I’m in the mood for spring, although the weather doesn’t yet cooperate. No matter, the beauty of perfume is that it can transport us out of our routine and into the place of our daydreams and fantasies. Mine today is to take a picnic basket into a blooming cherry garden and to drink tea while watching the pink petals swirl around me. So, the topic of my new video is fragrances that evoke spring for me.
The selection I made doesn’t simply include perfumes that I enjoy all year around, but also fragrances that fit the spring mood during the season. Of course, everyone has their own idea of what spring smells like, but having grown up in a temperate climate where the difference among seasons was pronounced, I associate spring with exhilaration, verdancy and soft floral hues.
These days when the first snowdrops and crocuses are starting to blossom, I crave perfumes that capture this duality–delicacy and brightness, ice and sunshine. My favorite fragrances are neither heavy nor rich, although a bit of opulence never hurts. I want perfumes that create a beautiful trail without overwhelming the natural aromas present around me. Spring is one of my favorite seasons, and I want to enjoy all of its nuances.
Above all, I seek perfumes that make me feel happy and uplifted. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed my life, and some things that I took for granted such as being able to see my family are out of reach. Therefore, anything that adds a dose of positivity is welcome, and perfume is one of the easiest ways to boost my spirits.
My favorite spring perfumes at the moment
- The Different Company Tokyo Bloom
- Atelier Cologne Trèfle Pur
- Chanel Cristalle Edp
- Parfums de Rosine Rose Griotte
- Maison Margiela Matcha Meditation
I invite you to watch the video with my full perfume list and explanation.
Best families and notes for spring perfumes
I would like to add a few additional suggestions on fragrances to consider for spring.
- Sheer Florals: Penhaligon’s The Favourite, Hermès Jour d’Hermès, Annick Goutal Eau de Charlotte
- Green Notes: Frédéric Malle Eau de Magnolia, Jo Malone Rain and Angelica
- Orange blossom: Parfum d’Empire Azemour Les Orangers, Serge Lutens Fleurs de Citronnier
- Woods: The Different Company Sel de Vétiver, Atelier Cologne Bois Blonds, Hermessence Vétiver Tonka
As always, I’d love to hear what perfumes uplift you during spring and what fragrances you’re wearing these days.
37 Comments
Old Herbaceous: Victoria, I normally don’t watch fragrance videos because I prefer to read about fragrance, and because I am put off by some of the loud, tacky videos I’ve seen — but yours is perfection! I love that you combined your usual thoughtful written review with this simple, insightful video. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing you and hearing your lovely voice. Brava! I also enjoyed that you did not feel the need to “unwrap” any of the fragrances you mentioned; to me, that distracts from the main purpose of talking about the fragrance in a knowledgeable way (and I’ve read that it can lead to abuses and demands for free products). I look forward to more of your combined reviews, written and filmed. February 26, 2021 at 8:31am
Old Herbaceous: P.S. Green florals are a major love for me among fragrances, and like you, I truly enjoy bringing them out as spring beckons. Chanel’s Cristalle and No. 19 are top favorites for me. I also enjoy many muguet-based fragrances (Diorissimo is a long-time love). Perhaps my favorite harbinger of spring perfume, though, is Penhaligon’s Ostara, sadly discontinued after what seems the blink of an eye, which is a photo-realistic yellow daffodil scent. To me, nothing says “spring is here” like the emergence of the first early daffodils! February 26, 2021 at 8:36am
Nancysg: I totally!agree about Ostara! I was so surprised when it was quickly discontinued. February 26, 2021 at 8:42pm
Rakasa: Y’all might like a botanical that I found. It has that raw green stem and buttercup warmth daffodils always seem to give off emerging from a hyacinth and narcissus opening: Prosody London’s Jacinth Jonquil. It’s the the most life-like daffodil note I’ve ever found in perfumery. March 15, 2021 at 4:12pm
Old Herbaceous: Thanks for that recommendation, I’ll look for it! May 7, 2021 at 10:21am
Carolyn: Even here in the north east of Scotland our snowdrops & crocuses are blooming, thanks to the last few days of unseasonably mild weather, a stark contrast to the other week when we had our worst winter weather since 2010! Really enjoy seeing Ostara mentioned & appreciated – some years ago my best friend & I were visiting her sister-in-law in Edinburgh & popped into Penhaligon’s – must have been around the time Ostara was being launched/promoted. My friend always though Penhaligon’s fragrances were too ‘flowery’ for her but she was offered a sample of Ostara & loved it, & was delighted when colleagues at work complimented her when she wore it, something that had not happened with any other fragrance! Some time later, on a solo trip to Edinburgh, I dropped in to the shop again & there was a bottle of Ostara on the ‘sale’ shelf for about half price, so I snapped it up as a gift for her – she was thrilled, but very disappointed when it then became apparent it was being discontinued, obviously that’s why the price had been slashed. I’m pretty sure she still has some left! February 27, 2021 at 9:38am
