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Top 25 Contemporary Perfumes


This weekend, I was asked by Helg of Perfume Shrine to come up with my list of top 25 perfumes that we can still enjoy today. Perfumes that were not discontinued, are not limited edition (sorry, Fleur de Shanghai, you can't be part of this list!), and the trickiest part – were not reformulated. Well, I have to say the task was not easy. Not because it’s difficult to find 25 perfumes that I love. But because what I consider masterpieces are for the most part chypres and have been reformulated at least recently (and if they haven't yet they are more than likely destined to reformulation or discontinuation in the near future).

So, I’ve set to create my own list. And I’ve decided to go a little bit on an impulse. This list includes many different perfumes from different houses (mainstream, designer, and niche). Some of which are easily wearable, some are classics, and some are downright odd but charming and really special in my opinion - and I hope you will be daring enough to try them for yourself!

Creating this list was challenging not only because it’s so difficult to pick one perfume I love over the other (yes, even when I'm allowed to pick 25!) – but also because the whole concept of reformulation is a bit tricky. It is very difficult to tell which perfume has been reformulated since it was made and which wasn't as some reformulations happen very gradually, and others are performed precisely for the purpose of making sure the perfume smells the same even though the scent of some of the materials has notably changed. There is an entire article coming up soon on SmellyBlog, dedicated to the mischief of perfumers reformulating your beloved scents and why on earth do we do that…

For this list, I felt forced to leave out all of the chypres I love except for ones that have been released very recently and I have a feeling were not reformulated (i.e.: Le Parfum de Therese). Favourites such as Mitsouko, Vol de Nuit and Miss Dior had to be left out of the list - although they always will have a place of honour in my heart, on my skin and in my collection (as long as my skin and nose don't get too greedy!).

I also tried to stick to contemporary fragrances as much as possible – the oldest perfumes you’ll find here are Diorissimo and Farnesiana (none of which were reformulated to the best of my knowledge – at least in a noticeable way).Interestingly enough, many if not most can be easily worn by men and women alike.

Another guideline I followed for this list is to represent the different movements in the perfume industry today - mainstream and designer fragrances, niche, independent and natural perfumers. For that latter I have included a link to their site where you can find the fragrances.

The following are non-reformulated, non-discontinued, non-limited-editions yet great!

In alphabetical order:

1. After My Own Heart (Ineke)
Modern and classy, pretty and melancholy. This is when lilac flowers meet summer showers. The heady inhale of realistic lilacs is followed by dewy raspberries over a dollop of heliotropin.
Nose: Ineke Ruhland

2. Agent Provocateur (Agent Provocateur)
Dirty and sassy, old fashioned yet with an abstract, contemporary musk base.
Nose: Christian Provenzano

3. Arabie (Serge Lutens)
Quirky and mysterious, reminiscent of tamarind and spices in an ancient Arabic city, Arabie is one exotic oriental that I will always have to have some around if not for wearing than at least for catching nostalgic whiffs off the vial.
Nose: Christopher Sheldrake

4. Burnt Amber (Neill Morris)
Amber is a popular theme, but here it is treated in such a delicious and original way with hints of burnt caramel. It is so well done and always enjoyable to wear without ever being too sweet.
Nose: Neill Morris

5. Chinatown (Bond No. 9)
Odd and unusual, Chinatown is one of the few modern renditions of patchouli, fruit and flowers that I can appreciate. Beware of over-applying, especially in the heat. When worn sparingly, it is sexy, original and sophisticated.
Nose: Aurelien Guichard

6. Diorissimo (Christian Dior)
If there is one perfect perfume in the world, Diorissimo it is. I may not wear it often but I can’t imagine my life without it. It’s pure fragile beauty locked up in a glass bottle since 1956. Here’s hoping it can protect it forever.
Nose: Edmond Roudniska

7. Dzing! (l'Artisan Parfumeur)
Of all the leather perfumes I know, this is the most playful and kinky. Rather than taking itself seriously, it soars above tigers and elephants in a flying trapeze, caged in colourful leather straps and mingles with sawdust and fireworks.
Nose: Olivia Giacobetti

