What were your scented summer highlights? What interesting fragrances (bottled or otherwise) have you discovered?
For most of the summer I was on the road, but even so, I tried and fell in love with Hermès Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate and Néroli Doré, by Kilian Moonlight in Heaven, Antonio Alessandria Fleurs et Flammes, Rubini Fundamental and The Different Company Adjatay, a deliciously dark leather.
The best discovery, however, was courtesy of an eight year old who took part in a perfume class I organized for children in Ukraine. She combined blackcurrant and orange, with a generous dose of rose–no prompts from me, I should add. The result was dramatic and complex.
Photography by Bois de Jasmin
106 Comments
Carla: Hiram Green’s Moon Bloom, the tuberose I’ve been searching for! September 5, 2016 at 9:54am
Cornelia Blimber: Same here! Thanks to Kafkaesque. September 6, 2016 at 10:58am
Victoria: It’s so lush! September 7, 2016 at 12:05pm
Debi Sen Gupta: Made in Heaven Eau de Parfum – A Lab on Fire September 5, 2016 at 9:55am
Victoria: I need to try it. September 7, 2016 at 12:05pm
Ariadne: There is that pink room again! Loving it. Your photo composition is wonderfully impressionist. For me this summer was the heliotrope flourishing in my outdoor pots and just recently cutting Russian Sage fronds in full bloom for indoor bouquets. Such a sharp delicious scent left on your hands and arms. September 5, 2016 at 11:01am
Victoria: Thank you! The room was very inspiring. 🙂 September 7, 2016 at 12:06pm
Marie: I love the remark about your Perfume class in Ukraine 🙂
I wore Slumberhouse’s Pear + Olive, Mito Voile d’Extrait and SL Datura Noir a lot this summer. September 5, 2016 at 11:04am
Victoria: She was such a sweet kid. And clearly talented. September 7, 2016 at 12:06pm
parker scout: This summer was/still is Calyx, because it’s too darn hot, but also Monsieur Balmain. At nights, the succesful blind buy, “Ostara”. September 5, 2016 at 11:49am
Briony: I also love Ostara – I bought up loads of their little rollerballs which are perfect for summer. Such a shame they’ve discontinued it. September 5, 2016 at 12:22pm
parker scout: It is! But as long as il tast I will enjoy it. September 6, 2016 at 11:07am
Victoria: Glad to see Ostara getting its deserved love. September 7, 2016 at 12:07pm
Chin C.: Nuit de Tubereuse was a recent discovery. It reminds me of pomegranate noir at the initial fruity phase, and at its heart it’s nothing like the tuberose I have smelt before (Do Son, Carnal Flower). Nice for the night, and dark enough for a guy.
Another discovery for me happened when I’m wearing fragrance on skin covered by fabric. When you try to detect the freshly sprayed fragrance through the fabric, you will be able to detect the “top note” very clearly – it stands out on its own that way, without the influence from the heart or base. It does not happen when you are trying to smell your skin directly. Tam Dao smells quite differently to me (in the first half hour when the top note is still there of course) this way. 🙂 September 5, 2016 at 12:28pm
Phyllis Iervello: I love Nuit de Tubereuse. It is a beautiful scent. September 5, 2016 at 2:57pm
Bobbie: I’m so glad to hear someone mention NdT! I fell for it six years ago and have been giving it a bit of a renaissance lately since I moved and don’t have access to all my bottles. Anyway, I often feel it doesn’t get enough love in the blogs. September 6, 2016 at 1:02am
Victoria: Such an interesting observation regarding skin vs fabric! September 7, 2016 at 1:36pm
Kari: Blackcurrant, Orange, and rose? Wow. I’m fascinated trying to imagine what that smells like. I’ll bet it was dramatic.
At the start of this summer I got a couple samples of Papillon perfume fragrances, and found that I am REALLY loving Salome. It’s shot to the top of my full bottle list. I’m holding off until I’m closer to finishing my decant. It’s marvelously complex and alluring on its own, but also fantastic paired with Papillon’s Tobacco Rose, which I also really enjoy.
I’m finding that I don’t automatically associate cumin with skank-a lot of
My favorite perfumes contain cumin- and that it wears pretty well on my skin.
