Oh well, here we are again – discussing a random theme in the “Top Five” series and what has caught my eye and the attention of my mind lately? Summer scents! That's right, I am bringing my fave five perfumes for the hot and warm summer (hopefully so!). And it was yesterday that I discussed on this topic with my hubby. I must admit that, as I'm getting older, the division of perfumes by seasons is sort of escaping me. It's definitely there, there are certain levels of appropriateness for a certain scent but – I'm more after that “get into the moment” sort of thing where I use a perfume I fancy at that particular time. That being said, this doesn't mean that wearing Thierry Mugler's Angel in the midst of a crispy hot July is ever appropriate. Or is it? Well, it was a hard time picking only five perfumes I fancy and which I associate with summer at the same time so – I've cheated. Yup, I'll snuggle a few more along the way but let's get things started with a perfume that is part of a trilogy I am really loving.
Oh, pa zdravo – ponovo se nalazimo u kutku bloga pod nazivom “Top Pet” a ovog puta sam odabrala temu ljetnih mirisa, svih lijepih parfemcica koji mi zaokupljuju paznju. Pisati cu o mirisnim ostvarenjima koje smatram idealnim za dugo i toplo ljeto (drzim fige da takvo bude!). Bas sam jucer razgovarala sa muzem-puzem na ovu temu i moram priznati da, kako godine prolaze, podjela parfema po godisnjim dobima mi pocinje biti sve manje i manje bitna. Mislim, definitivno postoje odredjene nijanse koje razgranicavaju parfeme i itekako postoji mjesto i vrijeme koje zahtijevaju odredjeni miris no – u posljednje vrijeme sam sve vise spontana i koristim tacno ono sto mi se u datom trenutku najvise dopada (bez ogranicenja). Ipak, imam na umu kako nositi Thierry Muglerov Angel u sred ludo vruceg mjeseca jula nije bas najbolji odabir. Ili jeste? Bilo je prilicno tesko odabrati samo pet ljetnih parfema tako da sam – varala. Ooo da, ubacila sam jos par mirisnih prijedloga koji mi se dopadaju a otpoceti cemo temu sa parfemom koji je dio mirisne trilogije, jako drage mom srcu.
I am referring to the Chanel Chance trilogy. I've used the Chanel Chance eau Fraiche (the greenish juice) awhile ago and I've loved it ever since. So zesty with the lemon, a bit of cedar and some pink pepper. Very springy and summery indeed. The original Chanel Chance I like to leave for early spring and late summer as the patchouli does give it a stronger,more powerful edge. However, although it isn't a new thing by a long shot, this summer I've decided to pay full attention for the delicate Chanel Chance eau Tendre edition. The musky soft petal pink juice simply lures me in. I love how feminine and gentle it makes the bottle and the scent is pretty amazing as well. I adore the quince in it which is odd as I despised the fruit when I was a kid. It's so delicious in this perfume and it harmoniously entwines with grapefruit which is sprinkled with some jasmine petals, all laid down on a musky base. Not too in your face, not too citrusy but it has a presence. Never made me nauseous (some perfumes do), is very sophisticated but with a casual edge – which is completely up my street.
Prethodno napisano se odnosi na Chanel Chance trilogiju. Prvi uradak iz ove kolekcije je bio Chanel Chance eau Fraiche (zelencasti parfemski ‘sok’). Od prvog koristenja mi je prirastao srcu. Tako je osvjezavajuci i limunast, uz malo kedra i ruzicastog bibera. Idealan parfem za proljece no pogodan za koristenje i tokom ljeta. Originalni Chanel Chance je kod mene rezervisan za rano proljece i kraj ljeta posto mu paculi daje jednu malo ‘tezu’ notu, ipak dosta mocniju i ozbiljniju. Iako nije novitet u strogom smislu rijeci, ovog ljeta sam odlucila punu paznju usmjeriti na delikatni Chanel Chance eau Tendre (ruzicasta verzija). Blago mosusna kompozicija koja neodoljivo asocira na mekane, ruzicaste cvijetne latice mi je naprosto neodoljiva. Dopada mi se kako je zenstven i mekan te zaista vizual ‘oboji’ i zrak ruzicastom bojom. U mirisu je dosta prisutna dinja i mislim kako je krasno ukomponovana sto je neobicno jer sam kao mladja prezirala ovo voce. No, u ovom parfemu je krasna i harmonicno je isprepleten njen miris sa grejpom, laticama jasmina polozenim na mosusnu bazu. Nije napadan miris, nije previse citrusan ali ne i bezlican. Nikada mi nije izazvao mucninu (sto neki parfemi cine) i jako je sofisticiran uz dasak lezernosti – bas po mom ukusu.
