You know it is Summer, when the notes of intoxicating resins, heavy woods and dark flowers in your perfumes feel just unbearable.
Today, I am sharing with you beloved scents (some of which are part of my personal collection and some are waiting patiently their turn) that I consider perfect fit for the hot, sunny days and the cool, promising summer nights in a light breeze.
Remember that you can always stick to the Eau de Toilettes, Eau de Colognes and Eau Fraiches of your original fragrances, experimenting also with the bath products of their ranges to preserve the scent or replace your perfume.
CHANEL NO19 (1970)
Personality
I experience no19 it as a refreshing, yet deep green scent, fantastically orchestrated with floral, woody and citrusy notes.
It opens with a blast of green, fresh notes that soon after play around with the iris, oakmoss and vetiver. It dries down to an absolutely soothing, woody- powdery imprint.
History
19 itself refers to the birth date of Coco Chanel; August 19th. The perfume launched in 1970, a year before the Grande Dame died. No19 is a perfume created by Henri Robert, the Chanel’s in-house perfumer of that time.
Composition
Top notes: Neroli, Green notes and Bergamot.
Middle notes: Rose, Iris, Narcissus and Lily of the valley.
Base notes: Vetiver, Sandalwood, Oakmoss and Leather.
Chanel No19 comes in Parfum, EDP, EDT and has bath products embellishing the range. Eau de parfum of 50 ml costs 78 Euro.
MAGNETIC SCENT TINDRER (2012)
Personality
Tindrer embodies intense shocks of freshness sniff after sniff. If it was a natural phenomenon, it would be cloudburst. If it was an element, it would be wood dipped in wet soil. If it was colour, it would be green. It opens with an uplifting green scent of wet woods and violet.
Christos Karageorgos has written a very precise review on this masterpiece, here.
History
Tindrer means sparkle in Danish. Spyros Drosopoulos tempted to bottle the feeling of a cold spring morning in countryside, right after the rain. Magnetic Scent is a niche perfume house, producing beautifully unorthodox perfumes.
Composition
Cut Grass, Wet Soil, Cedar, Cypress, Galbanum,
Oakmoss, Violet, Heliotrope, Amber, Musk.
Tindrer comes as Eau de parfum in 50 ml and costs 110 Euro.
JIL SANDER SUN (1989)
Personality
SUN is full of contradictions. Although an Eau de Toilette, it is one of the few perfumes of its kind that has a long lasting effect and pretty strong sillage. Although marketed as summer scent, it has a protrusive benzoin note that makes it a dark yet sultry scent. Persistent nuances of vanilla and ylang-ylang and an intense dry down to tonka bean and sandalwood, make this paradox what I wear for 10 summers now.
History
Pierre Bourdon created SUN in 1989 for German fashion brand Jil Sander.
Composition
Top notes: African orange flower, Fruity notes, Bergamot, Amalfi lemon, Cassis, Palisander rosewood
Middle notes: Rose, Orris root, Heliotrope, Carnation, Ylang-ylang, Lily of the valley
Base notes: Styrax, Amber, Vanilla, Tonka bean, Benzoin, Patchouli, Musk, Sandalwood
SUN is available as Eau de toilette in 30 ml and 75 ml. The 30ml flacon costs 23 Euro.
JIL SANDER SUN MEN (2002)
Personality
Less complicated than SUN, SUN Men is a fresh spicy fragrance blending ideally all its notes across the structure. Opening introduces fresh bergamot. Then it progresses to spices until it dries down to a warm musky scent. I would classify it as an everyday, -to go option.
History
SUN Men was created by Beatrice Piquet and Alain Astori.
Composition
Top notes: Rosemary and Bergamot.
Middle notes: Nutmeg and Cardamom.
Base notes: Sandalwood and Musk.
SUN Men is available as Eau de toilette in 40 ml, 75 ml, 125 ml and 200 ml. The 40ml bottle costs 33 Euro.
PRADA INFUSION D’IRIS (2007)
Personality
Utterly classy and modern, I predict Infusion D’ Iris to be sold for years and years. This gem is as a floral-woody scent on a powdery background. The opening is a soft transition from citruses and iris to woods. Infusion D’ Iris whispers the swan song with galbanum and vetiver, always under the iris clave. I want to experiment layering it under Prada Amber pour Homme.
History
Daniela Roche Andrier of Givaudan, is the composer of this perfume. A traditional method of iris distillation is the inspiration of its name. During this method, iris is kept soaked for six months before extraction.
Composition
Top notes: African orange flower, Neroli, Orange, Mandarine.