Silvermoon: I was also won over by Ostara instantly. And extremely disappointed to see how quickly they discontinued it. A very odd decision in my view. Given how often it is positively mentioned here, even after such a short lifespan, one cannot but wonder at the strange corporate decision making at Penhaligon. I would love to know why they stopped production, and whether there is any chance they would bring it back? February 28, 2021 at 10:11am
Carolyn: Penhaligon has never been the same since the company was bought by Puig, in my humble opinion. I’ve posted either here or on the NST site (or possibly both!) in the past about a very interesting chat I had with two ladies in the Mayfair shop about the then new launch of their ‘English heritage’ range with the over the top caps, at which point I mentioned Ostara being dropped – suffice it to say they were not fans of the direction in which the company was going – although a few years later I was chatting to a sales lady in the Glasgow shop who said she was aware the company had been neglecting their traditional customer base & were planning to take steps to rectify that. As & when lockdown eases & I can get back to a shop it will be interesting to see if anything has changed. March 1, 2021 at 9:26am
Carla: Eau de Magnolia is the perfect perfume for this time of year for me! Thank you February 26, 2021 at 9:30am
Alysen: Vetiver Tonka is a favourite with me, and my new pash is Gallivant’s London, which seems to work perfectly in spring. February 26, 2021 at 9:36am
Phyllis: I love Eau de Magnolia and I love Ostara (still have some left in my bottle). It has always annoyed me that Penhaligon discontinues their fragrances (at least my favorite ones) within a very short after releasing them. Another one they did that to was Amarathamine, which I also loved. Another springtime fragrance that I enjoy is Guerlain’s Apres Ondee, which I could wear any day of the year but it is especially nice in April. February 26, 2021 at 9:44am
Gabrielle Langley: Oh my goodness, YES! Guerlain’s Apres l’Ondee is so lovely! A true spring rain fragrance! February 26, 2021 at 8:35pm
Lathie: Love your posts but maybe you could print all of the names? I read French better than I hear it. February 26, 2021 at 10:36am
Patricia: A lovely selection, Victoria. I too go for green fragrances in spring – it’s the only category that gets its own drawer in my cabinet. In there, Vent Vert (Calice Becker version) is my favourite, but I also have Thé Vert (Roger & Gallet), and Silences, Azurée, Alliage, Bandit, Ma Griffe and Cabochard, for that galbanum blast. Also light florals such as La Chasse aux Papillons, and above all, Ostara. I also keep Eau de Rochas in that drawer – there’s something so cool and crisp about it. Makes me think of holidays. February 26, 2021 at 10:49am
Natalie: Your essay perfectly encapsulates how I feel about spring too. I am feeling a more excited anticipation for spring this year than ever before. I think it is the spring renewal that gives a sense of hope after a frigid winter in the time of COVID. I am feeling an almost physical need for greenness, warmth of the sun, and flowers. I prefer perfumes that don’t overwhelm and block out the aromas of what surrounds me also. I am still having a moment with Eau de Magnolia, as I have had for most of this winter. I am going to start wearing my other soft floral scents soon, such as En Passant. February 26, 2021 at 12:17pm
MaureenC: Hello Victoria, the first wave of spring has arrived here in Devon but it can be precarious. The scent of spring flowers is so wonderful. From now through to the end of May is my absolute favourite time of year. Yes definitely Cristalle, I also enjoy older versions of Diorissimo. The very green Ormonde Woman I can wear at any time but it smells just right at the moment for me. February 26, 2021 at 1:02pm
Sarah: Hi everyone,
I hardly ever post here, but get the regular bois email and love watching Victoria’s videos and reading your comments. Thank you! It’s a beautiful sunny day here in Vermont and Spring is right around the corner. So had a jolly old time this morning swapping out my heavier Winter scents for some Springtime perfumes. After I was all done, I went online and here is Victoria’s wonderful post. Here is my new regiment of fragrant soldiers lined up on the bureau: 1.) The fortress of Green: Nicolai L’eau Mixte, Neroli Intense and Cap Neroli. And a tiny bottle of vintage Chanel 19 parfum 2.) Froot!!: Pamplelune and Ananas Fizz 3.) Flowers: Ceci n’est pas un flacon bleu 1.2 and Diptyque Fleur de Peau.
