When it comes to fragrances, 2019 has been a good year. There have been the usual commercial releases, but innovative launches were also numerous. I particularly liked the collection by L’Officine Universelle Buly 1803 created in collaboration with the Louvre that gave scent to some of the museum’s famous works. Carine Roitfeld’s line was likewise interesting, with a number of memorable perfumes.
As always, my list is personal and idiosyncratic. I didn’t aim to include everything, but rather the perfumes that caught my attention the most this year and the ones I wore. These are the fragrances that will accompany me into 2020. I look forward to hearing about your 2019 favorites.
Carine Roitfeld Parfums George
Carine Roitfeld Parfums was created by the former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris. The line includes seven unisex fragrances, Aurélien, George, Kar-Wai, Lawrence, Orson, Sebastian and Vladimir, inspired by fictional love stories. I ended up with a travel set, which I found excellent given that the premise of the collection is travel. Each lover takes his paramour to a different city, from Paris to Hong Kong. My choice was George, effervescent but with a suave finish. I also liked Lawrence, who comes bearing jasmine garlands.
Frédéric Malle Rose & Cuir
Jean-Claude Ellena’s take on leather is nothing like what I anticipated. It’s bright and shimmering, with a strong accent of green geranium, while the leather is mellow and pleasantly tangy.
Cartier Oud & Menthe
Les Heures Voyageuses is a new collection launched by Cartier in 2019, and Oud & Menthe is interesting for its contrast of dark wood and cool mint. It’s not the most innovative perfume, but it’s so well-executed that it’s a pleasure to wear. I’ll note, however, that many women will find it too masculine.
Dior Spice Blend
Cassia cinnamon is a different botanical from the “true” Ceylon cinnamon, and while cassia’s scent is sweeter and less complex, it plays an important role in perfumery. It adds a vivid explosion of fiery sweetness to any blend, even in small amounts. I particularly like the way cassia cinnamon inflects Dior’s Spice Blend, a fragrance inspired by Bay Rum lotion. Several spices are woven through this elegant composition, such as ginger, black pepper, and vanilla, but it’s the kiss of cinnamon that gives it a delicious, familiar touch.
Comme des Garçons Copper
An irresistible melange of peppers and fudge-like amber, with a vintage grand parfum feel.
Van Cleef & Arpels Santal Blanc
The description of a fragrance containing fig, orange, violet, sandalwood, tonka bean and musk both worried and intrigued me, but in the hands of master perfume Michel Almairac, the composition becomes plush, warm and polished.
Miller Harris Sublime Blossom
A collaboration between Miller Harris and Bertrand Duchaufour, Sublime Blossom is a creamy flower wrapped in musk and sandalwood. The main floral accent here is osmanthus and ylang-ylang, both of which have a luscious fruity nuance. I recommend giving it time, because it develops slowly on skin.
Maison Margiela Replica Coffee Break
Coffee and lavender make for such a successful pairing in perfume that I was inspired to try a dessert incorporating both notes. (If you’re curious, it was was a chocolate-coffee mousse infused with lavender flowers). Maison Margiela’s Coffee Break is vivid and fun. The coffee accord has a delicious caramel twist, and the drydown is velvety and dark.
L’Officine Universelle Buly 1803 x the Louvre Paris
Ramdane Touhami and Victorie de Taillac Touhami of Officine Universelle Buly 1803 launched an ambitious project to capture the scents of famous paintings from the Louvre Museum. They gave the commission to different perfumers, and the result is a striking collection. Despite different inspirations and approaches, the line has remarkable coherence–the style is polished and elegant. It’s the very definition of French niche perfumery.
Grande Odalisque by IFF’s Domitille Michalon-Bertier blends almond milk, iris and musk to evoke the luminous skin of the beauty in Ingres’s painting. Likewise voluptuous is La Baigneuse Valpinçon by Givaudan’s Daniela Andrier. Andrier was inspired Ingres’s second masterpiece, The Valpinçon Bather. The contrast between orange blossom, patchouli and incense makes the fragrance seductive, but gives it an element of mystery. It’s an intimate perfume that I would wear to seduce myself. The rest will follow.