8. Farnesiana (Caron)
Another floral beauty, from way back in 1947. It is so modern it’s hard to believe it’s been around for so long. A gourmand take on the fleeting, airy scent of mimosa – caught in a dollop of marzipan and vanilla and encrusted with candied violets.
Nose: Michel Morsetti

9. Feuilles de Tabac (Miller Harris)
Bold and unique tobacco in the most intriguing way imaginable and the most perfect leather fragrance I've ever smelled.
Nose: Lynn Harris

10. Kyoto (Comme des Garcons)
Mastic ice cream meets Japanese incense and ancient wood furniture. Kyoto is serene and seemingly aloof, like a kodo ceremony practiced in an ice cream parlor. It sounds weird but it works.
Nose: Bertrand Duchaufour

11. L (Lolita Lempicka)
The most delicious of all modern gourmands, L is sweet without hurting my teeth. On the contrary – it is comforting and soothing, albeit not in the least complicated.
Nose: Maurice Roucel

12. L’Antimatière (LesNez)
The most abstract of all abstract perfumes. Perfumes are always invisible. But this perfume is invisible even in the olfactory world. It is the closest thing I’ve ever smelled to pure ambergris tincture.
Nose: Isabelle Doyen

13. Le Parfum de Thérèse (Editions de Parfums)
An old masterpiece that was only made available to us recently. I think I’ve said enough about my endless love for this cheerful perfume where jasmine, basil, melon and moss live in harmony, happily ever after. If I had to wear only one perfume for the rest of my life this might just be it.
Nose: Edmond Roudniska

14. Muscs Kublai Khan (Serge Lutens)
Not particularly wearable, but all the same it has to be mentioned as one of the most daringly dirty perfumes of our time. If you ever miss the smell of goats roaming freely on the mountains and your boyfriends’ armpits this might serve as a temporary substitute.
Nose: Christopher Sheldrake

15. Narciso Rodriguze for Her
The most unexpected perfume to be on any lists of mine – it finally won my heart after a long period of resentment. This perfume pretty much sums up everything that is opposite of my personal taste in perfume, as well as my approach to perfumery, and I’d be surprised if there is even a minute amount of natural essences in it. But it is the sophisticated simplicity, the abstractness in it that I find most appealing, and at times of chaos simplicity can be a relief.
Noses: Francis Kurkdjian & Christine Nagel

16. Parfum Sacré (Caron)
This very un-90’s perfume was indeed made relatively recently and as far as I know haven’t been tampered with. Wearing it in the winter, especially when it gets below zero is a bliss.
Nose: Jean-Pierre Bethouart

17. Philosykos (Diptyque)
My summer staple for as long as I have known it, Philosykos is simple and refreshing with its minimalistic composition of fig, cedar and coconut milk.
Nose: Olivia Giacobetti

18. Poivre Samarcande (Hermes' Hermessences)
Like a good cup of chai, Poivre Samarkand has the clarity of tea and pungency of pepper over top musk, moss and wood. It is warm yet uplifting and fresh and although I don’t wear it often, I just feel lucky every time I smell it on someone else.
Nose: Jean-Claude Elena

19. Pure Turquoise (Ralph Lauren)
The one quality that is most admirable about Pure Turuqoise is that it is not sweet. It is so unsweet it is surprising. Aside from the grapefruit (which is more tangy than fruity) there is nothing in it whatsoever that suggest sweetness, prettiness or anything else that the perfume market is so saturated with. It is clean, refreshing and with the most clean, dry base. At the same time, while I do enjoy and appreciate its dry synthetic woody patchouli base I am still praying that this is not going to completely substitute the real true Chypres.
Nose: Annie Buzantian

20. Shiso (Aftelier)
Mysterious and sophisticated, this mélange of all-natural spices and herbs and woods (agarwood, borneol and shiso leaf among others) is haunting. It may not be as easily wearable as Orchid (which contains shiso and orange blossom) but is has a most complex and enduring composition that I find most suitable for personal wear and meditation.
Nose: Mandy Aftel

