Best of Summer 2009

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