Ten Scents to Fall in LOVE With
“Make me a fragrance that smells like love.” Almost 80 years ago, Christian Dior asked the perfumers Paul Vacher and Jean Carles to work on a fragrance that smells like love. It was the year 1947, and back then, the world was rebuilding after the Second World War – the result was Miss Dior, a scent that stood as a symbol of renewal and wide-eyed hope for the future.
Fast forward to 2024, and the question still remains. What does love smell like? How would we define it today? Zooming in from lust to butterflies, from Eros to agape, the definition of love is fluid, ever-moving, and everchanging, much like the world around. Today, I’m stepping away from poetry for answers and channeling my inner INTJ powers, I’m turning to psychologists and relationship experts for a more straightforward answer.
So here’s my perfumed take, outlining the ten stages that people often experience when falling in love, paired with ten scents absolutely worthy of falling in love with:
Pigmentarium Erotikon image by Nicoleta
1. Love as Attraction: This is the initial stage where you feel drawn to the person. It could be physical attraction, intellectual attraction, emotional attraction, or a combination of these. As Valentine’s Day approaches, let us focus on the carnal side and start by letting Pigmentarium Erotikon (Jakub F. Hiermann) weave a sensual and mysterious story of love and lust. A gourmand perfume with mouthwatering notes of chocolate, a bite of ginger, and a sensual trail of vanilla and tonka that will leave those around wanting more. @pigmentarium_parfums @tmsrc @hier_mann
Initio Parfums Prives Absolute Aphrodisiac, photo via official website
2. Love as Infatuation: In this stage, you focus intensely on the other person. You might think about them constantly and feel excited and eager to know more about them. In the same way, Initio Parfums Prives Absolute Aphrodisiac (Alexandra Kosinski) made me completely infatuated with vanilla this winter. It is one of the best vanilla scents for cold weather – the kind of fragrance that melts on your skin and envelops you in a thick, plush, delicious, warm bubble. @initioparfumsprive
L’Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Roses photo by Nicoleta
3. Love as Connection: You start feeling a deeper bond. Conversations get longer, and you begin to discover shared interests, beliefs, and values. And there’s no deeper connection than the one encapsulated in my perfect goth scent, L’Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Roses (Michel Almairac). A dark and vampire-esque red rose with a tannic aftertaste and a ripe nostalgic autumnal feel that feels like home – every time. @lartisanparfumeur
Nobile 1942 Anti Mallochio, official photo via the brand
4. Love as Peacocking: Here, you might find yourself trying to present the best version of yourself. There is no room here for the evil eye, and one needs all the luck it can have not to go too far! Enter Nobile 1942 Anti Mallochio (Mariaceleste Lombardo) because it’s spicy, fun, and unusual and keeps you on your toes with an audacious mix of red pepper, salt, basil, and caramelized sugar.
@nobile1942 @mariacelestelombardo_
Photo: Sarah Baker Flame and Fortune Extrait, AI edit by Nicoleta Tomsa
5.Love as a Reality Check: This is when the initial intensity starts to simmer down, and you begin to see the person more realistically, flaws and all. It’s a crucial stage for determining the potential of a long-term relationship, so one must first walk through the flames in order to get to good fortune. Sarah Baker Flame and Fortune Extrait (Sarah Baker) – a seemingly innocent amber floral, drunk on Mezcal. Motor oil, burning bouquets, labdanum, charred fruits, spices, and citrus peel. It’s dramatic; it’s cool, it’s smokin’, it’s hot, and it feels like setting your world ablaze over and over again.
Scentologia Syn.ergy, photo via Karl
6. Love as Deep Attachment: If the relationship survives the reality check, a deeper emotional attachment develops. This is marked by feelings of security, trust, and comfort in the relationship. Scentologia Syn.ergy (Pierre-Constantin Guéros) is a cornucopia of ripe fruits, overflowing with apples, oranges, pears, pineapple, peaches, and mango, set against a musk base that will make the scent more persistent than many relationships are. @scentologia_perfumes @pierregueros
Francesca Bianchi Love for Sale, official brand image
7. Love as Exclusivity: You might decide to be exclusive at this stage. And if there is one brand of perfumery that would make me consider perfume monogamy without bursting into laughter immediately, Francesca Bianchi is the closest it gets. Love for Sale is a very limited edition play on her trademark leathery-mysterious ways, with a sharp metallic note opening that transitions into a peachy, sweet, sticky rose that makes me swear my never-ending love. @francesca_bianchi_perfumes
Xerjoff 400, official image via the brand
8. Love as Intimacy: Not just physical intimacy, but emotional intimacy develops in this stage. Xerjoff Join the Club 400 is one of my go-to comfort scents, a harmonious interplay of honey, bitter orange, and orange blossoms that feels like floating, wrapped in an everlasting hug. @xerjoff
official image via the brand
9. Love as Integration: Here, your lives start to become more intertwined. Meo Fusciuni Encore du temps (Giuseppe Imprezzabile) is an introspective meditation on the theme of tea, with osmanthus, magnolia, and sandalwood. A grounded and serene experience of love that transcends the usual definition of a “comfort scent.” @meofusciuni_parfums
Nishane Hundred Silent Ways, collage by Nicoleta
10. Unconditional Love: The final stage is a deep, profound love that is unconditional. Nishane Hundred Silent Ways is a perfume that is both butterflies-fluttering-in-the-stomach-intense and immensely comfortable and soothing. “I closed my mouth and spoke to you in a hundred silent ways /You know what’s on my mind, you’ve heard my thoughts/ And now, what I described to you last night, I’ll do today” – says the Rumi verse that inspired the name of the fragrance. A whirlwind of deep vanilla, decadent fruits, dense flowers, orris, and softwoods that smell like kissing feels like.
Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor
Sarah Baker Flame & Fortune courtesy of the brand
Thanks to the generosity of Sarah Baker, we have a 50ml bottle of Flame & Fortune Extrait (for a registered reader in the UK or USA)
courtesy of the brand
Grazie Mille to Meo Fusciuni for 100 ml of Encore du temps for registered reader in the EU ONLY.You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what fragrance you would like to win Base on and what sparks your interest based on Nicoleta’s reviews and what love smells like to you and where you live. Draw closes 2/16/2024
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