What did you wear the most this year?
Photography by Bois de Jasmin
79 Comments
Silvermoon: Happy New Year! Wishing you, Victoria, and everyone here all the best in the new year and a great start to this decade.
So, 2019 was not a year for many new perfumes for me. Instead, it brought great pleasure from old and known ones. Among the new (for me at least) that I enjoyed were Violet Ida (Miller Harris), Nightingale and Moth (both Zoologist), My own private teahupoo (A Lab on Fire) and Rose & Cuir (FM; although I found it fades very quickly).
The new scent discovery was Japanese incense after I read Victoria’s post on Shoyeido. I ordered an assortment/discovery set. I liked a number – with the top favourites being Eternal Treasure and Great Origin. December 30, 2019 at 8:38am
Victoria: Revisiting old favorites is always a good idea. Or trying classics. Best of the year always presupposes trying the newest of the new, but I like your approach. January 1, 2020 at 5:31am
Silvermoon: Good morning on New Year’s Day!
Victoria, I love reading the best of the year lists. It gives one ideas about things one might have missed (it’s a jungle of new launches out there). So, I plan to test the Dior, Cartier, and CDG ones for sure.
Also, some years seem to be motivated to try new launches whereas others seem to draw one to learning more about the classics of the past. For example, I had always avoided Coco (tried it some 25 years ago), but after reading so many references to it here in recent months, I decided to give it another try out of curiosity. And yes, I found it beautiful after all.
And Victoria, thank you for all your attention to doing this wonderful site. It brings me great pleasure every time. January 1, 2020 at 5:55am
Gentiana Craciun: Happy and wonderfully scented New 2020 Year, dear Victoria ! I didn t try anything new from 2019, I indulged in the perfumes I already had or tried some were in my wishlist from a couple of years. I enjoyed the most Jubilation, Epic, Fate and Ubar from Amouage (I got a faboulous mini-collection of them), L Air de Rien of Miller Harris, CDG2, Mon Parfum Cheri – Annick Gouta, Kenzo Flower Essentielle, Y (vintage) from YSL, Cristalle EDT by Chanel, Bois d Iris from The Different Company, Venezia from Laura Biagiotti, Eau de Rochas, Apres L Ondee, Narcotic Venus from Nasomatto and… Sensuous Jasmine from Oriflame – a very nice surprise and a very good perfume. Absolute love and signature – Femme by Rochas. December 30, 2019 at 9:21am
Victoria: Femme by Rochas is gorgeous! January 1, 2020 at 5:31am
Gentiana craciun: Happy 2020…. I forgot the most important revelation of the last year: Acqua di Parma! A big like.. Acqua Nobile Iris and Magnolia Nobile… A Love: Iris Nobile. A BIG LOVE and signature worthy: Profumo… They have absolutely gorgeouus soap sets. Try the poowder soaps. Oh, My!!!!! January 4, 2020 at 6:56pm
jodee: So many of these on your list are my favorites! We must share similar tastes. I will have to try some of these that I am unfamiliar with, like Eau de Rochas, Narcotic Venus and Femme. January 2, 2020 at 7:42pm
Lucas: Wishing you a wonderful 2020!
We liked quite some different fragrances, my list was also published today on the blog.
Hugs from Poland December 30, 2019 at 9:22am
Victoria: Thank you very much, I’ll be sure to take a look. January 1, 2020 at 5:31am
Amalia: Seasons Greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy new year with health and happiness to you and your family, big hugs from Greece! December 30, 2019 at 9:48am
Victoria: Happy New Year to you too! Many warm wishes! January 1, 2020 at 5:32am
Farran Nehme: Happy New Year, darling Victoria! I wore Vol de Nuit parfum the most by far. December 30, 2019 at 9:57am
Victoria: How beautiful! It’s one of my favorites. January 1, 2020 at 5:32am
Tami: Happy 2020!
