I’ve been reading a lot of Marie Claire lately. You see, if I read it in English, I feel self-indulgent, but if I read it in French, I can justify the time spent as a language practice. Plus, since the French Marie Claire comes with a Belgian insert, I learn a lot about new lines and local products. My latest discovery is Bien-être L’Eau Parfumée des Familles. Besides Caudalie Divine Oil (Huile Divine), the French beauty press has fallen hard for this simple cologne. Described variously as “a little scented trinket” or a “light and bright scent for a midsummer night’s dream,” it caught my attention too, as did its great price  of 6 € ($7.50) for a 250ml bottle.

It’s a light citrusy cologne that dries down to a powdery floral musk. Intended for the whole family, including children, it has the typical scent of French baby products–orange blossom. L’Eau Parfumée des Familles also weaves some crisp violet and grape notes, in addition to cedarwood, and its scent is at once lighthearted and sophisticated.

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Natural perfumer Mandy Aftel created Sepia out of an exchange with fellow California perfumer Laurie Erickson of Sonoma Scent Studio.  This, the third installment of Nathan Branch’s Letters to a Fellow Perfumer project, involved each of the perfumers working with a material they had not used before.  Erickson chose black and blue hemlock spruce absolutes for a perfume that became Forest Walk.

Aftel originally selected natural alpha ionone (a violet-like smell) and a fire tree absolute for an idea she had to depict her feelings about California’s Gold Country and its ghost towns, of “the beauty of what remains after something is ravaged by time.”  Shortly into the project, Aftel abandoned both of these original materials, replacing them with flowering tobacco absolute and blond cedarwood and from this built her fragrant tone poem of both an imaginary past and a present reality.

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Gucci has launched a new fragrance called Gucci Première. It was inspired by the couture gowns from the Gucci collection shown at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Created by perfumer Nathalie Lorson, Gucci Première is a soft floral perfume, and it includes notes of bergamot, orange blossom, blackberries, leather, myrrh, fur accord, patchouli, sandalwood, and musk.

According to Gucci creative director Frida Giannini, “For such a successful woman, something equally remarkable was required. Gucci Première is womanly, intriguing and as seductive as the perfect couture gown.” The ad campaign is fronted by Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively.

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The summer came to Brussels overnight. I went to bed on a cold, rainy day and woke up to dazzling sunshine. As the mercury levels starting rising, my colorful summer dresses came out of their hiding spots in the closet as did my strappy sandals and kitten heels. I also resumed my passionate love affair with big white floral perfumes that bloom particularly well in hot, balmy weather. But a couple of weeks later autumn flew into my room on a small golden leaf that landed right on my desk, a reminder that the summer extravagance will soon come to an end.

I felt a pang of sadness as I always do when I realize that the summer vacation is drawing to its end. Wondering how I could retain my summery mood, I remembered an article from the August issue of French Marie Claire, Un huile à tout faire pour satiner. It described the all-purpose dry oils, from voluptuous Caudalie Divine Oil to elegant L’Artisan Parfumeur Premier Figuier Dry Oil, that make summer beauty rituals so alluring. So, I’ve decided to transition into the fall with some summer inspired pampering.

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Do you like fragrances with jasmine, tuberose, honeysuckle, gardenia notes? What are your favorite big white floral perfumes?

It may seem like madness to wear lush, heady perfumes in the summer, but with light application, tuberose, jasmine and other white floral scents can bloom so well in the warm air that you will be a convert, even if you didn’t care for these notes. Over the past couple of weeks my “big white floral” perfumes have been my favorite staples.

I enjoy the lush tuberose of Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower and Estée Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia. Ormonde Jayne Frangipani Absolute is sunshine and tiare petals in the bottle.  Serge Lutens A La Nuit is like being showered with jasmine blossoms. When something lighter and brighter seems more appealing, I reach for Chanel Beige and Annick Goutal Un Matin d’Orage. Finally, when I want something “big white floral” but fresher and crisper, I go for Marc Jacobs for Her, the debut MJ perfume that captured the scent of gardenias floating in water.

Extra:  some more Big White Floral perfumes. ‘White floral’ is a general description, rather than a specific perfumery term, but if you’re curious what flowers are usually considered white florals (a hint: they smell jasmine-like!), you can read my Perfume Wardrobe Part 2: Jasmine and White Florals.

Photograph: Frangipani via flickr, some rights reserved