Next fave would be a perfume I fantasized about, lusted after when I was a teenager. I remember reading an article in Cosmopolitan which featured business women and what beauty items they prefer. Amongst many lipstick bullets and blush compacts, perfumes caught my attention. One perfume, that is. L'eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake. Oh wow, I was captured by the simplicity, the feel of pure cleanliness and airy breeze. Back then, we didn't have Issey Miyake perfumes available in Bosnia but when they have eventually arrived I was super excited. It was everything I hoped for it to be. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a perfume that you will or will not like. It's specific, unique, captivating and it finds a way to people that it was literally made for. It falls into the floral/aquatic/ozonic fragrance category – that alone stands out as it isn't too conventional of a niche. Think of melon and lotus – summery but not in a citrusy or zesty kind of way. I always have a white cotton feel around this perfume. Some underlying sweetness to play with the senses and an almost zen-like atmosphere fills the air. I love it.
Slijedeci favorit je nesto o cemu sam mastala, doslovno sanjala i zamisljala kakav bi u stvarnosti mogao biti jos iz tinejdzerskih dana. Sjecam se da sam u Cosmopolitan casopisu citala clanak o beauty favoritima poslovnih zena. Medju silnim ruzevima za usne i rumenilima, moju paznju je privukao jedan parfem. Issey Miyake L'eau d'Issey. Odmah me opcinila jednostavnost i minimalizam, dojam neprevazidjene cistoce i prozracnosti povjetarca. U to vrijeme, kada sam se tek upoznala sa ovim parfemom, u BiH nismo imali Issey Miyake parfeme tako da je sve bilo prepusteno masti. Ipak, strpljivost se isplatila i za koju godinu su nam stigli u parfumerije sto me dosta usrecilo. Kada sam ga isprobala na svojoj kozi, bio je sve sto sam zamisljala. Ovo je, dame i gospodo, jedan od onih parfema koji cete voljeti ili mrziti. Dosta je specifican, jedinstven, unikatan i pronalazi neobicne puteve do srca osoba za koje je doslovno stvoren. Spada u kategoriju; cvijetni/akvaticni/ozonski. Sama kategorija je po sebi neobicna, nije pretjerano konvencionalna. Mene najvise asocira na dinju i lotosov cvijet – ljetnog je stiha ali ne na citrusan nacin. Uopste nije gorak i uvijek zamisljam pamuk i pufnastu bjelinu u kojoj je ovaj parfem ususkan u mom umu. Tu se nalazi i odredjena slatkoca i parfem odasilje zen atmosferu. Meni je krasan.
Another almost classic summer perfume, a staple for many is the Dior Cruise Collection – Escale a Portofino. How lovely is this? Orange blossom, bergamot, petitgrain, cypress and lemon fill the air every time you spritz this subtle memory of Italy. I always envision a slender lady, dressed in white, with a wide brimmed hat, some sunkissed hair showing underneath – strolling besides stone passages and stairs, catching a glimpse of the sunny shores. Epitome of summer elegance, this perfume is truly gorgeous and refreshing. However, on my skin it doesn't last as long as Chanel Chance eau Tendre or L'eau d'Issey do. It all depends on how well a fragrance goes well with your skin's chemistry. I'd love to snap a 200ml bottle of Escale a Portofino one summer so I can spritz myself crazy whenever I want, without worrying will it run out before summer ends. And don't worry, this is not a heady fragrance – just pure luxurious mist of hazy freshness.
Jos jedan takodjer dosta klasican ljetni parfem, omiljen kod mnogih je Dior Cruise Collection – Escale a Portofino. Zar nije na prvi pogled fantastican? Narandzin cvijet, bergamot, petitgrain, cempres i limun paraju zrak svakog puta kada se ukrasite izmaglicom suptilnih sjecanja o Italiji. Kada ga pomirisem, uvijek zamisljam vitku i elegantnu damu, obucenu u bijelu prozracnu odjecu, nosi sesir sirokog oboda dok joj suncem okupana kosa proviruje ispod njega – lagano se seta primorjem i okruzena je kamenim zdanjima dok pogled pada spram morskog plavetnila. Utjelovljenje ljetne elegancije, ovaj pafem je doista prekrasan i okrepljujuci. Jedina zamjerka bi bila nesto slabija trajnost na mojoj kozi, za razliku od one koju u mom slucaju imaju Chanel Chance eau Tendre i L'eau d'Issey. To ipak ovisi od toga kako se pojedini parfem slaze sa hemijom vase koze. Voljela bih jednog ljeta sebi nabaviti ogromnu bocicu Escale a Portofina od 200ml kako bih se lezerno (pomalo rasipnicki) mogla mirisati kada god pozelim. Nemojte brinuti, ovaj parfem nije ‘tezak’ niti zagusljiv – naprosto je luksuzna izmaglica koja obiljezava ljeto.
A relatively new fragrance I truly fell in love with would be the Giorgio Armani's Acqua di Gioia EDT. When the original Acqua di Gioia hit the market, I was taken aback by the intense cotton candy feel it has. Not quite the ideal summer fragrance for my nose. However, my by far most favorite edition of this fragrance would be the Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia Essenza. Oh wow, that is what I call a summer perfume! Have I ever mentioned how I adore a cool, tall glass of mojito? Well, this is an Amazonian version of my favorite summery beverage. The mint and sugar, combined with jasmine, pink pepper and lemon make this the ultimate summer anything for me. It's so sensual and sexy, very alluring and evoking thoughts of balmy summer nights, vast ocean and beaches during a smoldering sunset and the smell of freshly washed and perfumed women skin. The EDT version is somewhat crispy, more refreshing and casual. Gentle peony and pear are ‘culprits’ of such a feminine, soft approach. This duo would make the ideal day & night scent summer combo for me.