A more recent discovery was trying out Viktoria Minya’s perfumes. I bought a small decant of Hedonist, which is boozy, golden, and delightful peach goodness. It’s a very special fragrance but quite intense. After reading many great things about Minya’s Hongrie, I recently bought one barely used from someone, and this is actually my favorite of the two. It shares similar DNA to Hedonist, but is less syrupy and while still making a statement, I find it more wearable for day to day events. It is honeyed and based on wine rather than rum; I’ve never tried Tokaji wine but the fragrance reminds me of some really delicious honey mead I’ve tasted. The perfume also comes in a very cool wine bottle. September 5, 2016 at 12:30pm
Marianna: How is the staying power of Vicyoria Minya’s on you September 5, 2016 at 2:21pm
Kari: Marianna, the staying power is pretty good on me, though I don’t have skin that “eats” fragrance either. Hedonist is stronger later in the day than Hongrie is on me. September 5, 2016 at 9:45pm
Victoria: Neither do I when it comes to cumin. It smells woody more than animalic to me. September 7, 2016 at 1:35pm
Madaris: Aerin Lauder’s Mediterranean Honeysuckle has been a refreshing pleasure during this summer’s heatwave here in the southern U.S. Also Atelier’s Orange Sanguine is cool & clean. September 5, 2016 at 12:37pm
Victoria: Orange Sanguine is a staple for me. September 7, 2016 at 12:08pm
Phyllis Iervello: I wore a lot of Tom Ford’s fragrances this summer: Soleil Blanc, Neroli Portofino Forte and Neroli Portofino Aqua. Also, one of my summer favorites, Imaginary Authors Yesterday Haze. September 5, 2016 at 12:37pm
Victoria: An orange blossom mood. 🙂 September 7, 2016 at 12:08pm
Kari: One of my favorite non-perfume fragrance finds was Lush’s Outback Mate soap, new to the US. This is a work of art-swirls of dark blue, like clouds and layers of oil and sand. It’s full of eucalyptus, peppermint oil, and lemongrass. I feel awake, calm, and happy when I use it-it puts me in mind of a eucalyptus steam room they used to have at a fitness center that I visited. It makes my skin tingle a bit after I rinse it off.
More recently, I tried a Lush shower gel, Avoshower, which US stores release on their anniversary of opening. It’s my new favorite, with lemongrass, rosewood oil, bergamot, and avocado oil-and a gorgeous bright green color to boot. It’s zesty and lemony, a bit creamy too. My favorite product to use in the morning! September 5, 2016 at 12:42pm
Victoria: I need to try those! September 7, 2016 at 12:08pm
Danaki: My bottled perfume fragrance discovery this year has been Ostara thanks to Victoria’s review. I also managed to nab a bottle of vintage Diorissimo Espirit de Parfum. Very happy indeed.
The other fragrance adventure has been my potting garden in Newcastle. It is a roof-top balcony which we managed to fill with more than 40 terracotta pots now holding sweet peas (very strong smell), different roses (a jammy one – similar to Marni, and a typical tea rose), french lavender, basil, thyme, lemon thyme, lemon balm, chives, oregano, rosemary, sage, star jasmine, and oriental lilies (quite heady). Even the wild geraniums offer a spicy/verdant freshness that balances the strawberry next to it.
Overall, it has been quite a fragrant summer for me, I feel rather insulated from the world with my little perfumed urban spot, but chuffed nonetheless.
excited to see what Autumn will bring olfactory-wise. Any advice on fragrant plants for this time of year would be much appreciated. I’m in a 9a hardiness zone. September 5, 2016 at 1:07pm
Hamamelis: Lovely to read about your potting roof top garden. I’m sure it attracts many pollinators!
A very easy plant which flowers from july to october is the humble soapwort (saponaria officinalis). To my nose it smells a little bit like Nag Champa incense, with a hint of patchouli, or in other words, a ‘hippie’ smell. Lovely, and it is more fragrant at night. Butterflies love it. Some people (like Victoria’s grandmother) regard this to be a weed, sometimes it is called wild sweet William. September 6, 2016 at 8:38am
Danaki: Ah! Thank you Hamamellis. I did grow corn flowers which the bees loved. So more of those types of plants would be great. I’m slowly developing the ‘ecology’ around the pots, you see.
