Hi there Perfume Posse. Cologne stretches across the fragrant world from the very burgeoning of the way we think of modern fragrance. I’m not here to give you a history lesson because my knowledge is way too sketchy for that. I am interested in what are your favourite colognes and why. As it’s summer up there in the north I thought you might like to share what’s currently fragrantly refreshing your sweaty selves.
PDI
Cologne? Which ones do you love?
I have a few EdCs in my collection, however today I’m not talking about an EdC strength of a fragrance available in other strengths. Nope, today we are talking dedicated colognes. That tart, refreshing citrus spritz or splash that will often be accompanied by some herbaceous greens and a hint or hit of lavender and other florals before warming through to become a sweet resinous skin scent. It usually wafts off your radar about 1-2 hours later.
Which cologne do I reach for most? I have a few but today let’s talk about three I really love.
La Cologne Du Parfumeur by Guerlain 2010
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Citruses, amalfi lemon, African orange flower, mint, rosemary, lavender
The story goes that Thierry Wasser made himself a simple cologne for everyday wear and the compliments ran so thick & fast that he decided to release it to the public. I don’t know the man to check the veracity of the story but the absolute calm simplicity of La Cologne Du Perfumer makes it wearable all year round as a sweet and comfy cologne. It opens juicy and lush before becoming a herbal/floral bouquet and warming only slightly through to dry down. Personally I think this note list lacks the resinous base. Not terribly long lasting but lovely.
4711 Original Eau de Cologne by Maurer & Wirtz 1792
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange oil, peach, basil, bergamot, lemon
Heart: Cyclamen, lily, melon, jasmine, Bulgarian rose
Base: Patchouli, Tahitian vetiver, musk, sandalwood, oakmoss, cedar
Still good 200+ years on. Keep it in the fridge in a spritzer and you’ll feel cool and refreshed instantly. A few years ago Victoria from Bois de Jasmin wrote about putting a tablespoon of 4711 into her bathtub in a cool summer bath and I have religiously copied her regularly because it is absolutely gorgeous on those long hot summer evenings. A perfect way to unwind and refresh your weary self.
Geranium Pour Monsieur by Frederic Malle 2009
Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Anethol, Floralozone, Geranium, Mint, Peppermint, Rhodinol
Heart: Clove, Cinnamon
Base: Ambroxan, Sandalwood, Styrax, Frankincense, White musk
I love the longevity of Geranium Pour Monsieur. Rather than citrus it uses mint and geranium to blast away the muggy blues. Even the spicy heart and resinous base manages to stay cool and calming all the way to the afternoon. Somehow it manages to maintain that luxe Malle feel even though the job it’s doing is garden variety. This is 21st century cologne at its best.
You can enjoy sampling these beauties at Surrender To Chance while making up your mind.
So now over to you. Tell us your favourite colognes for overcoming the summer sweats because this is a conversation, join in!
Portia xx
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Chanel Eau de Cologne is lovely, as is AG Eau d’Hadrien
Both very refreshing in the hottest heat MaggieCat,
I like the warmth of the short CHANEL dry down too.
Portia xx
The Guerlain “Aqua Allegorias”: Herba Fresca, Mandarine Basillic, Pamplelune. Herba Fresca helps for those particularly “middle aged hot summers”!
Aren’t they the perfect answer to sweltering heat Shiva-woman?
Portia xx
I love the Acqua Colonia line for colognes
Try the Shower Gels too Verbenaluvvr.
Portia xx
I really enjoy your conversations and hearing what other fragrance lovers are wearing. You reminded me of a fond memory; my very first fragrance! My Dad brought a bottle of 4711 back from the Netherlands for my sister and myself. I’m guessing we were maybe 10 years old, and it felt so special! My Mom and Oma told us we were supposed to put some on a handkerchief and hold it on our face to cool ourselves. I need to re-visit this cologne!, I just recall it smelling from fresh. I need to sample the Guerlain cologne; I don’t have any colognes and feel like I’m missing out!
Hey Kathleen,
A 4711 hanky wiped across your sweating brow and décolletage will cool you pronto. fACT!
Portia xx
Howdy, dear!! I love, love, love that Guerlain cologne you mentioned above, and it goes well with anything; it’s even a nice topper when your previous scent has faded to nearly nothing. Another love o’ mine is the Chanel EDC: so, so beautiful, but alas, so, so pricey! I wear my decant sparingly, but some days, nothing else will do. When I stumble into some big bucks (like that will ever happen with college looming for my kiddo, ha!), I’m going to treat myself to a big ‘ol bottle of it and enjoy it with wild abandon! Hugs to you!
