Spring is in the air, although the first day of spring and the March equinox is still a couple of weeks away. Technically, earlier than usual – equinox falls on March 19th this year, for the first time after 1896!
I hope you are already enjoying the healing power of first tree blossoms or primulas, various messengers of spring, snowbells, and violets hiding shyly in grass turning fresh green or maybe protruding under the snow.
Hello, early spring! Let’s spritz and chase the winter away! Here are my 5 almost Spring fragrances…
When it comes to perfumes, you might already know that I don’t push them into boxes tagged with seasons in a year. I always say wear whatever you feel like wearing, whenever you choose to if it makes you feel good.
I won’t be in a monogamous relationship with only one perfume family this spring either, so I wanted to give you a couple of suitable suggestions. For spring or for situations whenever you need to feel spring inside of you.
The perfumes I’ve chosen are meant to make you feel romantic for absolutely no reason at all, good about yourself, brighten up your day, or bring optimism in your everyday life (before we can all get sufficient doses of vitamin D on an everyday basis).
When I started to prepare fragrances to go along with unpredictable spring weather, I kept thinking about those that could really bring a ray of sunshine into a cold morning, ones tender like young green leaves or fragile pink flower petals, gentle like early crocus’s anther surrounded by soft lilac petals (did you know that crocus belongs to the iris family?), perfumes that will capture the feeling of early spring and bring some joyful pastel-colored tenderness.
Let’s get into spring mood with these fragrances I handpicked for you in completely random order:
Le Jardin d’Amelie, Olibere Parfums / Les Insoumises Collection (2019)
The complete collection of 4 lovely unisex/feminine leaning fragrances was created by Luca Maffei/Atelier Fragranze, inspired by movie characters, featuring bright and pastel colors as a reference to spring and summertime.
The most “spring” one for me is Le Jardin d’Amelie (2018), a joyful, tender, and decently fruity, cheerful beauty. The rhubarb note here is pink and juicy, florals are so tender, delicate, and elegant, and it feels like the first soft rays of spring sunshine (or a kiss) on your smiling lips! Elegant, Olibere style. Romantic. The sheer joy of life!
Top notes: Bergamot, Rhubarb, Raspberry, Pink Pepper Middle notes: Rose, Honeysuckle, Violet Base notes: White Woods, Amber, Musk.
L’Eau A La Rose, Maison Francis Kurkdjian (2020)
The newest addition to Kurkdjian‘s fragrant wardrobe is pink, light, and bright fruity-floral, rose soliflore fragrance. A very delicate, soft, and tender image of a rose with freshly squeezed, sparkly pear and lychee juice in the opening and pretty, pink rose petals crushed in your hand, quite light on the skin afterward: it’s a l’eau flanker after all.
Cabbage roses here are not in May full bloom: this is the dew that slid down those lovely petals and rosebuds before they even opened. If you really, really need to compare it to the A La Rose (2014), it’s not just a watered-down version but a play of totally different balance and accentuation of notes – a bit refreshing-fruitier and airier than EDP or as I wrote on Instagram: imagine Marie Antoinette before she got married ( A La Rose was inspired by Marie-Antoinette‘s love for roses and by her famous portrait by Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun).
An easy to wear “clean rose” everyday scent, even for those who don’t enjoy rose soliflores. I have a soft spot for Francis Kurkdjian and this fragrance made me feel a breath of pleasant, uncomplicated, and youthful optimism. Delightful. Pink rose petals everywhere.
Biwa, DSH Perfumes (2020) – Dedicated to and conceived by the late Robert Herrmann
Biwa is a dream – realized by Michelyn Camen of Cafleurebon and DSH Perfumes, inspired by the freshwater Lake Biwa in Japan, and Biwa pearls: soft, pearly-shining, delicate and soothing at the same time. One of the best new releases in 2020 by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz (IMHO)!
