Friday, April 18, 2008

With One Eye on Summer

Perfume Shrine presents you a glimpse of the upcoming lists of top fragrances for summer. Never too early to get prepared in the perfume stakes! In the new issue of Allure magazine (page 134) Frédéric Malle recommends some of his fave summer scents:

Cristalle by Chanel
Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat by Guerlain
Armani Eau Pour Homme with notes of lemon, basil, oakmoss
Light Blue by Dolce & Gabanna
Eau Sauvage by Dior
Pleasures by Lauder
Diorella by Dior
Lys Méditerranée by Malle
Cologne Bigarade by Malle
Eau du Ciel by Annick Goutal

The punchline? "The smell of the ocean, lemon paired with greens, and lilies are a few of Malle's favorites for summer." As reflected in his fragrant choices obviously, agreeing or not.
Which ones would you pick?

And because Friday should herald the joys of the weekend, a little diversion with a trully summery song for you, a big hit in Europe: Ville Vallo from HIM and the actress Natalia Avelon from the the "8 Mile High" film.



Next on Perfume Shrine: a niche line gets a detailed presentation, reviews of new scents and other wonderful surprises!

Pic of Greek beach sent to me by mail unaccredited.

31 comments:

  1. Anonymous09:23

    Mhhhh... sweet anticipation!
    Summer is my fave! LOVE that pic!
    Have a nice weekend!
    lillie

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wish you that you get to spend it in a comparable place, then, dear N!! :-)
    Nice weekend to you too, sweetie!

    But you haven't divulged: which scent would you pick for summer?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11:46

    Of the list, I would pick Lys Méditerranée! Also a summer fave is Phylosykos. Lazy summer afternoon in a Greek island under a fig tree grove...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Cristalle is refreshing, in a refined way. Men seem to love it.

    Helg, I'm looking for a 'cool gardenia' scent for summer. I know that seems like an oxymoron, but if anyone would be able to suggest a gardenia scent with a cool, aloof character for me, it's you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you Sylvia! Lys is very pretty, I agree. Of course I have a special relationship with figs, just like you so wonderfully desrcibe...

    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Mary,

    I love Cristalle! It's so good to hear that men find it appealing! (because so often they're looked down upon on their tastes, quickly dismissed as "vanillic" on perfume discussion boards.....Not so, not so!)

    Cool, aloof gardenia ~Apart from the Yves Rocher which I think you're familiar with (and which is green, light and cool), you could try the following:

    EL Tuberose Gardenia: I think you like this one! I personally find it perfect. More gardenia than tuberose, lasting, not loud, alive.

    Ava Luxe Gardenia Musk: yes, I know, you're thinking already "Musk??? did she say musk???" It's the very clean, very smooth, imperceptible kind and I am expecting a batch of parfum any moment now, so if you want a sample, let me know ;-)

    Marc Jacobs: Supposedly gardenia floating on water, so if the acqueous note is simpatico to you I think there is a big chance you will like it. Very modern, very fresh.

    Kai is also green and fresh, cool, budding. If you like oils.
    You might want to give Ellenisia by Penhaligon's a try: it's very soft, never too sweet.

    Perhaps the coolest, most aloof of them all is in Ma Griffe.
    It's worth testing different batches though to find which you prefer, because it has been reformulated a couple of times.

    Hope that helps.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous13:40

    I do not have many summer perfumes, possible because the weather here really quite seldom gets warm in the summer. Instead, perhaps in a vain attemt to conjure up warmness, I can like warm flower scents during the cold winter days. Favourites then at daytime are Flower by Kenzo le parfum, and Philosykos. But also Miller Harris Coeur d'eté, Kenzo's Summer, Trish McEvoys White Iris (havn't read anything about it, neither positive nor negative), Acqua di Parma's Iris Nobile and Mandorlo di Sicilia. But also Clarin's Eau Ressourcante (can that be called a perfume reallly?) Oh, and Diors Dolce Vita, which I like better than Féminité du Bois! And: Had a sample of Lutens Bois de Violette, that I think I must get when the opportunity! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dear SP, sorry about the cold (although it does have its own charms!).
    I like many of your fragrances, especially Philosykos, Kenzo Summer (very underappreciated!), Iris Nobile and of course Bois de Violette ~although the latter is not "warm" to my mind, more like "radiating". Dolce Vita was the fifth sketch of Bourdon on the Boix series inspired by FdB, so it all makes sense :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous14:21

    patches of snow around, and no flowers except the tusssilago farfara, well, At least summer is not far away, and then it first start to get green everything happens very fast. Now we still have dark nights, and there have been a very beautiful northern light (aurora borealis)on the sky the last nights! :-) Perfumes that fit nights like these must be abstract and etheral, perhaps Thierry Muglers Aline? :)(the one that immedeately came into mind

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous14:22

    Alien, I meant. (sometimes the fingers and the mind do not cooperate..)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Cristalle is a little dry for me.

    I love Bigarade, and I get compliments on Light Blue (but it is so long lasting I have to decide to wear it for the whole day, which I rarely do.) Ma Griffe is a good one.

    I like Hiris in the summer, also Un Jardin sur le Nil. Occasionally Un Jardin en Mediterranee. And Caleche en Mediterranee.

    I think I'm going to enjoy The One.

    I love Or des Indes...

    and more...

