Getting some winter sun? Try these summer scents on for size
Oh you lucky thing, you. Escaping the dreariness of Britain in January for warmer climes is the oh-so-distant dream, and one few get to realise. But you, you’ve made it happen. And we’re happy for you, so to help you on your way we’ve picked out the scents that will have heads turning faster than you can say “dry down”.
Let’s begin at the beginning…
Cirrus – Soma Parfums
Cirrus is a great everyday perfume. It’s congenial, lighthearted, wears at a pleasant volume and lasts all day. A burst of bright bergamot and blackcurrant open the path to aromatic lavender and its treacly undertones. Orris hovers in the background, creating a canvas upon which the rest of the aromas move. Patchouli, vetiver and amber on a cushion of musks make for a gentle drydown.
All of the Soma Parfums are creatively directed by fragrance aficionado Dan Rothschild. If you happen to follow him on Instagram, you’ll know the amount of perfumes he’s critiqued. There’s a feeling of fine-tuning apparent throughout the collection that elevates the perfumes into this space of accessible luxury. Considered and well-crafted, but in a way that’s really inclusive. Cirrus is an everyday joy.
Notes:
Blackcurrant, Sage, Bergamot, Lavender, Cardamom
Pink pepper, Patchouli, Orris
Amber, Vanilla, Musk, Vetiver
Naples – Gallivant
Gallivant’s Naples reclaims frankincense from the walls of the church and takes it back into the treetops where it originates from. There it’s joined by briney, coastal breezes and the bright zing of ginger. A hat trick of spices - cardamom, nutmeg and pink pepper - tease out a fascinating tension between the warm and cool on a landscape of woods and resin tethered to one another with sinuous coils of incense. Naples wears on the skin like an arcane patina; comfortably straddling the ancient and the modern.
Gallivant’s Creative Director Nick Steward teamed up with superstar Italian perfumer, Luca Maffei to create Naples, which was a finalist in this year’s Institute of Art & Olfaction Awards. Maffei had previously won two Art & Olfaction Awards in 2015 and 2016. He has his own studio in Milan, Atelier Fragranze Milano and has made fragrances for Histoires de Parfums,, Masque Milano, Perris Monte Carlo, Salvatore Ferragamo and Houbigant.
Notes:
Sea Notes, Bergamot, Ginger, Pink Pepper, Ozonic Notes
Guaiac Wood, Birch, Vetiver, Clearwood, Patchouli, Amber
Olibanum, Incense, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Labdanum
Sous Bois – Nancy Meiland
Sou Bois is an olfactory odyssey that starts high above the treetops. It opens with a bright and bracing combination of coniferous pine, black pepper and cold air. Then, it’s lung-expansive, inviting, deep, moreish breaths.
As the fragrance opens up, it leads the nose down to rolling meadows, abundant with wild, untamed flora - bellflower, hemlock and lichen tremulous on fallen branches.
Deeper, darker tones of myrrh, birch tar and resins introduce a glowering quality to Sous Bois reminiscent of Heathcliff on the moors surrounding Wuthering Heights.
Overall, Sous Bois delivers a feeling of open spaces and endless skies over a slumbering forest floor, reluctantly stirring under the morning sun and celebrating its dark shadows.
Notes:
Cypress, Pine, Black Pepper, Papyrus, Rain, Myrica
Bellflower, Iris, Cloves, Primrose, Hemlock, Fir, Moss
Birch Tar, Myrrh, Labdanum, Vetiver, Tonka Bean
So, four fragrances to set you on your path to warmth and relaxation. I can’t say we’re not a little jealous over at HOOHAA HQ, but we wish you the best all the same. We can’t ever pick a favourite when it comes to fragrances, so we’ll let you do that yourself.
And if you’re really stuck? Why not try one of our discovery sets?
Have a great holiday, and don’t forget to send us a postcard!