Have a lovely fragrant day everyone!! February 26, 2021 at 1:29pm
rickyrebarco: I love The Favourite and Jour d’Hermes as well. I just wore The Favourite the other day. Penhaligon’s Luna is another fresh fragrance that reminds me of spring along with anything with muguet notes. I also like Eau d’Italie’s Jardin du Poete, such a lovely green herbal garden fragrance and Eau du Lac, another fresh spring scent from Eau d’Italie. February 26, 2021 at 5:10pm
Fazal: I def. want to smell Azemour les Orangers. One of the fragrances that fit spring really well in my opinion is vintage Vent Vert. However, my most fav. ever green fragrance may be vintage Dioressence in Esprit de Parfum concentration.
Among the feminine releases from Dior, I think vintage Dioressence is really the best in the brand’s history. I have a little hard time with vintage Miss Dior but I can clearly see how there would be no Dioressence without Miss Dior. The Miss Dior dna in Dioressence is just too apparent. February 26, 2021 at 6:10pm
Ninon: I still haven’t sampled Dioresscence–your saying it has Miss Dior’s DNA makes me want to get my hands on it asap! February 28, 2021 at 8:23pm
Fazal: I have not smelled the latest dioressence but the vintage versions def. have Miss Dior dna. Dioressence could also be thought of a greener version of Miss Dior. March 1, 2021 at 3:56am
Nancy Chan: My favourite spring fragrances are Hermes’s Osmanthe Yunnan, L’Occitane’s Arlesienne and Balmain’s Ivoire(reformulated version). I like the soapy freshness of Ivoire, just feels so right for spring. The flowers, osmanthus, rose and violets are my favourite fragrance notes, and so evocative of spring.
I’m currently wearing a lot of Lolita Lempicka and Cacharel’s Noa. These perfumes are so warm and comforting in the cool weather. February 26, 2021 at 6:25pm
Silvermoon: I have Osmanthe Yunnan, but interestingly much prefer it on really hot summer days. I had smelled the old Ivoire as a child, and very much enjoyed testing the reformulated Ivoire, but I think they have already discontinued it.
Nancy, I also wanted to let you know that I ordered the Aromatherapy Associates Rose shower oil, and it’s really lovely to use in the morning. I really enjoy the warm note brought in with the geraniums. February 28, 2021 at 10:20am
Nancy Chan: Hello Silvermoon, so happy to hear you like the Aromatherapy Associates shower oil. Yes, unfortunately, the new Ivoire is discontinued, I only have about 75% left of it in my 50ml bottle.
L’Occitane is also bringing out a new fragrance, Osmanthus. I look forward to trying it once the shops reopen. February 28, 2021 at 12:13pm
Silvermoon: Shopping for new perfumes certainly is best done in a shop, if possible. Can’t wait for life to get back to semi-normal (that would already be great)! February 28, 2021 at 12:19pm
Kathy Larson: F.Malle’s En Passant-always! February 26, 2021 at 7:43pm
Gabrielle Langley: Yes, I also love En Passant! February 26, 2021 at 8:36pm
Gabrielle Langley: My all-time favorite (and true signature scent) is Baiser Volé by Cartier, developed by Mathilde Laurent…a pure ballet of white lilies, plus that exquisite replication of the cold crushed stem fragrance that one experiences when walking into a florist’s refrigerator! February 26, 2021 at 8:44pm
Ninon: My favorites are deep, murky green and also work in autumn: Vert Pour Madame, Nikki de St Phalle, Nasomatto Absinth. Puredistance Antonia and Opardu are glorious in spring and I will no doubt be ordering more samples. Zagorsk, for me, is the time of those first crocuses, now through March. And I would love to find a complex lily, but everything I’ve tried has been overly crisp or overly sweet. February 28, 2021 at 8:20pm
Sara: Hi Ninon,
How do you like Nasomatto Absinth? I feel strangely drawn to it, but I have no other absinthe or wormwood fragrances in my collection. I own and adore Ormonde Woman, which is green, murky and bitter (but also quite sweet). I enjoy it during the springtime.
