Top 10 Recommended Fragrances for Fall 2016
Fall has arrived and choosing new fragrances for the changing temperature should not be a daunting task. It should be a fun experience! Here are my top ten favourite fragrances this season in alphabetical order:
Female
Black Opium (Eau de Parfum)by Yves Saint Laurent
Head Notes: pink pepper, orange blssom, and pear
Heart Notes: coffee, jasmine, bitter almond, and licorice
Base Notes: vanilla, patchouli, cedar, and cashmere wood
Opinion: This fragrance is very gourmand and addictive. It starts out with bright and energetic floral scent and slowly flattens down to a warm, dark, and sweet smell. Unlike YSL’s other Opium, Black Opium smells contemporary but still maintains Opium’s intoxicating vanilla base note. Black Opium has great duration of least eight to nine hours solid.
Occasions: Black Opium is fun and energetic, perfect for a night out or a concert. However, the coffee and vanilla add a hominess character that makes it great for Thanksgiving and Christmas events as well.
Coco (Eau de Parfum) by Chanel
Head Notes: coriander, mandarin orange, peach, jasmine, and Bulgarian rose
Heart Notes: mimosa, cloves, orange blossom, clover, and rose
Base Notes: labdanum, amber, sandalwood, Tonka bean, opoponax, civet, and vanilla
Opinion: I am absolutely in love with this sophisticated and mature perfume. It has a lot of contemporary qualities such as vanilla and the bright floral smells. However, the amber and leathery notes also give it a mature and classic quality. It starts off bold and powdery, with the typical Chanel aldehyde-opening but slowly flattens down as the amber and the tropical elements start to kick in.
Occasions: This is very bold for the first hour or two. So, out of consideration, I wouldn’t recommend wearing Coco if you have to share your office with other people. Coco is best for convention hall or ballroom-type events or outdoor events.
Jasmin Noir L’Elixir (Eau de Parfum) by Bvlgari
Head Notes: candied orange, bergamot, and pink pepper
Heart Notes: jasmine, tuberose, and almond
Base Notes: resin, fir resins, and golden musk
Opinion: This is a rich floral perfume. Despite its name, it has a palpable gardenia-ish element. It is bright and fresh but not obnoxiously floral. Rather, it evokes a lush flower garden after the rain. Once it dries down, it becomes very warm and the dark musky-woody note becomes very intoxicatingly noticeable.
Occasions: It is very polished, sophisticated, and refined. It smells “polite and professional.” Jasmin Noir is great for any event or occasion where you want LinkedIn views and invitations and instead of Facebook friend requests.
Noir Pour Femme (Eau de Parfum) by Tom Ford
Head Notes: bergamot, bitter orange, mandarin orange, and ginger
Heart Notes: rose, jasmine, orange blossom, and kulfi
Base Notes: vanilla, amber, sandalwood, and mastic
Opinion: This is late-October distilled and bottled. It is very mature, deep, spicy, and classy. With its perfect blend of bergamot and bitter orange, Noir smells alluringly of dark chocolate. The mastic and sandalwood notes also make it smell incredibly rich and sultry after it has settled down.
Occasions: Because of its complex note structure, Noir is very versatile. It can be worn at anytime of the day, casual or formal for both fall and winter. It projects confidence, maturity, and sophistication. Also, because it is rather niche, it’ll definitely leave a memorable first impression on people you meet.
No 5 L’Eau by Chanel
Head Notes: lemon, mandarin orange, orange, neroli flower, and aldehydes
Heart Notes: rose, jasmine, and ylang-ylang
Base Notes: cedar wood and white musk
Opinion: This is Chanel’s latest take on their signature No 5 that just came out in September 2016. Even though it is unarguably floral, the combination of ylang-ylang and white musk makes L’Eau great for fall. L’Eau is probably the most gentle of the No 5 genre. Nonetheless, it still maintains the sophistication of the original No 5.
Occasions: L’eau is safe and versatile but also sophisticated and complex. However, due to its short longevity and delicateness, it’s probably not the best to wear for clubbing. No 5 L’Eau is perfect for nighttime dress events, professional networking events, formal dinners, and workplace.
Male
Bleu de Chanel (Eau de Parfum) by Chanel 
Head Notes: bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, vetiver, pink pepper, and marine accord
Heart Notes: cedar wood, labdanum, peppermint, nutmeg, ginger, and jasmine
Base Notes: frankincense, ginger, New Caledonian sandalwood, and amberwood
Opinion: This is a great investment if you don’t like to think too much about what to wear for which occasion. It is the blue jeans of fragrances. Although many people complain that it is generic, you would probably get more compliments from this than from most niche fragrances. It smells clean and fresh while at the same time warm and cozy. It is easily likeable yet classy. As each layer of notes begins to settle, you’ll appreciate its complex dimensions. The vetiver and grapefruit opening smells like wearing a freshly spin-dried white t-shirt but after a few hours the spices and the resinous woods turn it into a black suit and tie.