21. Songes (Annick Goutal)
Luxurious floriental yet with the signature elegance of the Annick Goutal house. Songes is dreamingly tropical and very easy to wear.
Nose: Isabelle Doyen

22. Un Jardin Après la Mousson (Hermes)
I would have never thought that I would like a perfume as soon as it comes out like I did with this one. In fact, there are many things about it that made me think I don’t like it. For instance – the initial sweet cantaloupe note that brings to mind an overly ripe cantaloupe on the verge of rotting in the garden in the heat of the sun. Yet 4 sample vials later, worn to the last drop and with no regret or a single moment where I even considered washing it off – I’m convinced it’s a favourite.
Nose: Jean-Claude Elena

23. Vetiver Tonka (Hermes' Hermessences)
Vetiver with a twist – accentuating the sweetness of it while not losing any of its clean, earthy woody simplicity. Vetiver Tonka won my heart instantly with its fuzzy coumarin and toasted hazeluts warmth.
Nose: Jean-Claude Elena

24. Waterflower (Soivohle')
The most beautiful, complex and unusual all-natural floral that I’ve ever experienced. Waterflower is an ode to the lotus flower, and is perfectly balanced.
Nose: Liz Zorn

25. Yerbamate (Lorenzo Villoresi)
Bold and at the same time quirky and mysterious, this coumarin-rich mélange of bitter and green notes. The tomato leaf adds a particular oddness at the soapy beginning which is what I think makes it most original, especially when leading to a powdery-fluffy sweet coumarin base.
Nose: Lorenzo Villoresi

Click on the following links to read the entries of the other participating blogs:
Perfume Shrine
The Non-Blond
Savvy Thinker

Summer Essentials

Summer calls for light scents, there is nothing new about that. It seems that the most summery scents divide into the following four categories:

Citrus

There is something about the rind of citrus fruit makes most people feel rejuvenated and refreshed. Citrus oils have been in use in many toiletries due to their anti-bacterial properties, and therefore are associated with cleanliness and purity. For many, a citrus cologne is all they can take in the summer. An even funner way to enjoy your citrus fragrances, especially if you live in the tropics or the desert is to refrigerate the cologne and enjoy a double-cool splash of citrus throughout the day.
Although I've never been much of a citrus wearer personally, I do enjoy the lemony bite of Le Parfum de Therese, Eau Sauvage, O de Lancome (all are Chypre-Citrus of sorts)and my very own ArbitRary & Fetish.

Dry Woody

Dryness in the sense of un-sweet and non-cloying is a desired effect when heat and humidity reign. The note of vetiver is particularly effective in that regard. They have been considered cooling in Ayurvedic medicine for hundreds if not thousands of years. In the tropical countries where vetiver grows wild, vetiver rootlets are woven into mats, blinds and fans. When moistened with water, they release their cooling, clean-woody and earthy-sweet scent and create a calm, grounded feeling. When the wind comes through the moist blinds this aroma enters the home and relieves the dwelles from the heat. A wood fan scented with sandalwood or agarwood (I found mine in Chinatown and am just grateful for their aroma and design when I travel to my air-conditionered home-village). A woven vetiver-root fan can be found at Samara Botane and in the summer they sometime also offer vetiver hydrosol which can be sprinkled on the fan for an extra vetiver boost.

My favourites of the vetiver genre are Vetiver Tonka, Guerlain's Vetiver, Vetiver Extraordinaire and my own , Sabotage & Vetiver Racinettes. On the more woody side, Bon Zai and Philosykos have that tingling fresh dryness that is so rejuvenating when there is no fan to be seen.

Beachy

Beach-summer association requires no explanations. Suntan lotions, vanilla ice cream cones, coconut oil and the scent of sun warmed sun and skin are for most people the epitome of summer’s olfactory symbols. Any scent that would even vaguely remind us of these sensual and lazy experiences is welcome in summertime (or when sunshine is missed here on the northern West Coast!). Azuree Body Oil (or Bronze Goddess, if you will) Fire Island's sun-tan lotion sans the grease, or chocolate-dipped banana ice-cream bar, also know as Vanille-Banane (or for that matter, take a pick from any of the Comptoir Sud Pacifique line and you'll be sucked into one beach fantasy or another).
And from my own creations the beachiest are Coralle & Gigi.

