Nothing captures the romanticism and renewal of spring quite like fragrance.
There’s a fresh sense of optimism in the air now that it’s springtime. Ushered in by the shift in weather and flowers in bloom, spring is a time of reinvention — symbolising new beginnings and fresh starts. And what
While the doldrums of winter had us selecting rich colognes highlighting cosy, woody notes, there are plenty of new spring fragrances on offer which promise an instant lift in mood.
From gourmand notes to sink your teeth into, to classic white florals for daytime, sensual aromatics for date night, or airy aquatics for seaside sojourns, below we share nine of the best fragrances to try this season.
Garden Party
JO MALONE LONDON English Pear & Sweet Pea 100ml cologne, $272.
What it is: “One pear in every bottle” is the tagline linked to Jo Malone London’s newest offering — pertaining to its inclusion of natural pear extract in its formula. This spring-ready scent conjures images of a sunny orchard, branches heaving with juicy green pears, laced with softly scented sweet pea florals.
Fragrance family: Fruity/floral
What it smells like: Top notes of Williams pear, a heart of sweet pea, and a white musk base.
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Advertise with NZME.Where to get it: Available from the Jo Malone London Britomart boutique and selected department stores, including Smith & Caughey’s or online at Smithandcaugheys.co.nz.
ELIZABETH ARDEN White Tea Eau Fraiche 100ml eau de toilette, $105.
What it is: A fresh iteration on the original, Elizabeth Arden’s newest chapter in the White Tea story celebrates a co-mingle of uplifting citrus and delicate white florals. Developed using the brand’s propriety VivaScentz technology, the fragrance is designed to impart a sense of wellbeing to the wearer (something we could all do with a little more of). Unlike its predecessors, White Tea Eau Fraiche is crafted using naturally derived alcohol and is 100 per cent vegan.
Fragrance family: Fruity/floral
What it smells like: Top notes of blood orange, bergamot, mandarin oil and Anjou pear, a heart of lily of the valley, water lily and marine accord, set among a tonka bean, blonde wood and musk base.
Where to get it: Available from selected department stores and pharmacies including Life pharmacies or online at Lifepharmacy.co.nz.
D.S. & DURGA Steamed Rainbow 50ml eau de parfum, $317.
What it is: Ever wondered what a rainbow smells like? D.S. & Durga co-founder David Seth Moltz took it upon himself to bottle the optical phenomenon drawing on materials of all seven colours of the rainbow. Delicate in nature, Moltz used each material in different proportions to reflect the humid conditions in which a rainbow appears.
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Advertise with NZME.Fragrance family: Citrus
What it smells like: Top notes of blood red mandarin, orange and yellow elemi (a fragrant resin which highlights spicy, balsamic notes), a heart of green cedar, blue almond blossom and indigo grass, and a base of violet and vetiver.
Where to get it: Available from Mecca or online at Meccabeauty.co.nz
HERMÈS Tutti Twilly D’Hermès 85ml eau de parfum, $255.
What it is: Dreamed up by Swiss master perfumer Christine Nagel, Hermès newest olfaction ushers in a new era of the Hermès girl — a multi-faceted, free-spirited woman. The vessel is significant, too, re-imagined into a square by Parisian illustrator Florence Manlik, and dressed up with Hermès hallmark silk métier, also called twilly.
Fragrance family: Fruity
What it smells like: Top notes of litchi, a heart of ginger flower set among a musk base.
Where to get it: Available exclusively from Smith & Caughey’s or online at Smithandcaugheys.co.nz.
JIMMY CHOO Rose Passion 100ml eau de parfum, $187
What it is: Take a stroll along the French Riviera with Jimmy Choo’s newest olfaction – Rose Passion – a rich coterie of notes which captures the essence and beauty of this luxurious Parisian holiday destination. Intermingling characteristics explore the duality between airy florals and complex aromatics, resulting in a lasting fragrance that’s both addictive and alluring.
Fragrance family: Floral
What it smells like: Top notes of frangipani and jasmine, a heart of coconut milk and orchid, and a warming base of sandalwood and vanilla, this glittering scent is for the free spirits among us.
Where to get it: Available from Farmers, Life pharmacies and selected retailers, or online at Lifepharmacy.co.nz.
Go Boldly
AESOP Ouranon 50ml eau de parfum, $265.
What it is: Ouranon marks the sixth and final fragrance in the Othertopias story, which started adrift the ocean with Miraceti, moved ashore with Karst, unearthed a verdant wasteland with Eremia, explored the outer and inner self with Eidesis and Gloam respectively, before ending the journey Ouranon. The woody, spicy scent evokes the enduring state of monolith — an otherworldly place of quiet contemplation and persistence.
Fragrance family: Woody/aromatic
What it smells like: Top notes of petitgrain, elemi and lavender, a heart of flower hay, chamomile and frankincense, and a base of myrrh, tonka and patchouli.
Where to get it: Available from Aesop signature stores, selected department store counters and Aesop.com.
Ever wondered what it’s really like to formulate a fragrance? Read our exclusive interview with master perfumer Barnabe Fillion here.
YSL MYSLF 100ml eau de parfum, $245.
What it is: A complex, woody-floral fragrance fronted by Elvis actor Austin Butler, MYSLF explores masculinity and its many nuances. Housed in a sleek, glass vessel, every format of the fragrance is refillable, signifying the House’s commitment to the environment by reducing its packaging waste.
Fragrance family: Woody
What it smells like: Top notes of Calabrian bergamot and vert de bergamot, a heart of Tunisian orange blossom, set among a base of Indonesian patchouli and ambrofix (a synthetic fragrance note like ambergris)
Where to get it: Available from selected department stores including Farmers, or online at Farmers.co.nz.
VERSACE Eros Pour Homme 100ml parfum, $214.
What it is: An homage to the Greek god of love, Versace designer Donatella Versace says Eros conveys: “a unique feeling of sensuality, confidence and inner strength”. The bottle is a nod to the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, engraved with the House’s signature cipher — evoking Greco-Roman art and culture.
Fragrance family: Aromatic
What it smells like: Top notes of mint, candy apple, lemon and mandarin orange, a heart of ambroxan (with caramel-like qualities), geranium and clary sage, and a base of vanilla, cedar, sandalwood, bitter orange, patchouli and leather.
Where to get it: Available from Farmers department stores and Life pharmacies, or online at Lifepharmacy.co.nz.
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER Le Male Elixir 125ml, $230.
What it is: Housed in Jean Paul Gaultier’s signature sailor bust, Le Male Elixir builds on the House’s iconic Le Male fragrance with a fresh interpretation on the original — one which strikes a balance between strength and tenderness. Intensely aromatic, the cologne is described as the most powerful of all three Le Male scents, with a lasting scent trail.
Fragrance family: Amber
What it smells like: Top notes of lavender and mint, a heart of vanilla and benzoin (a musky, spicy, sweet note), and a base of honey, tonka bean and tobacco.
Where to get it: Available from selected department stores and pharmacies, including Life pharmacies or online at Lifepharmacy.co.nz.
