Category: Uncategorized

I never really notice how much the days shorten each year until I watch a sunset, which is rare considering I’ve been living in urban Sydney (those ‘Look up’ billboards feel a lot more pertinent here than in Brisbane where I used to live).

After recently moving to Sydney’s suburbs, where buildings are shorter, the pace is slower, and I have something of a view from my apartment, I’ve found myself noticing the changing sky.

Autumn is coming, but let’s keep the summer going with some bright and uplifting fragrances. Here are some I’ve been wearing a lot of these past few months.

Bohemian Lime – Goldfield & Banks

Maybe I’m biased because Goldfield & Banks is native to my home country, but Bohemian Lime is genuinely my favourite summer fragrance. It’s all about finger limes, which are native to Australia and have a bizarre and bitter flavour which works really well as a perfume. Other than that it’s pretty minimalistic, which is perfect for hot weather.

Eau de Narcisse Bleu – Hermès

Simple, elegant, and unisex floral.

Terre d’Hermès

I probably don’t need to say anything about this fragrance. It’s a modern classic, and way better than its competitors.

Gentle Fluidity Silver – Maison Francis Kurkdjian

I love the juniper berry note in this fragrance, and how it’s refreshing but not citrusy in any way.

Since my summer fragrance wardrobe is admittedly a little minimalistic, here are some others I’ve been enjoying but don’t own.

Philosykos – Diptyque

Figs and fig leaves. I love figs, and the smell of this, but it’s a bit much for me when I’m smelling it all day. Philosykos is a welcome stranger in the world of summer fragrances since it completely ignored citruses and opts for something altogether different. I’m not sure which concentration I’d recommend, but it’s better to try them yourself and see what smells best on your skin.

Pomelo – Jo Loves

Pungent, sweet, realistic, and long-lasting citrus. It isn’t as good as Bohemian Lime, but it’s more feminine.

French Lover – Frederic Malle

This is a summery green vetiver fragrance. If you don’t know what ‘green’ means in the context of perfume, I recommend you try this one. There’s a much louder green perfume by Frederic Malle, but even I find it a bit over the top. It’s called Synthetic Jungle.

Fils de Dieu du riz et des agrumes (“Fils de Dieu”) – Etat Libre d’Orange

The opening of this fragrance will surprise you with its hyper-realistic scent of exactly what the title suggests – rice and citrus (“Son of the God of Rice and Citrus”). The base notes of this are a little disappointing, but the opening is phenomenal.

Green Irish Tweed – Creed

About as suave as it gets. This is a hunk of a man in a very expensive but uncomplicated suit.

Chanel No 19

This is light and green, abstract and amazing. If the eau de toilette and eau de parfum are too strong for you, Chanel No 19 Poudre is lovely as well.

When it comes to iconic fragrances, Chanel No 5 is in a league of its own. And I don’t just say that because of the marketing billions have been poured into it over the last century.

Time for some history.

It’s not often that an entire industry can be defined by its relation to a single product, but this is one of those cases.

The brainchild of legendary fashion designer Coco Chanel, No 5 has been a staple of the perfume industry for nearly a century. But what is it about this perfume that’s made it such an enduring classic?

First, it’s important to understand the context in which Chanel No 5 was created. In the early 1920s, the fragrance industry was dominated by heavy, floral scents that were often overwhelming. Coco Chanel wanted to create something different – a fragrance that was light, fresh, and modern. She enlisted the help of perfumer Ernest Beaux, and together they created a scent that was unlike anything that had come before.

Though there are a lot of notes listed for this perfume, Chanel No 5 is essentially an aldehydic floral perfume. It features top notes of neroli, bergamot, and ylang-ylang, middle notes of jasmine and rose, and base notes of vanilla, sandalwood, and vetiver. The result is a fragrance that is simultaneously delicate and bold, feminine and masculine.

There are so many variations of No 5 available now that it’s difficult to pick one to focus on. The main one I tend to think of is the Eau de Toilette, as a woman I worked with for years used to wear it.

But it’s not just the scent itself that has made No 5 so iconic. The bottle design, with its simple, clean lines and minimalist label, has become just as recognisable as the fragrance. It was designed by Coco Chanel herself, who was inspired by the shape of a whiskey decanter.

No 5’s impact on the perfume industry cannot be overstated. It was one of the first fragrances to be marketed with a brand name, rather than the name of the perfumer or the ingredients. It was also one of the first ‘designer’ fragrances that wasn’t linked to a perfume house or pharmacy. This helped to establish Chanel as a major player in the fashion and beauty industries, and paved the way for other designers to create their own branded perfumes.

Over the years, Chanel No 5 has become a symbol of luxury, sophistication, and timeless elegance. To keep the perfume fresh in younger consumers’ minds, Chanel has introduced several new variations of the original scent, including No 5 Eau Première and No 5 L’Eau.

Chanel No 5 is a true icon of the perfume industry. Its unique scent, iconic bottle design, and ground-breaking branding strategy have all contributed to its enduring popularity. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer to the fragrance world, Chanel No 5 is definitely worth a try. Just try not to think about fabric softener while you smell it!