dimanche 18 juillet 2010

Top Ten Perfumes of Summer 2010: Hot, Moist and Creamy



Summer heat comes in two flavors: dry or muggy. As I leave the cooling off to low-tech implements -- mineral water sprays, a wet nightie and a Spanish fan – rather than to my fragrances, and would rather have citrus fruit in my mouth than on my skin, my olfactory philosophy is to roll with the punches. I enjoy the odd things the heat does to fragrance development: the accelerated development of certain notes, the weird stretched-out decomposition of others… Summer is the time when I love to break out big, lush, tropical florals: they come from someplace hot, and that’s why they love my skin best when the heat is on.


Manoumalia was already on last summer’s list and is still in intense rotation. Sandrine Videault’s sole scent for LesNez underwent quite a bashing recently on the Perfume Posse, and probably deserved every epithet swung at it: this is the offspring of Bandit and Fracas gone native, with a creamy tuberose-frangipani-gardenia accord ripe with mushroom and gasoline notes, a bitter, almost leathery vetiver base and a buttery trail of sandalwood… And it truly does carry a trail of damp, red-in-tooth-and-claw tropical nature that could send you off muttering “the horror, the horror”. But I’m coming out of that jungle with a tan and a smile.


For a more civilized, ladylike version of that tropical lushness, I turn to Annick Goutal’s Songes. The body products are stellar – they’ll leave enough scent on the skin to forego the eau de parfum if it’s a little too thick for the heat. In fact, just applying the lotion on the lower legs will compete with the scents of a whole flower shop (true story). Lather with the shower gel, don’t dry yourself, and play the odalisque on the bed: you won’t complain the heat’s keeping you awake (ditto).


With its whirlwind top notes – a very green vanilla veering on unripe banana in a burning flash of rum and balsams -- Vamp à NY for Honoré des Prés gives off a much more easy-going tuberose-tropical vibe, and displays a totally different, playful and sexy facet of Olivia Giacobetti’s range. It’s turned into one of my most reached-for fragrances this summer. In fact, the back-up for my rapidly-dwindling first bottle is already waiting in the refrigerator. The next best thing to keeping your panties in the icebox, like Marilyn Monroe in The Seven-year Itch.


Jean-Michel Duriez’ Sira des Indes – the last feminine launch for the once-splendid house of Jean Patou, which current owners Procter & Gamble seem to have sent into cryogenic sleep – was a bit of a flop, because it was sold as a high-end, sophisticated successor to Joy when all it wanted to be was joyful. This cheerful banana milkshake shot with indolic jasmine, honeyed champaca, ylang-ylang and a trace of bitter cardamom on a vanilla-amber-sandalwood base is a classic oriental gone Bollywood by way of fruity florals. And it never fails to put a big grin on my face.


I’ve cautiously begun to explore aquatic notes, which the four following scents use in decidedly non-Febreze fashion – in fact, I’m almost loath to pinpoint that note in them since I well know the mass rejection aquatic notes trigger in perfume-loving circles. But what’s interesting here is the sense of moisture they induce. For instance, L’Artisan’s Fleur de Liane, which I’ve recently discovered, plays on a similar “jungle caught in the cycle of decay and rebirth” vibe than Manoumalia, but in a roomier, wetter way, conveying the sensation of flowers, leaves, roots and earth drenched in tropical rain.


In Gas Bijoux’s Ensoleille-moi (another one that made it over from last years’ list) Mathilde Laurent has played on this notion of moisture in a very different way: the scent is still tropical, but it’s back on the beach. Cooled off by a dose of calone so gigantic it literally disappears, the moist, buttery quality of tropical blossoms is boosted by a woody-ambery material called Aldambre that somehow exacerbates while giving them incredible throw.


There is just the barest trace of a watery sap effect in Olivia Giacobetti’s newly re-edited L’Eau Baptiste for Iunx (which is, as most of you know by now, only available at the boutique of the Hotel Costes in Paris). The tenderest wisp of orange blossom straddles the flower’s green and honeyed facets, with a milky wheat note. This is almost cologne, sans tangy citrus, executed in Giacobetti’s most ethereal manner. Like all the Iunx, there is an almost mystical quality to this “baptismal water”: invisible, ideally meditative worlds you dream of inhabiting. So spray, and close your eyes…


Again, there is something cool and watery about Céline Ellena’s de Baschmakov for The Different Company (soon sold on the TDC site). Purportedly a tribute to TDC art director Thierry de Baschmakoff’s Russian background, the scent has the 100-proof alcohol limpidity of another Céline Ellena jewel, Sel de Vétiver, and the thirst-quenching quality of a secret potion, with shiso lending a citrus-herbal quality to the cool nutmeg and coriander blend and a soft, chalky, musky-woody drydown…


Most of my summers in the past years have been at least partly spent in the South of France rather than in the Tropics, and though these days I don’t tend to gravitate towards intensely aromatic blends of lavender, rosemary, myrtle and cistus inspired by the maquis, I do have one summer staple that’s decidedly Mediterranean: Annick Goutal’s L’Eau du Sud. I’m not much of a citrus girl, so I’m pegging this as a hesperidic chypre descended from Eau Sauvage. After a juicy lime-grapefruit-mandarin burst laced with a handful of basil – basil being a facet of the essence of mandarin – peppermint and verbena, the scent is warmed by cinnamon and the odd, honey-tobacco helichrysum on a mossy base, which gives Eau du Sud the tiniest tinge of funk, smoke and salt.


