Ho, ho, ho…

For the holiday season I recommend warm, spicy and – for those who like it – gourmand scents. In winter we share more time at home with our family and friends, we like it warm and cozy and that’s what a perfume can emphasize.

Are you looking for a special present? Here we go!

For her…

Hermès: Ambre Narguilé
The French term ‘narguilé’ means water pipe. We get a mix of apple tobacco and winter spices like clove and cinnamon with wonderfully deep amber. The result smells like warm apple pie and surrounds you like a woolen cloud.

Ormonde Jayne: Tolu
A very unique and dark perfume built around tolu resin. Sensual, powdery, ambery, oriental. So sophisticated!

Parfumerie Générale: Praliné de Santal
A very tasty composition, you better be careful, they might try to eat you like a cookie. Praliné de Santal smells like nougat until it settles on a woody base. As a side effect you want to eat chocolate. Thank God it’s Christmas and the house is full of sweets!

Olfactive Studio: Chambre Noire
This leather scent was just launched by the new French niche perfume house Olfactive Studio. It is an elegant, feminine evening scent and the mix of leather, incense, jasmine, plum and oriental notes is absolutely stunning!

Farmacia SS. Annunziata dal 1561: Cara
To put it in a nutshell: Cara smells exactly like Turron, the traditional Mediterranean Christmas dessert. A delicate, soft and powdery almond scent, that I prefer to wear just for myself. It feels amazing to lay down on the sofa with a blanket, surrounded by Cara, just doing nothing.

For him…

L’Artisan Parfumeur: Méchant Loup
Méchant Loup (Bad Wolf) is the best choice for a men’s winter tale. Hazelnut, cedar, honey and oak moss make a semi-gourmand fragrance, which is warm but at the same time very virile. Little Red Riding Hood would have been impressed. Delicious!

Yves Saint Laurent: M7
M7 was the first men’s fragrance by Yves Saint Laurent under the art direction of Tom Ford, at a time when aoud wasn’t yet used too frequently by the perfume industry. Alberto Morillas created this highly alluring elixir. For me it is one of the most wearable aoud scents on the market. Sensual, woody and perfect for cold weather. Wear it under your shirt and soft clouds will escape when you dance around the Christmas tree.

Tom Ford: Tobacco Vanille
One of the best tobacco scents ever. No need to say more, bravo Tom Ford!

Lubin: Itasca
A very unique vetiver scent with a really interesting development. A fresh opening with juniper berries and neroli leads us into the deep American forest, to the Mississippi and into the Lake Itasca. Fresh geranium leaves in the heart, red pine and amber in the base – gorgeous.

Comme des Garçons: 2
No winter without incense. 2 was created by Mark Buxton and is one of the most beautiful scents I know. It always fascinates me again with its incense-inky-floral attitude. Very unique and alluring on a men’s chest in winter. Rather intense but without being offensive.

And now I wish you all a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy the snow or the sun – wherever you are. I want to finish this article with the words of Maya Agelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Make everyone feel happy!

Photo: via Cold Rockin

Pierre Guillaume is one of my favorite perfumers. I love the signature of his perfumes and think that he is a modern genius of perfumery.

In summer I love to wear his No. 16 – Jardins de Kerylos. Time of the figs! A lot of perfume houses have launched fig scents as many people love the scent of this sexy fruit with its milky and sweet yet tart, green flavor. But Jardins de Kerylos is one of my favorites next to the limited edition Bois naufragé, the second fig scent by Parfumerie Générale.

What makes Jardins de Kerylos so special? Well, of all the fig scents I have tested, it is the most pure fig ever. It’s green, light and reminds you of grass. This makes it absolutely remarkable. Sometimes Jardins de Kerylos smells like the white flesh of a Granny Smith apple under the peel but it is more this sweet-and-sour aspect than the smell of apple. Do you know how cut up leaves smell like, or the branches of a fig tree, the moist wood inside, the grass beside the tree? Put all these impressions together and you get Jardins de Kerylos.

