My Favorite Fall Fragrances {In Rotation}
I'm on a roll with my fall-themed posts, so thought I might as well continue with a roundup of my favorite fall fragrances. I LOVE perfume, but I've never been the type to have a "signature scent" and I probably never will. I definitely think there's a scent for every mood...or maybe there's a mood for every scent? Either way, I like to change my fragrance with the seasons.
The fall fragrances that I've been wearing the most lately are ones that definitely work year-round, but they feel especially appropriate this time of year.
Sí by Armani Beauty*
Sí is described on Sephora.com as having notes of: Chypre, Blackcurrant Nectar, Airy Florals and Musky Blond Wood. Although I love perfume, I'm not too familiar with the different scents and fragrance families. I did a little research on what each of these notes mean and it was actually super interesting.Chypre is French for "Cyprus" and this scent is described as warm, woody and mossy with a hint of citrus as a top note. Doesn't that sound like fall? {Source.}Black Currant has a fruity, tangy scent with a bit of an ammonia smell (if you Google black currant fragrance you'll come across a ton of articles discussing cat piss...I'll spare you the details). {Source.}Musky Blond Wood is also known as Cashmeran and it's described as having a musky, woody and powdery scent. Again, very fall and very cozy. {Source.}I am no fragrance expert, so I'll just say Sí has a sweet but sophisticated scent. There is definitely a floral element due to the "airy florals", but it's not an overly floral fragrance. I think the floral scent is balanced nicely by the chypre and blond wood elements. It's just a really cozy scent.After researching the different notes, I understand why this made my fall fragrances round-up: it reminds me of a fall floral arrangement. You've got the flowers but there's the rustic elements thrown in too. This is a fragrance that I think is appropriate for day or night, and it's not too overpowering to wear to work.
Iris Poudre by Frederic Malle
According to Barneys, this fragrance is "A grand and contemporary floral [that] exudes sophistication with the warmth of iris, jasmine and rose finishing with notes of vanilla and sandalwood." As divine as that sounds, I don't think that fully captures the complexity of this scent. It's definitely not your typical floral.So, I did a little more digging and found a lovely article describing it has having all of these scents: bergamot, orange, rosewood, ylang-ylang, carnation, magnolia, jasmine, muguet, violetta-rose, aldehydes, iris, musk, amber, vanilla, sandalwood, ebony, tonka bean and vetiver. Now, that's a little more like it.Basically, there are lots of sweet floral notes that I'm always drawn to like carnation, magnolia and jasmine. But then there are spicier notes that offset that sweetness like musk, bergamot and sandalwood, so it's not cloying at all.Then iris adds that light and powdery element that keeps this from feeling too heavy. I LOVE this fragrance and all of it's different layers. Maybe that's why it made my fall fragrances list. Fall is nothing if not the season for layering, right?
Vintage Gardenia by Jo Malone
First off, I have to say this is discontinued, sadly. I love this fragrance because white florals are my favorite. But, this is so unique because there are also notes of tuberose, sandalwood, incense, cardamom and myrrh. It's not your basic floral scent by any means. I love that it's not super sweet but you still get the unmistakable gardenia scent.If any of you have this, I'd love to hear about any similar scents!
Roses de Chloe by Chloe
This is probably the most traditional floral out of this roundup, but it's not your basic rose perfume. Although I'm a huge fan of floral scents in general, my heart truly belongs to the rose. Roses de Chloe has a different take on a traditional rose scent because there's bergamot, white musk and amber thrown in. Again, those spicy elements that I just can't seem to get enough of lately.I just sprayed this on my wrist and as it dries down, the musk and bergamot become more prominent. At first you smell mostly rose, but as the fragrance settles, you start to pick up the other elements. This is another fragrance that I wear for day and night, but I think it's probably more of an evening scent. I think it's because roses just seem so romantic to me, and that's definitely not the mood I'm in when I'm heading to work.
Nirvana Black by Elizabeth and James
Nirvana Black has notes of violet, sandalwood and vanilla, and now I see a trend with my fall fragrance picks. But, while the other fall fragrances have a decidedly floral element, Nirvana Black is the least floral in my opinion. I definitely get more of the powdery, woody and spicy elements with only a tiny bit of floral fragrance.I have this fragrance in a rollerball, and I love keeping this in my bag to touch up my scent towards the end of the day. This is not a super intense scent, but it feels more appropriate for night to me. There's a sultry element to it that I think is better suited for evenings.
Funny, when I was thinking about what seemed like fall to me, I didn't have a particular scent in mind. But, apparently fall fragrances for me are all about a balance of sweet and spicy, like the perfect Thanksgiving meal. All of these scents have sandalwood, musk, vanilla plus a floral element. But, they smell so different, promise!I will always be drawn to floral scents, but wearing an unadulterated floral just doesn't feel right for fall, so I've been reaching for these ones non-stop lately. I'd love to hear about your favorite fall fragrances in the comments!
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