The Ten Best Perfumes You're Not Wearing- Part III

This is becoming a semi-annual thing: a list of ten perfumes that deserve a lot more attention, hype, and skin space than they get (see Part I and Part II) . Sometimes there are other perfumes from the same brand that get all the spotlight, others are a bit more obscure. Granted, a few of them would probably be a lot more popular if they were easier to find. Still all of these fragrances are worth seeking or rediscovering.

• Parfum de Nicolai- Vie de Chateau Intense. Somehow even Nicolai fans seem to forget this one exists, which is a shame, because this sweet leather-tobacco thing is a true gem. ($65 at Luckyscent)
• Nez a Nez- Marron Chic. A powdery labdanum and cocoa thing that doesn't go the expected route of cuddly and sweet, but earthy and elegant. ($165 at Luckyscent)
• Arquiste- Aleksandr. Violets and leather in the snow, and the memory of a dead Russian poet ($165 at Osswald and Aedes).
• Worth- Courtesan. Our first cheap thrill of the evening is an animalic bombshell that smells far more classic than its 2005 birth date. (Around $30 from various online discounters. Google is your friend)
• Kelly & Jones- #3 Notes Of Cabernet. The entire Kelly & Jones line is worth discovering, but Cabernet's ripe black cherry, pipe tobacco, and leather are perfect mid-winter ($50, kellyandjones.com)
• CB I Hate Perfume- I Am A Dandelion. Like the flower, this is a shy and unassuming perfume. But its' also incredibly pretty. ($16 for 2ml, cbihateperfume.com)
• Memo- Lalibela.  For some infuriating reason, you can't get Memo perfumes in the US (though their site promises that they're coming soon to NYC and my money is on Osswald). If you're going to visit Paris it's worth the visit to their Le Bon Marché counter (also at Harvey Nichols in London). Lalibela is a massively incensy rose with mega sillage.
• Josef Statkus Perfume. The talented Lithuanian fashion designer is responsible for this gorgeous amber and incense fragrance. Mysterious and dark, yet very wearable. ($180 at Luckyscent)
• Charenton Macerations- Christopher street. Like the NYC locale, this is an enigma in citrus and leather. ($100, charentonmacerations.com)
• Ted Lapidus- Silk Way. We're ending this list with one last cheap thrill. This spicy musk-vanilla-incense perfume is sensual and seductive, smells like a million bucks and can be found for around $25 online. How did we get so lucky?

The bottles of Christopher Street and Marron Chic were press samples. Everything else was purchased by me.