Showing posts with label new year's favorites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new year's favorites. Show all posts

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Fragrances for Christmas Occasions: My Personal Picks for 2016 Christmas and New Year's Day

For those of us not inclined to do mad shopping, nor partying till dawn just because it's the holidays, meeting with relatives and close friends who have distanced themselves spatially by moving to other countries is the very best part of what makes the holidays what they are. There's a beautiful ambivalence surrounding these meetings, which reminds me of the boyish hands-in-pockets and rocking-on-toes-a-bit pose that says "missed you" in the sort of shy manner that you know is really heartfelt. The feelings run so high, even if we do not admit them verbally, that a reassuring fragrance feels like welcome expression of the warmth that emanates from hearts that have grown fonder by the distance put in between.


My scent choice for those occasions is Tolu by Ormonde Jayne. The fragrance oscillates between the cozy affability of a classic "oriental", built on balsams and powdery amber, and the nostalgic, in the literal sense of "pain from an old wound", feeling that the sharp and aromatic elements bring to the composition. A whiff of frankincense lends it the spirituality which inevitably surrounds Christmas. Could it be that you're all meeting over candles burning with the flicker warming your hands praying for journeys ending in lovers' meeting? Or snacking over orange-flower-sprinkled butter cookies and sweet wine, reminiscing over past funny events?

There's a pang of moments in the future already lost when meeting knowing you must part again, and Ormonde Jayne's Tolu captures that perfectly. In the meantime, rejoice for the moments shared. It's the holidays, after all.


The other fragrances which I'm fondly thinking of wearing this holiday season are:

Ambre Narguile Hermes (Christmas baking)

Bois des Iles Chanel (Night out)

Dans tes bras Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle (Clubbing)

Feminite du Bois Serge Lutens (Evening by the fire)

Nuit de Noel Caron (Silent Night, Holy Night)

Angeliques sous la Pluie Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle (Rainy Morning After).

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Fragrances for Celebration: New Year's Eve & Readers Favorites

The New Year Eve's celebration is always taking the biggest piece in the pie of festivities, ushering a new period of hope, dreams and expectations. To seal it off our fragrance choice tends to be festive, optimistic, hopeful and gorgeous (to us at least). With these criteria in mind I have personally chosen to wear Amouage Jubilation 25 which checks all boxes (and goes well with the subtle flesh-colored paillettes on my festive top). Mr.Perfume Shrine will be in his (and mine) favorite Cartier Declaration eau de toilette. What will you be wearing tonight?

In the meantime, here is a statistic of sorts (i.e.most mentions) of Reader's Favorites from 2014 (in our dedicated poll) which I promised as an addendum to our Best Fragrances of 2014 post posted yesterday.

Guerlain Shalimar and Mitsouko
Chanel Coromandel, No.5, Bois des Iles and Cristalle
Hermes Jour d'Hermes
Diptyque Philosykos and Geranium Odorata
Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio
Tauer Perfumes Phi
Prada Infusion d'Iris
Ungaro Diva


Popular niche brands (apart from specific scents from the above brands) with lots of mentions include, in no particular order:

Tauer Perfumes
Mona di Orio
Annick Goutal
Frederic Malle
Vero Profumo
Serge Lutens
Patricia de Nicolai
L'Artisan Parfumeur
Tom Ford

Of course the readers of this blog are highly eclectic and have mentioned also lots of vintages, some cult vintages (some of which I had highlighted on this blog this past year, such as Laura Biagotti Romagood on you!) and several indie/artisanal brands. They all bring something worthwhile to the table!

Have a very Happy New Year filled with love, hope, creativity and good health!



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