Tropical Floral

Summer nights are filled with the intoxicating scents of white flowers. Night blooming jasmine, orchids, garenia and frangipanni.
There is Samsara, with it's minimalistic yet rich melange of jasmine, sandalwood and vanilla; Songes, shamelessly floral through and through with jasmine, frangipanni and powdery-sweet vanilla foundation; or Ormonde Jayne's airy and light rendition of Frangipanni Absolute. And from my collection: Yasmin brings memories of summer nights soaked in indolic air and Tamya gives me that happy feeling like biting into juicy mango.

I would like to close this blog entry with three additional lists: my own summer-staple list, of scents I've been wearing for several summers in a row now; my summer fragrance wishlist; and finally - my own prediction of what I think I will be wearing a lot of this summer:

My Summer Staples
Le Parfum de Therese
Philosykos
Fleur de Shanghai
Bronze Goddess
Sabotage
Fetish
Charisma

My Summer Wishlist
Yvresse
Kelly Caleche
Un Jardin après la Mousson

My Summer Predictions
I will be wearing a lot of my Vetiver Racinettes & Gigi (on their own or layered - I noticed that when putting on Gigi after I've worn Vetiver Racinettes for hours, Gigi agrees to last longer) as well as Le Parfum de Therese; And of course - a lot of Un Jardin après la Mousson, once I decide to take the plunge and rather than emptying one sample vial at a time go for the whole bottle.

What's on your wishlist? And what do you have in your collection that is a tried and true summer fragrance you seem to always come back to - and look forward to every summer?

Spring Essentials - Part Two: Spring Greens


Cycas revoluta leaves uncurling, originally uploaded by Amelia PS.

After the bursts of flowers have been shaken up by storms or sun, and been run down to the grown, little green leaves emerge and cover the trees with what is at first a very pale, transparent green, growing stronger and darker as the sunshine unfolds.

Crushed green leaves are perhaps the second most powerful smell we associate with spring. Perhaps freshly turned soil is another, if you are in the gardening circles. Crushed leaves in perfumery have an interesting double-standard, meaning at once nature at its best - and also class, restraint and well-mannered elegance.

If simplicity, nature or spring cleaning appeal to you, you may enjoy these fragrances more than florals during this time of year. Here are a few leafy-green fragrances that particularly appeal to me.

Clean, sharp and somehow, even 30-something years after its launch it still feels very current. No. 19 is like jeans and pearls and can be equally enjoyed by a nature girl roaming through the forests or a sophisticated urban-bound gal trotting up the street promptly accessorized with a dog and purse to match.

Laura Ashley No. 1 - a scent that is unfortunately discontinued; sophisticated green floral that brings to mind an English garden at spring time with flowering bulbs of lily and hyacinths. It’s lady-like, well-mannered, romantic and only very tiny bit melancholy, a quality which I usually find to underline most green fragrances.

Similarly romantic, and with a more cheerful, fruity and soapy attitude is AnaisAnais by Cacharel. With its fresh galbanum notes, Madonna lily and a mossy base it’s a classic for this season, without being too sharp.

Warming up the florals with its signature Guerlinade of vanilla, iris and tonka bean, Chamade by Guerlain has all that spring has to offer - the sharp galbanum, the heady hyacinth and the mossy base of freshly turned soil.

Lastly, Masakï Matsushïma’s Mintea, a minty green tea scent, with a musky base. What I like about it is it’s freshness that lacks sharpness despite the fact that it is green; unlike most greens, it also stays close to the skin and has a beautifully soft, skin-musk like base.

Spring Essentials - Part One: Florals


Joy, originally uploaded by tearoom.

