As part of our series “The Favorite Smells of”, after taking you to China, we now travel to Tunisia where Ms. Yosra Hosni, Laboratory Coordinator for Iberchem in Tunisia tells us the strong influence of her local heritage in her fragrance tastes.

Jasmin Flower
This flower reminds me of a summer night in the narrow streets of Sidi Bou Said where its aroma enlivens the terraces of the villas and cafés. Jasmine is considered as a symbol of beauty and to offer it to someone is a mark of friendship. Actually, Tunisia is also called Jasmine country.

Bitter Orange Flower
Every spring, in Tunisia, we celebrate the season of the bitter-orange flower. These flowers are distilled in traditional refining barrels to make orange flower water. This water has hundreds of virtues. My mother and also my grandparents use it frequently in cosmetics, food, medicine, etc.

Amber
I love wearing jewelry and handcrafts with amber. They remind me of my Berber origins. Its perfume elates all my senses and brings me back to the alleyways of the Medinas as depicted in The Thousand and One Nights. In my handbag, I always carry a small accessory made of amber.

Bakhour
Bakhour is a tradition dating back a long time when a Tunisian family organizes a birthday, a wedding or any kind of celebration happening in the summer season. Like most families in Tunisia, we have a small box that includes a variety of bakhour, sandalwood, oud, etc. When I was a child, I was taught how to choose the quality, to select and mix different varieties and use the adequate quantities to obtain a well-balanced scent.

Miss Dior Chérie
This fresh and elegant floral-chypre flanker embodies younger women aspiring to be free and independent. The light notes of freesia and lily-of-the-valley pairs with the feminine arrangements of jasmine, orange blossom, and tuberose. The top notes of this perfume are enriched by pleasant fruity accords while its heart reveals hints of chypre mixed elegantly with patchouli.