Oh, that Dior sounds fantastic! I love a truly spicy scent, I’m going to have to seek that out. Hopefully my local-ish Dior Beauty boutique carries it! December 30, 2019 at 10:09am
Victoria: Do try it! There is also a new Dior Privé calved Rouge Trafalgar. January 1, 2020 at 5:33am
Tami: Berry, cherry, and citrus! Sounds right up my alley! Now only if I can find a small bottle, or boonswoggle my way into a sample. 😉 January 1, 2020 at 3:27pm
Tami: Hooray! Had a chance to visit the Dior Beauty boutique this afternoon. They had both Spice Blend and Rouge Trafalgar in stock. Loved both! I decided to put a touch of the Rouge Trafalgar on; sadly, Spice Blend has pink peppercorn—a relative of cashew, which I’m allergic to. The RT was fabulous… for about ten minutes, at which point it seemed to have totally disappeared on me. A bit lingers…but it’s just a faint, sweet, vague musk. Not unpleasant, but not worth what I’d pay for the bottle! If I were going to splurge on something sweet at that price point, I think I’d go with Lost Cherry, as that LASTS on me in a completely enchanting way.
I ambled over to Sephora and checked out a couple new (to me, anyway) Kilians: After Sunset and Boys. They were sort of the “cheaper” (haha) cousins of the two Diors above—not in exact scent, but in the impressions they gave to me. After Sunset has the fruity sweetness that leaves me wanting more (like my first impression of Rouge Trafalgar), and Boys has a very comfortable and comforting, spicy homeyness to it (not sexy… at least to me!). I got samples of both and I’m eager to wear them! January 5, 2020 at 11:44pm
Tara C: I loved Hiram Green Voyage 2019 & Lustre, Tauer Les Années 25 BIS, Papillon Bengale Rouge, Goldfield & Banks Velvet Splendour and 4160 Tuesdays Clouds. December 30, 2019 at 10:30am
Victoria: Great choices! January 1, 2020 at 5:40am
Sandra: Ciao V and fellow perfumistas, Happy New Year to all…
My favorite release this year is probably 1957 from Chanel. Easy to wear fragrance.
I have also discovered new to me perfumes and I will report back later with those.. December 30, 2019 at 10:34am
Sandra: For 2019 I discovered Vetiver. I note I never really went for in a perfume. I really enjoyed Vetiver Tonka.
I also discovered some old Estee Lauder perfumes I have never tried, like Knowing and Aliage.
I recent perfume discovery is also animalic scents..I recently tried Under My Skin my Bianchi and I was both shocked and in love at the same time.
in 2019 I also discovered some new authors (thanks also to Victoria and other permufistas) Mary Renault, I am on my 3rd book and I love the way she writes about historical Greek fiction. I read almost all of Andre Aciman’s non fiction books and met him in person for a book signing..
