Now the summer is almost over, which perfume did you wear the most in the past two months?
Which perfume turned out – expectedly or surprisingly – to be your favorite?
What scent stands for your Summer of ’11?
My Answer:
Unexpectedly I turned most often to Lostmarc’h this summer. Ael-Mat was my floral-salty surprise of the season. I love its unique smell of chamomile and jasmine and the ocean breeze it carries with it. The refreshing citrus-green-incense combo of Maison Martin Margiela untitled l’eau got a lot of use as well, it is the perfect “don’t think about it and go” summer scent.
More expectedly I used a lot of Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess and enjoyed the freshness of Hermès Pamplemousse Rose and Un Jardin Sur Le Nil. For evenings I turned to Parfums d’Orsay L’Intrigante and Penhaligon’s Amaranthine. In the last few weeks By Kilian grew into a new obsession: Prelude To Love for daytime and Back To Black for evenings.
Can’t wait to hear about yours…
Olfactoria's Travels 
Oh, the summer, couldn’t we just keep it here for longer ? I hate winter…
I’m sooo boring, I had nothing new for this summer – for me it was all about Blenheim Bouquet (Penhaligon’s), Mulholland (Keiko Mecheri) and Un Jardin en Mediterranee (Hermes).
I’m still curious about Mulholland (mostly for the name, to be truthful, I once got really lost in the Hollywood Hills), but you are not boring at all, your choices are lovely. 🙂
From the name Mulholland I instantly associate to David Lynch utterly dark film “Mulholland drive” – the scent is all but the opposite : cheery warm citrus with amber – amazingly long lasting. Unfortunately in Europe it costs an arm & a leg, it should be purchased in the US.
I want to go lost in the Hollywood Hills as well.. 🙂
Sounds a lot like Mona di Orio Lux, do you know that? Must try it sometime when in the US.
Aqua Allegoria – Herba Fresca by Guerlain. So refreshing!
Ah, that is a good one, like sitting in the grass and a stiff breeze is blowing, lovely!
Yep! It’s been really hard finding a perfect one ’cause I usually hate citrusy notes which are very common in those kind of fragrances…
That is true, a citrus free summer scent is hard to find.
Dear b my summer was due to your blog scentwise very sirprising I discovered narcisco rodriguez limited edition for him, as well as many pg scents for me
Querelle is my absolute favourite right now, maybe not really a summer scent, but it left me broke but happy:-)
I’ve actually used quite a lot of Kenzo Power, a light, powdery cologne with a mineral tang, and a concoction of my own which is based on Orange Essence from Brazil- it’s the eo made from orange juice, not peel! Very appropriate for Florida. I only wear the heavier scents at night here, it’s just too hot and humid otherwise, so I’m beginning to understand the reasons the Asian market is so different in its preferences, and why they like it light light light!
Orange juice essential oil sounds very yummy, a perfect Floridian scent, I’d say! 🙂 The climate sure has major impact on fragrance choices, I am really glad I live in a place with seasons…
I started perfumistaship (?) at the beginning of summer, and my favorite (and most worn) changed all the time, as I sampled and sampled more perfumes! The first half of summer was all about Un Jardin sur le Nil, Un Jardin en Méditerranée and Ninféo Mio. Then the second half was dedicated to Frédéric Malle En Passant and Annick Goutal Eau de Camille. I ordered a bottle of the former and really want a bottle of the latter. I also wore Hermès Hiris a lot, and had I discovered L’Artisan Thé pour un Été earlier, it might have become a favorite too… Now I’m looking forward to transitioning to fall scents!
The Hermes Jardins and En Passant were among my very first perfume loves as well. 🙂 But I always think the real fun with perfume begins in the fall, when all the dark beauties come out of the closet… 😉 I look forward to it getting cool enough every year!
