Vanille West Indies Ligne St Barth 2007

Rarely do I feel this way. I smell it, think "yeah, that's alright." A few days later I spray it again, think "yeah, that's alright" again. Weeks and months go by, and I just don't know what to make of it. Something keeps holding me back, something just doesn't want to click. I have to keep trying it again and again; each time I gather new impressions. If I'm in a good mood, the scent is perfectly fine; if I'm not feeling great (which happened OFTEN in the last few months) or stressed or whatever, definitely not in a good place, it ruins my fragrance experience. But really.
Vanille West Indies came to me last year in March. Right then, when the flu wave was raging and it didn't spare me either. This innocent scent arrived, and I condemned it. Ugh, sweet, sticky, artificial vanilla sludge (dear Vanille West Indies, please look away, that wasn't meant like this). Ugh. I was just disappointed because I had hoped for so much, and what happened? Nothing! I really thought, is this the scent that is so highly praised here?? Are you serious?? I admit, the flu madness contributed 90% to me leaving this treasure aside for almost a year.

Time jump. October 2018. At that time, I was going through tough times. What does one do in difficult times? You seek relaxation, relief, something cozy and comforting. I, restlessly searching for THE scent, thought to myself, hey, you have so many samples, why not finish those first before buying again. Okay, said and done. In heavy, restless times, I am drawn to sweet, soothing, and warm scents. A feeling of security, you know... But what should convey that feeling to me? I went through my samples and got stuck on Vanille West Indies. Uh, wasn't that the sticky sweet one? You didn't like it, leave it. But no. I thought, oh, you haven't tried that in a long time. It didn't end up in the move-on corner, so it must fit somehow...
Well, a spray from the sample, and I think to myself, hmmm yeah... hmm... *sniff sniff* not bad.... This game went on for a month, spraying on my wrist and sniffing, sniffing, sniffing.
When I had turned into a walking vanilla pudding and was already being asked what smelled so (as mentioned) like vanilla pudding ("Smells bad??" "No, really good."), I decided to let the bottle in. I have not regretted it to this day.

Vanille West Indies is one of the few scents that triggers the ultimate feeling of well-being in me. When I wear it, I simply feel wonderful, relaxed, and just great. Vanille West Indies embraces me when I urgently need a hug; it gives me a cozy, homey feeling. It never clashes and disturbs no one. It doesn't scream "Here I am," not with brute force, like some others in my collection do. No, it holds back discreetly but remains well noticeable. A great scent that works with just one spray and has slowly snuck into my heart. As if it wants to wrap you in cotton all day long and protect you from "terrible events."
If you're looking for a complex scent here, unfortunately, you're looking in vain. As mentioned, what you see (smell) is what you get. Vanilla at its best. There is no scent progression. Sprayed on, it stays as it is, and really all day long. I like to describe scents with songs, and this one for me is "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac.

Vanille West Indies is my timeout, my place of calm, my reflection on past times through which I have become what I am now. It grounds me and brings me back to the here and now. With it, even my restless search has found an end. Never again without you.

Oh, thunder, only happens when it's raining
Players, only love you when they're playing
They say women, they will come and they will go
When the rain washes you clean, you'll know
You'll know