When you travel, do you wear perfume and if so, what are your favorite scents for such an occasion? In general, what are your favorite strategies to make air travel more enjoyable?

While I generally avoid any strong blends whenever I know that I will be in close quarters with other people, I like wearing very light scents with an intimate aura. Given the hassle of today’s travel, they are like my little talismans, calming me down and uplifting my mood. Hermès Osmanthe Yunnan, Chanel 28 La Pausa, and Annick Goutal Néroli are my current choices. I also pack a small decant of pure orange blossom water in my carry-on to refresh myself on a long airplane journey. Nothing is more relaxing for me than the scent of orange blossom.

On this note, I shall be traveling for the next couple of weeks. There will be several scheduled articles and a giveaway on Bois de Jasmin during my absence, and I look forward to chatting with you again once I am back!

Image credit: Pénélope Jolicoeur.

On a hot summer day, it is easy to appreciate the allure of a classical cologne, a citrus rich composition accented with green, herbal and orange flower notes. The effervescence of citrus—be it the bracing sharpness of lime, the peppery shimmer of bergamot, the intense verdancy of petitgrain (bitter orange leaves and buds) or the playful sweetness of mandarin—has a refreshing, exhilarating effect. It instantly cools, evoking the delicious sensation of an ice cube melting on hot skin. It creates a light, unobtrusive veil of scent. There is also a very strong logic behind using colognes in warm climates– neroli and petitgrain oils share the same pungent component as perspiration and allow it to become masked by the bright, green freshness of orange flower.

I’m not sure whether my perfume tastes are in flux, or whether I’m being influenced by the fact that our air conditioning broke down in the middle of a heat wave, but lately I have been relishing citrus colognes and exploring this genre in all of its permutations. Below are my ten choices for some of the best colognes I discovered during my quest. Some of them are venerable classics; others are interesting newcomers. While they are perfect on a hot June afternoon, my other criterion for selecting these fragrances is that I would want to wear them year round, mercury level notwithstanding.

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The dry balsamic scent of frankincense, a resinous material obtained from a Boswellia tree species native to the east, readily conjures visions of golden censers, sonorous chants and burning candles. In fact, both Eastern and Western religions share the use of frankincense in their ceremonies as it is believed to aid prayer and meditation. Frankincense can be burned on its own, or blended with other ingredients to create incense sticks. As a perfumery note, frankincense is remarkably versatile, being as naturally suited for the dark heft of an oriental fragrance as for the effervescent sparkle of citrus cologne. The smell of frankincense oil in its pure state is fascinating. At first, it is reminiscent of freshly ground black pepper, with a twist of lemon peel in the background. As the oil dries down, it reveals its dry woody character, which lies halfway between balsamic richness and flinty mineral crispness.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

In ballet, the dancer’s foot has the same delicacy and sensitivity that in other art forms is reserved for the hands. The light touch of a ballerina’s satin wrapped toes can express a wide range of emotions, and this effect, underscored by a remarkably steely strength, gives classical dance its unique flavor. When I first discovered Maison Martin Margiela’s debut fragrance, Untitled, its graceful treatment of woods and incense made me immediately draw the dance analogy. While traditionally one envisions these notes as dark and opulent counterpoints to the more evanescent floral and green touches, in Untitled the roles are reversed.

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I love making lists, from compilations of things to do to shopping notes. In this spirit, a few questions about your wish lists. Feel free to answer one or all of them.

1. What is on your fragrance wish list?
2. What is your favorite dessert?
3. Do you have any goals/wishes for this summer, things that you definitely want to accomplish?

Mine are:

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