I just tested Iris Silver Mist on this chilly March day in the northern midwest, and it’s making me think of spring gardening–carrots and freshly turned earth. I don’t find ISM as icy cold as some people seem to, but it has enough coldness to feel just right for early spring.
I’ve tested Zagorsk and you’ve inspired me to dig out my sample again to see how it does in this weather! March 4, 2021 at 1:14pm
Ninon: I adore Nasomatto Absinth and need to get a fb! It’s witchy and damp and green, and, while spare, has some of the structure and complexity of a chypre. I sampled OJ Woman many years ago, hoping it would be like Absinth, but I found it very sweet (I need to retest–I’m more tolerant of sweetness these days). ISM is too chilly and austere for me, though I have a lot of respect for it (Irisss is my favorite iris, unfortunately, since the price is absurd; I also like Niral). March 4, 2021 at 2:17pm
Sara: I’m intrigued and will have to order a sample of Absinth, then. I like how you describe it as “spare”–I find that’s exactly how a lot of modern fragrances feel, but that’s exactly what makes them wearable and effortless. (Tam Dao is one I love to wear on cold rainy days in spring or fall, and the fact that it’s spare might be exactly what makes it comforting and easy on dreary days). Ormonde Woman is relatively new to my collection, though I’ve loved it for a long time, and the only thing I would change it I’d make that sweetness less pronounced; it feels a little like there’s too much simple syrup involved. Alas, nothing is perfect, but OW is still pretty close. March 4, 2021 at 2:40pm
Elaine: I, too, enjoy wearing En Passant & Cristalle EdT in the spring (although I adore Cristalle any time of the year). I also love Hermes’s Un Jardin sur le Toit (JCE) in the spring & I put it on today. It’s rainy in Virginia this weekend, but at least that horrid freezing is gone. Un Jardin sur le Toit was the fragrance that really got me interested in fragrances as a hobby/collection back in 2017. It’s such a perfect green and floral scent. True to Elenna’s style, it doesn’t have tons of sillage, but lasts a good 9 hours on me. I love hearing about all your favs. February 28, 2021 at 11:20pm
Hilde: A few weeks ago when the temperature here began to rise, I was eager to buy myself a new fragrance that is excellent for spring: Dior J’adore Absolu. Among the J’Adore range, J’Adore In Joy and J’Adore Absolue are my two favourites.
Jour d’Hermes is also a spring favourite of mine. I wore it last week: the original, not the Absolu. The latter has lost the radiant green character of the original, I find.
And as some of yours also mentioned, Cartier Baisé Volé is a marvelous scent for spring. But I won’t necessarily wear it in spring. Even in winter I find it an excellent perfume. I have the eau de toilette, eau de parfum and the extrait version, but I still prefer the edp-version, because of its greener accent.
I also find quite a lot of fragrances of l’Occitane very suiting for spring, such as Néroli & Orchidée, Fleur d’Or & Acacia, Jasmin Immortelle Mimosa and Cherry Blossom.
And just now I must think of some long time favourites of mine: Aire Loewe and Guy Laroche Fidji. It is so long ago that I have worn both of them. March 3, 2021 at 8:06am
Hilde: Sorry, there was a typing error in my message before. My favourite version of Cartier Baisé Volé is the edt-version (eau de toilette), not the edp-version. March 3, 2021 at 8:10am
Maria Yanushevskaya: I was inspired to seek Spring perfumes after watching your videos, alas Rose Griotte is not yet available in Hong Kong. So instead I came back with Nishane’s Warsaw (tuberose scent). March 4, 2021 at 7:57pm
Sissi: Carat by Cartier. Hyacinth, tulips, cool crispness. March 11, 2021 at 11:54pm