by Elise Pearlstine

Plants breathe but flowers exhale. Their fragrances may be light and airy or strong and spicy but they are all distinctive and beautiful, these flowers that exhale. Plants breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen – not with lungs but with leaves, stems and sometimes roots. For most of their growing period they use carbon dioxide and minerals from the soil to build leaves, stems, twigs, blades, roots, tendrils, and fronds. Then they create the flowers. Some plants form flowers that are scented, a few of those have lovely diffusive scents. An even smaller number of flowers will continue to exhale their fragrance after they are removed from the plant. From those, a precious few produce scents that are wondrous and magical, perfect for making perfumes. For these few and fragile flowers, capturing their scent may be best achieved through enfleurage. A list of these flowers includes jasmine, tuberose, violet, jonquil, narcissus, mimosa, acacia, gardenia and hyacinth.

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

There is something exhilarating and uplifting about the green notes. A whiff of crushed leaves, mowed grass or of minced herbs—and suddenly the breath of spring itself envelops you, making you feel giddy. Yet, strong verdant accords in fragrances are notoriously difficult to weave in such a way that the perfume maintains its effervescent quality without being overly sharp and aggressive. Therefore, most fragrances interpret the idea of verdancy in a rather tame manner, using the green accords as mere accents. Le Temps d’une Fête by Parfums de Nicolaï comes as a pleasant surprise—a sophisticated fragrance that presents a vibrant green theme, yet retaining a plush, caressing quality on the skin. It has the bold character of Balmain Vent Vert, while it wears as elegantly as Guerlain Chamade.

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

I love the playfulness of Vanille Insensée, which cannot decide whether it wants to be a vanilla or an amber, and while oscillating between luscious sweetness and dark richness, it manages to beguile with its complex, nuanced character. The contrasted nature of this fragrance created by perfumer Ralf Schwieger for Atelier Cologne not only makes it exciting to wear, but also gives it a beautiful signature.

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Trend Watch : Dark Side of Gourmand / Orient Express / Classical Flowers

Trend Watch : Orange Blossom / Aromatic Fougère / Modern Cologne

In general, sheer roses and floral motifs frequently serve as the main themes for spring launches so I decided to compile a selection of fragrances to highlight the rose tinted ideas that we are about to see coming in April-May. I will add a mini-review and a star rating to the fragrances I have already sampled.

In the same vein, do you have any favorite roses for spring?

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The other day I was cleaning up my office, when I came across a vial of Victoire Gobin-Daudé Biche Dans L’Absinthe, a green woody fragrance that beautifully conveys the bitter absinthe impression. The vial was almost empty, but a single whiff brought me back to the cold summer I spent in Warsaw, dividing my time between the Statistical Library and the pastry shops in the vicinity (Polish cakes and desserts have few rivals in my affections.) A sillage of Biche Dans L’Absinthe followed me around the city, and to this day, I cannot think of Warsaw without recalling this marvelous scent. Yet, it has been discontinued years ago, and an empty vial is all I have today. Out of many fragrances that were taken off the market, Gobin-Daudé collection is the one I miss the most. They were original and memorable.

I also miss the original version of Christian Dior Dioressence (the current version is a completely different fragrance,) Lancôme AromaCalm (a soft blend of iris and incense,) Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps (the reformulated version is not even worth smelling,) and Shiseido Nombre Noir. Once Yves Saint Laurent Nu disappears from the existing stocks, I know that I will be in deep mourning for its departure.

What discontinued fragrances do you miss the most? What vanished perfumes do you still mourn?