From reimagined versions of favourite fragrances to new niche launches, discover Bazaar’s favourite perfumes
June 7, 2020
Photo: Courtesy
Fragrance has the power to transport the mind and lift the spirits. And right now we could all do with a mood-boosting scent more than ever. Below are some of the best new launches – or firm favourites – that capture all the best parts of summer. You will want to spritz them all…
New to Louis Vuitton’s collection of colognes is California Dream, inspired by the blur of summer sunsets: even the bottle fades from a faint blue into fresh pink. The scent mixes sweet mandarin with musky ambrette and benzoin tinged with vanilla. The result is a dreamlike scent, sweet and soothing like the slow end to a summer’s day.
Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Riviera Eau de Toilette, Chanel
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The latest addition to Chanel’s Les Eaux collection, Paris-Riviera captures the time in Gabrielle (or Coco as she came to be known) Chanel’s life on the Riviera coast in the 1920s at her magical villa La Pausa. The light scent mixes neroli with Sicilian orange for a burst of citrus with a lingering floral trail.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Silver Eau de Parfum, Maison Francis Kurkdjian
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This new offering from Maison Francis Kurkdjian is part of a duo (the other is Gentle Fluidity Gold) in which the same notes are used but in varying amounts, resulting in strikingly different scents. The unisex fragrance incorporates juniper berry and spicy nutmeg essence alongside warm amber wood and sweet vanilla accord. It is refreshing and light, like long wistful days spent by the sea.
You would expect that if the London-based jeweller Graff expanded into fragrances they would be of the highest possible quality, and you would be right. One of the six they have launched with, Lesedi La Rona II, is sun-drenched: citrus-infused neroli oil is placed alongside petitgrain (the essential oil extracted from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree) and set against Sichuan pepper and vanilla bean. Both citrusy and woody, the scent has powerful longevity and unfolds gracefully over the day.
A rose scent but not as you usually find it. Aesop’s latest addition to its perfume collection was inspired by a rose garden that was planted for the French architect and designer Charlotte Perriand. Here, the classic rose is set against smoky guaiac wood and shiso for a scent that’s vibrant and earthy. And, like all Aesop scents, it’s suitable for both genders.
A Bazaar favourite when it comes to niche fragrances, 19-69’s L’Air Barbès evokes summer in this vibrant arrondissement of Paris. Combining top notes of fresh lemon and bergamot with the more unusual mid note of concrete and base notes of ink and cumin seeds, this is the antidote to unforgiving heat: cool, light and refreshing, you’ll want to wear it long after summer ends.
Inspired by the promise of adventure and summer holidays abroad (and who isn’t longing for that at the moment?), Pomelo by Jo Loves is vibrant and exciting. It bursts with bright Pomelo zest and bitter grapefruit balanced against the grassiness of vetiver. The perfect breezy scent for the hottest months.
Jo Malone London Osmanthus Blossom cologne, Jo Malone London
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Osmanthus Blossom is an ode to warmer spring days as they melt into summer. The new scent, part of Jo Malone London’s new Spring Blossoms collection, is awash with peach and orange flower and smoothed by cashmere wood. Each spritz is refreshing and sweet – perfect for this time of year.
Acqua Di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Cipresso di Toscana Eau de Toilette, Acqua Di Parma
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Acqua di Parma’s cool blue bottles instantly conjure up the bright wash of sea and sky. The latest addition to their Blu Mediterraneo range, Cipresso di Toscana, is no different. It combines notes of cypress, star anise, sage and lavender for a summertime scent both warm and invigorating.
One of Le Labo’s unsung heroes, and a Bazaar favourite, is Neroli 36. Perfect for those desperate for sunny days and warmer climes, neroli is an oil made from orange blossom that will transport you far away from your desk. Le Labo combine the powerful neroli with touches of rose, musk, jasmine and vanilla for a fragrance that bursts with zest and warmth.
D.S. & Durga make summer cool. Not ones for obvious scents, for their latest addition – actually a fragrance enhancer but you can wear it on its own for something more subtle – the brand has combined orange blossom with pink pepper and jasmine water for a scent that first intrigues and later delights.
A perfect addition to your scent collection, Diptyque’s new Impossible Bouquets series is a collaboration with the digital floral artist Bas Meeuws, reinterpreting its existing floral fragrances with the dream of spring and summer to come. Eau Moheli – inspired by the island of Moheli in the Comoros archipelago – puts the delicate ylang-ylang flower to the fore for a scent both green and spicy, and perfect for those dreaming of island escapes.
Guerlain Mon Guerlain Bloom of Rose Eau de Toilette, Guerlain
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This radiant and lively iteration of Mon Guerlain is a must. The Bulgarian rose element is fresh and feminine, and the touches of Carla lavender, vanilla and sambac jasmine give the scent an air of joy and lightness we so desperately need.