Middle notes: Iris, Mastic, Galbanum.
Base notes: Vetiver, Cedar, Incense, Benzoin.
Infusion d’Iris comes as Parfum in 3.5ml and 7.5ml, as EDP 50ml, 100ml and 200ml and as EDT and has bath products too. Eau de parfum 50 ml costs 75 Euro.
PRADA INFUSION D’HOMME (2008)
Personality
Beautifully crafted, this is a long lasting, soapy and softly woody-balmy scent. I will dare to say it is a rather unisex perfume. First sniff takes you to neroli and a powdery iris. Time plays with Infusion’s vetiver, olibanium, benzoin and cedar notes, bringing back and forth the iris card.
History
What a Duchess is without her Duke? Following the success of the first, female Infusion, Daniela Andrier and Prada released a year after Infusion D’Homme, a fragrance that has been worked for years. Infusion duo basically is the second fragrance launch from Prada.
Composition
Top notes: Mandarine, Tunisian Neroli.
Middle notes: Iris, Vetiver, Virginian cedar, Galbanum.
Base notes: Powdery notes, Olibanium, Benzoin.
Infusion D’Homme comes as Eau de Toilette in 50 ml and 100ml and has a bath set too. 50ml of the juice cost 57 Euro.
ROUGE BUNNY ROUGE LILT (2012)
Personality
As I mentioned in a previous post, this fragrance is a journey. For whoever grew up near fig trees and want to preserve this recollection throughout summer, this unique juice is a must! Lilt goes on as very green and aromatic, opening with freshly cut fig and green notes and evolving to fruits wrapped in musk. It is long lasting and has strong sillage.
History
Lilt belongs to the first batch of creations by Alexandra De Montfort, along with Chatoyant, Vespers and Inspiration. As Madame De Montfort stated, the purpose of these perfumes is to awaken and enhance memories.
Composition
Top notes: Green leaves, Fig leaf.
Middle notes: Peach, Coconut, Violet.
Base notes: Musk, Vetiver.
Lilt comes as Eau de Parfum in 50 ml and costs 82 Euro.
ESTEE LAUDER BRONZE GODDESS EAU FRAICHE SKINSCENT(2013)
Personality
Dangerously sexy and entirely tropical, Bronze Goddess is the indisputable scent of the summer. Solar, warm and milky, it gives me a prominent coconut note followed by a blend of perfectly balanced citruses and florals. At this point I want to announce that this is the first and only perfume I like from the Estee range and express a deep wish of mine: to find a tanning lotion carrying this sublime scent.
History
Bronze Goddess Eau Fraiche is the 2013 edition of the annual Bronze Goddess tradition that started in 2007 with Azuree Soleil.
Composition
Top notes: Mandarin, Sicilian Citron, Calabrese Bergamot, Orange, Lavender, Lemon tree leaves
Middle notes: Milk, Indian jasmine, Grapefruit, Pink Lily, Orange blossom, Tunisian Neroli
Base notes: Amber, Musk, Iris, Woody notes
The Eau fraiche comes in 100 ml and costs 45 Euro. There is body oil accompanying the release.
DIOR ADDICT EAU DELICE (2013)
Personality
The perfect girly scent for a luminous summer… This is what a more Barbie focused, Kubrick’s Lolita might have worn in that hot, sticky, 50’s summer.
Addict Eau Delice has a fruity, floral and musky scent. The perfume opens with a splash of sweetness from cranberry, carrying on to freshness from jasmine and ylang-ylang. After some time Addict Eau Delice concludes with creamy musk.
For my Dutch readers, Marjolein reviews extensively the perfume launch in her Another Fashion Lover website.
History
This perfume is a sweeter, fruitier version of the original, interpreted by Francois Demachy. The original is Addict, created on 2002 by Thierry Wasser.
Composition
Top notes: Cranberry, Bergamot, Orange, and Cherry
Middle notes: Ylang-Ylang, Egyptian and Indian Jasmine, Rose, Bitter Almond
Base notes: White Musk, Cedar, and Vanilla
Addict Eau Delice come as Eau de Toilette in 20ml, 50 ml and 100ml and 20ml costs 50 Euro. If you are looking for a bath line, have a look at the original Addict’s range.
AMOUAGE DIA WOMEN (2002)
Personality
All you need to notice the first-degree kinship is few minutes after the opening. Having prominent aldehydic notes, Dia and legendary Chanel No5 can be first or second cousins. What differentiates them though, is how they evolve over time.
Dia is regal and undoubtedly suits a romantic yet conscious, a true lady. It is a clean composition that morphs from floral, to lightly woody, to soapy. Though not my type, I certainly appreciate its depth and complexity.
