As the sun emerges and warmer days draw closer, Anna Treasure gives us the low-down on which scents will get you ready for the Spring…
With the bulbs blooming and the days getting slightly warmer you may be thinking that it would be a nice time to take that floral scent with you by treating yourself to a new bottle of perfume, but where do you begin? Fragrance departments can look like a minefield, with hundreds of different bottles, and it may be difficult to know where to start.
I spent five years working for various fragrance houses including Dior, Hermes, YSL, Lancome, Givenchy and Gucci to name a few. In my time, I learned a lot about the difference in fragrances, but there is always more to learn and always new ones being released. So, I’d like to introduce just a few of the latest fragrances as well as look back at a couple of classics that are lovely at this
time of year and that, if you don’t already know, you might fancy trying.
New Scents
Jo Malone have released three new rose colognes at the beginning of the year, Rose Blush, Rose Water & Vanilla and a special edition: Red Roses. They vary in scent with the Rose Blush including notes of rose, lychee, basil and white musk. Rose Water & Vanilla is a light, sweeter scent with a hint of Turkish delight. The special edition Red Roses includes lemon to bring a freshness to the scent. I tried the Rose Water and Vanilla and found that it had that lovely rose scent and was coupled with a hint of vanilla bringing a soft sweetness to the fragrance and not as overpoweringly sweet as I thought it might be.
Gucci’s new fragrances are part of their ‘Glorious’ range, Glorious Jasmine and Glorious Gardenia. Both are perfumes so will be long lasting fragrances and have a lovely floral tone – you can really smell the jasmine or gardenia in each one. My preference is for Jasmine but if you like floral fragrances then it’s worth trying both.
Marc Jacobs usually brings out a limited edition fragrance for Spring/Summer and this year they have designed the ‘Paradise’ collection for their Daisy range. This range is a sweeter floral so if you prefer something with sweet notes this could be the one for you.
Dior have brought out a new perfume in the J’Adore range called J’Adore D’Eau. The difference with this one is that it is alcohol free. It is a very light floral fragrance which could be why it is my favourite. It contains notes of jasmine, magnolia, rose and honeysuckle so is very definitely a floral fragrance, but is not at all overpowering.
Classic scents
There are some scents that have been around for a while but this is because they are always popular and have good reason to be.
Chanel – Chance
There are three versions of Chance so you are likely to find a favourite. From the original floral Chance, the fruity Eau Tendre version and the aptly named fresh Eau Fraiche.
Dolce & Gabbana – Light Blue
If you would like something that isn’t a floral then this fresh scent is a great choice. It is a mix of apples and bluebells with a base of musk that is an easy wear as an everyday fragrance.
Lancome – La Vie Est Belle
There are a few different fragrances in this range but to me the original is still the best. The blackcurrant, vanilla and jasmine make it a fruity floral that has become a very popular scent.
Something a little different
Here are some lesser known brands that you might like to seek out and try:
Replica – On a Date
A light floral, fruity fragrance. The Replica range tries to replicate fragrances that will remind you of times in your life and this one may remind you of putting on a pretty fragrance to go out.
Floral Street – Wonderland Peony
One of their most popular fragrances; it is a light floral with peony, violet and raspberry flower. This is one of the more affordable fragrances as they sell 20ml bottles.
Hermes – Eau de Rhubarbe Ecarlate
This is just how you would imagine a rhubarb fragrance to be with a sharp scent with a slight sweetness. It is great for anyone who wants something a bit different.
I hope you enjoy trying some new fragrances, or perhaps finding something you haven’t worn for a while that brings back good memories. I always enjoy that waft of a scent that you get throughout the day and will be looking forward to Spring every time it happens.
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