Go further along the spice road, and you’ll hit that zone when ylang-ylang and carnation meet, and where clove burns up the floral notes, blasts away the powder, and bakes the skin. Guerlain Terracotta Voile d’Été’s dryness conjures late-afternoon sun-baked streets and walls from the French Midi to the Spanish Sierra, a tough-yet-transparent heat mirage…


And of course, several samples of fall releases are vying for my attention. Stay tuned for reviews of Serge Lutens Boxeuses as well as more in-depth reviews of the three new Heures de Parfum by Cartier. Among other things.


Meanwhile, for more summer top tens…

Bois de Jasmin

Now Smell This

Perfume Posse

Perfume-smellin’ Things



And the winner of WaftbyCarol’s Mystery 6T from the Webber Collection is Karen P., for her sleuthing on Mr. Webber and the Stepan Company! Karen, write to Carol so she can ship the fragrance to you: kafa at aug dot com



Illustration by Sarah Moon


40 commentaires:

  1. Nice list. Must try all of the ones I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting, which is why I do happend to have a decant of Ensoleille-moi winging its way to me as I type (I hope) which I purchased based almost entirely on your recommendation alone.

    Cannot wait for the review Boxeuses (really, REALLY looking forward to that one) and the updates on the Cartiers.

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  2. Carter, I knew I could count on you, as we're practically scent twins! Let me know how you find Ensoleille-moi...
    The Boxeuses review will come along pretty soon (the perfume is due early September).

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  3. Denyse, I'm happily stranded in that overripe Manoumalia jungle, as well. It's only on the relentlessly hottest days in here in LA that I get a hankering to smell like that borderline crime scene of a perfume.

    Am also keen to read your Les Heures scoops - I've been thrilled by that line so far.

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  4. Hey Katie, nice to "see" you! Yup, you and I (and Carter up there, I suspect) in that jungle, partying with the Wallisian mamas, getting sandalwood dust rubbed into our hair and garlands of fagreas hung around our necks whilst reclining on vetiver-stuffed pillows...
    Two of the new Heures are fantastic, one's a little floral thing that doesn't move the earth for me, and I think won't do much for you either. But the Fougueuse and the Défendue... Yaaaaaaaaaasss!

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  5. Hi, Denyse. I love that Manoumalia too, in all its menacing tropical fecundity. May I join you in the jungle? I've also been craving Fleur de Liane recently, so perhaps I will give in to it and get a bottle.

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  6. half of these I have tried and loved ( hello Fleur di Liane ), the other half must try . The one I own and never wear - Eau de Sud...must go get now and spritz . the Vamp never did arrive ( second try...! )
    Thanks so much for your participation in the Unlocking project . Hope to hear from Karen soon !!

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  7. Jarvis, of course you're welcome in the jungle! We keep very good company out there! I see a bottle of fleur de liane in my future too, my decant is dwindling!

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  8. Carol, i'll get back to Christian David about it, i think he's been travelling a lot and may have forgotten... Colognes I find kind of easy to forget because they're so simple, but l'eau du sud has that little extra oomph...

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  9. Thanks for the list. I confess I've never really understood this business of wearing lighter scents in hot weather. That certainly isn't what happens in the Middle East. I'm just as likely to pick Antaeus over Eau Sauvage, whether it's chilly or sweltering.

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  10. Dear D, you have a number of wonderful selections, and you've reminded me of Sira des Indes. I just pulled it out, and it is really quite lovely. I completely forgot about it, which was a shame.
    I am glad to see that you are a fellow Goutal fan. I am addicted to their Neroli, which is why tonic for the summer. So perfect!

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  11. Oh, I do like the way you think (but we knew that). I am all tuberose, all the time this summer (and I'm including big ol' bad girl Manoumalia in that category, just for convenience). Hot, moist, & creamy, indeed. Except for some reason yesterday I reached for LeLabo Patchouli 24 and it? Was divine. (Still is, the next morning.)

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  12. Persolaise, in the heat, our skin turns into an incense burner... Bring on the resins!

