Scents That Hail Spring
February 2nd, 2007
Spring is still at least two months away in my part of the world but I cannot help but long for it. Every year, about this time, I grow weary of all my heavy woody-spicy-ambery scents and start reaching for lighter, floral compositions. When winter gets fierce, I create spring in my surroundings, to the best of my ability. Today Marina from Perfume-Smellin’ Things and myself are defying winter by dwelling on scents that hail spring. The list below are my ultimate “spring is in the air” fragrances. Each scent is a rendition of a flower (being a lover of iris, it’s listed twice).
Iris Silver Mist by Serge Lutens – chilly, dewy iris.
Diorissimo by Christian Dior – radiant, graceful lily of the valley.
Oeillet Sauvage by L’Artisan Parfumeur – creamy, honeyed carnation.
Apres L’Ondee by Guerlain – sentimental, misty violet.
Rose Ikebana by Hermes – silky, effervescent rose.
En Passant by Frederic Malle – breezy, chalky lilac.
Bois d’Iris by The Different Company – crisp, peppery iris.
Please feel free to share yours!
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18 Comments
1. Judith | February 2nd, 2007 at 7:42 am
Well, some of my list overlaps with yours, and a lot of the rest with Marina’s. On your list and mine:
Diorissimo (esp. parfum)
Apres l’Ondee
En Passant.
Iris Silver Mist
Also
The VPs both old and new.
MH Vetiver Bourbon (I have been craving this lately) and (though this is moving toward summer) TDC Sel de Vetiver.
MPG Iris Bleu Gris
CB Black March, Hermes Parfum des Merveilles, Chanel Gardenia, GD Seve Exquise.
And two I forgot to put on Marina’s blog: JAR Golconda and L’A Orchidee Blanche.
2. Elle | February 2nd, 2007 at 8:01 am
Yep. All of the ones you listed are ideal spring scents for me. The Apres l’Ondee is one, however, I prefer to just have to sniff from the bottle instead of take valuable skin space to wear (life is short). From Judith’s list I’d also add MPG’s IBG, CB Black March and GD Seve Exquise (sob!). I also need CB’s Memory of Kindness and Wild Pansy. And, briefly, PdN’s Eclipse, Un Lys and SIP Persica. Can’t *wait* for spring. For late spring, actually. H*ll, just let me get to summer.
3. newproducts | February 2nd, 2007 at 9:00 am
Lovely list. I won’t repeat my list here, but I’m wearing E Coudray Jacinthe et Rose today, which is very springlike. I feel a little more sprightly wearing it. It also reminds me that I forgot to mention Jacinthe et Bois, which is also very evocative of spring.
4. Marina | February 2nd, 2007 at 9:10 am
Except for En Passant, absolutely love everything on your list. And we have two matches!
5. sara | February 2nd, 2007 at 9:58 am
My favorites for spring are:
La Haie Fleurie
Silences
Chant d’Aromes
Champs-Elysees
Ambra di Venezia
Bois d’Iris
Chamade
6. sara | February 2nd, 2007 at 11:32 am
forgot to add Shiseido’s Koto–lovely lily chypre!
7. violetnoir | February 2nd, 2007 at 11:42 am
To me, nothing says “Spring!” like Jacinthe des Bois.
Hugs!
8. chaya ruchama | February 2nd, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Love your choices [but can't do En Passant]- and like Sara, I’d add Chamade, Chant d’Aromes-
Also, Crepe de Chine, Replique, re-made Rumeur [ for the LOTV note], Apple Blossom [Arden ?], Guerlain’s and Caron’s Muguet, the VP’s, Le Dix.
9. Gaia, the non-blonde | February 2nd, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Goutal’s Grand Amour and Lauren (the classic one) are what my hungry-for-spring nose is telling me right now. Your list is much more cheerful and pretty, that’s for sure.
10. Teri | February 2nd, 2007 at 12:21 pm
mmmmm….aaaaah……how delightful to think of spring. Here in the mountains we’re covered with 7 weeks of lingering snowfall and in the single negative digits temperature-wise today. Flowers and gardens and fresh air and sunlight all seem very far away.
Thanks to your delightful suggestions, I’ve turned my back on the winter scene outside my office window, closed my eyes, and engaged my olfactory memory to conjure up all these lovely florals.
In other words, just what I needed!
11. shifts | February 2nd, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Funny that both you and Marina did this list now. The last week I’ve been craving for the greens and the lemons in my collection really longing for the first day of spring. Also funny that you list En Passant, one I intend to purchase this spring to be that perfect companion. Diorissimo seem to be an obvious choice, but it sure ends up on mine, and so does Iris Silver Mist. Funny thing with ISM is that I’ve never thought of it as a spring fragrance, but now when both of you made think about that Lutens’: It is perfect. Like something dead coming back to life, it posses both coldness and spiring life. Literally down to earth-fragrance, with hands firmly digged into the soil.
Comme des Garçons Lily was my SOTD yesterday. It sure makes me me swoon and almost had me giggle when I was standing in the street listening to confused birds singing their praise to the sun like spring was already upon us.
12. Martha | February 2nd, 2007 at 2:15 pm
I loved reading this, because today I woke up feeling the exact same way. I am a beginner when it comes to many of the scents you write about so beautifully, and checking in here every day has helped me think about what scents I really like and experiment with new ones. I have always been a Caleche and a No. 5 girl, but today I am wearing Rose Ikebana. I feel so validated now that I saw your list!
My very first blog comment ever – YAY! I really enjoy reading what you have to say – thanks!
13. Patty | February 2nd, 2007 at 3:48 pm
I reall like your list. The top of my spring list is always MSN Eva, which reminds me, I need to get another mondo bottle of it, I am OUT!
14. Mike P | February 2nd, 2007 at 7:21 pm
I’m wearing Rose Ikebana to the office today too Martha – heck here in Miami it already feel like spring! Plus nothing compliments a pink polo shirt like a nice fuzzy rose scent.
15. Solander | February 3rd, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Springlike scents are generally not my cup of tea if spring scents mean cool, light, green florals, and I think it does. But here are some I enjoy:
Heeley Fine Leather: The distinct scent of birch sap, some very cool violets and hardly any leather. Very ethereal. This to me is the wistful, melancholic beauty of a chilly spring or early summer evening in a birch grove.
Cumming: A windy spring (or possibly autumn) walk on the moor, in last year’s dry grass, before the leaves have budded, with the scent of damp earth in the air.
CB Black March: more damp earth.
16. Flora | February 3rd, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Well, Diorissimo of course, and Un Lys, which is chilly and perfect though lilies are not Spring flowers. It has the right idea.
Also, the ultimate Spring fragrance for me is the late lamented Jean Patou Vacances, the most perfect evocation of a breezy,fresh morning that one could imagine. If I could afford it I would buy whatever is left of it from anywhere in the world.
17. evilpeony | February 4th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
this post got me thinking of updating my scent wardrobe for spring. thanks ina and marina for planting the idea!
my spring scents (in no order of preference): L by apothia, angeliques sous la pluie, apres l’ondee, capricci, guerlain’s allegoria mentafolia, chasse aux papillion
18. FF | February 5th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Ina, love your choices for spring scents except maybe the Iris Silver Mist which did very bad things to me…..like gave me the feeling of being buried alive in the cold cold earth. … so maybe for those hours between Holy Friday afternoon services and the Paschal liturgy but aside from that???
I do love Ondee in the spring, SL Fleurs d’Oranger, Michael Kors. My new bottle of Antica Farmacista Mediterraneo is going to be a big player also as soon as the springy days roll around.