Thanks to this blog and Victoria’s endless support in one learning a new language, I have discovered some Italian authors. Natalia Ginzburg and through my italki teacher, Alberto Moravia. For 2020 I will read Ellena Ferrante and Silk by Alessandra Baricco. Now, if I could only read this novels in Italian…goals for 2020. December 31, 2019 at 8:45am
Dorothy Van Daele: I like this author too. The Charioteer is my favourite. Renault conveys the time and place so vividly as well as the way compromise works for us. December 31, 2019 at 3:28pm
Sandra: I am reading the Persian Boy, and finished the king must die and the last of the wine
I will put your recommendation on my list! December 31, 2019 at 3:52pm
Victoria: Why not try reading them on Kindle? You can download a dictionary and start this way. Reading a book that you’ve already read would be helpful. January 1, 2020 at 5:42am
Sandra: You are right. Agostino may be a good book for me to find in Italian since it’s not that long and I really enjoyed the translation January 1, 2020 at 9:36am
Sandra: Ok V! I did it! I will start the book.. January 2, 2020 at 9:10am
Victoria: So many great discoveries! January 1, 2020 at 5:40am
Sarah Hicks: Like many, I did not discover much from the releases of 2019 but spent the year with classics and some vintage frags. Most reached for is not surprisingly Mitsouko (which I also found in vintage extract this year!!), l’Heure Bleue EDP, Habit Rouge EDP, Eau d’Hermes, and Coco Noir. Songe d’un bois d’ete remains my favourite frag this year and I often wore Alaia EDP, Black Saffron and Timbuktu. December 30, 2019 at 10:45am
Victoria: One can’t go wrong with classics! January 1, 2020 at 5:42am
Debi Sen Gupta: I tried out a few new perfumes this year but my favourite is a perfume from J B Filz in Vienna. It’s apparently a 200 year old formula and was used in the court of the Hapsburgs. Notes are lavender and rose but there is a touch of spice. I don’t know enough to identify. Maybe someone here can help. December 30, 2019 at 11:27am
Victoria: Oh, it sounds wonderful! January 1, 2020 at 5:43am
Sebastian: Hi Debi,
I am glad to hear that you found a perfume to love in Vienna! (I think you asked about perfumes with a Vienna connection a few months back.) I guess that you have “Eau de Lavande”, which is made of three different types of lavender and a fresh, leafy-green rose. I also get a little hint of spice, at the opening, but I am sorry I also can’t tell you what it is. You might email Mdm. Filz and asl, if you really want to know.
BTW, I think there’s been a little mix-up. I believe the formula is from 1892, and they made this new edition to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the firm of J. B. Filz.
Lovely stuff. It’s so nice to have a perfume by which to remember a voyage. Happy New Year! December 30, 2019 at 12:32pm
Debi Sen Gupta: Thanks Sebastian. Yes I did ask before I travelled to Vienna. Its a lovely souvenir which reminds me of my trip when I use it.
You are right about the formula. I didn’t remember the story correctly. January 1, 2020 at 6:16am
Aurora: Thank you for the list, Victoria (I was hoping you would make one) and a very Happy New Year.
I’m awfully behind in testing perfume, Memoire d’une Odeur smelled ok but was quite short lived on me. My most worn perfume was vintage Caleche with its its wonderful sandalwood drydown and my discovery for the year is the impeccable, classical newish Houbigant Essence Rare with its luscious floral notes, JC Ellena may be freer now to express himself, it is lush for one of his creations. December 30, 2019 at 2:22pm
Victoria: Now that’s the one I didn’t try. I’m sure I missed many new launches last year. January 1, 2020 at 5:43am
Eric H: Essence Rare was a bit of a shock to me! But it immediately went on my buy list. Very pricy though. January 3, 2020 at 12:29am
OnWingsofSaffron: Happy New Year to all readers, and of course to you, Victoria!
When I think of the most surprising scents I purchased this year, „Nuit de Bakélit“ (Naomi Goodsir) comes to my mind first! Very green, very potent and not particularly beautiful—more potion than perfume. Yet so intoxicating! Then I was really drawn to „Jasmin angélique“ (Atelier Cologne): more emarald perfume than white flower, and none of that powdery saccharin from the angelica. So, more greens in 2020! December 30, 2019 at 3:09pm
OnWingsofSaffron: Emerald, sorry! December 30, 2019 at 3:11pm
Victoria: I also liked that Naomi Goodsir perfume. It’s unexpected, but it works! January 1, 2020 at 5:44am
Silvermoon: Happy New Year, OnWingsofsaffron! I have seen many mentions of Nuit de Bakelite and am going to try find it. Your comment that it’s more potion than perfume intrigued me. Please could you elaborate? January 1, 2020 at 6:02am
OnWingsofSaffron: It is neither „pretty“ nor does it remind me of something „pretty“ or beautiful. To me it has a cool and watery quality infused with greeness: the dregs of a flower vase (fresh); a brew; leaves and vines floating in a pond. Entering the chilled storing room where flowers are kept. January 1, 2020 at 6:39am
Silvermoon: Oh my! The dregs at the bottom of a flower vase plus a chilled flower refrigerator sounds amazingly like a flower shop – a bit like heaven’s door! Now the search begins in earnest. Thanks! January 1, 2020 at 6:49am
OperaFan: Like many others who have commented, I’ve spent more time enjoying all the wonderful fragrances I’ve amassed over the last decade+, when my obsessive acquisition habits began after accidentally stumbling onto the various perfume blogs on the internet while searching for information about Guerlain Jicky. Perhaps it’s the “comfort with the familiar” factor, but I seem to have worn mostly the classic fragrances from the houses of Guerlain, Annick Gourtal, and Chanel (#5 & Coco).