Wether the weather agrees with it or not, it’s spring time, and it’s time to enjoy some fabulous fragrances that emphasize the season’s best traits. Some of which are obvious, like flowers and greenery; others are more subtle and elusive, having to do more with the role of spring in revival, resurrection and renewal of both body and spirit.

Spring means flowers. Yes, it’s a cliche but it’s true! And different flowers bloom in different parts of the world, so this can be an opportunity to tune yourself in with nature and adorn yourself with similar scents. There really couldn’t be a better time in the year to douse yourself with a floral bouquet or a single note; preferably of lighter, brighter floral notes. Light white floral notes such as jasmine, orange blossom and mimosa reign my spring fantasies, but it may be different for you depending on your own favourite florals and the particular blooms that inspire your environment.

Back home in Israel, at this time of the year the air is permeated with the heavy blossoms of wild flowers, mimosas and orange blossoms. Wild flowers are difficult to mimic in perfumery, and rarely have been as far as I know. When visiting my home country in the spring, I always make sure I bring with me my orange blossom perfumes - Jo Malone’s Orange Blossom Cologne for its citrusy freshness; the abstract Narciso Rodriguez; the mysterious Orchid from Aftelier; and finally, my very own all-natural perfume Zohar, which is inspired by the orchards in full bloom. As far as mimosa goes - I like mine light and sweet, such as Mimosa pour Moi or Les Nuages de Joie Jaune.

Here in Vancouver, the scents floating in the air are mostly of cherry blossoms, magnolias, blooming bushes and spring bulbs: hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, and Madonna lilies. My Vancouver spring essentials for colder days include KenzoAmour for it’s sweet cherry blossom scent, Farnesiana to remind me of mimosa but in a warm almondy-cherry-like way. Flower by Kenzo is another interesting choice for a warm, powdery floral that is again heliotrope laden (combining vanilla sweetness with a hint of cherry/almond like bitterness). For crisp, bright spring days I may prefer delicate soliflores such as Ofresia (Diptyque’s freesia soliflore) or After My Own Heart (Ineke’s lilac soliflore, underlined with raspberry, heliotrope and musk).
But in no doubt, my favourite floral discovery this spring is the perfectly balanced, all-natural perfume Waterflower by Liz Zorn - a floral that is never too pretty yet oh so delicate and has a balanced underlining sweetness that makes it very wearable in the often less than hospitable Vancouver spring weather.

Fall into Fragrance


Fall into Fragrance, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.


Whether it’s because there is too much to do or too little – lists are always good. They give you a sense of direction when you lack one, and even better – help you pick a direction when there is too much chaos!
It’s no wonder lists always show up more often at the beginning or the end of a year, as a reflection or a way to find a new sense of purpose, even in the most vane and superfluous realms of life such as fragrance and fashion…

This time of year, when the wooly sweaters make a come-back and some days even a pair of tights isn’t a bad idea – we look for a perfume that reflects the most moody of all seasons. Annual lists are particularly interesting, because they show us what happened in that 9- month gap of the seasonal cycle. What’s new? What stayed the same?

One thing is evident - my choices for Autumn usually include more than one perfume that is either spicy, leathery or chypre. Several years ago I’ve also discovered the charm of a coumarin overdosed fougere during this temperamental and impulsive yet introverted and mellow-mooded season. These types of fragrances (i.e.: chypre, fougere, leathers) always make me feel confident and strong. Something that is much needed when facing a long, dark, cold and wet winter. Spices add warmth and also sweetness that is both cozy and comforting.

However, some things have changed indeed. First of all, some new perfumes! Perfumes that I haven’t been wearing regularly before (either from lack of interest or because they are relatively new – or at least to me). Than, I notice some craving of more simple scents. Even a Chypre gal can play down her sophistication sometimes… There is also the odd uber-fresh and dry choice, which is odd but it just shows that even I can surprise myself from time to time.

