Casual: 222 posts

Цієї весни мене тягне до парфумів, що пахнуть сонячним світлом на шкірі, розчавленими пелюстками під ногами та повітрям одразу після дощу. Якщо ви шукаєте невелику розкіш чи новий підписний аромат, ось букет весняних парфумів на будь-який бюджет — кожен із них передає окрему грань весняної краси.

Zara Waterlily Tea Dress (Zara Emotions)
Шифон у фісташково-зеленому кольорі. Неролі й бергамот іскряться у вступі, тоді як водяна лілія ледь вловима, немов примара. Обіцяє післяобідній чай, а звучить як ранкова роса. Красива й піднесена — поки триває.
Ціна: ~€30 за 100 мл

Yves Rocher Thé Vert (Зелений чай)
Свіжий, як щойно випрасувана сорочка, і вдвічі чистіший. Цитрус і чайні листки звучать дзвінко, а потім розчиняються в прозорому мускусі й легких квітах. Жодної гіркоти, жодного ускладнення — лише аромат свіжості. Мінімалізм у флаконі, саме те, чого іноді так хочеться.
Ціна: ~€19,99 за 100 мл

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Lavender is one of the most misunderstood perfume ingredients. “Too simple” is a common response from many who’ve long grown to associate it with aftershaves and soaps. Among perfume materials, lavender may not have the femme fatale allure of jasmine or tuberose, but in terms of versatility, the essence derived from the tiny violet flowers outflanks much more exotic blooms. You can find it in fragrances all over the perfume map.

The scent of lavender captures the essence of summer, and few visitors to Provence in August are unmoved by the heady aroma wafting from the fields. This experience inspired perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena to create Brin de Réglisse for Hermès. Brin de Réglisse marries lavender with licorice, salty with sweet. It sounds unusual, but the combination works perfectly. You can close your eyes and smell the sun warmed grasses and the salty Mediterranean breeze of the French Riviera.

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The scent of sandalwood is glorious–creamy, velvety, with a rich rose nuance. It’s as if wood shavings had been steeped in rose liqueur and then drizzled with cream. I remember the bliss I felt while leaning over a vat of vetiver-sandalwood attar in Kannauj, a town in northern India renowned for its scents, and immersing myself into a cloud of fragrant vapor. I still have a handful of sandalwood chips from that trip and they retain their beautiful aroma. The combination of sandalwood and vetiver is even more spellbinding.

Of course, there are plenty of sandalwood-vetiver fragrances, from Serge Lutens Vétiver Oriental to Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois de Balincourt. I enjoy all of them. Yet the sandalwood fragrance I wear the most is Forest Essentials Sandalwood & Vetiver Scented Body Mist. I bought it on the same Indian trip when I traveled to Lucknow and Kannauj researching the history of attars.

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I try not to read the marketing material before testing a perfume–and with good reason. If I had learned that Penhaligon’s The Favourite was inspired by Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, I wouldn’t have described it as soft, ethereal and tender. It’s hard to imagine those adjectives applied to the favorite of Queen Anne and a prominent personality of 18th century Britain. A strong-willed woman who wielded power behind the throne, she evokes for me something more assertive than a musky floral. That being said, The Favourite is a lovely thing, and however mismatched its character and its story might be, I’m reaching for it whenever I want something comforting and elegant.

The appealing aspect of The Favourite is how it combines floral and fruity notes with a hint of powder. It starts with a bright and sweet citrus and immediately plunges into a floral accord combining soft, rose-like notes with violet. The effect is delicate, but once the musk becomes more prominent, The Favourite gains more richness.

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If I had to pick only one perfume to wear throughout winter, it would be neither a smoky incense nor a warm amber. I could even survive the cold days without sumptuous white florals or dark spices. I couldn’t, however, go through winter without a citrus cologne. More precisely, my ideal winter fragrance is based around the zesty, bright note of mandarin. In my recent FT column, Mandarin Scents, I describe why I enjoy this ingredient, what makes it different from other citruses and which perfumes one should try.

Take, for example, Prada Infusion Mandarine. Its philosophy is to keep mandarin simple, and that refined minimalism is rewarding. The top notes combine all of the best elements of a citrus cologne – the green vibrancy of mandarin leaves, the sweetness of mandarin zest and the warmth of orange flowers. You notice the delicious bitterness of the peel and then the sweetness of pulp, and the contrast remains vivid into the drydown. To continue reading, please click here.

If you have favorite citrus perfumes for winter, please let me know.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin