Scentiments (12.27.23)

Or, perhaps more aptly titled: What I Smell Like Lately.

This first installment of Scentiments is coming to you from my childhood kitchen—context that doesn’t color the sentiments below, but does explain why I’m toting around tiny vials of perfume. (The Parfums de Marly mini was part of a thoughtful present from the brand after I arrived in Jersey for the holidays, which rounded out the assortment quite nicely.) What I ended up with is a last-minute resort from Amazon that I’m grateful to have, but can’t in good conscience recommend. Easy to fill, leaky in transit; far from ideal. If I had things my way, I’d be traveling with chicer atomizers or full-sized bottles (clunky and impractical, though far more aesthetic), but poor planners can’t be choosers—and wanting to bring four fragrances is an excessive indulgence, anyway.

There’s no ruminative reason for these selections; they’re simply scents I’ve been wearing this season and wanted to maintain some semblance of routine while I was away for the holidays. If you were to press, I suppose I could conjure up a soft theme: warm and creamy, in subtle variations for day to night.

Initio Psychedelic Love

Addictive yet tender—kind of in a forbidden romance kind of way. To be clear, this is not to say this is a fragrance cis-het men will fall for, if that’s your prerogative; Psychedelic Love is more like a Sofia Coppola film: hazy and dream-like, aloof but never cool (in every sense of the word). An illicit infatuation written and directed by a woman.

It’s sweet, powdery devotion: all ylang-ylang and almondy heliotrope the first hour before settling into a myrrh-tinged rose. I wear this in the daytime as a work(-from-home) fragrance, or in the early evening when I write. My personal olfactory rose-tinted lens, if you will.

Liquides Imaginaires Blanche Bête

I patently adore Blanche Bête but have to be in a specific mood to wear it, so while I don’t reach for this often, I had to pack 10 spritzes’ worth of a decant just in case. (When I crave it, I crave it.) It’s not for everyone, yet it seems to be universally loved by those around me: it’s an apologetic creamy white floral sweetened with musk and vanilla. The blend is remarkably milky (a facet I can’t get enough of) but the sugared touches sometimes borderline saccharine depending on my skin chemistry or nose’s sensitivity that day. Too much and not the mood sometimes; always delectable nevertheless.

This probably isn’t what the masses would recommend or choose to wear on a first or second date, but I find the milky musk perfectly appropriate for setting that sort of mood, you know?

L’Orchestre Parfum Piano Santal

Industry noses and bona fide fragrance heads will surely disagree—but for the plainclothes perfume lover (yours truly), Piano Santal is essentially the sandalwood equivalent of Blanche Bête. Just as lactonic (so milky it smells skin-like, especially at dry-down) but less overtly feminine. The sandalwood focus takes it to “unisex” territory if we want to be prescriptive, but I find it quite “femme” still—as in sensitive yet powerful. Compelling. It makes cashmere wear with more sensuality and softens an oversized power suit. This is 10 out of 10 that hasn’t earned me compliments yet (something I don’t look for in perfume, but know matters); it simply makes me feel like the best version of myself.

YSL Babycat

Rumors say that cult-favorite YSL Babycat will be available in the U.S. soon, but until then, I’m afraid you’re resigned to living vicariously through Fragrantica reviews, navigating the grey market for decants, or paying more than double for a full-sized bottle (which I don’t recommend doing; unless you have unlimited disposable income or work in the perfume industry, no perfume is worth paying over MSRP for. Decants from trustworthy sources only, if you can!).

All this begs the $500-dollar-question—is YSL Babycat worth the hype?—and I have to say: it is. If there’s a vanillic or smoky bone in your body, you’ll understand. I’m lucky enough to own the largest bottle, so at times I’ll wear it around the apartment to satiate indulgent moods. Else, Babycat is a designated night-out perfume. To be worn with silks, satins, or lace.

Parfums de Marly Delina Exclusif 

All thoughts from this Editorialist piece still stand, so rather than bore you with repetitive scentiments, I’ll note this: I genuinely regretted not decanting a bit of Delina Exclusif for this holiday trip. (Because the fruity top notes are anchored with notes of Evernyl, incense, and musk, this is a floral that feels apropos for winter. Festive even—very much a perfume you’d wear while sipping champagne and flirting with some stranger at the bar before your date arrives.) So, imagine my glee when the brand sent a boxed coffret of Delina delights! I just might wear this on New Year’s Eve.

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xx