— fragrance —

EauMG’s Spring 2014 Perfume Picks

April 16, 2014

My allergies have alerted me that it is indeed springtime. As I sit on the sofa sneezing with a box of tissues at hand, I’ve put together my “picks” for Spring 2014 (since I can’t smell; I can’t test new things). Here’s a list of perfumes that should get you through all of your spring activities.

Spring 2014 perfumes

Spring Festivals

Here are my picks for various spring-related outdoor festivals and gatherings:

Joya No. 6 Perfume Oil – This is an evergreen gin and tonic. It’s fresh forest scent that reminds me of being in the great outdoors. And trust me, if you’re at some music festival smelling fresh and foresty isn’t a bad thing when you’re surrounded by stinkers. Full review. The roll-on retails for $28 at Beautyhabit. 

Tocca Giulietta EDP – This is one of those sheer, delicate, inoffensive florals. Now Smell This calls it a “summer vanilla” but I think it’s a spring vanilla too 🙂 It’s mainly on my list because it’s laid-back – a good Sunday brunch perfume. But, also it’s on here because of tulips. And those are beautiful festivals. (Tulips are listed as a note). Retails for $68 at Sephora. 

DSH Perfumes Pretty & Pink EDP – A fruity, floral “hookah” perfume. It’s a sweet, fruity rose and I like it. Full review. Retails for $80 at DSH Perfumes.

Spring 2014 perfumes

For April Showers

I think these do well in humid, cool rain. And they also are rather literal in that they are dewy florals.

Jacomo Silences Eau Sublime EDP – OMG, I love this perfume so much. A luscious “green” spring bouquet that is so spring-y. Full review. Retails for $79 at New London Pharmacy. 

Ralph Lauren Lauren EDT – In my opinion, this is the only Ralph Lauren feminine worth trying. It’s a crisp, green floral with a lovely woodsy, slightly powdery base. It’s such a pretty choice for a balmy spring day. Retails for $54 at Ralph Lauren.

INeKe Poet’s Jasmine EDP – This herbal jasmine tea does great things in humidity. Full review. Retails for $38 at Beautyhabit. 

spring 2014 perfume

Mandatory Purple Flowers

Purple flowers always remind me of spring. They’re my go-to for the season.

Pacifica French Lilac EDT – It’s a simple lilac soliflore that just so happens to smell so good. That’s why it always shows up on my spring lists. Retails for $22 at Pacifica. 

Balenciaga Paris EDP – This is a super sheer violet with cedarwood. I like this light fragrance for “day” wear. Full review. Retails for $110 at Sephora. 

Tom Ford Private Blend Ombre de Hyacinth EDP – I’m still on the hunt for the perfect hyacinth for me but for now this clean chypre will have to do. Retails for $210 at Nordstrom. 

Spring Break perfumes

Spring Break

Here are perfumes for the beach or those that may remind you of spring break. Why can’t I get a spring break? I really need one.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche – It launches every year when we’re feeling like “Winter, I’m going to murder you“. It reminds us that winter has to end. This is a salty, tropical floral. Retails for $62 at Nordstrom. 

Sweet Anthem Annabelle Perfume Oil – This is a tropical fruity-floral by the sea. I really think this one will work on the beach with sand, sun and salt. Full review. Retails for $32 at Sweet Anthem.

Demeter Frozen Margarita Eau de Cologne – If you can’t make it to trashy beach parties, then bring the trashy beach parties to you! This is a sweetened lime fragrance that may or may not bring back pleasant memories. Retails for $20 at Demeter. 

spring 2014 perfume

Date Night – For Feminine Types

Here are my picks for “special’ feminine scents for spring.

Jul et Mad Stilettos en Lex EDP – This is a sweet, powdery fruity-floral that manages to smell sophisticated and “grown-up” while still being a sweet, powdery fruity-floral. Pairs nicely with your highest, most alluring peep-toes and other fancy things you haven’t worn in at least half a year. Full review. Retails for $280 at Beautyhabit. 

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis Forte EDP – I absolutely love this clean, fresh fragrance. I love how it projects. It’s the best of this sort of “luxury clean towels” genre. There’s something incredibly approachable yet sexy about this one. Full review. Retails for $275 at Parfumerie Nasreen.

Keiko Mecheri Camellia EDP – This is a pretty lemon-tinged spring floral – magnolia and white tea. Pair this with red lipstick or whatever lipstick you’re wearing this spring. Retails for $115 at Luckyscent.

Spring 2014 perfume

Date Night – For Masculine Types

Here are my picks for “special” masculine scents for spring.

Parfums de Nicolaï New York EDT – This is on my spring list but it’s a year-round pick for me. So, I’m cheating. It’s an excellent “date night” masculine for any time of the year. Retails for $115 at Beautyhabit. 

Marc Jacobs Men EDT – A woodsy, green fragrance with fig! It’s sweet and warm. It’s a good “spring break” scent for masculines too. Retails for $58 at Sephora.

Parfums Retro Grand Cuir EDP – This dapper leather opens with castile soap and champagne and dries down to warm woods and leather. Even if you aren’t dressed up, you’ll smell dapper while wearing this. Full review. Retails for $155 at Luckyscent.

Want more? Here are my picks from Spring 2013. 

*Beautyhabit, Nordstrom, Sephora and Pacifica contain affiliate links. Thanks!

