I have been obsessed with smells since I was a wee lass. in my travels..I have scoured the bowels and gardens of many cities and found some faves that I guard and keep like precious jewels in my home. Excited to share some of them with you
Gypsy Water: Got this one in chicago on tour. The free-spirited nomad in me gravitated toward the name, to begin. Then to the woody, powdery citrus delish-ness. My mother is Hungarian and prides herself on the freedom lifestyle. I wear this and think of her.
Tubéreuse: Got this one in paris. For the more feminine evenings…wearing white, tipping my hat to the gorgeous white flowers. I also like to wear it when I am dressing more androgynously, brings in the feminine unexpectedly.
Rahät loukoum: I got this one at serge lutens in paris. In the jardin du palais royale. It is a hidden stunning store (no photos allowed to be taken) epic lighting, energy. I was giddy, pre-show…hunted it down. My friend asked someone where “serge loo-tenz” was. A blank stare was the gorgeous french woman’s response. I decided to use my french accent for having spoken french since I was a child. “serge luh-tawn?” I asked. “ahhh…oui oui oui….juste la!” and pointed us toward it. This one they did not ship, so I carried it like a baby on the plane home. The almond-nutty-cherry combo makes my eyes want to roll back into my head.
Rose 31: I have been chasing “The most amazing rose” scents my whole life. And rarely do I find one that stops me in my tracks for their subtly. From le labo, I found two. I first discovered le labo in new york at what I believe was their first store in america. And felt like I had stumbled upon the sweetest secret known to nose-kind. My favorites are patchouli, ambrette, and iris. And my two fave rose scents: the chicago exclusive baie roses 26, and this one: rose 31. The perfect musk, spicy, rose blends.
JAR golconda: I became obsessed with these perfumes (and jewelry designs) by JAR (joel arthur rosenthal). The perfumes and the man himself are/is cloaked in mystery (which I am a bit of a sucker for)…and the seeking-out of these rare beauties was half the fun. the payoff in the unusual-ness of each scent was well worth the investigation. It was truly a moving experience, for how stunning the sensuality aesthetically was…not to mention the olfactory bliss. My husband saw the faraway look in my eyes every time I put some on. And sought out a gifty for me. He spoke with the gentleman at the JAR counter….and found that this special bottle was available…found in joel arthur’s vault no less. Swooning.
Winter: Pine. Lavender. Black spruce. Cardamom. The elegance of the bottle and the font. So clean. Direct. Pretty. Made in LA. So special.
Clive christian X perfume: One of my favorites. Sweet woody powdery patchouli. Sophisticated. I love wearing it with huge sweaters. Not just a winter scen, to be sure, but to me it connotates winter time with high boots. New york. London. Slushy streets. Yum.
Santa maria novella: I got this beauty right next to lake como while I was there with my family. The combo of vanilla and amber almost knocked me over for its’ delicate combo. Amber can overtake so much in its’ sensual richness…but this combination has the vanilla tame the amber just perfectly. All year round, this puts a smile on my nose’s face
Annick goutal des lys: This breath-taker is so feminine. And reminds me of having gotten it in puerto rico, far from france or from department stores. Memories infuse themselves into talismans and scents in ways that conjure such sweet memories of travel and eras. Erring on the more feminine side of things, the white floral leads the way on this one. Ladylike with substantive-ness.
Sandoval LOVE: Floral spicy ylang ylang vetiver patchouli. It has a rose quartz crystal inside of it, charged under the moon (the attention to sweetness and detail kills me). Super concentrated. Made with natural essential oils and absolutes. In california. Barefoot meets strikingly warm.
