Barynia Helena Rubinstein 1985 Eau de Parfum

Barynia, you were my 'gateway drug' and companion into the 'real world of perfume' a long time ago...

It was the autumn of 1985. Yukiko was almost 14 and had long been well acquainted with scents. Unfortunately, apart from one friend, no peers shared her passion.
But there was the wealthier widowed neighbor with her daughter living right next door in an otherwise perfectly normal apartment building. They had known me since I was a baby, and the daughter, who was about 12 years older than me, shared her passion for music and, of course, perfume. On cold days, we often spent sniffing evenings with her new fragrance and vinyl acquisitions in the background. I was supplied with samples by her mother from the upscale perfumery in the nearby city... for St. Nicholas... Christmas Eve... my birthday, or just because.

My own fragrance-loving mother, however, was not in a good financial position due to a separation, but she found all of this perfectly fine. Only sometimes did she express concerns that I might be too young for such adult women's fragrances. And she kindly asked me to limit the amount of perfume... it was enough if the beloved neighbor was lingering in the room or hallway for hours, reeking of it.
All of this was certainly not meant to be malicious and was always accompanied by a wink from her side.

At that time, my scentless best friend and I shared the magazine "Mädchen." We took turns getting the issue every two weeks. Whoever was responsible for paying got to keep the magazine for the first 5 days. Yes... we were meticulous about our money. She invested in sportswear, and I invested in records and some girlish fragrance treasures.

In one of the autumn issues, there was a small advertisement for the new "Barynia." No test sachet, nothing... just a tiny picture with text. The name struck me like lightning... mystical and mysterious. Worlds opened up before my inner eye. And the cube on the bottle was exactly my idea of innovation and luxury... smile.
It had to be mine by Christmas... come what may!

My mother was already open to my wish, but we had to be very moderate financially. I can’t quite remember the price... it must have been around 50 DM. A huge amount for us! That money would be better spent on groceries. But my deeply disappointed, now single mother decided at that time that we needed to treat ourselves! Such a statement surely didn’t come easily to her frugal and modest nature.

And so we went to the small local, owner-operated mini perfumery and shyly sniffed samples. Just that was an experience! When had we ever crossed that threshold before... almost never, as this luxury was unheard of for us.

After a mini spray, we were both enchanted and decided to treat ourselves to the fragrance for Christmas. My mother bought it when I wasn’t there, and it was only taken out of the beautiful packaging under the tree on Christmas Eve.
I will never forget the incredibly exalted feeling of being able to own and wear this scent. What a glorious celebration!

This Barynia was a warm-cool spicy and, in our opinion, oriental chypre. A truly long-lasting veil enveloped us. We were often complimented on it. Even the fragrance-spoiled neighbors found Barynia special and attested to its unique touch and high recognizability. The brand Rubinstein was certainly a good name back then, but it couldn’t compare to Chanel or Guerlain.
The base was a woody-soft dream that strongly shaped my direction. After this reference, I sought out my few 'Sindbad fragrances.'
I only learned the exact meaning of the name "Barynia" much later. Perhaps I never wanted to know exactly... the magic should not end. I wanted my Oriental enchantment!

I would give a lot today to sniff my Barynia once more. I associate so much with it, and despite the countless fragrances that came after and were very loved:
Barynia is and remains the cornerstone of my passion for fragrance and THE scent I associate with my mother.
Years later, she became truly happy again and could afford much. But our Barynia Christmas always remained unforgettable and was told again and again.

This year, she passed away on Easter after a long illness and great suffering. Until the end, it was important to her to be well-groomed. We could still sniff fragrances together at her bedside when nothing else was unfortunately possible anymore. Fortunately, that played an important role in the palliative ward.

I keep looking at the bottle image here. It evokes an incredible longing in me; at the same time, there is also the comforting feeling that my mother prepared a fragrance celebration for us during a very difficult time that has accompanied and shaped us.

To you, dear Mom, and your unwavering will to keep going and treat yourself to something good, I dedicate my very first comment here.
May you be well, wherever you are now. *Kiss*