Grabbing every opportunity to celebrate at this time of year is a must – the lighter evenings, the budding plants pressaging spring just around the corner; and now, how we welcome the colourful celebrations surrounding the Lunar New Year. In Chinese culture, Sat 10 February marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. So, we felt with so many wonderful dragon-themed (yes, really!) and Chinese-inspired fragrances around, it should be a festival of fragrant opportunities, too…
Carolina Herrera Lucky Charms Lunar Lover
Inviting you to ‘Unleash your inner dragon – a vibrant new limited edition scent that willl transport you to a world of unbridled passion with its addictive blend of Red Tea, Red Hibiscus and grounding Cedarwood’, we also adore that you can add your choice of another lucky charm to make the gift even more special. (When you’ve used the fragrance, why not pop on to a charm bracelet, necklace or keychain?)
£135 for 100ml eau de parfum carolinaherrera.co.uk
A La Lune Santal Extreme
For A La Lune, traditional Chinese symbolism entwines within their fragrances, and this one transports us to the dynastic palaces of the Far East via angelica and saffron-infused sandalwood, and a rich oudh that’s been ‘…crowned by the mist of woody, oriental incense of frankincense, myrrh, and benzoin tears.’ Wonderfully warming, meditative and peaceful, it’s a perfume to wear while daydreaming and writing poetry, we feel.
£89 for 30ml eau de parfum alalune.co.uk
Elementals: Essences of Chi, Fire
In the cycle of the Five Elements, Fire represents the pinnacle of Yang Energy. It is about passion and power. Fire is sensual, fickle and explosive. ELEMENTALS fire translates this energy into a warm and spicy blend of naturals that ignite your sensuality and gently caress the soul. Splashes of ginger and bitter orange, combined with a voluptuous bouquet of roses, energising spices and resins are sure to ignite the power within…
£148 for 50ml eau de parfum elementalfragrances.com
Memo Honey Dragon
‘A long line of stars like a ribbon of fragrant honey. Like a fiery mythological creature unfolding in an ice-cold night. The constellation Draco is the inspiration for a composition of contrasting ingredients: the freshness of thyme and the vivacity of bergamot, teamed with the sensual warmth of vanilla and the ambery enchantment of myrrh and opopanax. Black pepper and cinnamon embody all the depth of a nocturnal apparition to imbue Honey Dragon with its intense and mysterious character.’
£235 for 75ml eau de parfum uk.memoparis.com
Ormonde Jayne Qi Intensivo
‘Qi (pronounced “key” or “chi”) means Breath of Life. It’s an ancient word that permeates the Chinese language and everyday life. This perfume is inspired by the Chinese people’s love for the lightest and most delicate scents. Qi is constructed to make no great statement thus offending no-one, it does not tear down any great walls but is rather something more spectacular, like an amazing dawn, a softly-scented fragile breeze…’
£295 for 88ml eau de parfum ormondejayne.com
Penhaligons The World According to Arthur
For his debut Portraits fragrance for Penhaligon’s, Fabrice Pellegrin set out to create a ‘magnificent incense scent’, seeking out the purest version of the raw material, from trees which flourish in North-East Africa and the South of the Arabian peninsula, alongside two other, complementary extractions of incense. To soften and buff, he added vanilla and tonka, sensually rounding out clary sage absolute and ambrette. A fine fellow of a fragrance, equally at home on masculine or feminine skin.
£235 for 75ml eau de parfum penhaligons.com
Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon
We so love this description on the brilliant house of unusual indie fragrances Sainte Cellier: ‘Milky Dragon, draws inspiration from Milky Oolong tea, resulting in a multifaceted and captivating olfactory rendering. A delicate arrangement of bergamot, buchu and cardamom gradually gives way to velvety lactones and indulgent hazelnut.
A coloratura assembly of jasmine, rose and violet mingle, creating an ambrosial opacity delivered crystalline and silver-tongued. Cedar and fir balsam rubbed with a warm, comforting smudge of cashmeran leave an indelible impression, blurred and mysterious. Milky Dragon is a cryptic composition, mystery and opacity behind porcelain cold thematics. Beneath the surface of this fascinating perfume, exquisite things writhe and scintillate like jade dragon scales.’
£115 for 50ml eau de parfum saintecellier.com
Written by Suzy Nightingale