I have now found an online retailer that sells soapwart so shall order shortly.
xx September 7, 2016 at 12:34pm
Victoria: Your garden sounds wonderful! September 7, 2016 at 12:09pm
Danaki: Thank you! Unlike Manchester, where it rains a lot, Newcastle is windy and dry but sunnier. My balcony is sheltered from the wind, and the DH sorted out a rain harvesting system as watering potted plants might has well be a full time job. September 7, 2016 at 12:37pm
Maria: Light Blue for this summer! All time classic! September 5, 2016 at 1:46pm
Victoria: Yes, so fresh. September 7, 2016 at 12:09pm
Notturno7: I’m still on my summer vacation in Europe and using small bottles cause they’re easy to travel with, of pure perfumes Chanel No 19 and Allure. Depends if I want iris (no 19 ) or something fruity and romantic (Allure perfume). I also brought a small spray sample of Lutens Une Voix Noir, that I got thanks to Victoria’s review. I love it in this balmy weather, especially in the evenings after swimming in the Adriatic Sea.
Does anyone know how I can salvage this?
I found some vintage Rochas Femme my mom doesn’t use anymore, in a gorgeous vintage bottle and tried to spray some on late at night before going to sleep for angel scented dreams 😍. The top metal part that we use to spray the perfume, was broken and only little straw part was sticking out. I pressed the straw down but it fell into the bottle and the perfume just started gushing out of the bottle at high pressure, no stopping. After being stunned and in a ‘parfumista shock’ , then running frantically around the house to find something to save this amazing vintage juice that behaved like champagne after being shaken, I ended up ‘catching’ some in a plain jar.
The original bottle is so beautiful that maybe I can rip off the leftover metal part with some tools and put the juice back in, but where do I find a perfect size top? September 5, 2016 at 2:11pm
Tara C: I don’t think that will work, you should get a plain glass atomizer and put it in that. It needs to be protected as much as possible from exposure to air. September 5, 2016 at 5:15pm
Victoria: I agree with Tara! September 7, 2016 at 12:09pm
Karen A: Oh no! Good luck with decanting it. September 8, 2016 at 3:21pm
Marianna: I had a few discoveries this summer, but the two that I ended up splurging on are Sultan Pasha attars and Mirus. Both are fairly small with limited distribution but both are extremely talented perfumers that put a lot of thought and care in their creations (and don’t release just to release something). September 5, 2016 at 2:24pm
Victoria: If they’re anything like the traditional attars, I must try them. September 7, 2016 at 1:15pm
Neva: The most impressive smelling memory: one evening we stayed at the beach in a bay and after sunset we picked some dry immortelle. (it’s illegal, but it was growing everywhere and the bay was completely abandoned so we took a chance). The smell of salt, immortelle on my hands and motor oil from the speedboat that took us back was to die for! September 5, 2016 at 2:41pm
maja: Such a wonderful memory! *heart* September 5, 2016 at 3:05pm
Victoria: Such a beautiful image! I can just smell the maple syrup darkness of immortelle. September 7, 2016 at 1:16pm
Triciajo: Thanks to Elisa’s post on Geranium, I discovered Robert Piguet Calypso. I also found Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker. I have been wearing both in this terrible heat. September 5, 2016 at 3:10pm
maja: Calypso is so beautiful! September 5, 2016 at 3:12pm
Victoria: Lovely is a perfectly versatile perfume. I also like it very much. September 7, 2016 at 1:17pm
maja: I took a chance and blind bought an Angel summer flanker ( and I would never wear regular one). It turned out great, there’s enough refreshing patchouli and red berries. I also discovered (with so much delay) Beloved which I’d dab in the evening, probably my greatest discovery this year in general. I also went through a large sample of Villoresi Yerbamate, which was green, herbal and powdery at the same time. Finally, Terracotta Voile d’Etè is another summer winner, wonderful creamy carnation. (I have had such a huge crush on carnations for some time) September 5, 2016 at 3:12pm
Victoria: Now, all of those are such nice discoveries. Terracotta Voile d’Ete smells good year round, but it blooms particularly well in warm weather. September 7, 2016 at 1:18pm
Monica: My Summer discoveries were Serge Lutens A la Nuit and Guerlain Terracotta. I am loving and enjoying them the most. September 5, 2016 at 4:38pm
Victoria: A La Nuit is my own favorite too. September 7, 2016 at 1:18pm
Alicia: No true discoveries lately, except _and thanks to you- this spring , Ostara, which I can’t understand why it has been discontinued so soon after its launching.
