By chance, I ended up with samples of Tauer Perfumes Noontide Petals and Hermès Jour d’Hermès the same week. Here were two fragrances embodying floral bouquets, created by two very different noses. Naturally, the fragrances don’t smell alike, but I didn’t expect that. What struck me was the distinctly divergent shape and feel each perfume takes on skin. Sometimes what’s most compelling about a fragrance is how it feels.

Noontide Petals, by Andy Tauer, has top notes of aldehydes and Bourbon geranium; heart notes of rose, ylang ylang, tuberose and jasmine; and what Tauer astutely calls “body” notes of patchouli, frankincense, vanilla, sandalwood, iris, styrax and vetiver.

Noontide Petals’ aldehydes kick off the fragrance with a fizz, but aldehydic floral-phobes, don’t fear — this fragrance is no airy Chanel…

Read the rest of this article »