Unconventional summer scents

[pocketvenus]

So @Vmaster shared a post with me on Basenotes by ClaireV about unconventional scents for the summer that was really fun to read. She tries to think beyond your typical "fresh" and "citrus" scents and came up with some categories and suggested fragrances for each one. I thought I'd come up with one fragrance per category.

WOuld love to hear your suggestions of non-citrus or non-fresh fragrances you're wearing for the summer, even if they don't fit a category below 🙂

Earth, stone or water, L'Artisan Parfumeur's Dzongkha

There is something dusty and stony in Dzongkha, probably this combination of iris and "papyrus." It's like resting in the shadows of an old, abandoned temple.

Spice minus cream and sugar - Tauer's L'air du Desert Marocain

Like a caravan of spices crossing a desert in the morning. Runner up: the spicy, woody and luminous L'Artisan Parfumeur's Timbuktu

Vetiver with a twist, Hermes' Vetiver Tonka

Exactly what it says. Minimalist grassy vetiver smoothed out with sweet, creamy tonka. This was tough for me as I'd much rather just splash on Guerlain's Vetiver but there's hardly a twist to that classic.

Fresh oriental, Penhaligon's Lothair

Gentle, fragrant spices that dry down to an easy to wear tea.

Ice cold drink, Frederic Malle's Angeliques Sous La Pluie

Sparkling gin and tonic.

Green, Slumberhouse's Norne

A coniferous forest on a winter's night. Runner up: 4160 Tuesday's Ealing Green which is the opposite of Norne, a bright and herbaceous sunny day.

Light oud, Tom Ford's Oud Wood

A classic. Dark oud wood cutting through air like a blade of a sword.

Ash, asphalt, smoke, Nasomatto's Black Afgano

Sweet, burning tires. Runner up: Etat Libre d'Orange's Jasmin et Cigarette, ashen jasmine flowers caught in your hair after a night of clubbing.

Not boring lavender, Histoire de Parfum's 1725 Casanova

Light sweet and spicy fougere.

Patent or sheer leather, Knize's Knize Ten

Not quite patent, but a sharp, bright gasoline leather.

Icy or salty florals, Frederic Malle's Superstitious

Opens with sparkling aldehydes and salt on the skin that later blooms into plush florals.

[Titian06]

@pocketvenus - Great thread!  I love Etat Libre d'Orange's Jasmin et Cigarette.  It reminds me of a bowling alley back in the olden days.

I have Cartier Vetiver Bleu which is vetiver and mint and that's what it smells like.  I love it!  It was my first full-size perfume purchase.  It's light and refreshing.

[pocketvenus]

@Titian06, oooo mint is a great summer note and combining it with earthy vetiver sounds perfect for the season 🙂

I was thinking of Etat Libre d'Orange's You or Someone Like You for the drinks category as it reminds me a little of a mojito! Lush's Dirty is also a nice, quirky, minty fragrance that could be good for the summer.

[Vmaster]

@pocketvenus Great post! Off the top of my head, the following three fragrances came to mind: Layton by Parfums de Marly A spicy floriental fragrance. Though I prefer the "Exclusif" version, this version works better with Summertime. Vert des Bois by Tom Ford A woody green fragrance. Green conifer woody that smells wonderful! Not recommended for people that hate Anise (black licorice). Encre Noir byLalique A woodyearthy fragrance. If I could envision how Mirkwood forest in The Lord of the Rings would smell, this would be it. A dark, inky,moist earth and woody notes. A wonderful Summertime pick that can be had for $30.

[pocketvenus]

Thank you @Vmaster, great picks! I forgot about TF's Vert line! Vert Boheme is nice too 🙂 I've heard good things about the Lalique.

I was thinking of more affordable Sephora fragrances that would fit the bill and for a Vert des Bois/Norne-ish scent, I recall Margiela's Soul of the Forest having a resinous, coniferous feel. Margiela's Across Sands is also a warm and spicy oriental that's not heavy on vanilla like the Tauer. These are less than half the price of a TF (per ml) 🙂

https://www.sephora.com/product/replica-fantasies-soul-the-forest-P414901?skuId=1895291&icid2=produc...

https://www.sephora.com/product/replica-fantasies-soul-the-forest-P414901?skuId=1895291&icid2=produc...

[Vmaster]

@pocketvenus  I will have to try Soul of the Forest and Across Sands. They both sound interesting.

Something more affordable and from Sephora? In that case I will add Je Suis un Homme by Etat Libre d'Orange - a very nice woody spicy. Though it name reads Homme, a lady can wear it with no problem.

[pocketvenus]

@Vmaster, I'd love to try that one! Sephora never carried the entire Etat line. I'm guessing they did not pick up ones they thought wouldn't sell. Of an Etat fragrance that was never available at Sephora, I would pick their chypre, The Afternoon of a Faun, which never clicked with me but I know some people really enjoy it.

[Vmaster]

@pocketvenus It is available at sephora.com but I do not recall seeing it any of their brick an mortar locations. The one I do wish they would pick up is Fat Electrician. It has a horrible name but the notes look just right.

[pocketvenus]

@Vmaster, You're right Sephora still stocks JSUH online and I mistakenly forgot that it did! Fat Electrician is fantastic, imagine a smoky vetiver darkened with bitter myrrh and a generous dollop of vanilla cream stirred in. It's one of my favourites from the house. I don't know why Sephora didn't offer rollerballs of this one.