have become rarer in use. Gentle Shower is based on the Koren word, “jambi,” which Elorea translates to mean “means an unexpected rain that allows harvesters to have a moment of rest.”

There are three fragrance collections, each containing four scents- Forgotten words, timeless legacy, and The Elements. To get to know the fragrances better, you can buy a discovery set of the collection. Of course, given my problem, I had to buy all three. Important note, each contains a gift code for the price of the set to be used towards the purchase of a full bottle either online or in store. It expires 30 days after purchase. That should be more than enough time to find your favorite if you buy just one set. As I go through the sets, I find myself gravitating to Heaven. I will write more about that next week.

If you find yourself in New York and want to smell something new, visit Elorea.