Relativno novo parfemsko izdanje u koje sam se nedavno zaljubila je Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia EDT. Kada se originalna Acqua di Gioia pojavila u prodaji, moram priznati da mi nije ‘legla’ pretjerana slatkoca koja me asocira na secernu vunu. Ni u kom momentu nisam pomislila da je los parfem, jednostavno sam imala drugacija ocekivanja na osnovu reklamnog spota te mi se nije uklopio u licni ideal ljetnog parfema. Ipak, meni daleko najdraze izdanje ovog parfema je Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia Essenza. Uh-oh, kakav ljetni parfem! Da li sam vam ikada spominjala kolika sam ljubiteljica osvjezavajuceg mojita? Ovo je potpuno senzualna, amazonska verzija meni omiljenog pica. Menta i secer u kombinaciji sa jasminom i ruzicastim biberom te kojom kapljicom limuna cine ovu kompoziciju ultimativnim odabirom u mojim ocima. Tako je senzualan i seksi, jako privlacan te misli navodi na tople, balzamicne ljetne noci, okeanska prostranstva i plaze ispod eksplozije crvene boje tokom zalaska sunca te cistu i namirisanu zensku kozu. EDT verzija (bocica od mutnog stakla) je donekle suprotnog pristupa i posjeduje zustru svjezinu te je dosta lezernije izdanje poznatog mirisa. Njezni bozur i kruska su svakako doprinijeli zenstvenom, ‘meksem’ pristupu. Ovaj dvojac bi bio idealan – EDT za dan a Essenza za noc.
Finally, a perfume that is my ultimate summer signature scent is the Thierry Mugler's Womanity. Another ‘love it or hate it’ type of perfume, it definitely sits amazingly well on my skin. I think that there isn't a single perfume similar to it out there, it's that unique. The secret? It's based on only two fragrance notes – fig and caviar. I wear it year-round and if only I got a penny every time complimented me whilst I was wearing it, I would be a wealthy woman now. You seriously wouldn't believe how many times colleagues (male&female) from neighbouring offices came in to inquire ‘what is it that smells of summer and beach?’. Amazing perfume but it definitely is one you'll either love or hate. Thankfully, I do love me some of Womanity during the entire year. However, I find that it is an ideal scent for warm summer nights. It's very special. These would be my top five summer scents but I mustn't forget some classic commercial perfumes such as the D&G Light Blue or the Davidoff Cool Water – no matter how you feel about them, their names are carved in the summer scent history. There are also some very cute and refreshing Moschino scents (Funny!, I Love Love, Hippy Fizz etc.) which are ideal for warmer months yet they do lack in the sillage and longevity departments. If you're one of those people who don't come close to commercial fragrances yet you do wish to find a good summer scent – I think I have a exquisite niche fragrance for you. Annick Goutal Eau d'Hadrien is probably the best citrus perfume I've ever tried – and it's unisex. It gets a definite recommendation from my part.
Naposlijetku, ostaje parfem koji je moj ultimativni ‘signature’ miris. To je Thierry Mugler Womanity. Jos jedan primjerak koji ce izazvati potpuno odusevljenje ili odbojnost – na mojoj kozi je apsolutno savrsen. Mislim (barem ja ne znam) da postoji parfem koji mu je slican. Njegova tajna? Unikatna kompozicija od samo dva osnovna sastojka – smokva i kavijar. Ja ga nosim tokom cijele godine i da sam barem dobila jednu marku svaki put kada bih dobila kompliment dok sam ga nosila – sakupila bih citavo malo bogatstvo! Nevjerovatno mi je koliko se puta desilo da npr. kolege iz susjednih ureda (muskari i zene) udju u kancelariju i upitaju ‘pa sta to tako mirise na ljeto i plazu?’. Fantastican parfem no definitivno ljudi imaju ekstremne reakcije na njega. Doista je poseban. To bi bilo mojih top pet parfema koje volim i nosim tokom ljeta no ne bi bilo fer izostaviti klasike poput D&G Light Blue ili Davidoff Cool Water. Ma sta god da mislite o njima, cinjenica je da su njihova imena ostala uklesana u historiju ljetnih parfema. Takodjer imate i dosta povoljne a jako dopadljive Moschino toaletne vodice idealne za ljetnu vrelinu (Funny!, I Love Love, Hippy Fizz itd.). Jedina zamjerka na njih bi bila nesto slabija trajnost i sillage. Ukoliko pak spadate u kategoriju ljudi koji nisu zainteresovani za komercijalne parfeme no ipak bi zeljeli pronaci jedan lijep ljetni parfem – mislim da imam idealan niche primjerak. Annick Goutal Eau d'Hadrien je mozda i najbolji citrusni parfem koji sam ikada pomirisala – i jos je uniseks. Od mene ima toplu preporuku.