I bought exactly 3 fragrance items this year:
Parfums Nicolai: Cap Neroli and Rose Royale
Chanel: Paris Deauville (Lotion)
The 2 Nicolais were blind purchases and the Chanel has been on my wishlist since you first posted about the fragrance earlier last year. Since i still have tons of cologne category EDTs in my collection, it was easier to justify the lotion purchase. I figured I could wear the lotion as-is or to be layered with other fragrances. It’s so versatile after all!
Thank you for keeping up with the blog, dear Victoria. Time has become ever more precious, but I always look forward to reading your entries.
Warmest fragrant wishes for 2020. December 30, 2019 at 3:18pm
Victoria: Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing your favorites. Cap Neroli smells like an orange garden in bloom. January 1, 2020 at 5:45am
Joy Erickson: Happy New Year to you, Victoria. Thank you for an intriguing list. I haven’t tried a lot of new fragrances this year. I am beginning to work my way through Chanel in pure perfume. I have always used eau de toilette. My first was Chanel no 5. I finally opened my bottle that I had purchased in Paris. It is not a spray, but has a crystal dab. I do love it as I can place a dot on my wrist for my own enjoyment without offending the fragrance sensitive. I can then smell it while reading a book or working a watercolor. My next will be Cristalle. I have also been using Chanel soaps which I love. They also allow a bit of fragrance to waft through my home. December 30, 2019 at 5:32pm
Victoria: Chanel soaps are a splurge, but they’re excellent and their scent lingers well. January 1, 2020 at 5:46am
BARBARA CRILLY: WOW! WHAT A YEAR OF 2019. BUSY BUT IT FLEW BYE. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO 2020, THIS YEAR I’M GOING TO DEDICATE TIME FOR GETTING OUT AND WALK EVERYDAY. I HAVE A BAD BACK ALONG WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS IN BOTH OF MY KNEE’S. THIS YEAR ALSO IS GOING TO BE A YEAR OF LEARNING HOW TO MIX ESSENTIAL OIL’S. I WISH EVERYBODY A PROPEROUS NEW YEAR. December 30, 2019 at 6:57pm
Victoria: Please take care of yourself! Which essential oils are you starting with? January 1, 2020 at 5:46am
Filomena: Happy New Year Victoria and thank you for your wonderful blog. The best thing that happened to me in 2019 was that I went on an unexpected (and practically free) trip to Belgium and France. In Paris I got to meet Pissara Umavijani, creator of Parfums Dusita, at her beautiful shop and purchased a bottle of LePavillon D’Or. December 30, 2019 at 10:35pm
Victoria: Beautiful trips! I remember you posting about them in the comments. January 1, 2020 at 5:47am
Robert: Happy New Year! Rogue Perfumery was my most pleasing discovery of 2019, confirming my anti-IFRA biases. December 31, 2019 at 1:51am
Victoria: Yes, I see what you mean. January 1, 2020 at 5:47am
London: I wore Byredo La Tulipe all year! I’m very fond of the cheaper perfume oil and body lotion. The price for the EDP is a bit high for such a simple, but pretty fragrance.
