Spring is a season of change; a time for streamlining and de-cluttering the accumulated messes (actual and metaphorical) of the previous year. Out with the old and in with the new! And it’s this need to simplify that has me gravitating towards fresher, less complicated scents. Whilst I love rich woods, heady florals and warm spice harmonies, gorgeous spring sunshine and fresh breezes call for sparkling notes of citrus, blossoms and green herbs. Luckily, this is the time of year when fragrance houses launch more uplifting versions of original favourites, that can still pack a punch for perfume-lovers. These four have made my shortlist must-haves for Spring 2015.
With notes of orange blossom, frangipani and fig this scent is “clean” without leaning towards the “air-freshener”side of the scale. The top notes of mandarin are a little too zesty for my liking but the fragrance soon settles in to soft white florals and warm cedars on a sunny day.
Modern Muse is one of my all time favourite perfumes so when I came across this new version, it was hard to imagine that the brand could create anything near as pretty as the original. But this fragrance was a real surprise. It’s warm and woody base notes contrast beautifully with the vivid florals, creating a multi-layered yet timelessly elegant scent that’s a touch more daring than the original.
In the early Noughties I had a serious addiction to the original L’Eau d’Issey. I couldn’t get enough of its heavenly mix of freesias, lotus and white lilies with the subtlest hints of amber and musk. This year’s new version is incredibly fresh and feminine yet just as addictive thanks to notes of mandarin, orange blossom (this year’s star ingredient it seems) and rose.
After the massive success of the Eau de Toilette, Extrait and Couture versions, Guerlain is expanding their fragrance wardrobe even further with this new spring/summer edition. It’s just as fun and fruity as the original with Bulgarian and Turkish roses, orange blossom (here it is again) and a beautiful mélange of other white florals but this time with an effervescent green streak that cuts through the sweetness. What are your favourite scents for spring?