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  13. Victoria, and i'll be pulling out my s'apple of AG Neroli, though i'm sorely tempted by L'Eau Baptiste in the same register... And, yes, you were one of the bloggers who paid attention to Sira des Indes when it came out. It's a shame it was launched appropriately. Jean-Michel Duriez's talent is insufficiently exploited by P&G. But i think things will be moving on the Rochas side.

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  14. Amy, i'll be testing big smokies like la treizième heure first chance i get!

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  15. Very interesting list. The L’Eau Baptiste; has this recently been reintroduced at Costes I assume? Last I was there Frappe, Sento, Blance, Forte, and Ether were available. Spill the beans! :-)

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  16. very excited about a new different company- and songes- songes is perfect for night time summer strolls after dark- for me during the day sel de vetiver and un jardin sur le nil are staples

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  17. Brilliant selection as always. I am sitting here in the heat wafting Coromandel, which goes hilariously bombastic in this weather, but now I want to run off and apply every item on your list that I can get my hands on.

    Love seeing Songes on the list - I've been a(n almost) Songes monogamist recently, edt and/or edp, and now I want the body products too; likewise, echoing the Manoumalia praise: it's beautiful, & a welcome reminder that heat doesn't mean dead lawns in every climate.

    On the rare occasions when I guilt myself into more discreet perfume, OJ Tiare is clean and perfumey but not unbearably officey. My cologne alternative I guess...must try AG Eau Sud. And the Guerlain (yes, lemming alert!).

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  18. Trhoades, yup, L'Eau Baptiste has just been added to the line-up (the others remain available). I'm so mad at myself for not having stocked up while the brand still existed with its full range, apparently the body products were totally astounding.

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  19. Rose, I supppose the new TDC will roll out pretty soon, they're meant to put it up for sale on their website... I believe Luckyscent will carry it as well (not affiliated, blah blah).

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  20. Parfymerad, the Songes body products are just amazing, the scent really hangs on to the skin. In fact, going full hog would be overkill, I think.
    I've pegged the OJ as more of a spring scent (in fact stuck it in my spring top 10) but it did come up for consideration...

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  21. Manoumalia, one of the most beautiful scent in the niche category, how could I have neglected it for so long?
    Bas de Soie is stunningly good for summer! In a nutshell I would describe it as a cool pearlised/silky floral: powdery iris, green-tinged sappy hiacynth and clean soapy musks.
    At night with the AC blasting, I enjoy vintage En Avion, Vol de Nuit or something along those lines.

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  22. Uella, I've actually been enjoying a vintage as well, Habanita (but no AC here: I'm going at it the macho way!). I didn't include it in the list because it'll be a later, longer post... Vol de Nuit was on last year's summer list and I find it works well in the heat too.

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  23. The only three on your list I know are Sud, Songes and Manoumalia. The latter I have only worn once. my first impression is that I find it rather odd. Funny thing is, it reminded me a little of Le parfum de Thérèse. The sharp contrast between lush melon/florals and spices. Mind you Manoumalia will need a lot more wear before I make up my mind about it. Songes I know well and have loved for quite a while. It kind of blooms in the heat doesn't it?

    I really want to try that Vamp (and the Love Coco).

    Interesting read, as always,

    Berber

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  24. Berber, it's really odd that you'd get melon from Manoumalia. There's the tiniest bit of melonal in it, but at that dose it shouldn't be perceptible as such. Maybe some people are hyperosmic to it... Sandrine Videault *was* apprenticed to Edmond Roudnitska but I can't say Manoumalia brought any of his work to mind, but if it does to you, it's quite a compliment! Both scents are among my favourites...
    Sorry you missed out on my Vamp à NY draw! You might not like it, though if you're into Songes, it's not out of the question!

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  25. Oh, what a fun list! We have ... somewhat different tastes, and yet I can't help but be excited by your choices, and I'm looking forward to the news on the upcoming releases. I also need to dig up my Terracotta. I recall liking it very much, I wonder where my bottle is?

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  26. March, yeah, that Terracotta is a forgotten little gem, as is the Sira des Indes: I'm been doing a little closet-shopping! Though there *are*, thank God, a few new things I'm excited about!

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  27. Denyse, thanks for another great list, I always find something to covet from your seasonal favourites. I've been thinking about gettting some Sira des Indes for some time & of course now I'll have to act on that.

    Looking forward to your thoughts on Habanita. I mentioned in a reply to you on another blog that your comments about wearing Habanita for ten years sent me rushing out (I mean of course rushing to my computer) to buy a bottle. When it arrived it went straight into my top five, love the stuff.

    I have never smelt vintage & actually don't care to as I like the current version EDP that I have just fine.

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  28. Maggie, the bottle of Habanita I pulled out has now officially reached vintage status since it's probably from the early 90s. I haven't really smelled the new stuff. It's a very long story, don't know how to tackle it yet for the blog...
    Glad that thanks to me Sira des Indes will get a little love. I bought it the year it came out at the duty-free shop before going to see my parents and somehow it's associated fondly with rather boring summer holidays.