As I wrote in a previous post, I decided to empty all my used summmer fragrances bottles.I discovered a couple of days ago a nearly full one of O de Lancome, an old favorite. Next summer I will be ready for the discoveries that you and your blog will tempt me with, while being faithful to my beloved Eau Sauvage, Cristalle, EPaTV, There are certain fragrances that will always return to, the Guerlain colognes, 4711, Ivoire, and more recently found loves, like Kyoto. I bought a small vintage bottle of Vent Vert. Smelling it, it is very difficult not to be nostalgic.This is really my discovery of the summer, the one that sends me running through evergreen pastures.
and several Hermes September 5, 2016 at 4:46pm
Victoria: Great discoveries! September 7, 2016 at 1:19pm
Ariane: I, too, bought Ostara at your suggestion and wore it with pleasure all summer. I also found a small, partially-full bottle of vintage Infini on eBay and adore it. The geometric bottle is charming. September 5, 2016 at 5:44pm
Victoria: Infini is one of the underrated Carons but very good. September 7, 2016 at 1:19pm
WildDove: TM Alien, MJ Decadence, Keiko Mecheri Attar de Roses, and Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge were among my favorites this summer. I also liked the Hermes Rhubarb when I tested it at Neiman’s. September 5, 2016 at 7:00pm
Victoria: I liked Decadence too. I still haven’t tried it properly, but so far it’s very nice. September 7, 2016 at 1:20pm
Elizabeth: Not new to the world but new to me, SLs Tuberose Criminelle. I was a little worried that I would get the camphor but it lasted only moments, then straight to soft white flowers.
Another find was a very inexpensive one, Italian Summer Fig, from Body Shop. Definitely not high end or long lasting but very refreshing in the heat. Just the right amount of sweetness. I have only tried a few other ones but this is the only fig that doesn’t smell savoury on my skin, so far. September 5, 2016 at 7:21pm
Victoria: You’re tempting me with your description of Italian Summer Fig. September 7, 2016 at 1:20pm
Alicia: Orange, black currant and rose? I buy it ASAP. That’s a child with a nose. September 5, 2016 at 9:45pm
zephyr: Yes, definitely, a nose-in-the-making, that little girl! September 5, 2016 at 11:16pm
Victoria: She is! I was amazed by her feel for scents and combinations. September 7, 2016 at 1:21pm
spe: Lovely story about the perfume class!
Discoveries this summer were 1932 parfum (thank you, Victoria!), California Reverie, and Yardley Jade (a Cristalle smell alike).
Also, I discovered how uninterested I am in most new releases. If a new perfume – even from a venerated house – is released but not in a favorite category, I typically don’t even bother. Boy Chanel? Who cares?!!! Leather rose? Who cares?!!! Toned down aldehydes? Who cares?!!! Is there obvious fruit besides citrus? Pass!!! Is it sweet? Pass!!! No soap? No iris? No thank you!!!
I love my new found perfume identity! And because my preferences aren’t mainstream, it means less compulsion about smelling everything.
A significant discovery is how few scents I truly enjoy wearing from beginning to end. My knowledge is increasing but my collection is decreasing and it feels wonderful.
Thank you, Bois de Jasmin, my favorite perfume blog. September 5, 2016 at 10:08pm
Victoria: Doesn’t it feel good to know what you like? I’m glad that you’re enjoying your favorites and discovering new facets in them. September 7, 2016 at 1:23pm
Surbhi: I am tempted to smell the child’s creation of orange, black currant and rose.
My summer perfume discovery:
1) Started spring / early summer with Ostara (a blind purchase based on your review). Love it.
2) Carnal flower. I knew about it for a while but it took me time to fell in love with it. This summer it finally grew on me and I fell in love with it.
3) My introduction to lavender was cleaning products and I disliked it. This year my brother brought me some lavender body products from France and since then I can’t get enough of lavender. I use lavender essential oil, bath salts.
