It's been a very odd spring in my little corner of Pennsylvania: first way too cold, then way too hot, and only just recently approaching the happy sort of spring temperatures I look forward to all winter. That's probably made it a little easier to think about which vanilla perfumes might work best for the gamut of spring weather (I've already covered fall and winter). As always, do chime in with your own picks in the comments!
Aedes de Venustas Cierge de Lune: With a creamy powder finish and a hint of warm amber, Cierge de Lune is probably best suited to the cooler days of spring; Angela aptly noted that the sillage is "almost visually golden". It's arguably the most sophisticated of today's five, and it has a price tag to match (although if they ever release it in the travel spray trio, the price is not really that much more than the other niche fragrances listed here).
Annick Goutal Nuit et Confidences: I like the brand's Vanille Exquise better, but Nuit et Confidences is just the right middle-of-the-road weight for a day that might start out in a sweater and end up in a tank top. It's middle-of-the-road in lots of other ways too: not too foody, not too sweet, not too dry, not too youthful, not too mature. It would make a good no-brainer vanilla for almost any time of year.
Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensée: Another candidate for the no-brainer category. Kevin classified Vanille Insensée as a "diet gourmand", and while it has enough citrus to keep things lively on a sunny spring day — and better than usual last power for a diet fragrance — you can also brighten it up in the last afternoon with a spritz of any basic grapefruit or orange. As an added bonus, the 10 ml travel spray is less than $30.
Caron Pour un Homme: The classic vanilla and lavender, bracing but comforting, easily adoptable by any gender. If you're willing to shop at the discounters, you can get 120 ml for about the same price as the travel size of the Atelier listed above. I wish I could tell you it's every bit as good as it used to be, but I haven't smelled a new bottle in some time. Do comment if you know!
Providence Perfume Co Provanilla: A blend of five kinds of vanilla, and appropriately delicious without being so foody as to cross into cupcake territory. Provanilla is a sort-of aquatic, but it's also the only natural included today, and that means no calone (in case that's as much a plus for you as it is for me). You could probably wear it year-round, and I've stuck it in the spring list just because.
Note: top image is Vanilla bahiana Hoehne [cropped] by Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil at flickr; some rights reserved.
I was in France for work, but managed to squeeze in super-cute 30ml bottle of nuit et confidences, for all the reasons you mention, as well as for the light incense in the drydown
The 30 ml is super cute — much cuter than the bigger bottles! Surprised they have not done 10 ml sizes for this & Tenue though.
I bought one too! actually, it was the first full bottle of perfume I bought after a long while. Only wore it in winter, though, haven’t tried it in this warmer weather… (was tempted to write ‘spring’, but here in Europe, spring lasted for about five days and now the weather feels like summer) 😀
and the bottle is cute!
I have and love the Aedes Cierge de Lune and wear it a lot all year. I also have the Providence Provanilla but do no care for it…too sickening sweet for me.
Oh so glad you commented then, I never would have thought it too sweet!
Love Cierge de Lune. I also find Xerjoff Casamorati Lira and Van Cleef & Arpels Orchidée Vanille light enough for summer (not that we’ve had any temps resembling that so far this year).
It is weird weather everywhere! The Xerjoff is on my list to try but who knows if I ever will.
Another Ciergedr Lune fan here. A big fan of Providence as well.
Cierge does seem popular, but I’ve been surprised not to see the PPC one mentioned in the scent of the day more often.
Well I for one love the sweet vanillas in Spring,actually I love Vanillas(and Irises)all year round.Vanilia by L’Artisan is the first one on my list.Lush Vanillary is great for a Spring evening out.People have commented I always smell of “something”(whatever perfume was SOTD),and vanilla.My staple showergel is Vanilla and rice-milk from a local artisanal shop,that explains it.Lol.
The L’Artisan didn’t make any of the lists only because they discontinued it! Ditto with Havana Vanille.
Vanilla & rice milk shower gel sounds fantastic.
