No one expects a crop of heavy perfume for spring and summer, but the perfumers have outdone themselves to bring to life fruity florals with unexpected notes like tomato leaf and green tea. Sambac jasmine, patchouli, and musk also make appearances in more than one product. I recently sampled the latest olfactory offerings. I might have been lying in a field of artistically arranged wildflowers.
For an intense burst of sunshine, Aqua di Parma’s Blu Mediterraneo new scent, Bergamotto di Calabria. This eau de toilette with top notes of bergamot (surprise,) a middle of cedar wood and red ginger, and a base of vetiver, Benzoin, and musk made me want to curl up and take a nap in an orange grove. It’s available at sephora.com in 60ml ($70) and 120ml ($106), as well as a soft body cream ($67) for layering.
Givenchy has debuted an alluring segment to its Ange ou Demon collection with Le Secret. While definitely coming down on the “Ange” side of fence, this innovative floral uses its top notes of Italian winter lemon, cranberry, and green tea leaves to make a fresh impression. The heart of sambac jasmine, white peony, and water flowers flows seamlessly into the base of blond woods, patchouli, and white musk. This eau de parfum comes as 30ml ($51,) 50ml ($73,) and 100ml ($95,) at Macy’s, Dillard’s, Sephora, and GivenchyBeauty.com.
Emilio Pucci has introduced a trio of variations on his classic scent, Vivara. The first, Sole 149, features tomato leaf, sambac jasmine, and vetiver. The crisp green scent stands out among the crowd of florals. Acqua 330, the second, contains violet leaf, sea accord, and musk for a decidedly oceanic feel. The very last, Sabbia 167, uses tangerine, Florentine iris, and sandalwood to create a powdered sugar effect. Each of the trio are available as a 0.3oz travel spray ($23,) roller ball ($25,) and 1.7oz eau de toilette spray ($59.) And of course, the eye-catching Pucci print on the bottles gets them a front row spot on the vanity line-up.
