All That Jasmine
I recently took a trip to Jaipur, India, and I was as overwhelmed by my visit to the Gem Palace as I was by the profusion of flowers—bursting out of market stalls, floating in fountains, draped over elephants. The scent was amazing—and not something I’m likely to experience in New York anytime soon. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try to fake it. This crop of new fragrances certainly helps.
1
Bulgari Omnia India Garnet ($65, sephora.com) is probably the closest thing to Jaipur in a bottle, blending Indian tuberose and osmanthus with crisp mandarin and spicy saffron.
2
Rodin Bis ($290, oliolusso .com) is the second fragrance from the cult beauty maven Linda Rodin. The bergamot, rose, and jasmine combo pays homage to her mom.
3
Cartier La Panthère ($103, cartier.us) is intensely sultry, with gardenia as the dominant note and hints of mossy chypre and sexy musk.
4
Jour d’Hermès Absolu ($153, usa.hermes.com): Hermès perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena added rose and amber to the original Jour d’Hermès, lending warmth and sensuality to the classic white floral.
5
Givenchy L’Atelier Néroli Originel ($220, saks.com): Each of the seven fragrances in this collection was created with a Givenchy look in mind. A 2006 Audrey Hepburn–worthy taffeta gown inspired this elegant orange blossom and iris scent.
6
Carven L’Eau de Toilette ($105, saks.com), a very ladylike mix of sweet pea, peony, and freesia, is so chic and crisp I instantly feel more pulled together after I spray it on.
7
Bonbon by Viktor & Rolf ($115, saks.com) sounds (and smells) almost edible, with jasmine and orange blossom nearly upstaged by creamy caramel.
8
Bottega Veneta Essence Aromatique ($180, nordstrom.com) tempers the sweetness of rose with herbal coriander, citrusy bergamot, and warm sandalwood.
9
Yves Saint Laurent Supreme Bouquet ($250, saks.com) is just the floral explosion its name suggests: tuberose, ylang-ylang, and jasmine cut with a bit of pink peppercorn.
10
Dior Diorissimo Extrait de Parfum ($175, dior.com) is among my all-time favorites, and—though it’s been around since 1956—it now comes in a superintense formulation. I’m saving it for black-tie events.
11
Byredo Flowerhead ($145, byredo.com): Ben Gorham imagined an Indian wedding ceremony when creating this jasmine, tuberose, and rose confection.
12
Lancôme Paris L’Autre Oud ($175, lancome.com) is the least typically feminine of the bunch, with the dominant smoky wood note softened by a dash of rose absolute.
