May 6, 2008

Floral scents in bloom at perfume counter

Associated Press

Gardenias and woody florals are among the favorite notes of perfumers these days, as are scents that add a bit of masculinity to an otherwise classic female fragrance.

The purposeful clashing of manly and womanly smells probably can be traced to Thierry Mugler's Angel, says Luca Turin, a scholar in olfactory science.

"It was a 5 o'clock shadow and chest hair on a floral with a touch of vanilla," Turin says.
Turin and Tania Sanchez, a perfume collector and reviewer, reviewed more than 1,500 perfumes and colognes for their "Perfumes: The Guide" (Viking, 2008).

"Florals never really go away. We've seen a number of gardenias - which is rather unusual - but at least they smell like gardenias this time," Sanchez says.

Turin, meanwhile, says the interest in fresh, woody, transparent florals started in the niche fragrance market - mostly small producers - and has now gone mainstream.

"Fresh and woody, that's a hippie scent," Sanchez adds. "It's for people who say they want to be conscious of the earth."

Here's a sampling of what's new in women's fragance this season:

- Very Irresistible Givenchy Summer Cocktail. This scent, with notes of star anise and crushed mint leaf, is intended for sun-drenched skin. There's a companion men's fragrance with a signature accord of "fresh attitude."

- Bond No. 9's Andy Warhol Union Square. Bond bottles different neighborhoods of New York City, but this one isn't interpreted through the modern nose. Instead, the inspiration is Warhol's brightly colored flower screenprints made at his Union Square studio with green floral notes.

- Hanae Mori Butterfly Eau Fraiche. This is Hanae Mori's lightest formula thanks to the citrus scents of tangerine and grapefruit that have been added to the traditional berry and woody notes.

- Ralph Lauren Romance Eau Fraiche. Eau Fraiche is a limited edition intended for summertime getaways. It's a tweak to the original Romance with notes of lotus flower, guava and waterlily.

- Dreaming by Tommy Hilfiger. Dreams are a product of imagination and creativity, says Hilfiger. The scents he uses to embody that include peach, white flower petals and white woods.

- Hermes' Un Jardin Apres la Mousson. Kerala, India, is a place where land and sea merge and it serves as the starting point for this floral-spicy concoction intended as a unisex fragrance. It favors green notes as well as watery ones and cool spices like coriander.

- Michael Kors' Island Capri. Sold as part of a trio with the reintroduced Island Fiji and Island Hawaii perfumes, Capri uses basil, bergamot, cypress and jasmine blossom to capture casual glamour.

- Pure White Linen Light Breeze by Estee Lauder. The focus is on the environment - the Mediterranean seascape - that is recreated with Darjeeling tea, citrus, florals and a touch of honey.

- Vera Wang Bouquet. Wang first made her mark in wedding gowns, and the bride serves as her muse here. She imagines a lush bouquet with paperwhite narcissus and lavender with dewdrops that is both spirited and romantic. Meanwhile, Vera Wang Flower Princess is flirtier with notes of green ivy and orange flower petals.

- Chloe. Three rising stars are used to embody the new signature scent: actress Chloe Sevigny and Clemence Poesy, and model Anja Rubik. The themes of self-assurance, irreverence and elegance are translated into notes of powder, peony, lychee and freesia.

- YSL Paris Springtime Pont des Amours. This season's limited edition scent mimics the vibe at a Parisian bridge known at the "Bridge of Love" in the early morning hours. The notes include rosebuds, full-bloomed rose and lily of the valley.

- Sheer Stella by Stella McCartney. The fragrance itself is tinted rose, giving a hint to the heady garden inside. There are ethereal floral notes, a bit of pink pepper and an unusual raspberry-infused base scent.

- Marc Jacobs Basil, Grapefruit and Pear splash scents. The fashion designer matched his new seasonal fragrances to the light old-Hollywood palette of his ready-to-wear collection.