Some days you really don’t want to have to give too much thought to fragrance. What to wear today, you ask yourself, restlessly poking through your collection, searching, searching. And after waaay too many days of doing just that, I’ve finally put together a collection of scents that are the perfect antidote, and am keeping them within easy reach, so I can grab one and go. Especially for those days when I’m in a rush and can’t stop to make than one quick decision.
This time of year (summertime temps), Annick Goutal’s L’Ile au The, Chanel’s Eau de Cologne, and Guerlain’s Cologne du Parfumeur have made their way into my box. Goutal’s Eau d’Hadrien is also nice and refreshing, and doesn’t require a ton of thought. If I want something with a bit more oomph, perhaps for evening, I reach for Frederic Malle’s Eau du Magnolia or the AG’s sultrier cousin, Les Nuits d’Hadrien. Part of me would like to include Carnal Flower here, but as beautiful as it is, I fear it could be a bit polarizing in the wrong circumstances.
Of course, some of you daring souls wear what you like any time, anywhere. But for those of us with office restrictions or allergy-minded friends and co-workers, an innocuous scent or two is a must, especially when traveling in close confines, such as an airplane cabin, the family car, or a train or bus.
What go-to scents do you keep close at hand, knowing that you can reach for them and spritz (or dab), with no thought required, knowing you’ll be well-scented without causing olfactory upset around you?
My grab ‘n go Monday morning scents for summer are Chanel’s Cristalle, l’Eau d’Issey, Penhaligon’s Bluebell and Acqua di Parma’s Gelsomino Nobile in Edt. Another summertime grab ‘n go classic for me is the O de Lancome – going strong since around 1969!
Chantilly. Timeless, ageless, seasonless, lovely. Perfect emergency purse scent, too.
Hi! Wow, haven’t smelled that one in years and years. It’ll be interesting to see how/if it’s changed much over time. You’ve piqued my curiosity; now I’m off to sniff it.
Hi! I’ve misses you guys. My migraines went crazy out of control for a while, and that means no smelling things as scent is a big trigger for me. I’m trying to ease myself back in to the perfumed waters gently. I really miss it.
Vanil-Le is a great vanilla – very lemony but not sweet. To me it is a perfect summer scent. I can send you a sample – I have a FB and am a long way from ever finishing it. Marianna_r in the yahoooooland
Yum, it does sound delicious! Gotta love a little lemon in the summer. And thanks, that is so sweet of you.
Diptique Eau Rose, any of Ateliers, VCA California Rivière, Jacques Zolty Vanil-le. Easy peasy!!
Another fan of the Ateliers, yay! And I had forgotten how nice that VCA is. Need to get a sniff next time I’m in the store. Do tell more about the Jacques Zolty — I love me some vanilla!
Another vote for Philoskyos. Also Debaser by D.S & Durga is another one that I grab all the time in summer…fig is very much my favorite note for this time of year! Oh, and Aod by Lostmarch…it’s very light and salty,lovely in the heat too.
Phllosykos is a great fig, Samantha! Haven’t sniffed your other choices, so need to get busy 🙂
Chanel No. 19, L’Artisan Oeillet Sauvage (often!), AG eau d’Hadrien, Guerlain Habit Rouge, Diptyque L’Eau, The Different Company Sens En Bois.
Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner in No. 19, Cheryl! Glad you mentioned that Different Company scent; been wanting to snag a sample of it. Thanks!
Top office scents aka grab and go are No 19, Jasmine White Moss and Ferre.
Three great scents there, and yet another vote for 19 — I think it may be our winner today. Which Ferre is it? I have one but can’t remember which one it is (that line always gets me confused; they need to name their scents more distinctively); and it’s the same one that Mals, here on the Posse, also likes.
Jo Malone Blackberry and Bay (moved from a decant to a bottle of the bath oil), Goutal’s Honeysuckle Cheverefeuille (drained two bottles and that’s rare), Bulgari Tea au Vert or Femme (also re-purchases), and I’ll ditto the Kelly Caleche from up above.
Yum! I bet the JM oil is divine. Gotta try that sometime. And great minds (noses?) must think alike, because I’ve got a spritz of that Annick Goutal on right now and am enjoying the heck out of it!
You inspirired me to wear my B&B today. Perfect for almost anytime. And Chevrefeuille is definitely in my top 5 – so happy I finally got a big bottle after finishing my decant.
