It was 13 degrees in New York City a few weeks ago, and we had a dusting of snow yesterday, so I finally feel like winter has arrived! Now I want to immerse myself in total winterness, and that starts with building a fragrance wardrobe that will create a mood of cold, metallic, powdery, frozen, crystalline iciness for me to waft around in like the scent-happy snow bunny that I am.
I was inspired to research fragrances with the word winter (hiver in French) in the title… and was amazed at how many there are! I’ve cleared a shelf in my perfume armoire, and have commenced with adding the following frosty scents to evoke some seasonal sillage….
CB I Hate Perfume Winter 1972 – Perfumer Christopher Brosius’ portrait of a memory in time boasts notes of a field of untouched new fallen snow, hand-knit woolen mittens coated with frost, a hint of frozen forest and sleeping earth.
DSH Perfumes Epices d’Hiver – Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’ comforting and cozy interpretation of Winter spices is like a warm cup of tea in your hands on a frigid day. Woods, earthy patchouli, and a botanical ambergris mesh beautifully with davana, stargazer lily, jasmine, nutmeg and pink pepper.
Frederic Malle L’Eau d’Hiver – The scent I reach for when I want to feel like I’m snuggled in a pure, white snowdrift looking up at a blustery blue-grey winter sky. Jean-Claude Ellena’s creation is coldly comforting marriage of angelica, jasmine, heliotrope, iris, honey, hawthorn, carnation, and white musk.
Thierry Mugler Angel Winter Star Extrait de Parfum – Yet another incarnation of the fantastic Angel and the iconic star-shaped flacon. Notes are vanilla, sandalwood, patchouli, citrus, melon, peach and plum.
Yves Rocher Folie de Saisons Fantaisies d’Hiver – Created as part of a 1997 collection, this hard-to-find fragrance has been described as a velvet icy flower, with notes of violet, wood, vanilla, and water accords.
For Strange Women Winter Kitty – Somebody get Katy Perry on the phone… quick! The fragrance house, For Strange Women, describes this as a botanical perfume inspired by felines, fireplaces, and snowflakes – an artisan rendition of the sweet, slightly musky smell of a kitty who went out for a Winter walk and came back with chimney smoke and brisk air lingering in her fur. Notes are vetiver, wood, frankincense, Moroccan rose, mint, Douglas fir, and vanilla bourbon.
Coty Vanilla Fields Winter Perfume – Created in 1993, this flanker to the original is a blend of vanilla and white jasmine.
Kenzo Fleurs d’Hiver – Created in 2008 as an homage to precious Winter flowers, Fleurs d’Hiver is a powdery, creamy mélange of mandarin, violet leaf, mimosa, camellia, Hellebore rose, patchouli, and vanilla absolute.
Yosh Winter Rose – Another beautiful interpretation from the perfumer’s perfumer… the divine Ms. Han! Winter Rose is an aromatic tapestry inspired by Yosh’s travels through turkey, evoking dreamy landscapes of lush textures and colors, spice markets, a saffron-colored cashmere wrap, desert caves, ancient ruins, and heady roses from Isparta.
Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Winter Delice – Created in 2000, this is an elegant mix of pine, rose, gingerbread, and incense that often is described as smelling like Christmas!
CLEAN Winter – The creators of the CLEAN line aimed to capture the scent of snowflakes falling on the tip of your nose and a steaming cup of hot cocoa to warm your sun-kissed rosy cheeks with notes of frosted hyacinth, bergamot, star anise, blonde woods, and white musk.
Ayala Moriel Bois d’Hiver – Perfumer Ayala Sender warm composition geared to men (but that doesn’t deter me from wearing it!) utilizes incense, woods, fir, pine, pimento, tolu balm, juniper berries, myrrh, orange blossom, sage, Moroccan rose, bitter orange, jasmine, cedar wood, grandiflorum, and rosemary.
Ayala Moriel Fete d’Hiver – Ayala celebrates the festival that is winter with the soft powdery feeling of snow and warming by a fireplace on a furry rug with notes of amber, pimento, otto rose, sandalwood, Moroccan rose, bitter orange, rosewood, incense, gardenia, and nutmeg.
Givenchy Ange Ou Demon Le Secret Poesie d’un Parfum d’Hiver – Created in 2011 as part of Givenchy’s Poetry of a Winter Perfume series, this floral gourmand combines notes of the holiday season such as candied orange, cinnamon, gingerbread, and praline with green tea, sambac jasmine, honey, ginger, musk, and guaiac wood.
Givenchy Very Irresistible Poesie d’un Parfum d’Hiver – This spicy floral seasonal flanker to the original Very Irresistible opens with an orange thread embraced with star anise, cinnamon, ginger, rose, licorice, vanilla, and tonka bean.
Givenchy Very Irresistible Cedre d’Hiver – This 2010 woody blend recalls a layer of soft white snow clinging to cedar branches amid a stark, icy landscape with a fusion of Atlas cedar, Virginia cedar, sandalwood, amber, cassis, star anise, magnolia leaf, rose, and frankincense.
Eau d’Italie Sienne l’Hiver – Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour takes us on another of his sensory journeys, this time to the medieval streets of Winter in Siena. Opening with fresh, torn autumn leaves, Sienne l’Hiver unfolds with accords of black olive, French straw, white truffle, iris root, violet leaf, geranium, woods, coal-roasted chestnuts and white musk.
M. Micallef Les 4 Saisons – Perfumer Martine Micallef’s warm, powdery blend has vivid top-notes of lemon, neroli, citron, petitgrain, and orange evolving into a sensual pairing of ylang ylang, jasmine, iris, cinnamon, almond, vanilla, cedar, sandalwood, cumin, violet, elemi, oak, white musk, orange blossom, and benzoin.
Van Cleef & Arpels Les Saisons Hiver – Launched in 2004, perfumer Alberto Morillas’ spicy green floral unisex scent is inspired by the serenity of winter nights and the essence of unity during the holidays. Notes are lime, white pepper, cardamom, white musk, amber and green lemon.