Five for Friday: Autumn Fragrances, Part 2 - Beauty Addict

Friday, November 20, 2009

Five for Friday: Autumn Fragrances, Part 2

When I finished my last post on autumn comfort scents, I couldn't help feeling that there were other bottles just waiting forlornly in my perfume cabinet for their very own mention. And indeed, there are more than five scents I wear this season. Here are a few more that tend to end up in heavy rotation during the autumn months:

1. Narciso Rodriguez wears a bit heavy on me during summer (if I'm looking for something similar in the hotter months, I reach for Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely, which is like Narciso Rodriguez lite). But in the fall, it's just right. It's built around a heart of Egyptian musk, which is somewhat soapy, not dirty, I promise. Notes include Honey Flower, Solar Musk, Orange Blossom, Osmanthus, Amberlyn, Vanilla, Tactile Musk, Tactile Woods, Vetiver. And it's available in a hair mist, which you know is a hufe plus in my book!

2. Fendi Theorema is the most wonderful discontinued gem of them all. My mom discovered this years ago and both of us are still in love with it. Theorema featured prominently in my Beauty Graveyard post, where I wrote of it: "Theorema smells like a stylized pomander, with notes of tangelo, jasmine, thai shamouti (orange), osmanthus, spices, cinnamon, pink pepper, sandalwood, guaiac wood, amber, macassar, sweet cream, and musk." It's delicious, and I always start reaching for it when the leaves begin to change. Discontinued, but can still be had from various online retailers if you do a little searching.

3. Hermes Eau des Merveilles. I love this scent so much that I've collected the original, the Elixir, and a limited-edition bottle. Notes include elemi, bitter orange, Italian lemon, Indonesian pepper, pink pepper, ambergris accord, oak, cedar, vetiver, balsam of Peru and tears of Siam (what are those?). It has a lot going on - citrus, spice, and this slightly aquatic feel as well - but the overall effect is warm, comforting, and somehow still fresh. It's something you'll want to keep inhaling all day long, at least for me. And the Elixir is more gourmand, with an opening that reminds me of chocolate-covered orange peel.

4. Bois de Paradis by Parfums delRae smells like spices and candied fruit (in the best way, I promise. It does not smell like a fruitcake). Definitely an autumn scent, one that I'd love to wear apple-picking and then maybe to a wine tasting afterward.

5. Serge Lutens Daim Blond. White suede. That's what it means. And somehow, that's what it evokes. Daim Blond smells softly leathery, creamy, elegant and expensive. It's dry, but a touch of what smells like cherries and almonds adds just a bit of sweetness. Notes: Iris Pallida, apricot kernel, cardamom from Ceylon, musk, heliotrope, hawthorn.


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