Today I realised it is my Fragrantica membership anniversary. One year of reviews and being part of that amazing community, yay! I feel like I should celebrate by writing a blog post LOL! (Edit: I started this post yesterday but did not have time to finish… It was an over-nighter. I hope it still counts as an anniversary post!)
We are slowly moving into that time of the year when one is not really sure about what to wear both in terms of clothing and perfume. The weather is constantly changing and so is the mood. I find myself rather confused on a daily basis, standing in front of my perfume collection, scratching my head. Summer favourites will not do anymore – I am afraid I am going to have to say goodbye to Chanel Eau Vive and Viva la Juicy. Just like the body needs heftier, more substantial foods, the spirit needs nourishment through stronger fragrance.
However, it is not time to bring out the heavy artillery yet. Somehow it feels too early to reach for gourmands or orientals so I have put together a non-exhaustive, very personal and arbitrary list of fragrances for this transitional period of early autumn. Hopefully there is something for every taste. Let’s begin!
P.s. The items on this list appear in no particular order, rather as they popped up inside my head.
1. Flower by Kenzo
The good old baby powder bomb also contains some incense and musk in the base which makes it a perfect transitional perfume as it is not too light nor too heavy. Flower by Kenzo is an instantly recognisable, very clean and feminine fragrance that has the potential to lighten up a rainy day.
2. D&G The One
I absolutely love, love, LOVE this perfume! It manages to be exotic, fresh and sensual all at the same time. The main notes include peach, vanilla, lychee, plum and amber. A true classic best suited for evening wear and colder days (even though I personally wear it in spring and early summer). The One is a creamy peach-and-vanilla heaven with a slightest touch of sour lychee and only a whisper of jasmine. Cannot go wrong with this One.
3. Narciso Rodriguez For Her Edt.
Out of all the variations of this fragrance the eau de toilette in a black bottle and pink box is by far my favourite, and for a reason: it is almost illegally sexy. Narciso for Her is a musky, spicy, powdery frag that has been labelled “lustful” and openly provocative. Deal with it. The perfume is built around the accord of musk with some orange blossom, osmanthus and amber as side-kicks. Here in Spain it is crazy popular, I smell it literally in every corner of the street. A student once told me this is her fave but she cannot wear it because EVERYONE is wearing it. Those hot brunette Iberian women know what is gooooood!
4. Prada Infusion d’Iris
Infusion is an oriental-woodsy fragrance with notes of iris (obviously), incense, cedar, vetiver and benzoin. The latter is an oil extracted from a tree and is considered a vanillic kind of scent which in this case lends some softness and sweetness to the otherwise rather cold, powdery, woody fragrance that Infusion d’Iris is. Undoubtedly chic, this perfume is pure class. I find it earthy and soapy, inexplicably comforting, even a little mysterious. A gorgeous perfume if you like to feel classy and well put together on a clear cool autumn day.
5. YSL Mon Paris Edp.
Now this one is miles apart from the previous specimen. Mon Paris is a sweet fruity chypre that almost veers into the gourmand category. Save this one for the wetter days. A mix of strawberry, raspberry and pear (does it not sound mouth-watering?) resting on jasmine-and-peony heavy floral heart and a classical chypre base. This fragrance changes a lot from start to finish so try before you buy and it could be a safe alternative in case you are a fan of heavy gourmands (think La Vie Est Belle or Poison Girl) but find them too much for now.
6. Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir
I have recently come to realise I gravitate towards pomegranate fragrances. I have written a post about Calvin Klein Euphoria recently and from hereon the plan is to dig up all the pomegranate scents out there. This one is a smoky, juicy perfume full of fruits like plum, rhubarb and raspberry – in addition to the star of the show – and woods, with an inescapable addition of patchouli. Something that manages to be both mouthwatering and dark.
7. Givenchy Dahlia Divin Edp.
Ah, what a beautiful golden juice. Givenchy perfumes are always really classy but this one is currently my favourite. The perfume has a rather simple composition built around the note of yellow Mirabelle plum, white flowers and sandalwood. To me it feels like The One’s older sister (intentionally, by the look of the bottle?), perhaps because of the plum note. Dahlia Divin is a refined, creamy fruity floral that gives you the necessary kick you need as autumn days slowly grow longer and darker…
8. Guerlain Black Perfecto by Ma Petite Robe Noire
…In a bottle to die for! I am not one who buys a fragrance because it looks pretty but c’mon, I am almost ready to. Black Perfecto was released in June this year and I had totally missed out on that information – I walked into Debenhams to get a sample of Aura but ended up with this one, thank God. And used it up almost immediately, this is how much I loved it. Black Perfecto is an elegant fruity fragrancestarring sour cherries, almonds, some liqorice and tonka bean, with prominent leathery undertones. By far the sexiest release this year and perfect for nights out.
9. Lalique Living Lalique
A concoction of lavender, fresh spices and musk with a spoonful of vanilla and iris, Living Lalique makes a perfect non-offensive early autumn frag. Lavender is making a come-back ever since the launch of Mon Guerlain, apparently. I was quite infatuated with the latter and attempted to replicate the lavender-vanilla combo by layering Living Lalique with La Vie Est Belle. (Terrible. Did not work.) Instead, I have learned to appreciate Lalique for what it is: an elegant, soapy, clean and office-friendly perfume not lacking a strong personality for the occasions when you want something relaxing and invigorating at the same time.
10. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Edp.
No list is complete without a Chanel. I have chosen the infamous Coco Mademoiselle because it was the first “real” perfume I had that was not gifted or otherwise acquired. It happened in autumn, thus the connotation. I see a lot of people wearing in spring or indeed all year round. It opens spicy with all the citruses and ylang-ylang and then gradually mellows into a nice warm chypre as the musk, tonka and vetiver take over. It is overused and you are probably sick of it BUT it definitely is not overrated: truth is, Coco Mad remains one of the most elegant and versatile modern perfumes out there.
Disclaimer
Header: Pinterest. Image 1 Fragrancenet. Image 2 Youtube. Image 3 Perfumeshrine. Image 4 Amazon. Image 5 Yslbeautyus. Image 6 Jomalone. Image 7 BellaChic. Image 8 Notey. Image 9 Bridal Beauty Insider. Image 10 Chanel.
All the fragrance notes used in this post are taken from fragrantica.com.