Comfort Scents
January 26th, 2007
The end of a busy week leaves me reaching for comfort in everything, and perfume is no exception (when is it?) This made me wonder what scents I find comforting and why. In food, I’m more likely to reach for salty comfort foods than sweets. Likewise in perfume, I don’t need cuddly, vanilla based, “blankets in a bottle”, so to speak. What helps me keep my head above the water is some herbal-incense-woody concoction.
My comfort scent of choice lately has been Messe de Minuit by Etro. Inspired by a Catholic mass, it’s a brooding medley of incense, spicy, and woody notes. To me, the scent is akin to finding yourself in your grandmother’s attic and stumbling upon an old, dust covered chest, filled with long-forgotten family treasures. Nothing is more comforting than a healthy dose of mustiness, mold, dust, and old wood. Messe de Minuit’s notes: orange, bergamot, mandarin, labdanum, incense, myrrh, cinnamon, patchouli, honey, amber, musk.
Other comfort scents I enjoy:
Piper Nigrum by Lorenzo Villoresi
Bois d’Armenie by Guerlain
Bois d’Argent by Christian Dior
L’Air de Rien by Miller Harris
Bois d’Encens by Giorgio Armani
Eau Noire by Christian Dior
Angelique Encens by Creed
L’Eau du Navigateur by L’Artisan Parfumeur
What are you favorite comfort scents?
Entry Filed under: Perfume Reviews, This and That
28 Comments Add your own
1. Leopolod | January 26th, 2007 at 3:51 am
Messe de Minuit is as far away from a comfort scent for me as it’s possible to imagine. Every time I smell it I think of all the damp problems and black mould I’ve dealt with and it makes me tense…
I’m with you on the Diors though, and AE, though I’ve not yet smelled either the Armani or the Guerlain Bois (much to my chagrin). Piper Nigrum however is another scent which gives me the collywobbles.
Annick Menardo, though probably in your vanilla comfort blanket category, seems to make the stuff that I find comforting - like Jaïpur pour homme and Body Kouros - no brainer, snuggle down numbers.
2. newproducts | January 26th, 2007 at 8:11 am
Wearing POTL yesterday, I found it to be very comforting. I swapped away my decant of Angelique Encens and may have to replace it, as I think it would be a perfect comfort scent. I am ashamed to say I *still* have not tried Messe de Minuit. Must correct that sometime.
3. sara | January 26th, 2007 at 8:31 am
My favorite comfort scents are Angelique Encens, Mitsouko, L’Heure Bleue (this doubles as a “wallowing” scent too!), Les Nereides Oppoponax, Tam Dao. I have not tried several of the scents on your list but your recommendation has spurred me to do so. Cheers, Sara
4. Elle | January 26th, 2007 at 8:46 am
My fav comfort scents are vintage. I have this mental image of a Richard Neutra house in the 50s or 60s along the California coastline or an apt. in London in the 60s w/ fab, mod colors and furniture. The reality of that world undoubtedly was full of flaws, but in my mind it’s very safe, very comforting (I’m wierd, but good modern design is extremely comforting to me). When I wear vintage scents (even if they’re technically from a much earlier period) I inevitably feel I’m in that imaginary, well ordered world and I’m much happier. Scents that remind me of the Middle East are also extremely comforting to me. That’s actually something I know well and adore.
5. Judith | January 26th, 2007 at 9:08 am
I agree about many of these scents. I have recently been augmenting the Messe with Yatagan, Marina-style, and I love it! Angelique Encens, Bois d’armenie, and Bois d’Encens, definitely. The new JS incense. The ambres Narguile and Russe. Encens et Lavande. Soir d’Orient. And Jicky. Jicky is a real comfort scent for me.
6. March | January 26th, 2007 at 9:55 am
You guys are killing me with the JS. Where’s my sample?! Waah!
For sheer comfort I like some of the softer things I think you hate — like a couple of those Kenzos. BdeE for sure. My wee decant of MW Incense. I’ve been on a saffron kick lately… Chaos. Gaultier2 I find oddly comforting. Passage d’Enfer… weirdly, Guerlain mostly doesn’t “comfort” me.