Oh! Can I talk about the summer scents I’m dying to get back to, now that the spring has arrived where I live?! I have been getting them out of hibernation in various boxes and drawers:
Chanel No 19 EDT (I wear the EDT in the summer and EDP in the winter)
Chamade EDP and EDT
Diorella
Philosykos
Dior’s Granville
Jardins: Nil and Mediterranee, and I’m really keen to try Toit
Kenzo’s Eau de Fleurs de Magnolia
Eau de Givenchy (weather has to be REALLY hot for this)
4711 (likewise)
Olympic Orchids A Midsummer Day’s Dream
White Linen (the original)
Bel Respiro
31 Rue Cambon
Tauer’s Reverie au Jardin
Caron’s Infini
Puredistance Antonia – a sample dee sent
Dune – how will this wear in the heat I wonder? Some people say it is divine.
Cristalle EDT – just bought a 19 ml mini
And I might finally get around to trying some Nicolais – Le Temps d’une Fete and Deauville
Yikes, quite a list. I do already own most of these. You would think they would be enough wouldn’t you? We’ll see. Thanks for listening. Y’all must be sick of summer scents by now.
Sure you can! 🙂 A great list, Annemarie! I am glad when summer is over now, I have had it with the heat.
Bronze Goddess, Un Jardin Sur Le Nil, Pamplemousse Rose, and Amaranthine are all summer faves of mine too! I have also been enjoying Chanel No. 22 and Bois des Iles parfums… they really bloom in the heat.
Hmmm, Bois des Iles in parfum, I dream of that… We share many favorites, Katherine! 🙂
Mine was this summer Musc Nomade which I re-discovered it last month during an extreme day (38 C) . It smell like tanned hot skin under the sun on a faraway beach
Hi Alex,
that is an interesting observation. I must try MN in warm weather.
We still have a good 2 months of hot weather to get through in FL. I have loved wearing Eau de Rochas in the hottest weather and it is lovely, light and dry.
Florida would just be too relentlessly hot for me. What I found funny, when I was in Miami once in September, was that they start selling winter clothes and even fur coats, just like everywhere else, it seems so incongruous. Eau de Rochas seems to be a perfect cooling option.
I found myself wearing a lot of vetiver perfumes, especially Encre Noire and Sycomore, with Guerlain Vetiver coming next.
Vetiver can be like a breath of fresh air. I really like Guerlain Vetiver, especially on a man.
Love reading everyone’s picks, Maison Martin Margiela untitled l’eau still sounds lovely and really liked Prelude to Love which I tried the other day. Meant to try Eau de Rochas and Thé pour une Ete this summer but never did. My scent of the summer though was L’Artisan’s Fleur d’Oranger and boy was I grateful for some liquid sunshine because we got little of the real thing!
BTW tried Elie Saab today and I can see why you and Vanessa are fans, really pretty and lovely sillage.
Fleurs d’Oranger – it is so pretty. I am not yet sure about Elie Saab, but I was fortunate enough to receive a tester for possible review, that is why Vanessa got lucky as well. 🙂 And you liked Prelude to Love!!! Yes! I am always ridiculously happy when a friend tries something because of a review of mine and likes it! 🙂
I wore a lot of Beyond Love and, towards the end, Chinatown, from a decant I won in a swap. Chinatown works surprisingly well in the heat for me. I’m addicted to it!
I do not like many tuberoses, but I quite like Beyond Love. Chinatown always beckons and then I promptly forget about it again. I should really get a sample…
Favorites this summer have been La Belle Helene, Balenciaga Paris, and the new Baiser Vole, also Un Jardin apres la Mousson.
La Belle Helene, how I miss her! 😦 Lovely choices, Karen!
Summer of 2011 I will probably remember most for five scents: Elie Saab(!) and L’Agent, also Carner D600, Lostmarc’h l’eau de L’Hermine and Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling (as of the other week). L’Agent is not especially seasonal, but I wore it on some summer evenings which were quite cold in Britain!
I did also wear Hermes Vanille Galante an OJ Tiare quite a lot, CK Beauty, SL Un Lys and EL PC Tuberose Gardenia, because I associate girly white flowers with summer too. Other staples were Kenzo Eau de Fleur de Magnolia, TDC Bergamote and Opium Fleur de Shanghai (which was a summer flanker when it came out).
Off-topic PS…. (Air)mail mule mission accomplished! My post office visits were not without incident, but all wires were uncrossed eventually. The breakthrough came when the final clerk I consulted rang Post Office HQ for the official line on customs forms, which I can now say in Slovenian – though not spell. : – ) Though they weren’t necessary, as it turned out.
