Fragrance Awards We Spritzed, Sniffed and Dished
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fragrance awards We spritzed, sniffed and dished. The task: Test every scent launched in the past year to find the best-smelling stuff out there. Read on to discover your new favorite(s). Snap to Win! One of 10 bottles of By Joanne Chen Still lifes by Devon Jarvis Panel photographs by Donna Alberico Reb’l Fleur by Rihanna (on the next page) Details at Self.com 52 Self.com November 2011 1111-SE-BEAU06 fragrance awards Here’s how we sniffed out the winners: We sorted 248 bottles into 26 scent categories (citrus, floral, fruity and so on), then set up a blind test. Panelists jotted hundreds of We cut 22,160 inches of ribbon to pages of notes, and we spray with scents. tallied the results. And the winners are… BESt MOOD LiFtER BESt fresh SCENT MiSS CONGENIALITY MoSt BoldLY BESt WEaR-IT- Eau de Nous— Clean Skin, Mariah Carey’s SEDuCTIVE SCENT ANYWHERE SCENT Citrus Charm, $69. If you Lollipop Splash Kim Kardashian Susan G. $35. Remember heart taking a The Remix-Never Gold, $65. The Komen for the most stroll right after Forget You, reality star’s the Cure, amazingly fun a sun shower $35. This fave scent won in Promise Me, beach bash or smelling among the sweet the spicy-floral $59. This you’ve ever been to? Based just-washed towels pulled scents proved “warm and group and lends you a bit “very girly” on panel comments, straight from the line, inviting,” evoking “a soft of her man-catching mojo. floriental winner blends this energizing orangy- this is the scent for you. woolen shrug Grandma “Let’s dress up and go uplifting citrus notes grapefruity aroma—the With lotus blossom and knit.” Notes of pineapple out now!” one tester said. such as blood orange winner in the citrus honeydew, white musk sorbet, jellybean and “Sexy,” “sensual” and and mandarin with full category—might bring you and creamy vanilla, sugared wood reminded “flirty,” this mostly floral florals like pink peony, back there. “Beachy,” said plus fresh air and aquatic one panelist of her local formula is spiked with wild orchid, rosewood one. “Summery” and notes, it’s no wonder ice cream shop and the sparkling citrus and pink and white patchouli, “It makes me so happy!” testers deemed this “sweet smell of candy.” peppercorn—a concoction then dries down to a others added. Smile on. fragrance “super fresh” “guaranteed to bring the rich musk. The result: and “springy.” MoSt pLaYFuL SCENT boys to the yard!” a “strong” and “bold” BESt nature- Reb’l Fleur by yet “feminine version inSpired SCENT BESt SEXY-WITHOUT- Rihanna, $59. BESt UNISEX SCENT of cologne” that some Emilio Pucci EVEn-tRYING SCENT Research shows Bond No. 9 testers would wear Vivara Reveal by smelling fruity I Love New York “everywhere,” others Variazioni Halle Berry, $35. notes can actually for All, $105. when heading to a festive Verde 072, Slip into this make you friendlier. Although it’s affair. Another reason to $59. Lush notes such must-have musk So it’s no surprise that named after give it a spritz: A as grass, dew and bamboo just as effortlessly the number-one fruity the Big Apple, this works- minimum of $1 million mark the “green” grouping. as you would your fragrance elicited feelings for-all scent reminded from sales will go to This favorite among go-to jeans and a silky of being “carefree” and one panelist of the “warm its namesake charity them stood out for its tank. Its blend of mimosa “happy.” Plus, Rihanna’s Tuscan sun.” Others said to benefit breast cancer “subtle” yet “clean” flower, peach and neroli eau has luscious red berry, its exotic blend of ginger, research, education (thanks to a mint-leaf top petal notes dries down to purple plum and peach cardamom, teakwood and treatment. Now note), “outdoorsy” vibe. sultry cashmere woods notes that made testers and musk notes made it that’s what we call pretty Testers said they’d wear it and skin musk—exactly call it “delicious.” “warm” and “vintage-y.” in pink. when dashing to “a why one panelist said it casual lunch with friends” would be perfect for a first and agree that it would date: “very sexy” but “not “work wonderfully if overbearing.” going to a picnic.” In a Pucci wrap dress, natch. BESt MaKE-a- STATEMENT SCENT Tocca Colette, $68. The standout among the spicy scents flaunts bergamot and violet, zesty pink peppercorn and juniper berry, all of which will “get Snap to Win! you noticed when you One of 15 walk into a party.” But be Panelists inhaled the aroma of coffee Visit self’s Facebook page the autographed bottles warned: It’s “confident of Kim Kardashian beans between scent week of October 31 for a chance Gold (on this page) and assertive—not for groups to “cleanse” to take home even more of Details at Self.com the meek!” their sense of smell. these fragrance award winners. 