2021 Fragrance Favorites ( And Disappointments )

[RavenR]

The year is coming to an end... Let's talk about your favorite fragrances of 2021! I am curious to hear about what new releases you liked the best? What were some disappointing releases of 2021? Surprises ( good or bad )? But of course, it doesn't have to be all about 2021 releases. It can simply be about your favorite fragrances this year, period. What did you enjoy wearing the most? What made you happy? Some oldies maybe, re-discoveries, change of hearts, anything you loved ( or even stopped loving maybe ) this year. Any thoughts about the world of fragrances in general this year are welcome!  

[RavenR]

And here's another favorite of 2021. This one is a very special "category" of fave. TOM FORD Eau de Soleil Blanc Eau de Toilette Fragrance 3.4 oz/ 100 mL I got this one last year for a friend who I knew loved it, but couldn't really afford it. She was going through a super rough patch, and needed some cheering up. With a little help from some wonderful people here, I got a 20% off code during f&f sale ( thanks again! ), and got her the largest size of this beauty. Omg. She was beyond thrilled and happy! Just looking at that big smile and total mood change made this one to be my very special fave! She likes to shower in it and she says it helps make her feel so much better, at least for a while. It is her "happy place" scent, so it is mine, as well. 😊❤️

[QueenMarceline]

@RavenR Awww, I love the story behind this. I also love giving gifts so this made my heart smile a bit. You're awesome.

[Mellmars1185]

@RavenR That is very thoughtful of you!!

[RavenR]

Here's one disappointment of 2021... Mugler Alien Goddess Eau de Parfum 2 oz/ 60 mL . Alien is one of my first serious loves. And even though I don't use it as much any more, I still love it and have respect for it and Mugler ( not L'Oréal, though ). I was really looking forward to Mugler's take on a beach kind of a scent. Coconut, bergamot, vanilla, even suntan lotion ok why da heck not, and the whole 9. I suddenly started craving something of a sort last year, and I was really looking forward to this one thinking it was gonna be Mugler-esque and special. Thinking this was gonna be the one. But what we've got is L'Oréal's try at making Mugler generally likable. And "younger". I guess. It's not Mugler. It's not Alien. It's nothing I was expecting and hoping for. It is just another super sweet, super cloying, heavy, sad, beach scent, like many others out there. Even if it were not Mugler, whatever, whoever else it were... It is just bad. So sad and forgettable... Maybe I should've taken a hint with young miss Smith being the face of it, that it is targeted toward younger generations... But I was thinking, oh hey, I am still approximately that age... inside... 🤣 sooo.... But, no. The scent is super sad and it makes me super sad, too. I can't help but think, what a missed opportunity! 

[QueenMarceline]

@RavenR Honestly, all the Mugler perfumes are always so hit or miss for me. (More misses than hits) I don't know what it is about this brand but they cannot produce a perfume that I don't feel some-sort-of-way about. 😂

[QueenMarceline]

Honestly I feel like I'm yapping away about this fragrance but favorite 2021 discovery has to go to TOCCA Stella 1.7 oz/ 50 mL Eau de Parfum Spray such a wonderful scent. Something about it just feels so feminine and cozy to me, like being a child hugged by your mom or something sappy like that lol! I've had a lot of disappointments earlier this year to be honest might be a tie between the Armani Beauty Sì Passione Eau de Parfum and the TOM FORD Black Orchid Eau de Parfum Fragrance I know these are coveted scents but something about it mixed with my body chemistry is disgusting. Sorry. 😁

[RavenR]

Haha, yap away and all you want, @QueenMarceline ! That's why we're here. I am the same about L'artisan Parfumeur's Amour Nocturne... so I totally understand you. I just want to sing it praises. Totally in love. 

[QueenMarceline]

@RavenR Haha, thanks and you're totally right! If not here, then where? 😂I haven't tried that scent yet, I'll have to add it to my (very long) fragrance wish list. 😁

[pocketvenus]

Love this question!