History
Jean-Claude Ellena crafted Dia in 2002.
Composition
Top notes: Fig, Bergamot, Sage, Violet leaves, Tarragon, Cyclamen, Aldehydes.
Middle Notes: Orris root, Turkish Rose oil, Peach blossom, Peony, Orange blossom.
Base notes: Heliotrope, Guaiac wood, Incense, Vanilla, Sandalwood, White Musk, Cedarwood.
Dia comes as Extrait de Parfum in 50 ml for 310 Euro, as Eau de Parfum in 50 ml for 200 euro and in 100 ml for 235 euro. Dia has a full bath and body range and candles.
AMOUAGE CIEL WOMEN (2003)
Personality
Ciel is a pot of gardenia, at the higher spot of your balcony. There, where it can grab the woody scents of the nearby grove in the air and dress in them, when it pleases so. Ciel as a name is just the password to summer. Other than that it does not resemble any aquatic element. Ciel is a flowery-woody, ethereal composition that worth attention.
History
Ciel was launched in summer 2003.
Composition
Top notes: Cyclamen, Gardenia, Violet leaf.
Middle notes: Peach blossom, Jasmine, Rose, Water lily.
Base notes: Sandalwood, Amber, Musk, Insence, Cedarwood.
Ciel comes as Eau de Parfum in 50 ml for 190 Euro and in 100ml for 220 Euro.
AMOUAGE THE LIBRARY COLLECTION OPUS III (2010)
Personality
Opus III is the ideal companion to those afternoon and evening summer walks in the woods, villages, parks. Warm woods and bright flowers, as the scent itself: a dry floral and woody composition with a sweet and powdery dry down. If you are a keen violet lover, then this perfume is for you. Violet is the definite protagonist in all the moments of the scent’s unwrapping. It reminds me a lot Guerlain Insolence, until half its longevity.
History
Opus III is a creation by Karin Vinchon Spehner. The perfume is launch number three, belonging to the luxurious Library Collection of Amouage.
Composition
Top notes: Mimosa, Broom, Carnation, Nutmeg, Thyme.
Heart notes: Violet, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, African Orange Blossom.
Base notes: Ambrette, Musk, Papyrus, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Guaiac Wood, Benzoin, Vanilla, Frankincense.
Eau de Parfum 100ml for 275 Euro.
TOM FORD GREY VETIVER MEN (2009)
Personality
Vetiver grass smells quite intense and aggressive. Grey Vetiver is the most polite interpretation Vetiver can have. It opens with tuned down-not so sparkly citruses and involves to a delicious light spicy-woody compilation of nutmeg, oakmoss, warm wood and most of all vetiver! It has moderate power and longetivity and I consider it a great tool in layering perfumes.
History
In this section, I want to give extra credit to the impeccable art deco flacon, which is a jewel on its own…
Composition
Top notes: Orange flower, Grapefruit.
Middle notes: Sage, Nutmeg.
Base notes: Vetiver, Warm wood, Orris root, Amberwood, Oakmoss.
Grey Vetiver comes as Eau de Parfum in 50 ml for 75 Euro and in 100ml for 104 Euro. The range also includes after shave balm.
TOM FORD OMBRE DE HYACINTH (2012)
Personality
This has to be my third most favourite creation out of the Private Blend range. Beautiful, aromatic hyacinth is the centre of attention, evolving nicely with violet and jasmine. Galbanum gives it a bitter taste but it definitely is a green, earthy perfume.
History
Ombre de Hyacinth is part of the floral Jardin Noir quartet, released on 2012.
Composition
Top notes: Galbanum, Violet leaf, Magnolia petals and Olibanum.
Middle notes: Hyacinth, Pink pepper and Jasmine.
Base notes: Galbanum, Benzoin and Musk.
Ombre De Hyacinth belongs to the Private Blend Collection and is available as Eau de Parfum in 50 ml for 170 Euro and in 250ml for 409 Euro.
TOM FORD LYS FUME (2012)
Personality
When I picked up the bottle to smell Lys Fume, I was hoping to find in it something similar to Guerlain’s Lys Soleia (included in the same post, just below) or something smokey, tropical and irresistible. To my surprise I found neither the one, nor the other.
Lys Fume is all about lily in nucleus and ylang ylang and vanilla in orbit to complement the protagonist. The reason why I added this perfume in this post is because it is still a very nice scent to sport in summer mornings.
History
Lys Fume is part of the floral Jardin Noir quartet, released on 2012.