During our vacation in Spain we had a fig tree in the garden and there was no bigger pleasure than picking fresh green figs from the tree and cutting them in two halves. The bright red color inside is so unbelievably beautiful that I am always deeply impressed. The smell of a fresh fig is one of my favorite smells ever. It smells like a perfume! My friends know and love my pasta with fresh figs. And sitting in the green grass in the shadow of a fig tree is a perfect moment. Jardins de Kerylos captures this moment brilliantly.

Category: unisex

Perfumer: Pierre Guillaume

Year: 2006

Notes: fig, grass, sycamore wood, musk

www.parfumerie-generale.com

As I have already mentioned, summer in Berlin treats us very shabbily this year. So, I hope I didn’t choose too many beachy scents, but I am dreaming of the ocean these days more than ever. Have fun, here are my favorite summer scents in no specific order, some new releases, some old companions… treat my friends well.

Parfumerie Générale: PG 25 Indochine
The autobiographical novel The Lover by Marguerite Duras is one of my favorite books, Indochine with Catherine Deneuve is one of my favorite movies. I love the atmosphere in this magic country with the mixture of Asian and French culture and I was very delighted when I heard that Pierre will introduce a perfume about Indochine. He was inspired by some sepia pictures of the 1920s and Indochine pays homage to the wonderful landscapes around the river Mekong with this special humidity and light. Benzoin is the central element of this scent, sweet and resinous. In combination with vanilla, pepper, cardamom, Tanakha wood and honey, he created an amazing – and let’s say typical Pierre Guillaume – scent. Soft, seductive, warm and spicy. Insanely good! This one must be gorgeous on a man’s skin, but of course it is unisex. I recommend it for warm summer nights after the rain with the smell of warm earth. Then, the weather is perfect for wearing Indochine. You definitely need some humidity to really feel the soul of this perfume. And maybe you should watch one of the movies before you try it out – either The Lover or Indochine.

Van Cleef & Arpels Collection Extraordinaire: Precious Oud
The inflationary use of oud during the last years has bored me to death. But: in the jungle of new oud scents Precious Oud is a pearl. The moments when I smell a new release and I am really impressed are rare. Precious Oud is a floral oud, which reminds me a little bit of Tom Ford’s Black Orchid without coconut, chocolate and all this stuff, which was discussed around the blogosphere as ‘a man’s crotch’ note. The combination of oud with bergamot, jasmine, tuberose and pink petter is the amazing strike of Amandine Marie. Precious Oud is very intriguing and very feminine. Other notes are pink pepper, vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, amber and incense. For hot summer nights and sunny summer mornings. Makes me feel absolutely fabulous. A must-try.

Atelier Cologne: Orange Sanguine
What would summer be without the perfect citrus scent? I love the tingly feeling that seems to put a little blush in your cheeks and makes you smile. Yay!! Orange Sanguine, the French term for blood orange, is my favorite of the Atelier Cologne line. Smelling it, I can feel the sun kissing my skin, the heat, the ocean, sweet idleness, cafe con leche, fresh fruits, an outdoor breakfast. Orange Sanguine is bitter-sweet with a geranium kick and a surprisingly oriental base. Want, want, want it… The perfumer behind this wonderful elixir is no other than Ralf Schwieger, who has also composed the legendary Lipstick Rose for Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, one of my favorite rose perfumes.

L’Erbolario: Citrus
Another citrus scent, this time around is pink grapefruit. I found this little Italian brand in a small store in Berlin and I adore the whole line which is very well-priced and based on natural ingredients. Citrus is wonderfully refreshing and lasts very well. It is the kind of scent you can always use when it’s hot outside. The kind of scent you should always wear in your handbag. A summer elixir with pink grapefruit, tangerine, neroli, lemon, yuzu and rose wood – just to name a few of the many ingredients. I cherish it and just can’t get enough!