Favourite discoveries were probably CdG's Yoyogi and Libertine's Chlorophyllia which is my favourite orris. It's so beautiful and green. Very creative and so evocative. I can see the icicles melting with this one. Perfect for spring. This is also cheating a little but I really loved Jazmin Sarai's Fayoum and bought a full bottle this year. Opens really tart fig scent, not fresh figs and not fig jam but more like the dried fig filling in a pastry? Whatever it is, it's so good. There's also dates but it's not too sweet. It's very unique and the dry down is utterly fantastic. There's an aromatic creaminess in the dry down that makes me think of sandalwood but that's not in the notes pyramid.

Also, it's not my personal style, but I thought the Chloé Chloé Naturelle Eau de Parfum 1 oz/ 30 mL was a good innocent rose for a young girl or woman.

Let downs? I guess these are not bad scents per se, just not what I was hoping for. Tom Ford's Ebene Fume is well done as a smoky scent but I feel like it's not very groundbreaking at all, like it is really, really late to the smoky genre party. And it's okay to be a latecomer but this one doesn't bring anything new and exciting to the table. I was also intensely looking forward to Malle's Synthetic Jungle. It's a great green but it didn't do much for me, a green lover. From the name, obviously it's meant to be this abstracted, bright and polished thing but for me it's lacking a little life, like it's a little too perfect. I much prefer the earthier moist greens of Bois d'Orage. 

Serious disappointment was Tom Ford's Tubereuse Nue. I really enjoy tuberose. This one was too dense, plasticky and candied. Just not for me at all.

[RavenR]

@pocketvenus Ooo, those sound interesting! *putting them on the list to try*

There must be something wrong with my nose. I can't smell that Chloe properly. 😞 It's like something is blocking me. I only smell that screeching banshee. And I don't even know what it is. How weird. Thinking back, that only happened to me once before, with Baccarat Rouge. I can't smell that one properly, either. All I can smell is some kind of sanitary, disinfecting chemicals, plastic, latex, the horror! What in the world?!

I agree about TF Ebene Fume. Same! I had high hopes for that one. It is nice, and obviously well done. Quality stuff. But just so... meh. Already seen so many times before. Totally underwhelming.

Funny thing... Tubereuse Nue is kind of... terrible... and nice! at the same time to me! 😄 It's terrible. But I kinda like it. There's just something about it... Another mystery. No idea what's that about. But, honestly, I don't even think about such things anymore. Scents are a weird and deeply personal, individual thing, so who knows. Memories, maybe. This, that... Who cares, right?! Just enjoy the ride! 😛

[pocketvenus]

@RavenR Sorry I missed this post. I totally know what you mean about something smelling offputting but also good or fascinating ha ha! There are definitely aromachemicals that can polarize or that some people can smell and others can't so it makes sense we take these things personally 😄

[RavenR]

I've tried so many fragrances this year ( mostly looking for a new summer scent, as some of you maybe remember ), my head is spinning just trying to think of them all. But I guess I should just go with those which pop in my mind first and without thinking. The rest is not important, right?

As for 2021 releases... I was super excited about ELDO The Ghost In The Shell, but it turned out to be kind of meh. I do like it. But I don't love it. 

Do we count ELDO Soul Of My Soul as 2020 or 2021 release? I am not sure when it comes to that collection anymore. I think SOMS finally showed up in the US in 2021? Don't remember anymore. If we do count it as 2021 release, that one is definitely a big love and 2021 favorite! Love love love it!

I really ended up liking SKYLAR Coconut Cove Eau de Parfum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL Eau de Parfum Spray ! Refreshing and clean take on coconut and tropical vacay vibe fragrance. I don't like the usual suntan lotion-y super sweet, super vanilla, super sweet coconut, super heavy, cloying, the usual beachy scents, so this one was such a pleasant surprise. Got me a fs bottle right away!

I also liked Atelier Cologne Lemon Island Pure Perfume 6.7 oz/ 200 mL Pure Perfume Spray , HERMÈS Twilly Eau Ginger Eau de Parfum 2.9 oz / 85 mL , #Tom Ford Tubereuse Nue ( kind of ), KILIAN Paris Apple Brandy Eau de Parfum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL Eau de Parfum Spray , Fox In The Flowerbed Imaginary Authors ( kind of )... Maybe I'll think of more later and add.

