If you ever visit a certain California theme park, you might happen to stroll into a perfume shop where I once worked. While I no longer work there and I don’t speak for the brand or the company, I became very familiar with the composition of scents so I could better recommend things to guests who walked in. I actually got to be quite good at pairing people with fragrances that they enjoyed. Once COVID-19 shut everything down, I continued my research and it became a hobby for me. Below I have listed a few of my top picks, ranging from mainstream brands to independent shops.
“Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin” by Guerlain. This will always and forever be one of my very favorite fragrances. It smells like the wonderful Christmases of childhood before LED lights changed the colors cast upon the tree, the days when gifts came wrapped in shiny, brightly colored paper and when Santa remembered to eat the cookies left out for him, of spiced rum, and of rich chocolate. Oriental vanilla fragrance. 2008.
Update: Gourmand Coquin was discontinued for some time after the pandemic, but has since been brought back in new packaging under the name Fève Gourmande (verified by Guerlain’s website).
“Silken Tent” from Alkemia. Rice pudding, caramel, chrysanthemum, and amber notes are present. This one is a sweet caramel balsamic fragrance. This was my favorite over Summer 2020 and it still has a very special place in my heart. The incredible thing about fragrances is that olfactory memories tend to be the strongest. For example, 55 years later my mother can still recall the perfume her kindergarten teacher wore for the first day of school. I still remember the scent of my preschool’s hand soap almost two decades later. Everytime I open Silken Tent I’m taken back to a small town in the Midwest, driving down dirt roads and watching corn fields rush past the window, to a time when I didn’t want the moment I was in to end.
“By the Fireplace” of the Replica line by Maison Martin Margiela. Smells like a smoky fire: vanilla, chestnut, clove, and pepper. This one is definitely a heavy, wintery scent with great longevity and the whole line is hugely popular right now. I’ve tried wearing this particular one during the summer and it just doesn’t work as well as it does during the winter. It makes me want to be curled up under a chunky knit blanket and clutching a mug of hot tea while I sit on a window seat in a mountain cabin with snow drifting past outside and a fire merrily cracking on the other end of the room. Woody. 2015
“Eau de Cologne Imperiale” by Guerlain. Smells like picking an orange off a tree – not an orangey scent, but that same citrus, slightly bitter scent the leaves bear. While this is arguably an unusual choice, and a rather uncommon scent at that, I love this fragrance despite its lack of longevity on my skin. I appreciate the scent itself as well as the historical significance of it: it’s well over 150 years old. Bergamot, lemon verbena, and cedar notes. Citrus Aromatic fragrance. 1860.
“Eau de Givenchy” by Givenchy. EDT. Orange blossom, bergamot, sea breeze, and citrus. Smells like a more modern interpretation of Guerlain’s Imperiale (see above), but what can I say, I love Imperiale. I do find that Eau de Givenchy does have slightly better longevity on my skin. Citrus scent. 2018.
“Eaudemademoiselle de Givenchy Romantic” by Givenchy. This one is rather hard to find but definitely worth it, it sounds strange, but it smells like popcorn and chocolate and the combination is actually really good. Oriental vanilla scent. 2017.
“L’Interdit Eau de Toilette” by Givenchy. Poppy, orange blossom, and vetiver. Slightly perfumey without being overly commercial and generic, while still being gentle and girly. Floral woody musk. 2019.
“Fahrenheit” by Dior. Smells like leather and the 1970s. VERY leathery. This is a scent I would not personally wear, I just love the novelty of it. To me it smells like what I imagine the squashy brown leather recliner a dad in the 70’s would collapse into after a long day at the office. Lavender, mandarin orange, bergamot, sandalwood, violet leaf, amber, vetiver, and patchouli. Woody floral musk scent. 1988.
“Tibetan Mountain Temple” by Pacifica. What I love about Pacifica is that their fragrances (especially their older ones) don’t bother my allergies. This one was my favorite perfume for years (I started using it in high school) but it was discontinued and now I’m down to my last bottle. It smells like gingerbread cookies at Christmas, incense, and spices: ginger, cinnamon, clove, and patchouli. Woody. 2007.
“Sinner” by Kat Von D. I’ll be honest, I judged a book by its color and this was not a perfume I would ordinarily purchase. I’m not familiar with the brand and looking at the gothic design it didn’t seem like my cup of tea. But it was on sale so I took a gamble and I’m glad I did. It has fantastic longevity, I can smell it all day and it lingers on my clothing through the following day. This is one of my favorite night out perfumes. Very dark and sultry and definitely something I lean more towards during the autumn or winter. The notes include patchouli, vanilla, spicy white florals and cinnamon. Floral amber fragrance. 2017.
“Viva La Juicy Gold Couture” by Juicy Couture was definitely another one I misjudged and picked up on sale and now I absolutely love it. I had sampled the original Viva La Juicy before and I could not smell it at all. It just disappeared on my skin completely. Viva La Juicy Gold Couture was not the case. It has nice longevity without being overpowering and it’s such a delight to catch a whiff of the caramel scent throughout the day. Notes of caramel, berries and vanilla. Floral Fruity Gourmand fragrance. 2014.
Elizabeth Guldimann 
Leave a comment