5 perfumes: incense fragrances for winter

Posted by Robin on 22 January 2015 71 Comments

burning incense stick

In July, I picked 5 great incense fragrances for summer wear, and I followed that in October with 5 perfumes: incense fragrances for fall. Now that we’ve moved on from “a decent chill” to “polar vortex warning”, it’s time for the winter version. As always, do add your own picks in the comments!

Comme des Garçons Avignon ~ as I’ve said here before, Avignon is my gold standard for church incense. Developed by perfumer Mark Buxton, Avignon starts out foreboding but ends up meditative; it’s also wearable and makes a great layering agent. If you want something churchy but not quite that churchy, try Bois d’Encens from the Armani Privé line. For the budget version, try Demeter Holy Smoke…

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5 perfumes: citrus for cold weather

Posted by Robin on 20 November 2014 63 Comments

lemons-photogram-s

Longtime readers know I am not a fan of cold weather. Early fall, when it’s crisp and sunny, is ok I guess, but I can do without the rest of it. So, naturally, I live in Pennsylvania. Supposedly, this year we’re in for a particularly harsh winter, and if the temperature the last few days is any indication, the doomsday warnings might be turn out to be true.

Of course, you can combat cold weather in the traditional way, with woods and spices and vanilla, but sometimes, a blast of citrus, with its reminder of warmer days, seems a better way to thumb your nose at the ice crystals forming on the windows. So in the spirit of denial, here are five citrus fragrances you can wear to stay cheerful as you struggle to get the snow blower going…and of course, do add your own favorites in the comments!

Guerlain Shalimar

Let’s start right off with the big guns, shall we…

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Top 10 Winter Fragrances 2014

Posted by Kevin on 17 January 2014 42 Comments

Hill and Ploughed Field near Dresden

There are almost 200 perfumes on my “want-to-sniff” list. The majority of them were released in the last four years and a large percentage of them never were sold in the U.S. (Ever seen Trussardi My Land, Mäurer & Wirtz Pink Pepper & Grapefruit, Molinard Habanita L’Esprit or Charriol Royal White at your favorite American fragrance counter?) There’s just too much ‘product’ out there!

So, how can I write about the “top 10 winter fragrances” with any authority? I can’t. My “top 10” is comprised of perfumes I’ve recently encountered, worn, enjoyed, and that fit my mood of the moment. I’m not including fragrances I’ve reviewed in the past. I’m not including lots of classic/rich “winter” fragrances because, frankly, by mid-January in Seattle, I’m sick of cold, wet weather and dark heavy perfumes. I need some sparkle in my life…some light, citrus and flowers. And let’s not forget it is SUMMER in the southern hemisphere — this post is dedicated to readers in that part of the world; I wish I could visit you all, from Argentina and Brazil on over to South Africa and Australia and the balmy lands of Asia and the South Pacific.

Ava Lux Honey presents the warm scents of hot summertime, with its floral, nutty (almond) aromas…

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Simply fewer smells

Posted by Robin on 15 January 2014 Leave a Comment

One reason is that odor molecules move much more slowly as the air temperature drops, said Pamela Dalton, an olfactory scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. That means that there are simply fewer smells to smell on a cold, crisp day than there are on a hot and humid one.

— Read more at Why Cold Air Smells Different at Discovery.