23 thoughts on “EauMG’s Spring 2014 Perfume Picks”

  1. ok, i will admit to having once upon a time in the early 90’s actually wearing Ralph Lauren Lauren… probably because some boy thought it smelled good. it IS different from most of their line up. but in the end, it wasn’t natural and i was a bit tired of smelling like Holly Hobby.

    1. I had a little “dagger” bottle of it back in the day – the 90’s (it was a 1 oz or smaller). I liked it but never wore it out and about. I thought it smelled “preppy”, lol, and I thought it didn’t fit my “image”. Something about it does smell all “goody two shoes”, doesn’t it?

  3. I recently bought a bottle of Sweet Anthem’s Poppy and a sample of Annabelle came with it–though I am not going anywhere beachy and sandy anytime soon so maybe I’ll save that one for summertime.

    Today I’m wearing Prada’s Infusion d’Iris and I really like it for a soft, sweet spring-y floral. I’ve also got an old bottle of BPAL’s The Lilac Wood which is one of my favorite spring scents–a nice, green lilac that even smells a bit pollen-y. I love lilac so I think that Pacifica scent is going to go on my to-try list. 🙂 I’m going to have to pull out some of my other spring scents and check out some more of the things you’ve listed here!

    1. I wouldn’t mind a bottle of Poppy. I like Annabelle because it’s not overly “beachy”, in fact it’s not supposed to be but for me, it just has this yummy, warm creaminess that I associate with tropical cocktails and skincare products 🙂

      I wear TONS of Prada Infusion d’Iris in the spring. It’s one of my favorites for “day” wear. It’s just so soft and pretty.

      Does BPAL still sell that one? I would love to try it. I love an unapologetic “in yo face” lilac. I also recommend the Pacifica solid in this scent. It’s only $9 and smells wonderful. Longevity isn’t great but it’s not terrible. I get 4-5 hours wear from the solid. And if you have a perfume oil, you could layer and be really, really “in yo face” lilac 😉

      1. BPAL still sells The Lilac Wood, but it’s currently listed as out of stock. It’s also unfortunately not available in individual samples, but you can get a sample as part of the the “Unicorn Horn 1” sample set. (Or I guess you’ll be able to whenever it comes back in stock…)

        I love the idea of layering the solid and oil! I’d be a lilac wood all of my own, haha.

        1. I think I’ll order that sample set.

          I’ve said it before, that website and their catalog is confusing. I want to try more of their stuff but I have no clue where to start. I think a sample set like that would be good for someone like me that gets overwhelmed by that many choices.

          The Pacifica Lilac bath products are nice too.

          1. They redid their website at the end of last year and it’s a HUGE improvement. Flash heavy, so it can be a bit slow-loading, but its so much easier to navigate (thank god). Now they have a page of sample-packs, as well as a page called “Beloved Favorites” that gathers all their best sellers in one spot. Much much better than the old one.

            Thanks for the bath product rec too–I have a purple theme going in the bathroom, so more lilac stuff will fit right in. 🙂

          2. It does look much better than I remember. But, it’s still overwhelming if you don’t know where to start – sample sets are a good idea for them.

            Purple themed bathroom? You need the candle too 🙂

      2. Another good lilac is Jo Malone orange blossom. I get ten minutes of orange blossom an then it turns to lilac and white musk.

        1. I need to try that one.

          I have had bad luck with Jo Malone London perfumes in the past. When a SA told me that Orange Blossom was the best seller for some reason this scared me. Now I need to try it 🙂

  4. Sorry about the allergies. My heart goes out to you. I once had an allergy to dust. In Denver. As if you could escape dust in Denver at any time or anywhere. Pure misery. It did go away. My doc said that they could come and go. Hubbie has pollen allergies now. Tree, ragweed, scotch broom, the whole gamut. Spring and fall. Pure misery. I was just reading something (I need to find it again) that said researchers at some university were using local honey to treat allergy suffers. The idea being that local honey would aid the body’s immune system in producing antibodies to deal with local pollen. And it was showing some very good results. Could be worth a try. Have you tried Tenzing Momo? They may have something to help.

    Really like the list. My favorite is lilac. I have lilac bushes and can just stand and bury my nose in the flowers. I recently tried Malle’s En Passant. The first moment was an “OH WOW” one, maybe I’m going to have to get this!!!, but it seemed that the note took on an indolic quality that I don’t find in the Pacifica one. That rather spoiled it for me. Than it just stayed a little off for the rest of its duration. Which wasn’t very long. High hopes-dashed.

    1. I didn’t realize that allergies could be so miserable until we moved here. It’s not just the sneezing, etc. but the fatigue.

      My grandfather said to do the local honey thing. He does it and swears by it (he is also like “wear a mask”, I don’t know if I can do that). Last year I got some tea from Sugarpill in Capitol Hill. It was great. I keep meaning to get up there this week and repurchase but I haven’t got off of work early enough. The problem with allergy meds is that they are so dehydrating, giving me other uncomfortable symptoms.

      Lilacs are some of my favorites. The old place we had, had established lilacs. I would just sit outside, open all the windows, while they were in bloom. Some people are irritated by the plants, they are strong, but I think they’re heavenly.

    1. They’re here somewhere 🙂 And still relevant even though I don’t even want to think about winter right now! I know it’s fall somewhere, but still. I’ve suffered enough 😉

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