Today, as I pack for my first summer vacation, quick reviews of two fragrances perfect for summer wear, on vacation or otherwise.

Parfums de Nicolaï L’Eau à la Folie

We’ve had debates here before about fruity florals — a segment of the perfumista community frowns on fruity florals simply because they’re so ubiquitous, and let’s face it, many (maybe even most) of them are pretty dull. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: some of my best friends are fruity florals. French niche house Parfums de Nicolaï made one of my favorites, the sadly discontinued sparkling mango summer-cocktail Eau Exotique. The brand’s latest, L’Eau à la Folie, is a citrus fruity floral that I’d likewise describe as a sparkling summer-cocktail, this time with peach, juniper berry, pink pepper, mint, lime, jasmine and rum…

Read the rest of this article »