Meo Fusciuni: Shukran
During Berlin Fashion Week, I met the Italian perfumer Giuseppe Imprezzabile from Meo Fusciuni. Together with Daria Stuefer he has created three perfumes with natural ingredients that are inspired by travel memories: Istanbul, Sicily and Morocco. Shukran is my dearest although I love all of them. It smells like Moroccan mint tea mixed with notes of tobacco. It reflects the idea of tea being fresh and warm at the same time. A subtle oriental scent for summer time, best for evenings. Not too heavy, not too fresh, very mild and calming. And one of the best Moroccan mint tea interpretations I know – you know there are many!

Heeley: Hippie Rose
It seems as if there are more festivals than ever this year. It’s a trend, also in fashion. The magazines are full of festival fashion and there is no better scent for this look, I am addicted to it. James Heeley shows us a new facet. Very laid-back, very cool, very Rock’n’Roll and at the same time sophisticated and gorgeous. I have already written about Hippie Rose, so no need to say more than that it’s the perfect combination of rose and patchouli. I get a lot of compliments for this perfume – best proof. There are many scents featuring rose and patchouli, but this one is unique.

Jacques Zolty: Lily Beach
Lilies smell intoxicating and seductive, but sometimes too strong. Lily Beach presents lilies in a light version: beautiful girls at the beach, shimmering sand, sparkling champagne, a breeze of the ocean – but without the typical marine accord – mixed with suntan lotion on warm skin. Perfect for the holidays, island feeling. A little bit musky in the drydown, delicious and fresh!

Parfums d’Orsay: Tilleul
My sister has recommended this scent to me. She went to university in Paris and loves everything about French style and savoir vivre. Tilleul is very French if you like. I don’t know how to explain, but it triggers something from my childhood memories. Tilleul is tart, a little bit soapy, a little bit creamy, very clean and cool with a soft honey note – it smells like real linden blossoms. Beautiful, kind of old-school, outstanding. I like to wear this one for myself. It is very peaceful. Now, I have already two wonderful linden perfumes, no wonder am I living close to the famous boulevard Unter den Linden (under the linden trees) in Berlin. My other favorite is Lindenblossom by April Aromatics, which I have already reviewed.

Smell Bent: St. Tropez Dispenser
Have you ever been to St. Tropez? I spent a lot of summers at the Côte d’Azur and I have always admired the sophisticated French girls looking so beautiful at the beach. St. Tropez Dispenser catches this attitude with jasmine, coconut, aloe vera and vintage musk. I like Smell Bent very much, which is a funny take on perfume. And I love St. Tropez Dispenser, which is a really good jasmine scent. No cliché beach flavor and the name says it all: St. Tropez in a dispenser.

Comptoir Sud Pacifique: Aqua Motu
Last but not least, something quite ordinary I found years ago at Galeries Lafayette: Aqua Motu by Comptoir Sud Pacifique. I don’t like the current bottle, they have changed the package design. But I love what’s inside this ugly flacon: summer, ocean, salt water, warm sand and a hint of vanilla. I do not lie, this perfume is the one I have gotten the most compliments for ever! Aqua Motu makes you feel so fresh due to the ozone note. Somebody compared it to Fire Island by Bond No. 9, but I would never wear Fire Island because it smells heavy like suntan lotion. Aqua Motu is light and clean, a little bit artificial but I adore it. Now you know my summer secret.

My favorite fragrance of my ‘Top 10 list for summer’ is Jardins de Kerylos, the N°16 by Parfumerie Générale, a wonderful fig scent. Now Pierre Guillaume has created another gorgeous fig elixir – Bois Naufragé, the French term for driftwood. And I can’t tell you which one I love more. Bois Naufragé is from the Limited Edition series, so you should get one before it is sold out. The perfume is marvelous!

Due to the fact that Pierre is a visual person his inspiration for this fragrance was the photograph “Nu au bois flotté“ by Lucien Clergues, the body of a naked woman on a huge piece of driftwood – skin, sun and wood.

