As an intro to my list of Top Ten Summer Fragrances way back in 2014, I grumbled that I've never liked the question, "What are your plans for the summer?" I can safely say that no one has asked me that question this year...since so many plans have been canceled and most of us are just quietly staying safe at home.
I seem to be wearing beach-inspired perfumes (one of my favorite sub-genres!) even more than usual this summer, just because I can't go to the seashore. I recently tried two more scents that evoke the beach in very different ways, and although neither of them will replace my favorites, they both gave me the sense of a brief olfactory vacation.
SOL Cheirosa '62 comes to us from the bodycare company Sol de Janeiro: "Inspired by the golden sun in Rio, this fragrance captures the very heart of summer and the feeling of paradise right down to your toes. . . . SOL Cheirosa ’62 celebrates the iconic year of 1962 when the world first met the Girl from Ipanema and fell in love with Brazil." If you're already a Sol de Janeiro fan, and you love their Bum Bum Cream, you'll be happy to know that this perfume has the same scent, with notes of salted caramel, pistachio, jasmine and vanilla.
This is a contemporary gourmand fragrance and it's definitely a sweet one. Its description is on point: SOL Cheirosa '62 starts off with a roasted-nut accord, then drifts onwards to caramel, a few white flower petals, and a creamy-musky vanilla note. It makes me want to head to my local bakery to purchase some churros filled with dulce de leche (or, as it would correctly be called in Brazil, doce de leite). It has average staying power and sillage for an Eau de Parfum, and it's as smooth as the iconic recording of "The Girl from Ipanema" by Stan Getz and Brazilian guitarist João Gilberto, and as gauzy and idealized as some influencer's holiday photos on Instagram.
However, if you'd like a completely different kind of olfactory beach trip, there's always Francesca Bianchi Sex and the Sea, inspired by "the wild intimacy of an erotic encounter at the seaside" and incorporating notes of mimosa, pineapple, coconut, immortelle, rose, iris, sandalwood, myrrh, labdanum, benzoin, ambergris, civet and vanilla. Sol de Janeiro was just what I expected from its description and my knowledge of the brand; Sex and the Sea definitely was not what I expected.
How so? Well, that list of notes suggests something that starts off fruity and ends up warm and resiny. Instead, Sex and the Sea begins by reminding me of a piña colada with a big sprig of mint (is that actually a thing? probably not). Then it makes an abrupt turn into something grittier: a mix of suntan oil, sweaty skin with a coppery smell like old pennies — and dirty sand. The dry down verges on animalic and a touch leathery, with traces of rotting sweetness from that coconut cocktail at the beginning.
Sex and the Sea is very persistent on my own (non-sexy) skin, and it lives up to Francesca Bianchi's warning of potentially "troubling" notes. Although I wouldn't wear it regularly, I have to respect Bianchi for creating such personal and defiantly non-commercial perfumes. Angel's Dust, while still non-mainstream, is a lot more "me," but if you're up for a skanky-smelling take on summer in a bottle, you could check out Sex and the Sea.
And here we are: it's nearly August. In my weirdly shrunken and skewed existence of the past four-and-a-half months (and counting), during which I've barely left my own neighborhood, I've valued the pleasures, routines, and relationships of my perfume-life even more than usual. Thanks, as always, for reading this and for sharing in all my mini-vacations through scent.
Sol de Janeiro SOL Cheirosa '62 is available as 50 ml ($78) and 8 ml ($26) Eau de Parfum at Sephora. Francesca Bianchi Sex and the Sea is available as 30 ml Extrait de Parfum. It can be found in the US at Indigo Perfumery for $135; Indigo also offers samples for purchase.
Hi Jessica! Perhaps Sex and the Sea Neroli would be more fitted for you as it tones down that dirtiness by a notch.
I thought so, too, and I love neroli…but S&tS Neroli was a scrubber for me. And my husband really loathed it, although he rarely has any opinions on what I’m wearing!
Yikes
I don’t know why! I expected to love it! Win some, lose some…
I had both Sex and the Sea (which was the first fragrance years ago that I bought from Francesca di Bianchi). Back then there were only three: Sex and the Sea, Angel’s Dust and The Dark Side. I ended up with all three and then when she created several more, some perfume blogs and stores started carrying her perfumes, and people discovered them. Of course I followed her through the years and ended up owning all of her perfumes. However, about three weeks ago, I managed to knock into Sex and the Sea Neroli and it crashed down on the tile floor in many pieces along with the liquid making the floor very slippery even after wiping everything down. But my bathroom smelled very nice for a couple of days. I was mad at myself that I had been so clumsy but looked forward to receiving her latest one “Sticky Fingers” which would arrive soon. My thoughts on my take on [Sex and the Sea Neroli were that I enjoyed the blast of the Neroli on the first spray but once it dried down a bit, to me it smelled just like Sex and the Sea. After reading so many reviews on the comparison of the two scents, other people thought they were two completely different smelling perfumes. I no longer have both to compare again, but for the time being I will just stick with my original Sex and the Sea and all my other loves from her line like the original three, and Under My Skin, Etruscan Water and Lost in Heaven, among others.
Haha one person’s scrubber is another person’s beloved full bottle. That’s so wonderfull of this hobby of ours. I love Sex and the Sea neroli!
Exactly — differing tastes!
Agree on the Sex and the Sea Neroli; it was ‘sickening’ on me and smelled very cheap. How’s that for Friday negativity? HA!
Well, I can not disagree… I sprayed it…waited…waited…gave up after a half-hour…and as I was walking towards the bathroom (to get to the sink), I passed D. and he said said, “Um, no offense, but whatever you’re wearing smells REALLY BAD.”
I owe you a long-over due email check-in!
Hi Jessica. I was able to smell the Sol de Janeiro and I was disappointed it smelled exactly like the cream. I wanted it to be similar but still different. Thanks for the reviews!
hah! I read your comment as “smelled exactly like ice cream” and it does smell a lot like salted caramel ice cream with some pistachios on top!
I have a Francesca Bianchi sample set which is currently on loan. I tried them all and Sex and the Sea came out as one of the favorites but that is not saying much because the skanky base of all the perfumes was just not me. With this said though, I am looking forward to trying Sticky Fingers whenever I get around to acquiring a (small) sample.
They definitely have a certain “signature” — I’ve only tried these three so far but I’d try others, out of curiosity!!
You know what? I will ask for the set to be shipped to you and then when you’re done, I’ll either find another U.S. person or ask you to send it back to me. If OK with this, please email me your address.
Oh, great idea! I’ve recently thought about reaching out to you to see who will get to try the sample set next. I’ve so enjoyed getting to try them all and definitely plan to buy at least one bottle soon. I think Lost in Heaven is my favorite.
Jessica, I’d love to send it on to you next in hopes to see more reviewed. Sex and the Sea and Sex and the Sea Neroli were the last two I tried when sampling the line, and they ended up being two my least favorites. Not sure if that’s because I was already so smitten with some others or what.
P and S, thank you for this kind offer! I’ll drop you a joint email.
I quite agree with this post. I tested almost all perfumes from the line (Sex and the Sea not being one of them though) and I also find they all have a very similar dirty, oakmossy, heavy chypre-like base that I don’t like that much… However, Sticky Fingers is different to me and the only release I enjoy (a bit). It’s a little dirty in the opening but it dries down nicely and has a more smooth base than the others from the line. Not sure if I’m that interested in trying future releases. The line hasn’t been able to convince me really, which isn’t a big surprise since I generally favour clean fragrances.