Composition
Top notes: Italian mandarin, Pink pepper, Turmeric and Nutmeg.
Middle notes: White lily, Ylang-ylang, Artemisia and Rum.
Base notes: Madagascar vanilla, Labdanum, Styrax, Oak, Vanilla.
Lys Fume belongs to the Private Blend Collection and is available as Eau de Parfum in 50 ml for 170 Euro and in 250ml for 409 Euro.
GUERLAIN AQUA ALLEGORIA LYS SOLEIA (2012)
Personality
This juice has something narcotic in it. In every spray, time stops, a breeze passes indolently through the palm leaves and the watering machine quenches the thirst of flowers…
Sun, Lilies, ylang- ylang and tuberose dipped in vanilla and dried on musk. Highly recommended for morning hours and beach excursions!
History
Released in 2012, Lys Soleia was composed by Thierry Wasser.
Composition
Top notes: Bergamot, Amalfi lemon and Palm leaves.
Heart notes: Lily, Ylang-ylang, and Tropical fruits.
Base notes: Tuberose, Vanilla and White Musk.
It is available as Eau de Toilette in 75ml for 51Euro and in 125 ml.
GUERLAIN AQUA ALLEGORIA NEROLIA BIANCA (2013)
Personality
Juicy, Mouthwatering, sparkling orange! Very citrusy, highly aromatic, this is a beautiful composition that goes nicely with carefree mood… Highly recommended if you are a smoker, as the citruses neutralizes the smell of tobacco.
History
Nerolia Bianca is Thierry Wasser’s attempt to create a perfume extracting every bit of a bitter orange tree.
Composition
Main notes: Orange blossom, Bitter orange, Orange, Leaves of petit grain, Neroli, Twigs.
It is available as Eau de Toilette in 75ml for 51Euro.
GUERLAIN AQUA ALLEGORIA TIARE MIMOSA (2009)
Personality
Brighter than the sun, this scent is sensual beyond limits! Mimosa, tiare and lemon blend perfectly with each other during the opening and throughout the experience, leading to a sweet, musky trail.
Highly recommended for layering during summer vacations under a musk- peppery scent and for brides to be!
History
To know more about Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria line visit Perfumeshrine’s Elena Vosnaki article here.
Composition
Main notes: Mimose, Tiare flower, Amalfi lemon, Musk, Vanilla, Pink pepper.
I hope you can still find Tiare Mimose in some big cosmetics stores, small corner perfumeries and definitely around the web. Prices start from 60 Euro for 75ml.
GUERLAIN LA COLOGNE DU PARFUMER (2010)
Personality
It is uplifting and clean! Green, almost grassy notes mix well with polite citruses. As it is Eau de Cologne, longevity is not great. Perfect for freshening up and layering with woody perfumes. For more details watch Pelle Suringa, who is the man behind Geurenland, in this video reviewing the Cologne.
History
Thierry Wasser originally created this Cologne for himself. The creation happened in the same era as of Idylle, during his time off.
Composition
Main notes: African orange flower, Citruses, Amalfi lemon, Rosemary, Lavender, Mint.
La Cologne Du Parfumer is an Eau de Cologne in 100ml for 90Euro.
GUERLAIN EAU DE COLOGNE IMPERIALE (1853)
Personality
This is sparkling, green and very yellow! Citruses here are loud and they are capable of waking you up in a sniff of a nose. Longevity is poor, however is an excellent choice to preserve the freshness after a cool shower and to layer over it citrusy, light woody fragrances. You may also use it for its original purpose: battle the headache. Simply damp the juice on a cool piece of cloth and keep it on your forehead for 10 minutes.
History
Pierre Francois Pascal Guerlain, Founder of Maison Guerlain, undertook the responsibility of crafting a remedy for Empress Eugenie’s, wife of Napoleon III, severe headaches. The alluring creation ensured Pierre Francois a conspicuous place inside royal houses and the prestigious title of His Majesty’s Official Perfumer.
Composition
Top notes: Orange, Citruses, Lemon verbena, Neroli, Bergamot and Lemon.
Base notes: Rosemary, Tonka bean and Cedar.
The historic perfume comes as Eau de Cologne in 100ml for 85Euro.
GUERLAIN SHALIMAR PARFUM INITIAL (2011)
Personality
Firstly we have to agree that Shalimar Parfum Initial range stands off from its progenitor, Shalimar. Then let’s admire the same exact materials used in both the old and new fragrances, but in a twisted row.
