An Alabaster Brow

With my ever growing collection of perfumes, it should be no surprise that indecision sometimes grips me. On these occasions, while I do not particularly dislike going through the list of options, I do at one point surrender with hands up and often I will reach for Jicky. For me, it is the crisp white button down shirt paired with black slacks, a look that always works with its clean lines and casual elegance. Jicky, likewise, has always worked on me and for that reason, it is a much taken for granted scent.

A crisp opening of bergamot sets off this composition, enhancing the clarity of the ensuing notes of beautiful lavender entwined with rosemary, lemon zest, and mandarin. It is wonderfully clean and herbaceous at this stage and makes me think of terribly good northern Italian food, which necessitates the finest simple ingredients of Tuscan bread, zesty cheeses, and fresh herbs. As vanilla, sweet incense, and musk bubble up from the base, they add warmth and just a hint of sweetness, providing a carefully achieved delectable quality. A truly ageless scent, Jicky is subtle and refined without ever being formal or fussy.

It is no wonder that the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, class incarnate, fancied it. I can particularly imagine her wearing it when she rode her horses, as this fragrance is a great choice when you have the wind whipping against your face. Its subtly sweet vapors collide with the refreshing bite of raspy air to resuscitate the crisp accord in an unremitting fashion.

Like all Guerlains, Jicky is available in different concentrations—eau de toilette, parfum de toilette, and extrait de parfum. The parfum is the best, as it is the deepest with a perfect balance of all the notes. The bergamot dissipates in a wink and quickly segues into the heart. Still, the parfum de toilette and eau de toilette are quite nice as well. Indeed, I think that among Guerlains, only with Jicky would the eau de toilette be a decent alternative to the parfum. Often, the parfum must be experienced in order to give a proper judgment as to whether the Guerlain in question is one’s cup of tea.

This summer has been unusually cool where I live. Thus, I have been able to wear many fragrances that I normally would designate for brisk weather like Parfums de Rosine Rose D’Argent. A sojourn in Washington, D.C. provided me with a few days of insufferable humidity, when I returned to my old standby—the scent of my own skin. But otherwise, it has been a season of revisitation, discovery, and unlikely summer choices.

1. Caron Violette Precieuse
On those rushed mornings when I have had to get out of the house pronto, Violette Precieuse is the one I have reached for. It is, to my estimation, the perfect dry violet—green, twiggy, with a bit of fresh bitterness. Like Serge Lutens Bois de Violette, I find it inherently sophisticated, urbane, and destined to go with the driest of martinis.

2. Serge Lutens Daim Blond
This is another fragrance I have grabbed when in a state of helter skelter in the early morn. Like Caron Violette Precieuse, it never ceases to amaze me how perfect it smells. It is another indubitably elegant composition, joining the scent of buttery soft leather with divine flowers.

3. Caron Tubereuse
Sends me to cloud 9 and I stay there all day long because the tiniest drop truly goes a long way with this extrait de parfum concentration. It is the creamiest, most delicious, yet utterly soft and refined tuberose soliflore I have had the pleasure of experiencing. It is a definite year-rounder for me, as it never fails to make me praise the heavens for the invention of perfume.

4. Guerlain Apres L’Ondee
The most beautiful poem of a fragrance, at once melancholy and artistic. Violet does pirouettes with anise, rose, and iris to spin a story that evokes nostalgia in the coldest of hearts.

5. Serge Lutens Fleurs de Citronnier
When I first tried Fleurs de Citronnier, I did not think much of it, finding it a bit too soapy for my taste. But this softly clean floral, with its sunny citrus overtones, has grown on me with each wearing. As before, it still opens with a shot of soapy neroli, but it is softened by petitgrain, warm honey, and the subtlety of florals—a whisper of delicious tuberose and faintly powdery iris. The musk is evident on my skin, but it figures beautifully, an extremely clean and pure scent, like baby’s breath. This is a perfect choice for those days you step out into the sunshine with towel-dried hair, looking forward to either running errands or just going for a sauntering walk.

6. Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil
This is another surprise for me given my general dislike of sweet and fruity scents. But, the mango Jean-Claude Ellena uses is an underripe green, which acts as a brilliant foil with the notes of pine. I find it pleasantly refreshing and it cools me off on those days of intense dry heat.

7. The Different Company Divine Bergamote
When I was in New York this summer, this was the perfect choice. Now I am not a huge fan of citrus, as I find them generally too sharp and often akin to cleaning agents, but The Different Company got it irresistibly right. Opening with bergamot, it unfolds into the most delicious execution of orange and grapefruit mingling with ginger. Sadly, it does not last too long, but on those oppressively sweltering days, it is the answer.

8. Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle
A notorious fragrance and one of my favorites by the Lutens/Sheldrake team. At this point, I have fully acclimated to the menthol opening and even like it. For those who feel they might inflict harm to their sinuses, the emerging tuberose is worth the wait. It is unbelievably beautiful with a quality that is more silky and refined than lush and decadent. For those summer evenings you want to be a man magnet, wear this with a killer pair of heels.

9. Parfums de Rosine Rose D’Argent
This is a fragrance that I would normally wear in the cooler months, as it can get a bit too spicy. However, many a day has been grey in southern California this past summer and I have successfully worn what I view as Ms. Rogeon’s most unique rose bouquet. The notes include green anise, pepper, geranium leaves, Turkish rose essence, Grasse rose absolute, Ambrette seed, angel root.

10. Guerlain Nahema
For whatever reason, Nahema smells unusually gorgeous on me lately and I cannot get enough of its rich, honeyed floral evolution. It is aldehydic with a large dose of rose, glorious peach, honey, and ylang ylang. It is a voluptuous, ultra feminine scent, and one that should be applied with a light hand. If you have a swanky summer event to attend, wear Nahema with a fire engine red dress and the perfect ’40s red lipstick.

Want to see more Top 10 Summer Fragrance lists? Check out An Alabaster Brow, Bois de Jasmin, Blogdorf Goodman, Brain Trapped in Girl’s Body, C’est Chic, Koneko’s *Mostly* Beauty Diary, Life in Paris, Now Smell This, Make a Mental Note, Ombligo!, Seldom Nice Nowadays, Self-Styled Siren, She’ll Be Feverish After So Much Thinking and This Bananafish Smells Like Leaves.