4) Smell of fresh Basil. I am trying to grow a plant. So, I pick it fresh for food. Love the freshness. September 5, 2016 at 10:43pm
Victoria: High-quality lavender is like nothing else. Most of the cleaning products use lavandin, not real lavender, and lavandin has a sharper, more camphorous smell. September 7, 2016 at 1:24pm
zephyr: My summer has been insanely busy – I need a vacation from it! Several scents on my “sniff” list, though. I’ve taken comfort in my old favorites, O de Lancome (which I wear year-round), and summer favorites, 4711 and Guerlain Herba Fresca. HF is empty now; I’ll have to get some more!
One day in early July I was killing time (DS was in driving class) at a department store, and sprayed some Estée Lauder Private Collection on a strip. I like it! I don’t know why I never tried it before. I’ll have to play with it some more, maybe get a sample to try it on my skin. It did strike me as more of a cool weather fragrance, though; too heavy for summer. September 5, 2016 at 11:33pm
Victoria: The bitter green accent in Private Collection is almost addictive. September 7, 2016 at 1:25pm
Nora Szekely: My summer highlight was a rose accord created by Daniel Pescio who works for Frederic Malle and held a course in Budapest. This heavy rose scent was gifted to all participants and I played around with its boozy juice to combine with other scents but I prefer it on its own.
The other one is Apres L’Ondee, I finally bought the current EDT for my birthday in the end of April and worn it during our hot summer with pleasure, especially paired with my romantic, light white cotton dress and white straw hat. It made me feel like a lady from an impressionist painting. September 6, 2016 at 3:26am
Nora Szekely: Oh, and two more to add :
La chasse aux papillons body oil : it’s lovely I like to put it on in the morning before going out. it’s more of a spring scent but perfect for hot summer days as well. It smells best when smelled from a bit of a distance, say arm’s length.
Penhaligon’s Lavandula : I was converted to lavender scents by this lovely, slightly sweet ladylike lavender. Do not overspray it though 😉 September 6, 2016 at 3:57am
Victoria: The class sounds wonderful! Did you learn making perfume or just history? September 7, 2016 at 1:26pm
JoDee: My summer flew by in a whirl of activity. It’s nice now to reflect upon what I wore. I started June with lots of Tam Dao. July was SL A la nuit and the amazing Rubj. August all I wanted was something light and so found myself spraying lots of Musti which is a scent for babies! Otherwise, the Rosemary from my garden scented my summer. September 6, 2016 at 8:59am
Victoria: I’ll take a rosemary hedge over many bottled perfumes. 🙂 September 7, 2016 at 1:27pm
Hamamelis: This summer I discovered or rather learned to love rose in perfume. It began with Eau Rose, soon to be followed by AG Rose Absolue and Quel Amour!, samples of Nahema (thank you A.!), Andy Tauer’s gorgeous Rose Delight body oil and a roller ball of Mona di Orio’s Rose Etoile. I bought another Mona di Orio (roller ball) Eau Absolue, not a rose, but a honeyed, lemony, lightly ambered beauty, which makes me ache for the Mediterranean. September 6, 2016 at 9:30am
Victoria: A summer of roses! 🙂 September 7, 2016 at 1:27pm
Aurora: I imagine a generation of perfumistas ‘en herbe’ all thanks to your classes.