58 Self.com November 2011 1111-SE-BEAU07 Behind closed doors, we numbered bottles and matched them up fragrance to their ribbons. awards Fragrance is one of the quickest ways to change your mind-set.” —Leslie Vosshall, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience at Rockefeller University Every category had a specific ribbon color (pink with polka dots equals fruity floral). BESt SMELLS-LiKE- MoSt LiKE a FiELD-oF- BESt edgy SCENT VaCATION SCENT FLoWERS scent Creed Royal-Oud, Laugh Often Gucci $300. There’s by Reese Flora Eau something Witherspoon, Fraîche, oddly intriguing $23. “Where’s $80. about a scent my mojito?” No new reminiscent of a said a panelist who blooms on your desk? “three-day outdoor couldn’t get enough of this Don’t scold your cutie yet. music festival” or a “tropical getaway” of a Close your eyes, and “camping trip.” Oud, an scent. Our top-rated citrus- enjoy a bouquet in a up-and-coming fragrance floral combo is ripe with bottle with the winner of type, conjures a woody, mandarin and green and the fresh-floral category, sweet and incenselike white tea notes, as well as deemed undeniably aroma from the resin of peony and rose bulgare. “pure” and “clean”— moldy agarwood. This best pLANEt- FLiRTIESt SCENT “like an outdoor garden high scorer has Regal oud friEndly SCENT Someday by BESt i’M-Such-a- party!” Bergamot, from India as well as Liv Grn—Natural, Justin Bieber, GiRLY-Girl SCENT kumquat and green notes Calabrian lemon, Sicilian $60. A blend of $45. “This Laughter Jour, such as rose leaves and bergamot and cedar lime, neroli and totally $60. The citrus osmanthus (a shrublike notes and is intended orange-flower top popped!” said notes of this plant), followed by for both sexes (even if notes, with hints of a tester, who floral chypre (a powerful patchouli, made one panelist admitted geranium, Egyptian picked out the teen singer’s blend of citrus, testers say this scent that it made her think of musk and pear, gives this fruity floral from 25 other floral and has a “feisty kick” that a “lumberjack”??!!). best-smelling eco-savvy candidates. Bursting with musk notes) may hail from just may “put a pep scent its “graceful,” scents of pear, mandarin the Mediterranean, but in your step.” BESt a-LiSt- “sophisticated” aroma, and wild berries, this the vibe is totally English CELEBRITY scent “great for work or a perfume made panelists countryside. “Feminine,” BESt GiRL-nEXt- Beyoncé Pulse, special event.” Spray think of “lively,” “flingy” agreed our panelists— DOOR SCENT $49. The Grammy- away, knowing that “fun,” and some found it clearly detecting the lily Peace, Love & winning singer hits it has all biodegradable as addictive as Bieber’s of the valley and fresh Juicy Couture, all the right notes. ingredients, and 10 cents “Baby, baby, baby, oh….” jasmine—adding that $52. As comfy Testers singled of every dollar from they’d spritz it on when as Juicy’s out her musky sales goes to the Global MoSt RoMantiC “shopping with friends.” trademark citrus-floral from among Green USA charity. DaYtime-DatE scent sweats the 19 celebrity debuts. (We Hanae Mori No. 4, YoUTH IN a BOTTLE (we know you still love pulled them from the other $95. “Sexy” was S by Shakira lounging around the scent categories into their the verdict on this Eau Florale, house in them!), this own star-studded grouping, powdery floral— $28. Take musky floral had testers simply because it would be but in a “light, a time thinking of “frolicking in fun to see who won!) “Like fresh, clean” way. machine the backyard” and even a diva” is how one panelist Testers used words like back to the “fun days of a little of “the beginning felt after smelling the blend “peaceful” and “content” college” with this of fall.” A burst of of blue curaçao (inspired (exactly how you want to sweet-floral category honeysuckle and Malibu by the liqueur), bluebird feel with your honey!), winner. Both “playful” poppy at the heart of this orchid (the mom-to-be’s perhaps reacting to the and “demure,” it radiates scent, along with notes favorite flower), midnight- Snap to Win! soothing wild strawberry, cassis, three kinds of of Meyer-lemon-tree blooming jasmine, plus One of 10 bottles of toffee, white peach and berries plus a vanilla note, blossom and sweet apple, pear and bergamot notes. Peace, Love & Juicy and it reminded judges makes for a “sweet” yet Couture (on this page) vanilla notes. It’s like Wear it and shine. Details at Self.com brunch in bed—for two.