Autumn Has Arrived!

Can I say just how happy I am that summer is done, well at least it is on the calendar. I have been excitedly looking at my collection and considering the perfumes I can't wait to wear in the cooler weather. I'll be the first to admit this collection is leaning on the sweet side but I have to say when I have to spend 80% of the year in citruses, florals, and other variations on clean it may mean I go crazy on the olfactory overload of rich Autumn scents.

1. Santal Majuscule by Serge Lutens
I have become firmly enthralled by this rosy sandalwood syrup. Sweet and musky with a delicious dollop of sandalwood this scent will be scenting many of my days, I find it melds beautifully, and I love getting wafts of from my clothes. Obvious scarf scent.

2. Wood Violet by Sonoma Scent Studio
This lovely plummy rich violet scent has been calling me recently. I love the combination of roasted plums with violet.

3. Vanille Botanique by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz
Oh the moment I get to wear this sumptuous vanilla outside on a cool day with brisk Autumn wind it is going to be the best.

4. Lolita Lempicka by Lolita Lempicka
Yes, I still have the original bottle from when I was 15 and it still smells amazing. It continues to be the perfect mix of vanilla and anise of me with violets and touches of delicious toasty nutty tonka bean. I especially adore wearing this in October around Halloween.

5. Ambre Nue by Atelier Cologne
I really like this juicy chewy amber. The opening of tart delicious mandarins always catches me followed earthier peppier middle with marigold and orchid. I consider this the grown-up version of BBW's Sensual Amber. It is of that school of fruity smooth ambers that are so popular but thankfully it uses more interesting notes and pepper keeps it from being saccharine.

6. Tudor Rose and Amber by Jo Malone
I love this wine-y rose and amber combo. The opening of spices and rose evokes mulled wine the edition of amber and patchouli make it a bit thorn edged.

7. Elie Saab Le Parfum Eau de Parfum Intense by Elie Saab
The original Elie Saab is a favorite spring scent for me with its bright almost neon orange blossom notes. The Intense version is deliciously honeyed and with hints of dried apricots and a base of amber.

8. Nirvana Black by Elizabeth and James
A simple and easy mix of violet, sandalwood, and vanilla a perfect work day scent for me. Its soothing and makes me feel warm without being stiffled.

9. Narciso Rodriguez For Her L'Absolu by Narcisco Rodriguez
I don't usually care for the variations on the original Narciso Rodriguez scent and stick to the original edt. The scents that came after have never really worked on me, but L'Absolu is a different story. It is a powdered richer scent, the woods have been amped up creating incense-like quality in the scent. An ample plum has been added and the osmanthus and orange blossom have been replaced with a rich tuberose, this is without a doubt for me the Autumn/Winter variation on NR edt. At times I am a little bit reminded of Nicolai Parfumeur Createur's Sacrebleu, another Autumn fruit tuberose scent on a bed of woods which has at times reminded others of the ultimate name in intense fruity tuberoses, Poison by Dior. Yet, L'Absolu is not baroque like the previous mentioned scents, it is clearly modern but does have familial to those scents. On the other hand most definitely do not wear this in hot weather.

10. Fifi Chachnil edt and edp by Fifi Chachnil
I am lucky to have in my hands two decently large decants of this perfect femme tobacco scent. This for me is one of the great losses of the perfume world in its discontinuation. From the awesome use of coriander in the opening to the entwining of pink rose, tonka, and delicious tobacco it was a pretty genius blend that got the tobacco note trend before anyone else did.

"Amelia" by Erica Rose Levine

Easy on the Senses: Perfumes For When You Just Want White Noise

I think my relationship with perfumes in the winter is a bit like my relationship with holiday foods. By the time January rolls around I am wanting hot, bitter, sour, and brothy foods that scream this is vitality. I find these comforting but at the same time they are utterly the opposite of the rich dense foods that start in November and end December. While I wouldn't describe them as white noise they do offer the wake-up call that my tongue very much needs after all the butter and cream.

When January rolls around I suddenly crave white noise scents. I am needing a break from the dense spices, ambers, and uber-amped scents that go great with a a holiday mood but when work and soothing come into the picture are just too much. I like to call these scents white noise scents, many would categorize them as comforting, but for me they provide the perfect veil of scent without being intrusive like white noise they keep the discordant out but allow you to focus.

Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black oil, the perfect soothing blend of sandalwood and vanilla with a dash of violet. I am frequently reminded of Tam Dao when I where this but the vanilla and violet add just a hint more creaminess. This scent is so easy and blends easily with your day.

Auric Blends Egyptian Goddess, one of the best Egyptian musks out there, and provides you with an easy clean lovely musk.

Trussardi Jeans: rainwater, violets, irises, heliotrope, and almonds all on a layer of creamy grains. A cool and warm and effect that is instantly soothing.

Ted Lapidus Silk Way, a musky light heliotrope incense with hints of cedar.

image: Liminal Moment by Bobbette Rose via alyzenmoonshadow.com