I still love it, it is a very calming, cool, and optimistic perfume. I never thought I would want to smell like a flower shop refrigerator! Happy new year everyone ❤️ December 31, 2019 at 2:39am
Victoria: Sometimes a fragrance just clicks with you. I ended up liking Twilly Eau Poivrée, a fruity-floral with a fizzy top note. It didn’t sound that appealing on paper, but on skin it’s charming. January 1, 2020 at 5:48am
OnWingsofSaffron: Now that‘s interesting! Never heard of Rogue Perfumery before, and I‘ll keep a watch-out to see if I can find it here. Great concept! I cannot understand why all others bow unconditionally to IFRA, when cigarettes are sold at every corner? December 31, 2019 at 5:59am
Robert: I believe Not Perfumes achieves the same result through a more oblique approach (disclaimer/product warning).
https://notperfumes.com/about/ December 31, 2019 at 9:57pm
Victoria: Fragrance brands would reformulate to death only to avoid labeling! January 1, 2020 at 5:50am
Tijana: Happy New Year Victoria! For me this was the year of citruses mostly. I wore D&G Light Blue Intense, Hermes Citron Noir, and Atelier Cologne’s Orange Sanguine a lot this year. But, I also purchased and wore a lot SL Gris Clair, Guerlain’s L’Instant Magic (a strong candidate for my ‘signature’ scent if such thing would exist!), and Coco Mademoiselle Intense. I gave away lots of fragrances I did not wear, and paired my collection down to the ones I love the most. I also have a long wishlist for new ones 🙂 December 31, 2019 at 8:06am
Victoria: Trimming down the collection is always a good idea—and it’s a chance to introduce others to beautiful scents. January 1, 2020 at 5:51am
Joy: I also gave away full bottles that I had hardly worn. With their absence, the guilt off too many purchases faded away. It was cathartic. January 1, 2020 at 11:24am
Karen A: Ooooh, love Best Of Lists! 2019 for me perfume-wise was pretty simple. Gardens of India in late spring and summer, Coromandel extrait – a huge indulgence – for cooler weather. Otherwise it was my standards, Chamade and No.5 both in extrait form and my favorite rose scents.
With things chaotic in the world seems like I wanted simplicity in fragrance!
Happy New Year to everyone, may 2020 be filled with peace, kindness, and joy! December 31, 2019 at 8:45am
Victoria: Makes perfect sense to me! Happy New Year. It sounds like 2020 holds plenty in store for you. January 1, 2020 at 5:52am
Klaas: Dear Victoria, dear fragrant friends, I wish you all a beautiful, inspiring, joyous and prosperous 2020.
Lavender and dark chocolate sure is a wonderful combination. And as a lover of lavender scents I will have to check out the Margiella soon. It sounds like something I would like.
Scent wise, this past year turned out to be all about vetiver for me. I rediscovered Maitre Parfumeur Racine and got to know and wear La Route du Vetiver and Fat Electrician. Gourmand and salty, the latter became a favorite when the weather got colder.
I’m looking forwards to seeing what delights the new year will bring! December 31, 2019 at 11:50am
Victoria: I loved the combination of lavender and chocolate ever since I was a kid. My great-grandmother store herbs and chocolates in one cupboard and their scents mixed together. It’s still such a tender, nostalgic scent for me. January 1, 2020 at 5:53am
Figuier: Happy New Year Victoria, and thank you for another great year of blog posts! Lots of new perfumes in your list – I tried Sublime Blossom as I went through duty free today – very pretty indeed.
I have worn mostly familiar perfumes this year, although Hiram Green’s Shangri La and Narciso (the white cube) were new discoveries for me. Regular wears included Cloon Keen Castana, Diptyque Eau Duelle, Chanelle Cristalle, Tom Ford Vert de Fleur, Chanel No 18, vintage Paris YSL, Lutens Fille en Aiguille. Wishing I could own Chanel Cuir de Russie, Vero Kern Naja, Guerlain Bois D’Armenie, Hermes Galop… December 31, 2019 at 4:13pm
Victoria: Pretty, isn’t it! It also smells great on skin.