    ReplyDelete
  12. *off to Google tussilago farfara*
    A ha! Coltsfoot! I see those here too, yes.
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Karin,

    about Cristalle (and the question goes to Mary as well): are you referring to EDT or EDP? They're two different beasts.
    Lovely choices Karin, I especially love Un Jardin sur le Nil, very refreshing and lasting. Ma Griffe is fantastic if one finds the right batch.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Everybody thinks of Ma Griffe as a summer scent, but it's a fall favorite for me. Of course, it's so wonderful you could wear it any time ;-)

    My summer favorite has got to be Fidji, with Narcisse Blanc a close second. K's Alice in Wonderland, Anya's Fairchild and Guerlain Vetiver are always good in hot weather. If I owned a bottle of Miller Harris Jasmin Vert it would probably make my list--I've adored it with every test, but have been busy investing my perfume funds elsewhere. I am anxiously awaiting several Malles, including Lys Mediterannee, so I'll be curious to see how I like it. I'm not wild about any of his other choices.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dear M,
    I find chypres of the floral/green persuasion very refreshing in hot weather. I just need to find a good batch of Ma Griffe at some point. I've run out :-(
    I agree on many of your favourites for summer wear: I am saving to get some myself (what? more perfume??? LOL)
    Why haven't I invested in Lys Med yet? (only have a decant) Probably because I relied on Un Lys by SL and Des Lys by AG for my lily fix: but the Malle is really good for the hot season.
    BTW, notice how he always inserts one or two of his own line? Well, naturally...

    ReplyDelete
  16. Stella, where are you? It sounds like Finland.

    I always got compliments on Dolce Vita, but I sort of got burnt out on it. I need to get more. I too like it more than FdB which I wore when it first came out (and was likely not *me* at the time) -- and a little goes a looooong ways on that one.

    My Ma Griffe is vintage.

    ReplyDelete
  17. You really should then Karin, sweets. If it suits you that much! I like FdB yet don't wear it that often, wonder why...It's certainly wonderful.
    There are at least a couple of reformulations in last decade on Ma Griffe that I know of, hence my question. I bet yours is good stuff. I must track down some more myself at some point.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love Cedrat-- it is perfect for summer, My other top G. pics are Voile d' Ete and Herba Fresca. Mignonette by Voluspa, Castelbajac, and a couple of the Penhaligons. then just wear some year round faves on the cool nights... or so I say... we'll see what actually occurs.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Dear DCB,

    Eau de Cedrat is indeed fab for summer, very delicate. I love Herba Fresca too, although I never got a full bottle.
    Cool summer nights...hmm, not in my neck of woods.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous10:43

    Karin: you are close! Norway

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous14:29

    Do I understand it correctly, that Dolce Vita was inspired by Feminite du Bois? Are there any other inspirations?
    I'd like to try Ellenisia by Penhaligon's and their other things too.
    lavinia

    ReplyDelete
  22. Dear Lavinia,

    the story goes like this:

    When Lutens opened his seraglio at Palais Royal, Sheldrake and Bourdon worked on variations on the Feminite du Bois fragrance: the famous Boix series (Bois et Fruits, Bois et Musc, Bois oriental, Bois de Violette), each one highlighting one of the constituents of FdB above others.

    There was a fifth version they worked on but it never made it to the final lineup. When Bourdon was working for Dior later on, he sumbitted several specimens for them, one of which was the fifth discarded version for Lutens. Dior picked it up to his embarassament and it became Dolce Vita ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous18:02

    Amazing story, thank you! :)
    lavinia

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous18:33

    Thank you for asking, dear. Currently i am planninng on using Ô de Lancome which i recently got to know and DKNY (love at second sight) alot. But i love Light Blue and Diorella from the list! Bitter Grace is right down my alley when she brings Fidji back into the play here. There is nothing like Fidji from the fridge before and after a hot and humid day!! This one is so much underrated!
    lillie

    ReplyDelete
  25. You're very welcome, dear Lavinia :-)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Dear N,

    I looooove O de Lancome! A lasting and non sweet citrus. Very refreshing, very Med! And yes, I also love Fiji (you know it!) for the warm days, I agree it's underrated.
    I bet you'd suit Diorella perfectly with your shorter cut ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous08:47

    I love how you combine clips and art to everything you write :-)
    Very unique!

    Abigail

    ReplyDelete
  28. You flatter me Abigail, thank you very much :D

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous23:17

    I would like to know what Ville Valo smells like! And yes, that IS a very summery song... Wonder what summer scent would match the mood of the song+video though. A combination of Eau de Campagne and "L" de Lolita Lempicka maby...?

    Maltesia

    ReplyDelete
  30. He's quite cute, isn't he?
    Nice idea what it would smell like...hmmm, "strawberries, cherries and an angel's kiss in spring".
    I like your suggestions! It must be a little dirty too, judging from the film. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous19:49

    Dear Perfumeshrine,
    You have great ideas and i love your suggestions! Since you're an expert i was wondering if you could help me find Fiji by Yves Rocher. Its my moms favourite summer perfume and i would like to get it fo her for Christmas since she can't find it anywhere. I hope you can help!
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

Type your comment in the box, choose the Profile option you prefer from the drop down menu, below text box (Anonymous is fine too!) and hit Publish.
And you're set!

This Month's Popular Posts on Perfume Shrine