Shalimar Parfum Initial l’Eau is a feast of spring and is a lot less powdery and sweet than its original and Shalimar itself. The addition of grapefruit and flowers, such as lily of the valley, hyacinth and more, in the citrusy- floral-oriental composition, give a fresher and lighter result. Iris and bergamot are always present. It all ends to a warm, creamy result with the help of vanilla.
History
With Shalimar Parfum Initial range, composer Thierry Wasser aimed to reformulate for younger audiences the cornerstone of Guerlain fragrances, Shalimar. The original Shalimar is a Jacques Guerlain creation of 1925. Shalimar Parfum Initial Eau de Parfum was launched in 2011 and its l’Eau version in 2012. This year there is L’Eau Si Sensuelle version, which corresponds to L’Eau, bottled in glacé.
Composition
Top notes: Orange, Grapefruit, Bergamot, Neroli
Heart notes: Iris, Jasmine, Rose, Lily of the valley, Freesia, Hyacinth
Base notes: Vanilla, Tonka bean.
The perfume is available as Eau de Toilette in 40ml for 45 Euro, 60 ml and 100 ml.
GUERLAIN JICKY (1889)
Personality
The first time I experienced the original blend of Jicky I picked up a fight with my friend Maxime. I debated hard on how overestimated this scent was, strongly influenced of its rough opening, and I was wrong. The second time I applied Jicky, I was alone and I had all the time I needed, to watch it evolving deeply.
I feel it was a progressive release for its era and I imagine it was a favourite among some type of witty, multi traveled, unprejudiced ladies, who were enjoying high social statuses and even though they did not show how powerful they were, they could crush you blandly.
Every time I sniff Jicky something green and animalic hits me, until it dries down to a balmy-leathery trail. Jicky is a very complex construction, yet an alive piece of history.
History
Jicky was a revolutionary creation, being one of the first perfumes including synthetic materials. Aime Guerlain composed Jicky in 1889, inspired by his love for a girl he met, during his academic years in England. The flacon reminisces the original 19th century’s medicinal bottles and the stopper that of a champagne’s bottle.
Composition
Top Notes: Lemon, Mandarin, Rosemary and Bergamot.
Heart Notes: Tonka bean, Lavender, Orris root, Jasmine, Basil.
Base Notes: Vanilla, Opoponax, Benzoin, Brazilian rosewood, Amber, Sandalwood, Leather, Spices.
Jicky is available as Parfum in 30ml for 270Euro, as Eau de Parfum
in 50 ml for 86 Euro and as Eau de Toilette in 93ml for 98 Euro.
GUERLAIN MAYOTTE (2006)
Personality
Mayotte is beautiful! It has an intoxicating white floral-woody scent that gets better and better as it dries. In the beginning you get tuberose and ylang ylang with hints of vanilla and at the finale soft woods that preserve the tropical element.
I want to imagine it on bronzed skin, dressed in a strawberry red sexy dress. If you will have your vacations on an island, Mayotte is the perfect choice to create an olfactory memory album with.
History
Mayotte was named after the complex of two small French islands and islets, located over Madagascar and it belongs to the Parisiennes collection of Guerlain. In 2000, Jean Paul Guerlain created Mahora, a perfume that resembles Mayotte intensely. If you were a fan of the now discontinued Mahora, then give Mayotte a try.
Composition
Top: Frangipani and Neroli.
Heart: Ylang-Ylang, Indian jasmine, Tuberose.
Base: Vanilla, Sandalwood, and Vetiver.
Mayotte is available as Eau de Parfum in 125ml for 223Euro.
GUERLAIN LES VOYAGES OLFACTIF 01 PARIS-MOSCOW (2009)
Personality
Paris-Moscow is a citrusy-flower scent with a hint of woods. Tonka bean is in the middle of a mystical ceremony having citruses and plum dancing around it. As the perfume dries down I sense vanilla, light green notes and lemon. The grand finale happens with musk and jasmine in a creamy duet.
I do not know if the scent symbolizes Moscow in any way, but I do know that it could be a reference to a warm summer in Paris.
History
Les Voyages Olfactif Collection, or else the Olfactive Journeys, is a compilation of five –up to now- fragrances/ postcards, each inspired by the rhythm of five different capitals: Moscow, New York, Tokyo, London, Shanghai.
Composition
Top notes: Absinth, Lemon, Bergamot, Red currant, Plum, Pine needles.
Heart notes: Jasmine.
Base notes: Tonka bean, Vanilla, Sandalwood, White musk.
The perfume is available as Eau de Parfum, in the travel and aeroplane-friendly quantity of 100ml for 178Euro.
Which is the scent of your Summer?
Disclaimer: None of the pictures in this post have taken by me.
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