At Wilde Folk, scent is more than fragrance. It's a ritual, rooted in memory, and magic.
Our Folklore Series explores the myths, history, and symbolism woven through the botanicals (& crystals) that inspire our perfumes. From ancient rituals to modern alchemy, each ingredient carries a story worth telling!
This chapter begins with jasmine, a flower long associated with moonlight, love, and quiet strength.
A Flower for the Moon
Jasmine is a night-blooming flower, meaning it awakens under stillness. While most blossoms reach for the sun, jasmine waits for dusk. As the world softens, her scent unfurls, calling in her chosen pollinators. Moths and beetles who navigate by intuition rather than sight. Wilde, right!?
This nocturnal nature has made jasmine a symbol of mystery, sensuality, and divine femininity across many cultures. In India, it’s sacred to Kama, the god of love and desire. In Persia, its name — yasmin — means “gift from God.” And in many folk traditions, jasmine is used to draw love, deepen dreams, and awaken the spirit to its own quiet magnetism.
Because it blooms at night, jasmine is harvested before dawn, when its fragrance is at its most potent. Perfumers and flower gatherers in India and Egypt have long collected the blossoms by lamplight, their hands perfumed by the oils that would later become the heart of sacred incense and fine perfume. How dreamy does that sound?!
A Legacy in Perfume
Jasmine’s journey through perfume history is as captivating as its scent.
It was first distilled into oils and unguents in ancient Egypt, where it was used for spiritual ceremonies, anointing, and even the embalming of pharaohs. As trade routes expanded, its fragrance traveled through Persia and the Middle East, where jasmine bushes were planted near homes to bless them with harmony and love.
By the Renaissance, jasmine had found its way to Europe and into the hands of the French perfumers of Grasse. There, fields of jasmine became the soul of luxury; a tradition that continues today. It’s said to take nearly 8,000 blossoms to create a single milliliter of pure jasmine absolute, which is why it’s often called the queen of flowers in perfumery.
In European folklore, jasmine symbolized affection and divine love. Some believed that keeping a sprig nearby could attract new romance or ensure fidelity. Others tucked the dried petals beneath pillows to invite prophetic dreams and restful sleep. A nightly ritual of trust in unseen magic.
The Art of Calling In
Jasmine reminds us that beauty doesn’t need to shout. She doesn’t chase what she wants. She simply calls it in. Trusting it will find her in the quiet. There’s a certain kind of power in that softness. One rooted in presence, not pursuit.
Her fragrance has been said to open the heart chakra, soothe the nervous system, and invite peace. To wear jasmine is to carry the energy of night bloom. One grounded in grace, and radiant in stillness.
Wearing Jasmine with Intention
When you reach for your jasmine-based perfume, pause before applying.
Take a slow breath. Feel where you’ve been holding tension, and release it.
Anoint your pulse points (the wrists, neck, and heart) with awareness. As the scent warms on your skin, imagine the sweetness of jasmine unfolding like moonlight.
Let it remind you that attraction doesn’t come from reaching; it comes from radiating.
Repeat quietly to yourself:
“I am magnetic in my stillness. What’s meant for me will find me.”
You’ll find her essence woven into Wilde Lover, a jasmine-based perfume for those who bloom quietly, but leave an unforgettable trace.
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