The weather in the UK was so changeable, we had only 2 really hot days that I intermittently sneaked some winter choices and for warm days it seems that, like you, I have developed a ‘spartian’ streak and it was mostly Eau de Rochas, Fidji, PC Jasmine White Moss, Un Jardin sur le Nil, Noa l’Eau and l’Eau de Monteil. September 6, 2016 at 9:46am
Aurora: Only that last one was a real discovery but I feel I noticed more facets to the other scents by being faithful. September 6, 2016 at 9:52am
Victoria: How nice would that be. 🙂 September 7, 2016 at 1:27pm
Victoria E: Carven L’Absolu………fabulous September 6, 2016 at 10:02am
Victoria: Nice. September 7, 2016 at 1:28pm
irem: This Summer I have finally finished my late-in-life grad school adventure and started a new chapter. I have worn mostly Cristalle EdT (and jeans and tees) during these school years because I did not want to stick out among the other students in their early 20s. Once done, the first things I did was purchasing a new flacon of Shalimar parfum and No 19 EdT. The latter I spray with abandon during the day, and I so love the “grown up” and womanly vibe. It makes me feel privileged to be 40 and able to wear any perfume I want without feeling like playing dress up in mom’s clothes and lipstick and perfume. A couple years ago, I had sold all my No. 19 including three flacons of the parfum on eBay, because I felt self conscious as a student with an exquisite aura of iris. Today, I wish I had not, but then I tell myself that parfum – especially once the seal is broken – does not last forever. Also, I am secretly happy not to have any older incarnations of No. 19 at hand to compare with the current version. The current No. 19 might have been reformulated and be not as good as it once was, but it is still smells breathtakingly beautiful. September 6, 2016 at 10:29am
Nora Szekely: I think nobody should be embarrassed by such a good taste in perfume. As long as you do not knock them off their chairs with your scent, your schoolmates could have had the possibility to learn style and elegance from you. Anyway, I’m glad you’re back to No. 19, it’s such an exquisite perfume. September 6, 2016 at 12:02pm
Surbhi: I hope you had good time at school. I hope you had fun living like a student for a while 😀 September 6, 2016 at 2:43pm
Victoria: Congratulations! Best of luck for whatever might be the next stage for you. September 7, 2016 at 1:29pm
kpaint: There are very few upsides to aging (in my experience) but being “able to wear any perfume I want without feeling like playing dress up,” as you say, is definitely one of them.
Over the past couple of years I’ve bought some perfumes I wore in my teens (Obsession, Poison, Fendi, Oscar de la Renta) and now they feel like a second skin on me. Wearing them as an adult made me realise that in my teens I loved how they smelled but felt awkward and uncomfortable wearing them.
Same goes for wearing classics (No 5, Shalimar, Le Dix) that I’d never have considered donning in my younger years.
I also went to school as an older adult – I turned 40 on my first day of classes. That is another arena where age and experience were valuable. I was in the Business school and the subject matter was mostly second nature after decades of being in the work force – a perspective younger students couldn’t benefit from. Congrats on your graduation and reuniting with old favorites! September 16, 2016 at 11:40am
Cornelia Blimber: Hi Victoria (and perfumelovers);
did you read this already:
“Scenting Salvation
Ancient Christianity and the Olfactory Imagination”
by Susan Ashbrook Harvey (2006)
paperback: 2010
University of California Press
I love Vitriol d’Oeillet in hot weather, and I discovered two Goutals I like: Quel Amour! and Ninfeo Mio. September 6, 2016 at 10:57am
Hamamelis: Hi Cornelia, thank you for mentioning the book, I haven’t read it! It seems very interesting and just the book to bring on my next holiday. Did you know there is a Dutch website solely dedicated to anointing oil (zalfolie)? Any layperson can buy there oils (although it is a site with a distinct Christian background), I have been thinking about getting some (to try on myself 😉 )
And I like those Goutals too! September 6, 2016 at 11:02am
Cornelia Blimber: Hi Hamamelis! I know you love the Goutals! What’s the name of that website? September 6, 2016 at 11:44am
Hamamelis: Zalving.nl
Let me hear if you will try it! September 6, 2016 at 12:07pm
Cornelia Blimber: Very interesting, those oils, and texts from the Scripture! The Bible is full of fragrances, you can smell many of them in the Bijbels Museum in Amsterdam.
Did you ever try an oil from Zalving? Maybe I will try a Hand and Body Lotion (Spikenard..) to have an idea.