Even if you’ve never met or heard of Robert Herrman, you’ll feel the generosity of his soul in this unique fragrance (and I can see Robert smiling from above). It is softly sparkling with refreshing aldehydes in the opening, with just a touch of soothing cypress. The heart of it is an absolute comfort zone, almost as if hugging you ever so gently. Fluffy, steamed rice feels cozy, like coming home after a long walk in windy, cold early spring weather. Yes, it feels somehow…safe. Ethereal.
A lovely reminder to rejoice in every day of every season, to seek beauty in all things, and simply be grateful for simple things in life, even the smallest ones, like an opportunity to observe the annual, ever-repeating cycle of Nature. Heartwarming. Beautiful. Just like Robert’s smile.
Top notes: aldehydes, mint, cypress Middle Notes: rice absolute, rice powder, steamed jasmine rice accord, vanilla Base Notes: Hiba cedar, hinoki cypress, Tahitian vanilla, Virginia Cedar.
Note from DSH Perfumes: *All of the profits from the sale of Biwa will be donated to Robert’s husband, Ron. Biwa is a gift of love to the memory of our dear friend and a loving tribute to his ‘perfumed’ imagination. I am honored to have been asked by Robert to create his dream perfume. – Dawn Spencer Hurwitz
Oranzo, Sylvaine Delacourte / Orange Blossom Collection (Patrice Revillard, Sylvaine Delacourte 2019)
Sylvaine Delacourte’s new Orange Blossom Collection consists of five fragrances revolving around different facets of orange blossom, and the spring-sparkling one is definitely Oranzo! Orange blossoms seem like a perfect way to spritz winter away! Sylvaine describes Oranzo as an Icy Orange Blossom. To me, its frosty part is not overly chilling, it feels more like a spring of freshwater – light and flowing.
It opens with lovely bitter orange, and mildly anisic, slightly bitter-sweet Tarragon. Neroli is potent and waxy orange blossoms smell so clean, fresh, and light. It gets warmer later on, and although I feel a green floral note from the beginning, it just becomes more musky-woody-green in the drydown.
Oranzo is an easy to wear, uncomplicated, well-blended classic petitgrain-white floral fragrance with a twist of spices you might enjoy on an everyday basis, rain or shine. Refreshing. Invigorating. Clean-cut. Uplifting.
Top notes: bitter orange, petitgrain, Tarragon Heart notes: orange blossom Base notes: musk, dark green notes.
Green Crowne, Almah Parfums 1948 (2019)
Jaume and Jordi, perfumers behind this brand describe Green Crowne as an hommage to the green highlands of the Scottish isles. Almah Parfumes is a niche brand based in Barcelona, Spain. The main business of this brand is the production of natural essential oils. Green Crowne belongs to their first fragrance collection presented at Pitti 2019.
You might want to keep an eye on them! Green Crowne is very green indeed, it feels like all shades of green on a windy day, yet composed in a gentle and sophisticated way. They state that more than 60 essential oils were used in creating Green Crowne.
It feels really finely blended, so smooth. Like endless lawns of young green grass, green fields and mountain plateaus, darker green shrubs, and fragrant herbs. It’s green, fresh spicy, aromatic, at later stages resins&incense moderately sweet: very refined.
A feel-good fragrance, uplifting like the fresh green of new grass come spring – the season of renewal. Different. Lavish. Natural.
Notes: basil, fir, bergamot, cardamom, marjoram, artemisia, angelica, seeds, resins, myrrh, pepper, incense.
I hope you will try at least one of these 5 almost Spring fragrances to chase winter away! Let me know what you think about this selection and stay tuned for more reviews to follow. Perfume by perfume…the spring begins:
“Blossom by blossom the spring begins.”
— Algernon Charles Swinburne
The Plum Girl
Elena Cvjetkovic
Photos: The Plum Girl, Unsplash, DSH Perfumes, Sylvaine Delacourte.
Samples were graciously given to me by listed brands, opinions, and feelings – as always – of my own.
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2 Comments
Love your selection, although I haven’t tried most of them. Really enjoying the new MFK. I totally agree with you about not being obsessed about being season-specific.
I tired to pick lesser known ones, and added MFK. These really made me feel that spring is coming! Thanks!