A tart fig note, slightly woody, dominates the opening so it is not overly sweet. It’s like cutting a fig into two halves. What I don’t like about fig scents is that they can be a little bit sour sometimes. This doesn’t smell sour at all.

You get fruit in the opening, leaves in the middle and wood in the base. Just perfectly balanced. It’s special that Fleur de Sel is present at all different stages. The scent is salty and at the same time warm and soft and I just can’t get enough of it. As you probably know driftwood doesn’t smell just woody, it has something dry and smells like the ocean that has washed it into the water and back onto the shore.

A friend of mine told me that the perfume smells like Paris and without question it is very French. There is always room for a better fig – and this one is the best fig fragrance I have ever smelled. And now, run!

Category: unisex

Perfumer: Pierre Guillaume

Year: 2010

Notes: fig, carob tree, Fleur de Sel, ambergris

www.parfumerie-generale.com

I have an indescribable desire for the ocean. When I was a child there was nothing more beautiful than seeing the dazzling sea after a long journey. There are perfumes that reveal exactly what you are longing for. The ocean is an inspiration for a lot of scents that I would like to introduce to you. Here the first five oceans in a bottle.

Profumi del Forte: Tirrenico
Tirrenico is the Italian name for the Tyrrhenian Sea with its rocky coastal landscape. The smell of wet algae on sun-drenched rocks mixed with a cool, salty sea breeze. Tirrenico is one of the most beautiful perfumes that were inspired by the ocean – a wild beauty with windswept hair. The scent is made of highest quality ingredients and leaves a soft shimmer on your skin. Perfect for hot summer days.

Micallef: Black Sea
Black Sea is an alluring, warm and pleasantly aromatic scent, a metaphor for the goods that are transported over the ocean. Aboard the ship noble treasures like saffron, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, sandalwood, guaiac wood and cedar wood. In combination with a salty sea breeze, cypresses and a wonderful leather note. Originally created as a men’s perfume I fell in love with Black Sea on ‘first smell’. The scent is dark and soft like the silent ocean on a balmy summer night. Do you remember the R.E.M. song Nightswimming? If not click here – it’s so beautiful!

CB I hate perfume: At the beach 1966
At the beach 1966 is a flashback to the beach of childhood vacations, Christopher Brosius’ childhood, I suppose. 1966 was before my time. I don’t know the smell of 1960s Coppertone sunscreen but the sunscreen of my childhood seems to smell alike – the German Delial sun lotion. I love At the beach 1966 because it evokes images of sandcastles, seashells and the ocean – nearly endless days. In the evening we were the last ones at the beach and went directly to dinner – tired and hungry from the wind and sun, our shoes full of sand, skin and hair sticky from salt water and sunscreen. I want to thank Christopher Brosius for bringing back these memories.

Parfumerie Générale: Harmatan Noir N°11
Harmatan Noir is named after a hot, dry wind in Africa, that blows large amounts of dust from the Sahara over the Atlantic Ocean. This elixir is a dry, yet fresh greeting from the desert. The perfume reminds me of freshly brewed mint tea with green tea and lemon like they serve it in the Maghreb – but with a light menthol note. Jasmine, patchouli and woody notes give a certain depth to the scent. Harmatan Noir is the starry sky above the ocean – cool, spicy and refreshing with a hint of sand. Merci Pierre, it’s wonderful!

Montale: Sandflowers
Sandflowers is one of my personal favorites. It smells like holidays and you can recall summer in a split-second. If you close your eyes you can even smell the warm sand. Calone, juniper berries and mint reveal a fresh yet spicy sea breeze. Sandalwood gives a touch of sweetness and oak moss a contrasting coolness. When I went to a bar during wintertime the waitress was completely confused… she asked me what I was wearing because for her it suddenly smelled like summer even though there was snow falling outside the window.