7. Tigs | January 26th, 2007 at 10:48 am
I tried Talisman yesterday and it worked quite well as a kind of no-brainer scent - Rumba is similar, but with more depth. Unlike you, I do tend to equate comfort with sweet - vanilla and amber - as well as incense types, so the usuals are Tocade, Habit Rouge, Ambra del Nepal, Asja, Eau Noire, Bois des Iles, etc. I own Kashaya (which almost works better as a room spray) and like a number of the other Kenzo scents for comfort. If I need cheering as well as comforting, I wear Pamplelune, since I am the only person on earth who does not get cat pee - it is sunshine in a bottle. And then, fitting no categories: Chene, which is welcome anytime, and Moods Uomo by Krizia, which smells like Brylcreem.
8. chaya ruchama | January 26th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Those are great choices !
I’ve been swaddling myself in all the Ambers, Cuir Ottoman, Pliska, Vanisia, AE, Tabarome, Habanita, L’Air du Desert, KenzoAmour [thanks, March !], Black Cashmere, Shalimar, and Guet-Apens I can manage.
Well worth the mention are some Ava-Luxes I tried [and bought- they’re that good, and the prices are terrific]-
Madame X- labdanum and leather, but the drydown is amazing, buttery and suedelike, lasts forever [close to the skin]
Midnight Violet- Wowzer !
Very, very dark, smoky, sylvan, subterranean night in the woods. Me likeee !
Royal Parvati- all kinds of woods, resins, incense, with orris and ambergris…first, it’s tangy, then it is irresistible.
What’s nice about these, is that they’re available [most of them] as EDP, perfume oil, or extrait- and they come in various sizes, so you can have 5 mls, or 10 mls.
[You are always so generous with your finds, I wanted to share, too]
Kisses and very warm hugs to all…
9. tmp00 | January 26th, 2007 at 11:13 am
l’Antimatiere is one of the new ones that I’m finding very comfort scenty- like wearing your boyfriends cashere sweater.
I find the dust library l’Air du Rein very comforting as well, as I do Borneo 1834’s mentholated mustiness.
Being strange, I find MKK very comforting.
10. violetnoir | January 26th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Ina, now I know we have nothing in common, lol! When I need comforting, I go for the ice cream and cake.
And, when I want to be comforted by a fragrance, well Attrape Coeur or something that feels like a rich boozy bread pudding would fit the bill.
Hugs!
11. CindyN | January 26th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
My fall comfort scents become either gourmand or gourmand-lie(Vaniglia de Matagascar, Ambra del Nepal, Blue Agava, Escada Collection) or woods (Wenge, Ciste, Tam Dao, 10CC, Feminiite de Bois)
12. benvenuta | January 26th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Lovely article!
My comfort scents are Omnia, Parfum Sacre, Nuit de Noel, Cabaret, Organza Indecence… Less predictable ones are The Healing Garden Green Tea and some of my happy florals - La Chasse always makes me feel that all is right with the world.
13. SniffQ | January 27th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
Messe de Minuit as comfort scent is a real surprise. My comfort scents are also woody, but I like amber in the winter. There is a real surprise in my comfort scents, L’Occitane has a men’s fragrance called ummm, Les Bois, I think, that really works for me in the comfort/spice range, although I’m not a guy. Then there is Amandes Oriental by Montale. And my top comfort scent is my winter favorite, SL’s Arabie. But I’m already thinking of Spring, and wondering what Maharinih is like. . .
–q
www.quinncreative.com
14. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Leo, I haven’t smelled Jaipur Pour Homme yet. Great suggestion! As for mold/mould, I can only take a little. I’ve always loved the smell of cellars/basements.
15. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Minsun, never too late!
16. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Sara, LN Opopanax is awesome!
17. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Elle, how fascinating!
18. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Judith, totally agree on Encens et Lavande and Jicky! Very comforting spicy-woodsy lavender.
19. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
March, Gaultier 2 is indeed comforting. It smells like a city to me.
20. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Tigs, fascinating list! I haven’t tried Kashaya and that Krizia scent.
21. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Chaya, I could easily adopt your list! As for Ava Luxe scents, none worked for me, sadly.
22. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Tom, MKK is awesome for any time! I’m so madly in love with it now.
23. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Robin, I do agree with you on Attrape Coeur!
24. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Cindy, what a lovely list!
25. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Benvenuta, Nuit de Noel is indeed comforting, and La Chasse is such a happy scent!
26. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
SniffQ, I’m wondering right there with you! Love some Nicolai scents, and this one sounds potentially good. Arabie is great for comfort.
27. Nez | January 29th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
L’Antimatiere , Jasmin de Nuit , Or Des Indes, Spring Flowers, Nuit de Noel.
28. Ina | January 29th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Nez, love your list! Jasmin de Nuit is beautiful.
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