Oooo I am really liking Floral Street Sunflower Pop Eau De Parfum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL ! What a wonderfully refreshing surprise! More about that one to come!

Other than 2021 releases, I really liked Sel Vanille by Maison Tahite, Couleur Vanille L'Artisan Parfumeur, Pacific Rock Moss Goldfield & Banks, Sel Marin James Heeley, Coccobello James Heeley, Phaedon Sable & Soleil, Profumum Rome Acqua di Sale... 

But my biggest "discovery", love, something that makes me super happy, and my absolute favorite this year is L'Artisan Parfumeur Amour Nocturne! What a beautiful scent! A combo of notes I'd never say could make such a wonderful scent magic! Gunpowder, milk, caramel, orchid and cedar. Sounds crazy, huh? It is not, really. It. Is. Simply. Gorgeous! Can't have enough of it! But, alas, it's been discontinued... My luck...

That's it for now.

I think I'll write about disappointments some other time... 

[QueenMarceline]

@RavenR I'll be trying out the SKYLAR Capri Summer Eau De Parfum Rollerball 0.33 oz/ 10 mL in my scentbird subscription this month so I'm super excited to try it out for a good price since I've been eyeing this brand for a while. Coconut Cove and Pink Canyon were the other two I was curious to try so it's a plus hearing you enjoy it 🙂

[RavenR]

@QueenMarceline It's a special situation with me and Coconut Cove. I do enjoy it! But I also have to admit that it is not anything special really, to be completely honest. It is more of a nostalgic memory thing for me. If not for that lil detail, I am not sure if I'd really like it. If you know what I mean. It is not my kind of a scent by any means. I usually don't like ( most ) of these ( beach scents ). But who knows? I do love it, and enjoy letting it take me down the memory lane... I don't need much else from it. It's hitting all the right buttons here. 😛 So we're good. But it's a very simple, light, skin scent, linear scent, that doesn't last long, and doesn't project well. Which is no bueno. But at the same time not really a problem for me as I use it as a memory thing. I can just respray it. I don't know if they are all like that. You are gonna have to let us know! I do hope you like your Capri Summer, and anything else you try from them! Good luck! 

[QueenMarceline]

@RavenR I do definitely understand what you are saying with scents 🙂 I'm excited to give it a try and usually I don't lean towards beachy scents either but oddly I've been on the hunt for a more "fresh, light summer scent". Thank you for sharing 

[RavenR]

@QueenMarceline Well this one is definitely on a fresh side, and light. Easy breezy. A nice and refreshing take on usually so sweet, cloying, rich and heavy beach scents. So maybe you could give this one a try, too. If you like coconut, that is. When does your Capri Summer arrive? I am curious to hear about that one! Or any other you might try, as well. 

[QueenMarceline]

@RavenR It appears to have already shipped so I am expecting it any day now. I started a Scentbird thread on a whim after renewing my subscription (for this scent specifically), I got a "re-subscription offer" that was too good to pass up and I plan to update that with that fragrance and I'll probably write about it on The Perfume Challenge thread too.

Fragrance Fanatics: The ScentBird Thread 

The Perfume Challenge 

[pocketvenus]

@RavenR Wow, that l'Artisan sounds great! They used to make some very non-commercial ones that are so fantastic. Like I love Dzongkha it's just bonkers.

[RavenR]

Oh. I found it on a list of "the weirdest scents" with ELDO Secretions Magnifiques and some other real deal weirdos. Like, what?! Are you serious?! Did you even smell it?! It's not weird at all. A bit different, yeah. But super wearable. And oh so yummy and cozy and comforting. Now I'm thinking maybe that's why it's gone. People would just read the notes, and articles like that, and not even give it a chance. Who knows. It's a shame, though... It was ( is ) a beaut! 

@pocketvenus 

[RavenR]

Maybe they will bring it back. They often do that. Make something gone. Then bring it back. But considering they already did that twice with this one... slim chances. But a girl can hope. 

Ha! Dzongkha is cool!

@pocketvenus