3 Fantastic Year-Round Fragrances
Scent is immensely personal but I'd love to introduce you to a few of my favorites, plus a brand new solid-fragrance discovery
Hi everyone, sorry this edition is a bit late. My whole family has been sick, so beauty products took a temporary back seat to Nyquil. But I’m back and ready to talk….fragrances.
In case you haven’t heard, fragrance is having a major moment again (and celebrity fragrances are coming back in a big way too). Vanilla has been the talk of #PerfumeTok but, as much as I love it as a flavor, I’m just not a fan of sweet scents.
My natural leaning is toward citrus or clean scents (if someone would bottle Irish Spring for me, I’d love it). But over the years, I’ve been trying to step outside of my comfort zone to expand into more complex florals and woodsy scents.
READ: My Glass Skin Holy Grails
I don’t buy into the old rules that there are certain fragrances that only work in certain seasons (light citrus or marine scents in summer; spicy or woodsy scents for winter). I mean, if you like it, wear it whenever you want, right?
I do think that scent can be a powerful tool in setting a vibe though, so I typically think of fragrance as a final step in putting together an outfit. How am I feeling? How do I want to feel?
Here are three that I’d wear any time, any day, any mood.
Somebody Wood by Phlur, $96
I first fell in love with this scent in Phlur’s gorgeous body wash. But I’ve found myself reaching for the eau de parfum now too. For what it’s worth, this spicy wood scent is way outside my comfort zone, since my brain goes right to cinnamon candies when I think about spicy scents for some reason. This is not that.
Top notes of bergamot and lemon kinda soften a base of sandalwood, amber, cedarwood and vanilla, yes, even vanilla (I really don’t smell vanilla though). It’s a truly unisex scent that’s cozy and warm but light enough that it’s not overwhelming. Even if you’re normally not a fan of “spicy wood” like me, this one might surprise you.
Terre Rouge by St. Rose, $185
My teenage daughter and I are both absolutely obsessed with this eau de parfum (we also have the lovely candle). With a sandalwood base and top notes of cypress and cardamom, it’s a clean, pretty scent that smells fresh and lightly forest-y and entirely unique. I was initially reluctant to share it because it feels special to have a signature scent that isn’t widely worn (like, say, Santal 33). But it’s too good and I’d feel guilty gatekeeping it.
Heures D’Absence by Louis Vuitton, $320
Yes, it’s a mega splurge but this gorgeous fragrance is just so darn pretty. I mean, listen to this description:
A beautiful escape through the flowery fields of Grasse
Heures d'Absence is an invitation to let yourself go and enjoy those moments when time suspends its flight. An enchanting break we would love to last forever.
Okay, but really, what does it smell like? I’m not typically a floral fragrance person but there’s a hint of sandalwood and green notes that keep this feeling bright, delicate, and sophisticated without leaving you smelling like a giant bouquet. If you can get your hands on a sample or tester, wear it for a few hours to see how it mixes with your chemistry. It’s a real winner in my book.
Special mention: Fulton & Roark Solid Fragrance in Ramble, $60
If you pay attention to Google, Fulton & Roark is considered more of a men’s grooming brand—perhaps targeted to “sporting gents” (an actual web site name) who enjoy the “American outdoors.” But if you tear yourself away from all of the branding hubbub and just focus on how things smell, they have an incredible range of unisex fragrances—my favorites being in the soapy and citrusy varieties. The one pictured above is a solid fragrance (great for sticking in a bag to rub on pulse points whenever you need it) in the scent Ramble, a light Balsam fir scent that’ll make you smell so clean and green you’ll be sniffing your wrists all day. It’s a special mention for now since I just got it, so I can’t vouch for the staying power yet. But as far as first reactions go, I’m all in.
The return of Burberry Beauty: Originally launched in the 2010s, the brand is reviving its focus on color cosmetics and some of the lip colors in particular look quite nice. It’ll be interesting to see how some of the new launches play in today’s more crowded environment.
Kim K in the new Skims campaign: I know she’s a polarizing figure but the retro creative direction and makeup are very cute IMO. Thoughts? Feelings? Tell me in the comments below!
This is totally crass, and rude but here it goes, how do you afford such fragrances. The prices you have quoted are my grocery budget for a week to two weeks. I am in the USA with two dogs and one husband.
you can try the perfumed court site--they have samples and decants that make some very expensive perfumes accessible. they don’t have everything of course but they have quite a lot.