Tokusen Body Incnese (Shoyeido)
The house of Soyeido has been preparing premium incense blends for Japanese monks for the past three hundred years.
According to their site, “Shoyeido's traditional body powders are derived from recipes created two centuries ago in an esoteric temple on Mt. Koya. Made completely of natural ingredients such as cloves, cinnamon, patchouli, sandalwood and borneo camphor, they enhance awareness, clarity and purification. To use, apply a small portion on the ear lobes or on the wrist.” Apparently, as Persephenie from Blunda (which is where you can get both the perfume and the ebony powder box for travel and elegant & economic application of this unusual dry perfume) explained to me, monks used this to purify their hands before prayer, meditation and touching others (though it is not quite clear whom and why – perhaps their teachers? Or saints?). One thing I know for sure: wearing this body incense makes me acknowledge the sacredness of my body more than any other perfume ever did. As for the scent itself – it is at first very camphoreous, woody and musty. Once applied, the camphor evaporates quite fast, transforming into a sweet and spicy perfume.

Bois des Îles
My most sophisticated choice for the season. Bois des Îles has enchanted me with its rich woods (sandalwood, vetiver) and classic aldehydic floral notes (ylang ylang) and just a touch of spices in a most deliciously subtle way. It was said before me that there is a little of the “gingerbread” feel to Bois des Îles. Basenotes, to which the image to the left is credited, goes as far as listing it as a note. And it’s true. Nutmeg and ginger and a very controlled pinch of cloves create that sensation, but in the most abstract of ways. Don’t expect a gingerbread man to pop up with colourful candy-buttons any moment – you’ll be only getting a gentle waft from a remote oven, like a flash of a childhood memory…

L de Lolita Lempicka
Despite its very simplistic composition (as far as notes go, I can only smell 5 components: cinnamon, sweet orange, vanilla, musk and immortelle), L is a perfume with a potent synergistic power, with a beauty that has nearly therapeutic side effects. Something I very rarely encounter with fragrances of such synthetic composition. The body line is coming out any day now to The Bay in Canada, and even though I hardly ever use any scented body products, I will be one of the first to jump on the opportunity to have another nose-candy around to smell whenever I seek comfort and a quiet, peaceful moment of happiness. As an interesting note, this is the one perfume I got this year that I'm about to empty its 1oz spray bottle. I even went as far as aquiring the (painful to open but blissful to wear!) flacon as pictured above. It looks better in real life.

Pure Turquoise
Those who know me well enough know I’m not a Ralph Lauren material. To me Ralph Lauren represents a culture that not only am I not a part of, but it was never an intriguing one for me either. I will probably never be the type of lady who wears Ralph Lauren clothes, attends Yacht Club galas and plays golf and tennis. I will gladly leave that to 5'10" ladies like Natasha.

Tags and preconceptions aside, I really do like his latest “serious” perfume launch (putting aside all the teenager targeted ones which I wasn’t even able to follow!) – Pure Turquoise. The only thing jewel-like about this perfume is its extreme coolness. Like a semi-precious stone that is looked at rather than worn, it is cold, yet very appealing. There is a salty feeling about it, which has nothing to do with fall except that I’m really enjoying it these days! I find it to be an excellent all-purpose fragrance. With its intense grapefruit opening (reminiscent of Herbal Essence shampoo!) and clean patchouli base it is utterly non-sweet, which is sometimes all I really need. The pure parfum is outrageously priced, especially in Canada (for a mere $425 – keep in mind that the Canadian currency is stronger than the USD these days!). I was especially lucky to find this on eBay for a fraction of the price, because there is nothing more sensually bracing than gliding a smooth cold piece of glass dipped in concentrated juice across one’s skin…

This list will not be complete without something to scent the room when you are cuddling with a good book after a hard day at work. I've just discovered Gabriel's Aunt line of naturally scented candles, and I have to share with you the excitement of finding an interesting scent in the realm of naturally scented candles. These burn with a delicate, radiating throw and emit a gentle scent even when are not burnt. My favourites are the more summery ones, but I have to mention both Hugs & Kisses (cardamom, sweet orange and cloves) and Slow Dance (Sandalwood & Patchouli). The latter is an interesting thing to burn while wearing your Bois des Îles.
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