I wish I could smell Havana Vanille again. I had a dab sample and it smelled so opaque.
The Burberry Brit EdT might work for this weird springtime weather.
Oh, good call!
I wish I loved vanilla. I think Shalimar is the only one I enjoy regularly. Sadly, a lot of them smell plasticky to me (looking at you Bois de Vanille). I still can’t wait to see the rest of your lists though!
If the Shalimar Eau Legere was still around, that would definitely make this list!
This is nothing to do with this topic but I had to tell like-minded people – monthly Friday evening get-together with my best friend yesterday & was pouring our first (of many) glasses of wine when I realised that, for the first time in 40 or so years, I had left my house without wearing perfume! I said as much out loud, to be met with gales of laughter from said best mate & her daughter – they know me well enough to appreciate my horror at this realisation – I don’t even go to my local supermarket without a squirt of perfume! This horror story notwithstanding, I have recently been in Glasgow for a Jimmy Webb concert (surely one of the USA’s best gifts to the world of music) & had managed to acquire a sample of Muguet Porcelaine from a delightful young man in the Hermes concession in Frasers department store – I had been keen to try this & it’s gorgeous. Also in this shop I had been sprayed a tad aggressively by a Viktor & Rolf sales person – couldn’t wait to find a loo & wash those off! – but again, acquired a couple of samples from V&R’s Magic Collection, namely Dirty Tricks & Lavender Illusion – didn’t care for any of them, I must admit, but gave the samples to my friend as she’s happy to wear even fragrances she doesn’t much like to work, & save her ‘best’ for other occasions (this is not something I could ever do but equally she thinks I’m a tad obsessive about perfume). Frasers, as a company, is in dire straits financially, like many of our retail businesses here in the UK – it would be a crying shame if they folded, as I think their Glasgow shop is the best place in Scotland to buy fragrance, although it must be said there’s not a great deal of competition, sadly.
Always have a sample of something in your purse for emergencies 😉
Did not know that about Frasers. We are losing lots of department stores too.
Frasers was excellent for niche fragrances many years ago, the became just the same as any high street department store, but in the last couple of years they’ve upped their game & now stock brands such as Martin Margiela (I bought Promenade in the Gardens last year) & Atkinsons, as well as the ‘special’ offerings from the likes of Dior & Viktor & Rolf. They also have Annick Goutal, so I saw the revamped bottles in the flesh, as it were – if the original bottles weren’t so iconic, I suppose I might have liked the current ones, contemporary with clean lines, but give me the original design containing my beloved Eau de Camille any day!
I hear you — I am still not “over” the Diptyque redesign.
I agree, it would be a crying shame if it closed, it is the best perfume hall in Scotland. Was there last week in fact with my son had a great chat with the SA about Comme des Garcons fragrances and student life in Glasgow.
I like Indigo Vanilla as a spring vanilla–the violet note is what puts it there but it has enough weight to deal with cooler temperatures
I just can’t wear sweet violets without a headache, even when Shelley Waddington creates it, but I love Indigo Vanille combined with the other two perfumes in the Chocolate trio. It’s so unique.
Adding to my list, thanks both!
Big yes to Cierge, the Atelier, and Caron PuH! I haven’t tried the AG and sadly Provanilla didn’t work on me. I think the vanilla and aquatic combo read as cloying on me. But I’m such a big fan of PPC in general and have many loves from them. I would add Diptyque Eau Duelle to the spring vanilla list.
Good, that’s -2 for Provanilla so everyone is warned!
I have Eau Duelle queued up for the summer list 🙂
The current Caron Pour un Homme is still very good. It’s a post-work-hot-shower standard for me – in all climates.
So good to know, thanks!
Hey all! I am new here, great blog and wonderful forum!
Just wanted to chime in with Agonist Vanilla Marble.
Ah, forgot that one — Kevin reviewed it here and he liked it. Thanks, and by the way, welcome!