Thursday, July 24, 2014

Humidity and What Scents I am Using to Survive It

Bay Area summers are dry and arid, except suddenly it has not been, it has remained warm but suddenly we have humidity. Real humidity, the sort that people from back east say reminds them of home. We have yet to get to the extremes of humidity, thankfully, but this different heat has definitely required approaching different fragrances. Currently surviving the humidity has required these fragrances.

-Hermes Osmanthe Yunnan, osmanthus has always bloomed in the heat, but give it a little humidity and you hit the jackpot of this scent blooming. The balminess of the petals come out. I actually used up my decant of Osmanthe Yunnan this week. Also excellent is Parfum d'Empire's Osmanthus Interdite.
-Atelier Cologne's Grand Neroli, a great cologne in the mugginess, the neroli scent fresh and dry, and beautifully accentuated by cedar and oakmoss with just a drop of vanilla to smooth it out. I suspect I will also be finishing up my bottle due to this humidity.
-Annick Goutal Les Nuits d'Hadrien, I admit I enjoy spritzing this most at night, the cooling notes of basil and cypress making sleep a little bit easier. A great spritzer on my sheets right before bed.
-Diptyque Eau Moheli, a supremely pretty ylang ylang cologne accented by a refreshing ginger. Great after a shower.
-Marc Jacobs Blush, a clean effusive peachy spiced jasmine. Every time I spritz it I think of a peach oolong gin and tonic.
-The original Ivoire de Balmain, a dry citrus chypre floral that will not take guff from the humidity. Makes me like I am wearing light crisp linen.
-Miller Harris's Figue Amere, the perfect bitter fig amaro. Salty and herbal and just right for surviving summer but especially great on balmy summer days.

Image by Alexandra Valenti

5 comments:

ghoulnexdoor said...

Oh, man. I live in FL which is some of the swampiest humidity one can encounter, I think. We are all frizzy haired messes breathing in hot soup from about April through November. Still, I love this weird old state, swamplandia or no.

The Grand Neroli sounds lovely - I will definitely try to sample that! My favorite scent for hot, soupy climes is CdG Incense Series 'Kyoto'. I think it smells like a quiet, meditative prayer in a dark, cool, forest temple.

Unknown said...

Okay, now I feel like a whiny Californian talking about humidity :-).

Now there is an incense I have meant to sample for years. Well that is going on the list. I love hinoki notes, find them them so peaceful and cooling. Which demands that I recommend this to you, yes, it is a bubblebath, but soothing meditation it is. http://www.eoproducts.com/Products/Hinoki-and-Ginger-Bubble-Bath-12-oz__636874030272.aspx

ghoulnexdoor said...

That bubble bath sounds so nice! Will have to search some out :)

Might I propose a wee swampy summer swap? If you can spare a bit of Grand Neroli, I'd be happy to send you some Kyoto (or any of the others) for it! What do you think?

Unknown said...

Lets do the wee swampy summer swap, I am definitely thinking of a few more I would like to send you :-).
Jen

ghoulnexdoor said...

Excellent! Sent you my contact deets through MUA :D