Calvin Klein Reveal, Prada Infusion d’Iris, Chanel Cuir de Russie, any of the Bvlgari au Thés, Terre d’Hermes (though most of the Hermes would also work), and Dior Eau Sauvage off the top of my head.
I also wear Shalimar whenever the urge strikes 🙂
Another Prada iris fan!! You also mentioned the Bulgari tea range — which are your favorites? I enjoy them all but have been especially enamored of the blue one lately.
All of them are pretty good – the only one I have a full bottle of is Rouge, though Blue is lovely, I find myself contemplating Vert more in the heat.
I agree — the green is tailor-made for hot weather. I do need to spend more time with the red, though. Thanks!
Byredo Tulipe, La Chasses Aux Papillons, Mure et Musc, Etro Heliotrope, Guerlain French Kiss, Malle Fleur de Cassie, Le Rivage (by MDCI), Promesse de l’Aube and my newest, La Danza des Lillebulles. I just realized a lot of the ones I reach for often, though they are not necessarily my favorites, are the top sellers of their brand!
Hey, sweetie! I’m nodding my head at many of your picks, especially the Tulipe and L’Artisan. But do tell more about the Danza; not familiar with that one.
No19 is fabulous in the summer so is Worth Courtesan. For those cool summer days, Shalimar is great. Deneuve and Chamade are excellent choices.
All right-y — another vote for 19! And glad you mentioned Chamade and Deneuve; both are lovely, although I can’t swing the cumin (or something) in Courtesan, much as I would love to.
L’Eau d’Hiver was THE one before it was reformulated. Now, it’s Houbigant Orangers en Fleur year-round and Un Jardin Sur Le Nil in the summer.
Oh, Deb, so sorry to hear that. But the Houbigant is so nice, isn’t it? And I envy you being able to wear that Hermes — I so wanted to love it but it didn’t like me one little bit. But more for you, right? 🙂
Hey Ann,
This has never really been a qualification for my spritzing. Been pretty heavily spritz & going with Shalimar, Guess by Marciano, Eau de Gloire by Parfum d’Empire, CK Contradiction Woman and Bulgari Man In Black lately. None of them shy and retiring but all comfortable, easy wears for me.
Portia xx
Gotcha, but if anyone can pull off any scent at any time, it’s you, fabulous Portia!
At the moment I have close at hand Diptyque Philosykos, Arden Green Tea and Juliette Has a Gun’s Anyway. They fit perfectly into the warm weather.
Neva, you must be a mind reader! I was sipping some iced green tea and thinking I need to dig up my EA to wear, ha!
Atelier Cologne Trefle Pur, 31 RC (because my decant is evaporating, but it turns out to be perfect), Ineke’s Poet’s Jasmine, Zoologist Hummingbird, Fleurs de Sel and my year-round standbys of Tropic of Capricorn and Azemour. I realize that ToC isn’t everyone’s easy scent, but it’s one of my default comfort scents.
You have some unusual choices there; several of which I’ve never sniffed. But the Ineke and 31 RC would make my list, too!
Chanel No. 19 EDP, Atelier Cologne Sous le toit de Paris, Atelier Cologne Cedrat Enivrant come to mind immediately.
Hajasuuri, I need to re-visit my samples of those Ateliers, but Chanel No. 19 is a great pick, and I see it’s getting some love on here today. 🙂
Guerlain Cologne Du 68, Bond Fire Island, Chanel Boy (this summer) and Bois Des Iles Extrait, Aroma M Camilia oil, En Voyage Loerlei, Hermes Habit Rouge Dress Code
Good stuff there, and like most of us, I can’t wait to try the new Chanel Boy!
took me about 5 wearings to warm up too it, but now I’m obsessed!
Is there a full bottle in your future? 😉
Yup, should be here tomorrow! I blew thru my 5ml. decant in a week. At first it was knd of “meh”, but dear god, it grew on me!!
Lucky you — congrats!!
just arrived this week! woo hoo!!
Annick Goutal’s Songes, Chanel No. 19 EDT, and Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino Forte are pretty easy summer scents for me. Also, Atelier’s Orange Sanguine Cologne.
Howdy, Heidi! Glad you mentioned the Neroli Portofino — I’d forgotten about that one, and it really is a no-brainer.
Chanel 5 eau primiere, Sarah Jessica Parker’s Lovely, Prada Iris Infusion, Hermes Kelly Caleche. Easy!
Nice choices there! And I especially like the Prada and the SJP. Must get mine out and start sprtizing!
Ooops — that was supposed to be “spritzing”!