Your list of favorites is enticing. January 1, 2020 at 5:54am
Nancy Chan: Hi Victoria, and all the readers of Bois de Jasmin, wishing everyone a Happy New Year and good health!
2019, has been a year for rediscovering previous perfume launches, and enjoying my small perfume collection. This year I have purchased :
-Chanel, No.5 Parfum
-Guerlain, Insolence EDP
-Dior, J’Adore Touche de Parfum
-Cacharel, Noa
-Lolita Lempicka, Mon Eau
Also, thanks for the recommendations by the readers for Recommend Me a Perfume. I am still in the process of testing the long list of perfumes, but I will report back with what goes onto my wish list.
I have also purchased some Roger and Gallet soaps. My favourites are the Rose and Carnation. Yes, I managed to find the elusive Carnation soaps at John Lewis. Mysore Sandalwood soap as recommended by Victoria, a new discovery for me.
For 2020, I look forward to more perfume launches and reading more Bois de Jasmin posts. December 31, 2019 at 4:34pm
Victoria: I’m so glad that you found that Carnation soap. Whenever I see it, I buy as much as I can carry. It’s very hard to find for some reason. January 1, 2020 at 5:55am
Austenfan: My biggest discovery wasn’t something new, but something a lot older that I had somehow overlooked. I’d never tried Vol de Nuit, even though I adore classic Guerlains, but did so early December. I enjoyed the EDT but had a vrai coup de cœur for the extrait. A bottle is now mine.
On another note; I had been wondering what you would make of Rose et Cuir. I tried it in September in Paris at Printemps and was intrigued. I still don’t know whether I like it, or just find it interesting. It’s another interesting twist in JCE’s collection
And above all: a very happy 2020 to you! I hope all your endeavours will continue to be successful. January 1, 2020 at 7:14am
Hamamelis: Thank you for writing about the Louvre perfumes, I never would know about them otherwise, and thank you for keeping Bois de Jasmin alive for so many years. I wore many Vero’s, Hiram Green and April Aromatics, and Bengal Rouge. Lustre may have been my most worn perfume this year. January 1, 2020 at 11:25am
Sherry: Happy 2020 Victoria! 2019 has been a very busy year, work and family both, the fragrances provided so much comfort, pleasure and distractions (so I can justify the $$$$ spent).
I don’t comment often but followed BDJ and Instagram faithfully for reviews and recommendations. My favourites from 2019 are the good old Orientals and Jasmines: JM Jasmine sambac, TM Jasmine rouge, Chanel coromondal, Coco EDP and EDT, and Fendi theorema. I am always behind the new releases so my new discoveries are rather “old”: FM music ravenger, Hermessence Cedre sambac, Amouage Dia, Kerosene unknown pleasure and Divine L’ame Soeur. Some are blind buys and I read your reviews multiple times before purchasing. I did venture out to a few indie houses like Sonoma Scent Studio, Kerosene and Zoologist, while I love the creativity of Zoologist but I found few are wearable. I am gald SSS is back to business and I would highly recommend this to anyone would like to venture out for unusual yet still beautiful scent. Although I am impressed by Forest Walk the most – it instantly transform you to a big dense mossy forest and you can almost taste the earth underneath your hiking boots, wearability wise I like bee’s bliss and Tobac Aaura the best. Kerosene is my favourite of the 3 but I wish they could offer smaller sizes as all bottles are 100mls only. I did try one 2019 new releases which is FM Rose and Cuir, it’s quite unexpected (I think it’s the geranium) for a rose and nonetheless luminous and beautiful.
