Last month I talked about my favourite fragrance ever – Neroli eau de parfum from L’Occitane. This month I talk about a bold floral, a green citrus and a light cologne.
Serge Lutens – Fleures D’Orangeur
The fragrance needs no introduction – considered a heavyweight in the fragrance world, I discovered it after the demise of my beloved Neroli from L’Occitane. This has a hefty amount of tuberose in the blend which makes it equally as bold as L’Occitane’s Neroli but far sexier. I think that this fragrance is the beginning of my exploration in tuberose and jasmine but that is a tale for another blog post. The orange blossom is complemented by the white flowers and retains a light citrus element which dries down to creamy goodness. I love this fragrance and generally pick up a bottle every eighteen months or so. It has great longevity and is just everything!
*Miller Harris – Tangerine Vert
I have written a full review about Tangerine Vert here but I had to include it in this month’s edit as it a great mid weight citrus fragrance. It is not as bold as Fleur’s d’Orangeur, this is a pretty citrus rather than white floral but the addition of the geranium in the middle gives it a defined floral note and greater longevity then a cologne. It is interesting that geranium and orange blossom contain molecules that are isomeric – they are mirror images of each other. Nerol and geraniol were first extracted from neroli and geranium but interestingly neither of them smell like the oil they were extracted from. This shared chemistry makes them easy to blend both in terms of formulation and fragrance. If you are not an orange fanatic and are looking for somewhere to start, this might be a good place.
*Woods of Windsor – Bergamot and Neroli
Woods of Windsor is a British heritage pharmacy brand that moved into fragrance in the eighties. Bergamot and Neroli is beautifully light cologne. Fizzy bergamot and lemon at the top that dries down into a very light, slighty green neroli note. Unlike Italian cologne which have the sharp, zesty citrus element, this is soft and subtle so I spray it very liberally. It has terrible longevity – literally two hours, but cologne is rarely long lasting on my skin. This fragrance is an obvious option for Spring and Summer of course but I love to wear cologne all year round. If you are a fan of layering, this is a good option. In the autumn and winter, cologne can be a palette cleanser from the heavier scents that I have on rotation and a wistful reminder of warmer days.
Next month my orange obsession get spicy