As the year draws to a close it’s natural to feel reflective. I had the best of intentions to try as many as possible of the 200 plus new perfumes that were launched in 2017. While I didn’t get to sample as many as I’d hoped to, I was able to sniff a number of them that I really enjoyed and just a couple who disappointed.
On my list of those that should walk the strut of glory for best new perfumes of 2017 are:
Gucci Bloom – OH MY LORD this smells heavenly. There’s something so uplifting about this tuberose and jasmine concoction. There’s a subtle sweetness that comes from Chinese honeysuckle and orris root lends a powdery feel. The best of Gucci so far IMHO.
Clean Warm Cashmere – A yummy fig and cassis fragrance that dries down to a woody, musky base, this reminds me of sitting by a warm fireplace. I recommend spraying it on a sweater or scarf during these arctic temperatures we’ve been having in New York this week.
Jo Malone English Oak and Red Currant – I proved myself wrong when I thought I wouldn’t care for this. What it reminds me of is a woodier version of the Diptyque Baies scent that I have a candle of. It’s a fragrance that starts smelling more like oak tree bark after you’ve been wearing it for a while. I like it best for layering with Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede to tone down the tree hugger vibe.
Kai Rose – I was eager to try the second fragrance by Kai founder Gaye Straza after wearing her original Kai for so many years and it didn’t disappoint. It’s got a whole lot of gardenia like Kai but with an abundance of a truly intoxicating rose added.
Hermès Twilly – This one has it all: the adorable packaging, the cute bottle and obviously the scent itself. A ginger note steals the show and is so well balanced with bitter orange and sandalwood. It’s definitely got the Hermès DNA in spades.
Now for the less impressive…
Chanel Gabrielle proved a disappointment especially since Chanel hadn’t launched a new scent in ages and it was so highly anticipated. Oh well, it’s not hideously bad just meh. Kim Kardashian’s Crystal Gardenia was another story. I will say no more since I’m “gifting” it to my 25 year old daughter. She also loves perfume and was fascinated with the phenomenal success of its launch so I decided to give it the college try. I’m looking forward to hearing her take on it. The bottle which looks so stunning on KKW’s Instagram posts actually looks like this:
Does this look like a sex toy to you?
I was hoping for something a little better as far as the scent since there are few things that I love more than a well-composed gardenia fragrance. Truth be told I really would have been shocked if it was anything amazing after trying one of her previous perfumes. Meanwhile she made millions off of the three fragrances she launched this year so there you go!
What about you? Have you tried any of the now not so new 2017 perfumes? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts ?
Cheers,
Hi Erica
My best friend is turning 40 years old soon, and I am making her a big party:) Besides this, I want to surprise her with a nice present, so I was thinking of buying a perfume. I am a big fan of Gucci; in fact, all my garderobe comes from Gucci:)
So, Gucci perfume will be my choice! Since every skin is different, wouldn’t it be a bit risky to buy a perfume without trying on your own skin? What would you suggest me to do? I really want this to be a surprise:)
Thank you for this excellent post!
Hi Daniella,
While I consider Gucci Bloom is a lovely fragrance, it seems to me that the most important thing here is whether or not your friend will love it. The perfume will only be a cherished gift if it’s something she will want to wear – and of course think of her dear friend (you) while doing so. I suggest you do a little sleuthing and find out what type of fragrances she prefers; for example, does she gravitate to floral, oriental or chypre scents. Once you’ve got that figured out, then try to find a perfume category.
Best of luck!
Erica
I haven’t tried any of these perfumes, as I’m a little ‘Old School’ when it comes to adding perfume as an accessory. I’m very attached to my scents from Calvin Klein and Britney Spears. I think they’re timeless.
The Clean Warm Cashmere sounds like my cup of tea, but would it be suitable to wear around small kids? I do like to wear perfume every now and then, but I’m worried that my kids will have gotten so used to what I wear that it would bother them if I changed it.
Hey Claire,
There are certainly some fragrances that might bother some people, including young kids, but these are often very strong smelling perfumes or perfumes that are just plain awful. If you think that Warm Cashmere sounds like your cup of tea, chances are it reminds you of something that you either already own or have admired on someone else. I’m not sure which Britney Spears and Calvin Klein fragrances you like but none of the ones I know of smell anything like Warm Cashmere. I suggest you try a sample and see what you think.
Cheers and thanks for dropping by,
Erca