Ayala Sender of Ayala Moriel perfumes and Smelly Blog was our organizer for today’s feature story about our favorite scents of Summer, 2009. Ten blogs are participating and you’ll see the full list with links at the bottom of this post.Several blogs have already posted their summer '09 "favorites lists" so we decided to devise some eclectic categories, rather than just a straight list. We won’t all have the exact same categories, but there will be many overlapping one’s.
Abigail’s Summer 2009 --
Best inexpensive: Pacifica Nerola
Beautiful neroli /orange blossom for under $20
Best expensive: Parfums MDCI Un Coeur en Mai
Gorgeous green floral created by Patricia Nicolaï that seems a gentle tribute to Guerlain Chamade. Un Coeur en Mai wears beautifully – it’s elegant and long lasting.
Best beach (aka the Shore in Jersey): Creative Universe Mare
Mare smells like the natural beach – of sand, surf, sea breezes and escape/solitude
Best summer incense: Tie between Keiko Mecheri Oliban and YSL Nu (edp). Both KM Oliban and YSL Nu are airy and light incense fragrances that wear beautifully in the heat and aren’t overwhelming. Excellent for those days when you’re so tired of the usual summer fare (citrus and refreshing florals) and are craving something oriental.
Best summer chypre: YSL Y
Y seems made for the spring/summer, absolute summertime chypre perfection.
Best remedy for humidity: L’Artisan The Pour Un Ete. Chilled jasmine tea - ahhhhhhh
Best clean floral: Cabotine by Gres
Clean, green and floral. A striking fragrance with amazing longevity.
Best long lasting citrus: Parfums de Nicolaï Cologne Sologne. I’ve read that Cologne Sologne contains the highest percentage of neroli essential oil in a perfume. This is a floral citrus, not just a citrus which starts of shriekingly citrus but dries down to a dreamy spiked orange blossom cologne.
Best summer gourmand: Caron Farnesiana pure parfum. Farnesiana in parfum concentration is a divine cloud of mimosa/almond/marzipan. The summer heat brings out it’s most beautiful facets
Best sultry summer date night: Divine by Divine. Glamourous bombshell tuberose for a wicked good time. But always a lady, of course.
Best scent for a summer night out in the big city: Creed Love in Black. Love in Black smells like sweet violets and hot asphalt/tar/pavement. Something about the smell of pavement and walking around NYC in the heat of summer seems like a good pairing to me
Best outdoor party/picnic/BBQ: Sonoma Scent Studio Voile de Violette. Voile de Violette is a plummy, jammy, sweet violet scent. It’s delightfully fun and flirty and perfect for an outdoor soiree.
Best scent that seems like it wouldn’t work in the heat but totally does: Caron Tabac Blond. Tabac Blond is sublime in the summer heat. Try it, you’ll see.
Best scent to wear while lounging in a hammock reading a book: Parfums de Nicolaï Mimosaique
Mimosaique is a mimosa soliflore that is utterly charming and cozy
Best summer tuberose: Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Tubereuse
DSH Tubereuse is something I’ve discovered in the past few weeks. Wow, what a gem. This is now my favorite tuberose in general and it wears especially well in the heat. DSH Tubereuse is airy and gauzy and seems to contain a smidgen of vanilla and cinnamon making it insanely delectable.
Best scent for gardening and/or the farmer’s market: Annick Goutal Folavril
Folavril smells like fresh tomato plants, what’s more perfect that that?
Best scent for when you need a vacation but can’t get away yet: Monyette Paris. Monyette Paris is the most lush tropical gardenia based fragrance around. One sniff and you’re in the South Pacific, or Hawaii or just name the idyllic island of your choice.
Best summer scent for dining out with your in-laws: Chanel Beige. Especially if your MIL and FIL are difficult to get along with – Beige is like perfume on good behavior.
Check out the other blogs participating in today’s Best of Summer, 2009 piece:
Bittergrace Notes
Legerdenez
Moving and Shaking
The Non Blonde
+ Q Perfume Blog
Perfume Shrine
Savvy Thinker
Scent Hive
Ayala’s Smelly Blog
Yes! Un Coeur en Mai! This one does not get enough love in the frag blogosphere. It's wearable nearly anywhere and anytime. Incredible lasting power too. It's full bodied, and tho I wouldn't have at first considered it a summer scent, I've been wearing tiny dabs from a sample vial all summer long here in hot-as-heck Florida.
ReplyDeleteFor reading a book in a hammock, I'd probably go for a different PdN... Week-end a Deauville. Testing it today against Eau du Lude. WaD is a lovely scent. Calm, complex, constantly morphing. Love it.
Great fun, all...but I truly chuckled at the dinner with the in-laws assignment for Beige. So true...
ReplyDeleteLove your inclusion of Cabotine Abigail! I think it could even work as a sultry date night fragrance don't you? It's not always so "clean" on me, LOL.
ReplyDelete~Trish
What a creative list!
ReplyDeleteI have been relying on Cologne Sologne, Divine and The pour un Ete for summers past and they proved exquisitely fitting so I am in agreement with you. I should probably take your advice on the TB though, hadn't thought of it (I usually rely on Diorling and Bandit for my summery leather fix ~Cuir de Russie parfum for all other seasons)
I decided I should comment more often so you know I'm reading everything you write. As a writer myself, I can tell how much hard work (and love) you are both putting into this blog. Abigail, your taste in perfume fascinates me, and you have a great ability to communicate your passion. I've already been influenced to try several new things. I ordered some KM samples, including Oliban and Loukhoum, and liked them very much. And I was inspired by last year's summer recommendations to get out my 30 year old bottle of Bellogia and wear that as one of my new summer fragrances. Spicy is great for summer!
ReplyDeleteI totally see why Tabac Blond would work. It's only been the last few years that I've figured leather and tobacco are actually perfect for summer. Just as the chilly No. 19 is a winter scent for me.
ReplyDeleteMy choice for dining out with the in-laws usually involves vodka. Or tequila. But a scent like Chaos would also be very helpful.
This is a great list, original and thoughtful. It also reminded me that I really need some Cabotine for summer!
ReplyDeleteAbigail,
ReplyDeleteI just love your list. Every one of the scents you chose for these scenarios is perfect. I'm going to keep Beige in mind for next time I meet with the in-laws LOL. And I can totally see how Tabac Blond would actually work in the heat.
I love the scent of tuberoses in my room on a summer night. And I've also really enjoyed mimosa soliflores in tha hot sunny days in Southern France this May.
Thank you so much for contributing to the project and hope to do this again soon!
xoAyala
Great list - I'm taking notes!
ReplyDeleteI didn't include TB on mine, but I definitely agree it wears best in summer. Come to think of it, perhaps all of Carons need the heat to unfold.
Glad to see Love in Black. I'm eyeing that one and love your description of it.
Lou