Or: Top Perfumes to Beat The Blahs
Call it whatever you want, but the tail end of February is the dreariest time of the year. I always thought there's a good reason why it's the shortest month: how many days of this can we stand? Of course, 2012 is a leap year, so we're slapped with one extra day of winter ennui. It calls for some serious olfactory measures to shake things up, improve the mood and deal with the Februariness of it all. Here's my list of ten perfumes to brighten our days:
Balmain-Vent Vert
Any formula will do, really, though obviously I'm partial to the vintage. Bracing, sharp and oh so wonderfully green.
Tauer- Incense Rosé
I called it effulgent when I first reviewed this 2008 perfume by Andy Tauer, and I stand behind this adjective. Incense and sunshine.
Vero Profume- Rubj
White flowers were never happier to meet you.
Givenchy- Amarige Mimosa (The Harvest Series)
There were several limited editions from these series. Mine is the 2007 but any will do if you can find them. Honey and violets without the abrasive attitude of the original Amarige.
Neela Vermeire Creations- Bombay Bling
AKA The One With The Mango. A Bollywood movie in a bottle, colors, dancing and fun guaranteed.
Mona di Orio- Jabu
Jabu means "joy" in Zulu, a floriental means "joy" in my private language.
Madini- Ambargris
A very cheap thrill, sweet and animalic. Ambargris will distract you and everyone in your vicinity and put an end to any ennui and stupid thoughts.
CB I Hate Perfume- Various Accords
What will make you happy? Banana Foster? Clean sheets? A doll's head? new shoes or a birthday cake? CB has them all. So many accords, so much fun. It will be spring before you notice.
Frederic Malle- Le Parfum de Thérèse
Reminding us that about the beauty that's everywhere around us. A heart-stirring classic masterpiece.
Aftelier- Cacao
Because chocolate truffles with an orange center make everything better.
What do you wear to fight the blahs?
Image: model Snejana Onopka as photographed by Andreas Ohlund for Cover magazine, January 2011.
I recently discovered Carnal Flower and I think it just means I'm ready for Spring!
ReplyDeleteJicky! Always sharp, bracing and edgily beautiful. And 'L'Heure Bleu - I know it's supposed to be melancholy, but seems perfumy, thoughtful but joyous to me.
ReplyDeleteL'Heure Bleu is cozy and comforting and provides needed warmth right now. Guerlain's Apres L'Ondee is early spring in a bottle - dusty foliage emerging through the dead leaves and from the frozen ground. Strange Invisible's Musc Botanique gives me hope for the changing light. Chanel's Gardenia is for when I can see the buds bursting on the tree branches. Gualtier's Fragile is for when it starts to get warm enough to take off my jacket in the afternoon. Lauder's White Linen is for when it finally reaches 80!
ReplyDeleteManoumalia by LesNez, as well as Une Rose Chyprée.
ReplyDeleteFor cold windy spring days -- Diorissimo (vintage).
The scent of spring? En Passent...
Mecheri's Mulholland, or the Fig scent from Nez a Nez...
ReplyDeletefunny you mentioned Therese. I was *just* dreaming of its leathery jasmine embrace this morning, after not having thought about it for months. Must go root for my sample. Does anyone know if IFRA reformulations have altered LPDT? I finished two bottles of it 5 years ago and have not really smelled it since. Suddenly I wish I'd hoarded a few more...
ReplyDeleteSigh... I know what you mean. I've really been enjoying Alvarez Gomez Agua di Colonia body lotion on my recent ennui-ridden mornings, for a quick citrusy pick-me-up.
ReplyDeleteI second you on Vent Vert, and will add White Linen, DSH's American Beauty, Replique, YSL Champagne, and Neil Morris Scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteI love end of February! Suddenly there is actual daylight, no more blizzards, no more minus 15 degrees (Celcius!) in the daytime, the birds start singing... It's pre-spring and it's gorgeous. I'm still on my wintery perfumes as it's not quite spring.
ReplyDeleteI wore Incense Rose this weekend. It's so wonderful and I need more of it!
ReplyDeleteI've actually been feeling bright, springy perfumes all week, come to think of it -- I seem to be bored of winter. Moschino Funny always cheers me up, and today I wore Safari, which is full of sunshine.
After a winter of wearing ambery orientals, I can't wait for spring..... A few loves that always cheer me up are SSS Jour Ensoleille, I love the golden chypre vibe, Crown's Sarcanthus, vintage Samsara extrait (hello sandalwood), Wrappings by Clinique (love the herbs and leather drydown) and Courreges Empreinte (chypre/floral/animalic).
ReplyDeleteGuerlain Idylle Eau Sublime (the loveliest dew-covered rose) and Amouage Lyric (symphonic rose-ylang) - to the office, if necessary!
ReplyDeleteAlso with Monica on Manoumalia and you on Amarige Mimosa and LPdT, and need to try your other recs stat! ~~nozknoz
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