I am looking to try more from indie house is Rogue perfumery, and maybe finally a trip to Europe so I can try some SL exclusives. January 1, 2020 at 12:50pm
Kari: Have you tried Zoologist Civet? Based on your love of many fragrances that are also my favorite, I wonder if it would suit you. I LOVE it. January 1, 2020 at 10:57pm
Sherry: I did like civet a lot and was planning on getting a travel spray before I (ever) run out of tuberoses, LOL who knows when… I also liked Dragonfly from zoologist. Both were actually wearable. I liked a few others, Bat, squid and Camel. I find almost all zoologists had a phase I didn’t like – mostly the open, or taken too long to envelop or simply unwearable in public. January 2, 2020 at 1:11am
Madaris: In 2019 I wore Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry so often that friends in my Freethinkers Group call it my signature. It was a splurge for my budget so I was glad people noticed it. My second love for the year was my old standard, Messe de Minuit. January 1, 2020 at 4:45pm
Kari: Mmmm, lovely!
What I wore most often:
Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau
L’Artisan Safran Troublant
SJP Stash
Chanel Coromandel
Fendi Theorema
Papillon Dryad
I did not buy fragrances in 2019 but I was gifted one by my husband that I was so excited about, and can recommend to try: Papillon Bengale Rouge. It is gorgeous. Spices curled up in rose and sweet, not harsh animalic fur. It’s like Papillon Salome is the sexy slightly wild cat, and Bengale Rouge is the satisfied cat curling up next to the fire after rolling around in crushed petals and spices and herbs. I loved it immediately and the dry down is about 9 hours or so until it becomes a faint skin scent. January 1, 2020 at 10:55pm
Lydia: Happy New Year dear Victoria and fellow perfume enthusiasts!
2019 turned out to be an exciting perfume year for me, largely because of a shop/perfume salon in NYC’s Soho called Perfumarie. They offer a monthly “perfume flight,” which is a chance to blind-smell 25 perfumes and perfume ingredients. You don’t find out until the end of the month what you smelled, so it’s an opportunity to have a pure fragrance experience without preconceptions. Very fun! I recommend it to any of you who are in NYC or planning a visit.
My most-worn scents this year were Rochas’ Femme, Shalimar, Eau de Rochas (but only in warm weather), Noir Patchouli by Histoires de Parfums, L de Lubin, Lilylang and Florentina by Sylvaine Delacourte, The Waves by Olivine, and Revolution de la Fleur by Sana Jardin.
I would SO love to try the Buly Louvre scents. I wonder if any of the NYC Buly shops will ever carry them. January 2, 2020 at 1:33am
Muriel: Hello Victoria and her wonderful perfume lovers community,
May the new year bring you all a lot of joy and unexpected discoveries!
Last year was quite hectic on my side too (too much work, stress…) and I didn’t spend enough time discovering new fragrances, but Bois de Jasmin was always a wonderful place to come and breathe! I think the perfume I wore the most was Chamade Extrait which I received for my 20th anniversary. On that occasion, I travelled to Venice and discovered Arabesque from the Merchant of Venice. I didn’t buy it, because I found it very pricey and too overwhelming, but it is nicely printed in my memory. January 2, 2020 at 8:52am
BARBARA CRILLY: DEAR VICTORIA, I RECIEVED YOUR E’MAIL, I’D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND YES, I’M DO BETTER. THESE ARE THE FOLLOWING ESSENTIAL OIL’S I HAVE RIGHT NOW. 1. GERANIUM 2. YLANG YLANG 3. JUNIPERBERRY 4. LAVENDER. I WANT TO TEACH MYSELF HOW TO MIX AND MAKE MY OWN SCENT’S. THANK YOU INQUIRING. January 2, 2020 at 6:01pm
Carla: Thank you Victoria, for introducing some new perfumes to try. Several sound intriguing. I’m glad there is so much creativity even as I get set in my perfume ways as time passes.
My old favorite I have been wearing a lot is Bois de Violette. I hope it has not been altered too much because I will need a new bottle soon. My new favorite for everyday beauty without drama is Hermès Galop. My new obsession is Bogue MEM. I have been settling for Pour un Homme for lavender although it is not the same at all. MEM makes me swoon!
Happy New Year! January 3, 2020 at 9:40am