Quite a list, V! I like the Carner a lot too and I will certainly give Juniper Sling a whirl. (A Viennese one, lol.)
Thank you for the mailing, I hope all packages will turn up at their destinations soon. Thanks for your “Bemühungen”. xo
Juniper Sling is one I will definitely you a sample of when I get home.
Do let me know when the parcels start to land, as hopefully they will shortly, especially the ones to Croatia and Italy. I shan’t relax till I know they made it through. I even quizzed the people in one of my meetings about the procedures for US mail in particular, but sadly they had never had occasion to send anything there! : – )
I will certainly let you know, but don’t fret, it is out of our hands now… 🙂
Lavender has been the note of my summer. I have acquired and enjoyed samples of Caron Pour Un Homme and Kilian’s A Taste of Heaven. I haven’t bought any new full-bottles this summer, but I did get Habit Rouge for my birthday, so I’ve been wearing that often, too.
Lavender is very calming and cooling, certainly a great choice to deal with the summer heat.
Miller Harris Fleurs de Bois – which they’ve gone and discontinued – but I’m stocking up, yes I am!
Estee Lauder Pure White Linen Light Breeze – a summer staple – works well in humid heat.
Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil – no surprise there.
Penhaligon’s Castile – clean in the best possible sense.
Prada Infusion d’Iris for the colder summer days – of which there were quite a few.
Most recent summer-y purchase: Lacoste Pour Femme, a soft woody white floral. Not unlike Cacharel Noa, but sleeker. Ideal for work. Nothing very special or original, but I love it all over again. Wore it years ago, but it reminded me too much of someone. It doesn’t anymore, so it’s back in my stash 🙂
Looking forward to getting into an autumnal mode fragrance wise. I can hear Chanel no. 19, Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile, Bulgari Black, Agent Provocateur l’Agent as well as AP and other old and new favorites calling my name!
Thanks for sharing your summer favorites, Marie. I like AdP Iris Nobile a lot too right now.
I don’t know why, but I was a bit surprised that you like Iris Nobile – perhaps I would have thought that you’d find it a bit too lady-ish in the bad way 🙂 Is it the EdT or the EdP you’re wearing?
The EdP, and it is a relatively recent discovery, but I really like that lady-like vibe. 🙂
i’ve been all over the place this summer!
Dune parfum, gorgeous in heat
Killian Beyond Love and Honore des Pres Vamp a NY – some fave tuberoses
L’AP Extrait de Songes and L’eau – perfect summer scents
Jo Malone Blue Agave & Cacao for day and Vintage Gardenia, which is wonderful on warm nights
TF Arabian Wood and Black Violet, which i crave no matter the season
AG Ninfeo Mio, Philosykos and Jardin en Mediterranee – no summer is complete without fig trees under the sun
Hermes Voyage. cool green cardamom that i reach for all the time – i bought 100 ml at first sniff, lol
FM Angeliques Sous la Pluie, which is a perfect Pacific Northwest chilly summer day perfume –
complete with gin and tonic
abd i probably forgot a whole bunch.
summer has many different faces 🙂
I love your summer faces! Voyage is great, I need to wear it again soon, thanks for reminding me. Ah, so many perfumes, so little time…
FOR THE PAST TWO SUMMERS, I HAVE BEEN DEVOTED TO OSMANTHUS/THE DIFFERENT
COMPANY AND OSMANTHUS YUNNAN/HERMES. AS YOU CAN SURMISE, I AM A HUGE
JEAN-CLAUDE ELLENA FAN. MY SUMMER 2011 SURPRISE, IS ANGELS IN FLORENCE/
SANTA MARIA NOVELLA. WITH MUCH APPRECIATION FOR SHARING FOR TRAVELS
WITH US DEVOTEES. DONNA
Hello Donna, thank you for reading and commenting!
I am an Ellena fan as well, and Osmanthus Yunnan is my favorite of the Hermessences, lovely summer choices!
The Santa Maria Novella sounds very nice, Angles in Florence – hmmm. 🙂