Hi Ann,
Lovely to see you.
My fingers are well crossed for you winning the lottery so you can have your CHANEL and spritz it too.
Portia xx
Oh how I love colognes. I have praised them before, but I’ll say it again: Cologne du 68 and Eau de Guerlain, my love for them is boundless. I have a decant of Cologne du Parfumeur and have just spritzed some on. It’s great stuff with a bit of extra cologne-y oomph.
I am also fond of the original 4711 and recently picked up a bottle of their Acqua Colonia Lavender & Thyme. It’s refreshing and fleeting and the bottle can either splash or spritz. Love it to bits.
Also must mention Eau des Minimes from Le Couvent des Minimes (all their scents are wonderful) and Heliotrope Blanc from L. T. Piver. This last one comes in an inexpensive splash bottle. I would say it may be an after shave type of thing, a barber’s finishing touch, though it smells of almonds and flowers, not a bit of soap or fougere. Love it splashed on after a bath. There are others from this house I want to try as well.
Hiya Tiffanie,
Those Acqua Colonia frags are very nice, they do a range of Shower Gels to match. They’re super yum.
Portia xx
Oh, I forgot about the one I’m wearing today: Rodin No. 3. Perfect for a hot day.
This summer I have been enjoying Hermes’ Eau D’or de Neroli and Rhubarb.
Hey Filomena813,
Those Hermès colognes are beautiful, aren’t they. So glam.
Portia xx
Always and only 4711. When I was small, my Polish-German Oma would give me and my sister each one of the tiny-tiny bottles of it every time she saw us, and she (and my mother, who wore perfume very rarely otherwise) would splash their wrists with it regularly during hot weather.
I thought of it then more as a kind of medicinal thing than a scent – it was supposed, in my mind, to somehow actually cool you.
I wore it more rarely as I got older (for one thing, it’s not always that easy to find) but every now and then my mum would give me a bottle.
My mother died this spring, and my sister and I went home to help my dad by clearing out and sorting her clothes. We found hoarded bottles of 4711 /everywhere/ in her wardrobe and drawers – some open, some still in the box. Knowing my mother, she would’ve bought them any time she came across a sale and tucked them away, because she never liked to be caught unprepared….
We took them all. Now in my wardrobe I have a half dozen bottles in various sizes, always prepared, like my mum and my Oma, to make the muggiest summer day more bearable.
Hey Kate,
What a fabulous story. Enjoy your 4711. Happy memories.
Portia xx
I don’t think I own a dedicated cologne, does Jean Nate splash count? Some years I pick up a bottle, some I don’t. Last winter I was shopping at one of the little dented can Amish stores I frequent and found a huge bottle of Jean Nate for very cheap – this bottle is so tall I have to store it in my closet bcs it doesn’t fit in my cabinets or fridge. It’s very refreshing after a shower on a hot sweaty day.
I used to wear 4711, why did I stop I wonder. Need to fix that!
Hi there Rosarita313,
Yeah, I reckon Jean Nate counts, though isn’t it a chypre? Still the refreshing opening is very colognesque.
Portia xx
I recently tested Etat Libre’s cologne at Sephora and was impressed. Lasted all day, and has many things in common with Chanel’s EDC (a good thing).
Otherwise my old standby would be Guerlains Fleurs de Cedrat. For a more modern approach, Bvlgari Eau Parfumeur au The Vert, which I probably wear enough of to go through a huge 150ml bottle every few months.
WOW Dane,
That is a serious amount of Bulgari.
Portia x
I don’t use Cologne. My skin seems to burn/dissolve it off. I do sometimes douse myself with rose water, the kind you buy at the middle eastern grocery store. After a shower, if I’m going into a “no scent zone” like work.
But years ago (more than I’d like to count) I lived in Europe. I loved Eau de Rochas and Chevrefeuille by Yves Rocher, both Eau de Toilette. I used them pretty much like Cologne. The first has changed or I have… it just doesn’t seem the same. The later I’m not sure even exists anymore.
This summer I’ve been wearing Eau d’Hadrien which last about 1-2 hours.
Hey Fabs,
I used Eau d’hadrian as if it was a cologne. Very refreshing and short lived.
Portia xx