Best of 2010

Let’s do a fragrance roundup of the best fragrance releases over the past year, and do a rehash on my personal favorites just because.

So what were the best of 2010 in my opinion? In no particular order:

“Shalimar Ode à la Vanille” by Guerlain
– Of course I had to slot a Guerlain in there but I am a fangirl. Shalimar’s vanilla heavy flanker is a beautifully done fragrance that amps up the vanilla and adds a hint of clean. The perfume tones down the musk and civet. It’s a wonderful introduction fragrance for those trying to understand and love this classic perfume and I think Guerlain did their vanilla perfectly well in this fragrance. Get this while you can though, it is a limited edition.

“Iris Ukiyoé” by Hermès
– This fragrance is an approachable iris scent with a little bit of spice and a scent of rose. It’s built on the likeable pyramid of grapefruit, fruits and florals, woods formula that a lot of modern perfumes follow but it does it well with a few added ingredients put in. What results is a scent that’s light, fresh, with a little bit of personality.

“Peace, Love and Juicy Couture” by Juicy Couture
– Color me as surprised as I was to have included a Juicy perfume in my best of 2010 list but PLJC is a very good contender. It’s got props for smelling like a Chanel and doing it for a more reasonable price tag. PLJC I’ve already reviewed so you know it’s an earthy green scent that goes on like grass and evolves into a sophisticated green floral and leaf scent. A shocking beauty from a brand that sells velour tracksuits.

“Kiss Me Tender” by Parfums de Nicolaï
– One of the few niche scents that I got my grubby hands on this year. Kiss Me Tender is a beautifully done gourmand floral. It bills itself as a floriental but I feel the almond and vanilla take it more toward gourmand. In either case, it’s a lovely fragrance, highly wearable and utterly feminine and does not take the low road to gourmand by having a loud obnoxious vanilla. Kiss Me Tender is well behaved and lighter than most gourmands tend to be.

“Zizonia” by Penhaligon
– For the more daring, Zizonia is a fascinating spicy mix of pepper, oranges, ginger and nutmeg layered over a woody and earthy base. It’s an interesting departure from the usual scents and reminds me quite a bit of a spice market.

As for my personal top five list of favorite fragrances?

1. Spirituese Double Vanille by Guerlain
2. Un Lys by Serge Lutens
3. Plumdrop by Victoria’s Secret
4. Beige by Chanel
5. No. 5 Eau Premiere by Chanel