Friday, January 27, 2012

Winter 2012 Top Fragrances & Other Stuff

I always enjoy participating in joint blog projects as they make me organize my thoughts on a certain subject and it's fun to take a look back and see what my top winter perfumes and other stuff wore.
Thanks to Helg of the Perfume Shrine, today you can check some of the winter favorites both here and on the other participating blogs (the list is below). :)


So, in no particular order, this winter I've been enjoying the Voluspa Winesap Apple Spice candle in the evenings. I light the candle, and curl in my favourite armchair with a book. This winter has seriously sapped my energy levels (not the weather, but the period) so this is my way of relaxing and enjoying some down time.


On the plus side, when the candle burns out, I will have a beautiful cup to put in some of my favourite decants. :)

This winter, I also found out that if one is to go by perfumes, I had a completely wrong idea of what India smells like.
I have been lucky to test the Neela Vermeire perfumes (proper reviews to come soon) and I was completely taken by surprise by the perfume interpretation of India.

For some reason I thought that all the spices and notes will turn into an oriental perfume fullbodied and heavy.
Instead, what I found is the warm, summer air saturated with all kinds of smells but at the same time breezy and light-hearted. I can't wait to be able to wear them once the weather turns slightly warmer, I believe the cold we are having these days would kill their light happiness.

And that brings me to the fact that this winter, I'm all for warm and sweet when it comes to my perfumes, so I'm wearing vanillas and ambers and Shalimar in the evenings.
L'Artisan's Vanilia and L'Eau d'Ambre, MdO Vanille, Un Bois Vanille by SL and of course, Ambre Sultan.
Among all these ambers and vanillas, a strange little cinnamony gem also found its place - Un Crime Exotique.

Those are my go-to scents when I want to feel wrapped up in my little warm cocoon where the world can't get me (and they work rather well in that context).


As does my first ever cashmere sweater! :) Ok, so I might be late to that party but I just never thought there is a type of wool out there that could work with my extremely sensitive skin when it comes to clothing texture. Not to mention that the price wasn't exactly making me eager to buy one.
All I can say is, I might not be buying cashmere sweaters regularly, but they will slowly start appearing more and more in my wardrobe.

And last but not least, my list of top stuff couldn't be complete without a mention of an alcoholic beverage. ;)
This winter I discovered my favourite cognac and cognac house. Not that I've tried many but Frapin are my clear favourite. Not surprising though as I love their perfumes a lot as well (if they can make such great perfumes, imagine what they can do with cognacs which they've been making for 20 generations).

And here are my fellow participating bloggers with their thoughts on winter favourites:

The Non Blonde

Perfume Shrine

Katie Puckrick

I smell therefore I am

Under the Cupola

Waft by Carol



Apples and wine pic by http://www.gasparic-pejzazi.com/

14 comments:

  1. Un Crime Exotique is a lovely one! Glad you like it. And I have yet to try the newest Frapin 1697 (or whatever the year is..) but I know the older one is wonderfully boozy :)

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  2. Vanilia always struck me as a summer scent, but maybe that's a good reason to wear it in the winter! You know, to stay warm and cheerful.

    Sometimes cashmere sweaters can be found at awesome prices. I bought my friend one at Ann Taylor Loft for $40.

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  3. Ines, looking at your list, I see a winning combination: Ambre Sultan + Cashmere Sweater + Cognac. Now come sit by me, please! :-)

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  4. Have some vanilla with your vanilla, Ines? What no Havana Vanille?

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  5. Abigail, I was lucky to receive a sample of 1697 but it got lost among many other samples and now I have to find it to remind myself what it smells like. :)
    Although, in my mind, Frapin can do no wrong, I like all of their perfumes (Caravelle Epicee topping the list). :)

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  6. Joan, thank you for the cashmere info. :)
    Yes, I noticed many people wear Vanilia in the summer but I cannot for the life of me consider it a summer perfume. It gets so hot here in the summer that I steer clear of anything even remotely sweet and warm (and that's what vanilla reminds me of).

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  7. Suzanne, here I come! :)
    It would be great fun sharing a glass of cognac with you (or kir for that matter). ;)

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  8. He, he, Katie, sure, I wouldn't say no to some more vanilla. :)
    Incredible as it might sound, Havana Vanille was too much for me that one time I tried it.
    But as I keep hearing good things about it, I'll give it another go. You never know, it might work this time. ;)

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  9. I,

    loved reading your thoughts.
    I like Un Crime Exotique a lot as well!

    Cashmere is wonderful and quite lightweight; a significant concern for me as I don't like bulky sweats at all and have no use for them. For something very smooth and less expensive (though not cheap), you can try a fine merino wool of multiple ply knit. I bet thouse won't be itchy on your skin.

    Love boozy fragrances, Botytris is also great if you haven't tried it!

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  10. Dear E, thank you for the merino wool tip! That might work well as a cashmere substition (at least until I win the lottery). :)

    I ought to have a sample of Botrytis somewhere, I really need to smell it again as it keeps getting mentioned as a great boozy fragrance. (I'm all for boozy) ;)

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  11. Belatedly catching up with people's winter picks! I have just done a U-turn on Un Bois Vanille so can see why you are drawn to it at this time of year.

    I have two cashmere jumpers that are staples of my wardrobe. One camel, one beige, which was a bit silly looking back. The moths got at them sadly and a friend has kindly darned the holes. They are useable again, but just as pottering round the house sweaters, so I would advise you to keep the moths at bay as best you can. Tubereuse Criminelle-scented moth balls, maybe?

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  12. I was thinking the same as Katie when I read your list. It made me want to go apply some vanilla perfume! It sounds like a great way to make it through a cold winter.

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  13. Vanessa, I'd get seriously upset if moths got to my sweater! The standard remedy for that here is lavender bags (I guess that works as I haven't really been seeing moths around for ages now).

    If you did a U-turn on Bois Vanille, does thatn mean our tastes are slowly finding more common ground? ;)

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  14. Natalie, until Katie pointed it out, I didn't think I'm wearing so many vanillas, but now I see I do. :)
    As I'm not much into eating sweets, I get that covered by smell. ;)

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