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  29. Yes, well re: Sira de Indes, I wore both Joy & Sublime back in the early 90s & for some reason I have been hankering to see what a "modern" Patou would smell like -course your "happy banana milkshake" description didn't hurt!

    I was never all that fond of Joy but have been considering another bottle of Sublime. Hesitated because LT in The Guide seemed to think the modern version had been changed/reduced in some way (Patour reps denied this). Do you have any knowledge of this?

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  30. Do you know, I have absolutely no recollection of Sira des Indes! Must rectify that - you make it sound like so much fun!

    And how could I have missed that Guerlain!??????? Must rectify that, too!

    I feel awful about poor Manoumalia - NOT! LOL! because I know it gets a LOT of love. I would love it, too, were I to get what you all are getting.

    Gorgeous, intriguing list - as always! And like everyone else, I'm waiting with bated breath for the new Cartier reviews.

    xoxoxoA

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  31. Maggie, reps would never cop to that, and probably wouldn't even know (or be able to tell). My mother refuses to relinquish the bottle of Sublime I gave her the year it came out though she uses about 2 ml a year, so my point of comparison is back in Canada. I suppose it must have changed because it's a chypre...

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  32. Musette, I'm used to it by now: most of my favorites are the ones that are both loved and rejected the most!

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  33. Just read your comment to my comment. I see now that I wasn't very clear. What I meant was the melon in Thérèse and the tropical florals in Manoumalia are to my nose contrasted by spices. Manoumalia literally tickled my nose, as if I had been sniffing pepper.I don't get melon in M. It wasn't love at first sniff, but neither was T. nor Songes for that matter.

    I love Tubéreuse Criminelle, and Goutal's Tubéreuse, so I have hopes for me and Vamp.

    Berber

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  34. Berber, ok, now I understand better! Thanks for clearing that up!

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  35. So exciting to get the sneak peek at the new Cartiers last week! A bottle of that Fougueuse will come home with me as soon as it's available-- I'm a sucker for black tea/maté.

    We also got to sniff Boxeuses while in Paris, and it was much more to my taste then the Bas de Soie. I enjoyed that characteristic SL cedary accord. Look forward to your review.

    It's superhot in the US East Coast right now, so I can test your rec's and see how they expand in the heat, lol. I haven't tried several you mention. The TDC de Bachmakov is my new fave though. I split a bottle, and am craving my own now, so hope it goes in wide release soon.

    They'll have all the new IUNX's at The Perfumed Court very soon for those who want a sample (hope that's okay for me to mention? Their good friends!) L'eau Baptiste was a favorite for me too. And---Splash Forte, as I'm always about the spices. WISH they were edp's though, or that they'd find an etailer partner (Luckyscent for example--hint hint.) We were impressed with the IUNX packaging and meeting the friendly SA ;)and name-dropped both you and Nathan Branch!

    (Don't worry Christian David re: Carol's Vamp sample. I'm sending her a package, and I will send her a decant.)

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  36. Hi G.! It's of course perfectly all right to mention The Perfumed Court, Patty is a friend of mine as well (I mean I've actually met her in the real world).
    I've been explained at IUNX that the company is now very small and family-run (by the Giacobettis father and daughter) and that they'd rather not produce larger quantities right now, which is a pity. I'm sure Franco from Luckyscent would snap them up in a flash. I'd buy each and every one of them if I could afford it: even the ones I wouldn't wear give off such a magical vibe, they're so evocative that I'd be content just to breathe them in...
    Was the SA the slender blonde woman with short hair? She's lovely, intelligent, sensitive, and the very opposite of a hard-seller.

    I was wearing L'Heure Fougueuse yesterday (to show Miss L. how it developed in the heat). It's a winner, and a great summer scent to boot. But she's convinced me to try out the cocoa-patchouli one too in this weather, which I will do shortly.

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  37. Nice! Songes is my one of my absolute faves, no matter the season. A real stunner. I've also been enjoying Mandragore this summer, and Cedre Blanc by Heeley has really been speaking to me this particular hot and muggy Florida summer week.

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  38. Katherine, I'm happy to see Songes getting so much love -- it deserves it! I haven't been wearing it as much as I'd like to, what with all the testing, but it's a classic in my book.

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  39. If you don't mind Denyse - Do you know the current pricing for the numbered IUNX fragrances? My last bottles were around 110euros, but I've heard it's gone up - Can you confirm?

    ( planning on a bottle of L’Eau Baptiste, and maybe a candle or two ;-) )

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  40. Throades, I asked the question, got the answer, and forgot... candles are 45 euros I think. Edt... It seems like 110, could have been 115... I've got the worst memory for figures ever, it's a miracle I can even remember my age -- and I wish I couldn't.

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