Occasions: Literally anywhere, anytime, and in any environment—no exaggeration.
Habit Rouge 1965 (Eau de Toilette) by Guerlain
Head Notes: lime, orange, bergamot, tangerine, basil, lemon, and Brazilian rosewood
Heart Notes: carnation, sandalwood, patchouli, cinnamon, jasmine, cedar, and rose
Base Notes: labdanum, leather, amber, benzoin, vanilla, and vetiver
Opinion: This Guerlain classic smells like Mad Men (minus the misogyny and profanity) distilled and bottled. It evokes going to a wet shave barbershop. This fragrance scent conjures up the smell of old books, musky tweeds, and leather. Although it opens with some citric elements, Habit Rouge is whisperingly subtle, spicy, exotic, and woody. This timeless masterpiece is one of the most elegant and formal male fragrances.
Occasions: The smoky vanilla and leather combination makes this fragrance vintage yet versatile, perfect for formal events, workplace, professional networking, and weddings.
L’Homme Idéal (Eau de Parfum) by Guerlain
Head Notes: citruses, rosemary, orange blossom, and bitter orange
Heart Notes: almond and Tonka bean
Base Notes: leather, cedar, and vetiver
Opinion: The EDP version of this fragrance is warm, young, and cozy. It evokes leaves falling off the tree. It is woody, warm, and aromatic with decent longevity and modest projection. The warmth from the toasted almond and leather notes will make you feel like wearing a knitted scarf.
Occasions: Although this is a fun fragrance, its modest projection makes this fragrance appropriate for work, a night out, and just any casual occasion.
La Nuit de l’Homme (Eau de Toilette) by Yves Saint Laurent
Head Notes: cardamom
Heart Notes: bergamot, cedar, and lavender
Base Notes: vetiver and caraway
Opinion: This is probably one of the best compliment-getter fragrances out there. If Habit Rouge were Jon Hamm, La Nuit would be Matt Bomer. Its main note is the cardamom, which gives it both the soft-spiciness and the earthiness. The lavender also gives it an element of softness. It is a classy fragrance that conveys success, sophistication, and confidence. The spice-lavender combination gives La Nuit a seductive contemporary allure. Lastly, unlike many designer fragrances, the coolest thing about this fragrance is the fact that it won’t ravage your financial liquidity or credit ratings.
Occasions: As its name suggests, this is a nighttime male fragrance. With its great projection, it is perfect clubs, dinners, dates, and any events where you want to make an impression. For those of you who have to take long-haul flights often, this fragrance is also great for travelling because it acclimatizes well and has great longevity.
The One (Eau de Parfum) by Dolce & Gabanna
Head Notes: coriander, basil, and grapefruit
Heart Notes: ginger, orange, and cardamom
Base Notes: tobacco, amber, and cedar
Opinion: The One starts out spicy, fruity, and fresh and then quickly settles down to a resinous, deep, dark, and rich cigar scent. For the first thirty minutes or so it is bold and noticeable; however, by the first hour after spraying, it becomes a whisper. Despite its modest longevity and projection, these factors might be its most valuable attributes. With its soft-spoken sophistication, it projects its wearer as a nonchalant high-achiever.
Occasions: The calm and composed elegance of The One makes it a great fragrance for any professional environment, whether suited up or suited down. It is also appropriate for any social functions where you want to be seen as classy. Lastly, its chic minimalistic notes also make The One a great choice as an avant-garde female fragrance.
Notes Citation: www.fragrantica.com
Image Sources:
Black Opium (Eau de Parfum) by Yves Saint Laurent
http://www.elysian.co.uk
Coco (Eau de Parfum) by Chanel
http://rakuten.co.jp
Jasmin Noir L’Elixir (Eau de Parfum) by Bvlgari
www.parfum-outlet.ch
Noir Pour Femme (Eau de Parfum) by Tom Ford
http://images.jet.com
No 5 L’Eau by Chanel
https://theblacknarcissus.files.wordpress.com
Bleu de Chanel (Eau de Parfum) by Chanel
http://elle.dp.ua
Habit Rouge 1965 (Eau de Toilette) by Guerlain
http://i.beautyspin.com
L’Homme Idéal (Eau de Parfum) by Guerlain
https://cdn1.blovcdn.com
La Nuit de l’Homme (Eau de Toilette) by Yves Saint Laurent
http://www.beautyencounter.com
The One (Eau de Parfum) by Dolce & Gabanna
http://i.beautyspin.com