If your fragrance feels too heavy for summer, try a perfume oil or this celebrity spritz

2 months ago 15

A change of season is always a great time to update your perfume collection and refresh some classics that never get old.

Chanel No. 22 Les Exclusifs de Chanel EDP ($715 for 200ml) is one of those, a scent I return to time after time as it reminds me of my sons’ freshly washed hair when they were little. The scent was created in 1922 by perfumer Ernest Beaux for Gabrielle Chanel, the aldehydes adding impact and oomph to the heady notes of tuberose.

Always shop for perfume in the morning, when your sense of smell is at its most acute, and don’t rule out anything, even those that sound unappealing, until you’ve smelled them.

While we are on the oldies but goodies, Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion EDP ($369 for 100ml) captures the heady scent of gardenias fresh from the garden after a rain shower. Goutal, who died in 1999, once described this perfume to me as “an intimate secret only revealed to those who are extremely close to you”.

If it’s newness you are after, Phlur Rose Whip EDP ($171 for 50ml) is rosy, with spicy notes of pink pepper and leather combined with blackcurrant, osmanthus, amber and musk. The leathery base, and sexy black bottle make this a perfect choice for people who aren’t fans of overly “sweet” floral scents – give it a try, you might become a rose convert.

For a cult offering, try Antonia’s Flowers Tiempe Passate EDP ($225 for 60ml), a musky floral with notes of amber, clementine, cedarwood, bergamot and rose (and the old-fashioned stopper makes application a special occasion). Another keeper for both boys and girls is Amouage Attars Rose Aqor Perfume Oil ($879 for 12ml), which mixes rose with frankincense and sandalwood.

Minis are essential for travel and our touring loves for this summer include Kai Perfume Oil ($93 for 4ml), the small vial and roll-on applicator making it a perfect holiday companion. We also love Victoria Beckham Travel Portofino ’97 EDP ($98 for 10ml), a clever unisex scent based on notes of bergamot, amber and vetiver, again packaged in a chic, slim tube you can whip out poolside for a touch-up spritz.

When you’re on the hunt for a new fragrance, sniff a maximum of three at each sitting – any more and your nose will go into meltdown. Always shop for perfume in the morning, when your sense of smell is at its most acute, and don’t rule out anything, even those that sound unappealing, until you’ve smelled them.

To help fragrances stay fresh, keep them out of direct sunlight. Apply after you shower but before you get dressed, so the scent can permeate your clothes. When applying, hold the bottle as close to your skin as possible to avoid wastage, and spray a little on the palms of your hands so you get the benefit as well as those around you. Lastly, don’t rub your wrists together as it crushes the delicate scent molecules.

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