25 Rose Fragrances Every Perfumista Should Try

Posted by Jessica on 21 December 2012 171 Comments

aged roses

A few weeks ago, Robin posted an update to her much-loved post 100 Fragrances Every Perfumista Should Try, adding twenty-five more fragrances worth seeking out. Angela has pitched in with a tempting selection of 25 Vintage Fragrances Every Perfumista Should Try, while Kevin has expanded our view with a list of 50 Masculine Fragrances. And what’s my “beat” here on Now Smell This? I’ve always gravitated towards florals, particularly rose-based perfumes, so I’ll do my part with a run-down of some must-try rose scents.

True roses¹

1. Annick Goutal Rose Absolue

Annick Goutal was one of my “gateway” houses into perfume obsession, partially because it offers several rose-inspired fragrances. Rose Absolue is the most “true” rose of the group. It brings together essences of six different roses (May, Turkish, Bulgarian, Damascus, Egyptian, and Moroccan) into a radiant bouquet…

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Sonoma Scent Studio Nostalgie ~ fragrance review

Posted by Angela on 3 December 2012 60 Comments

Flowery Words

What does nostalgia mean for perfume? The vintage perfume I love doesn’t smell like it did when it was made. Top notes aren’t as sharp, and sometimes a certain “pruniness” has crept in. Like yellowed letters and recordings full of snaps and hisses, an old perfume can be hard to appreciate simply as a fragrance. Instead, it is changed by time and weighted with the aura of another age. I still cherish vintage perfume for its unfashionable composition and beautiful materials, but it’s not the same as opening a box of, say, Christian Dior Diorama in 1951 and inhaling its lively splendor then. Smell as I might, I’ll never know exactly what those fragrances meant in their time.

Sonoma Scent Studio Nostalgie attempts to recapture the beauty of a vintage fragrance. But Nostalgie is brighter and fresher than the bottles vintage perfume I’ve smelled. It also speaks to modern perfume lovers by being a little softer and less “growly” than many old bombshell fragrances. Maybe this is what it would have been like to crack open a perfume bottle fifty years ago…

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Hundreds of meticulously labeled fragrance notes

Posted by Robin on 28 October 2012 2 Comments

Hundreds of meticulously labeled fragrance notes are spread out over several workstations, resembling a fabulous-smelling laboratory. She's working on an all-natural line and planning on holding open-studio-like workshops in her space. Her fragrance knowledge is staggering, and she credits the virtual community for keeping her excited about what she does.

— Laurie Erickson of Sonoma Scent Studio talks to SFGate; read more at Sonoma Scent Studios' complex fragrances.

Indie special ~ three quick fragrance reviews

Posted by Robin on 11 October 2012 46 Comments

the forest, with moss

Quick reviews of three fragrances: Sonoma Scent Studio Forest Walk, Ayala Moriel Treazon and The 7 Virtues Afghanistan Orange Blossom. The theme: indie fragrances I’ve added to my buy list.

Sonoma Scent Studio Forest Walk

I tried Forest Walk when it came out earlier this year, and I liked it right away but it didn’t match my summery mood so I set it aside. Then, of course, I lost it, and had to tear my office apart to find it again — raise your hand if your perfume samples are in desperate need of reorganization! Anyway, Forest Walk is just what it says it is: “the earthy, mossy smells of the forest floor with tree bark, tree needles, and soft floral highlights”. It’s brisk but deep, and as advertised, beautifully earthy, and it has a meditative quality that’s perfect for chilly fall evenings. It might be the cold weather version of Annick Goutal Nuit Étoilée — if you found that one a little too thin, Forest Walk might be just what you’re after. Bonus: the travel spray can be had for a song…

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