Where the Jasmine Smell Comes From

I was asked quite many times, how I came to the idea to name my blog Smell of Jasmine. The true is, there is a story behind it and now I’m going to finally share it with you, my dear readers.

My love for jasmine began few years ago, on my visit at my second home, Lebanon. It was, when we discovered, at a local khan (craftmen market)  Arabic jasmine oil. The smell was incredible. So pure and intoxicating! We were amazed. Me and my sister, we both bought few bottles of this magic scent and started to use it almost daily.

skirt – tailored by my grandmother for my mom “Grandmother Couture”, headscarf – from India

The effect was unprecedented. Not only this scent reminds me my Middle East roots and its beauty, when I’m back in Slovakia or wherever in the world. It also makes me feel relaxed and confident, in seconds. It’s like I was putting the essence of the moonlight on myself, with the energy of sun and power of the sea. All of that is present there. Jasmine oil became my personal scent and since then all my friends relate it with me, strongly. So many people react to this smell! Even the strangers keep asking, what is the beautiful, extraordinary scent I wear.

As I noticed the impact of this scent, I tried to search and found lot of information about jasmine.

I learned that the word jasmine comes from Persian “yasmin”, which means “gift from God.”

That says a lot. It’s known as an aphrodisiac. I can only admit that it really is. Jasmine lifts the spirit, which can bring the scientifically proofed calming effect to the autonomic nervous system, while still leaving the mind clear and alert. It also has the power to make one feel more confident, remove stress and defeat pessimism.

As much jasmine is powerful, as much it is precious, too. More than five million flowers must be gathered to produce one kilogram of “pure jasmine absolute.” Jasmine flowers only open after dark, when the temperature gets lower. The flowers are collected at night, when the odor is strongest. They must be picked carefully, because they are so delicate. Therefore, jasmine used to be referred as the Queen of the Night.

Jasmine scent has probably been praised in literature with more superlatives than any other essence. It has been described variously, as the heavenly smelling, exotic, exquisite, tenacious, sensuously rich, supremely sensual, intense, slightly heady, narcotic, intoxicating, illusive, sweet and warm.

Yes, it’s all there. And also mystery and a beauty of the faraway worlds, that are so close to my heart.

At this point, do I have to say more about why the name of my blog is Smell of Jasmine? Maybe, I would only like to quote the words of Tom Healy, from his article for The Huffington Post – The Smell of Jasmine, The Calm of Crowd:

“Perhaps what we need is some jasmine, some cool weather, the darkness and stars, a sweet scent that can make us remember what’s beautiful, that magically, even in emergencies, can make us calm.”

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© Creative direction  – Daniela Rifai Photos – Daniela Rifai and Martin Jesny Editing – Daniela Rifai  Sources: The Huffington Post, The Telegraph, Psychology Today, Tim Noonan