Thank you, Hamamelis! September 6, 2016 at 3:10pm
Hamamelis: No I haven’t yet tried any of them, but I have been tempted 😉 They look really interesting. I still plan to visit the Bijbels Museum fragrance section at one point! September 6, 2016 at 3:27pm
Victoria: Oh, not yet, but I’m adding it to my list. Thank you! September 7, 2016 at 1:29pm
Megan in Oklahoma City: My summer discover was a bottle of Serge Lutens Eau Froide. Perfect for cutting thru the heat and humidity here. And, after nearly a year of sampling,I finally got a full bottle of Penhaligon’s Empressa. It’s a great anytime scent, and the creamy peach way it developes on my skin is perfect for date night. My husband is sensitive to so smells, florals hit him hard, but this he likes. 🙂 September 6, 2016 at 2:40pm
Victoria: I liked this light incense too, especially in the summer. September 7, 2016 at 1:30pm
Cheri: I enjoyed wearing Oribe Cote d Azur Hair and Body oil this summer. September 6, 2016 at 3:10pm
Victoria: I really need to try it. September 7, 2016 at 1:30pm
Lily: I really locked onto D&G’s Sicily this summer. I did not expect it to become my go-to, figuring it would be more of a date perfume, but it suits me almost to the point of being a skin scent, and on the indecisive days of a humid coastal summer I just grabbed it and was happy, whether at the office or the beach or out to socialize. I also discovered I like Silences much better in summer than winter. It has a kind of mustiness to it that reminds me of weeds or cut grass sweating under a summer sun in humid air that cannot dry them out. But in a good way lol. I cooler seasons I can only wear it on rainy days. September 7, 2016 at 12:34am
Victoria: Sicily is a curious perfume, smouldering and yet tender. September 7, 2016 at 1:31pm
Lily: That is an interesting way to describe it. For me it is soft and womanly (as in not girlish and not androgynous), but not really seductive other than by being feminine, if that makes sense? The aldehydes go very soapy on me, but like good rich fatty soap. It wears very clean and quiet. Enough sillage to fill a car but not a room. I guess just one that really suits me when I am in my most default mood/state of being. Smoldering is not a word I would use for that lol. But maybe someone would from the outside looking in ;). In summation, I love hearing how different noses (and scent associations) perceive perfumes. September 7, 2016 at 11:06pm
Victoria: Yes, that’s the best part for me too. Everyone has their own impressions. September 9, 2016 at 7:12am
Michaela: The photo in the mirror is beautiful, and beautiful it is the now familiar pink room.
The little nose story is charming. You should have felt so proud.
I would join all Ostara lovers, this was the summer staple for me. On the non-perfume side, fresh mint I grow in a pot is this summer’s sensation for me. September 7, 2016 at 7:15am
Victoria: It’s an old wardrobe, from the 40s. The mirror on it has a silvery sheen that I find mesmerizing. There is something about old mirrors… September 7, 2016 at 1:34pm
rainboweyes: My scent highlights this summer were Nuit de Tubereuse and Parfum de Thérèse. I had generous decants and really enjoyed wearing them on both hot and rainy days. Now I’ve switched to my late-summer staples Cuir de Nacré and Lumière Blanche. September 7, 2016 at 1:37pm
Victoria: I think that it’s time to dust off my bottle of Lumière Blanche. September 8, 2016 at 12:44pm
Karen A: Beautiful photo, Victoria! And please share more about your classes. I still remember last year’s student who wanted to create a fragrance that captured her mother having her morning coffee under the rose arbor.
The hay fields surrounding our home were just cut and the air is thick with the smell of drying grass – touches of a sweet vetiver come through – it is sublime, different in the morning, day, evening and night.
Discoveries were two beauties, Cuir Cannage and Songes both from decant shared by generous BdJ people. Many thanks to Notturno7 and Limegreen for their generosity! Even though it was super hot today I wore Cuir Cannage and felt very very sophisticated! September 8, 2016 at 3:29pm
kpaint: This summer I “rediscovered” Kelly Caleche and spent a lot of time in it (I have a mini of the EDP but it had never really caught on with me.) It’s one that works in nearly any situation. Equally easy to wear were Marni Rose and Narciso EDT (a fresher, lighter version of the original EDP) both of which got a lot of wear time.
I also fell in love with Cristalle Eau Verte, which smells less like a Cristalle flanker to me than a flanker to N°19 Poudré. I fell for Bottega Profumiera Mon Jardin as well, and may need a bottle come next spring.
I also cycled through all of the vetivers I have on hand. It’s a note I love but only in hot weather.
A fabulous discovery was Phaedon Dzhari. I bought a sample long ago but had never really worn it. I brought it with me on a short vacation and it was glorious in the heat. I wore it for many days after until the sample ran dry.
I wore a lot of roses at bedtime, as I always do, and developed a deep love for Tom Ford Café Rose, and found that Rosine Une Folie de Rose, which I didn’t like much in winter, is gorgeous during warmer months. September 16, 2016 at 12:01pm
Victoria: I like to spray sheets with rosewater just before I get into bed. This helps me fall asleep, and of course, it smells wonderful. So, your idea of roses in the evening makes perfect sense to me.
Wonderful discoveries! September 19, 2016 at 11:40am