40 Days and 40 Nights of Fragrance Notes: Beach Scents
I have a personal weakness for beach inspired fragrances. It might have something to do with the fact that Ohio is...well...Ohio.
There is no ocean breeze or sandy beach in the buckeye state. No one better dare bring up Lake Erie...or I will jump through this computer to get you.
If you are a regular reader of this blog, then you have heard us moan countless times about the snow and cold. To be quick and to the point...Ohio's weather sucks.
Beach scents deliver surf and sand to Ohio. They smell like suntan lotion, sand, sun, coconut, frangipani, salt, water and driftwood.
There are many beach scents worth mentioning. One of my favorites is Estee Lauder's Tom Ford Azuree/Bronze Goddess. I have hoarding issues with this fragrance. It is an oil that is sweetened with a tropical tiare flower.
From my review on June 3rd 2006: The Azuree Body Oil is a modern interpretation of the 1969 original. The updated version is "built around a tiare milk accord that comprises Tahitian gardenia petals mixed with coconut and orange blossoms and warmed with vetiver, sandalwood and myrrh." The tropical gardenia note is very creamy with crisp orange blossoms. The vetiver is very green and fresh. The original fragrance had fresh citrus and floral notes with a heart of basil and spearmint and a dry down of oak moss and deep woods.
Lauder's Azuree Soleil/Bronze smells like sunkissed skin. Nars Monoï Body Glow II also has this suntan lotion vibe. It is a tropical mixture of coconut and Tahitian gardenia. Both these oils have great subtle, wafting sillage.
Another great "sun-baked skin" scent is Bond 9's Fire Island. It was influenced by Ambre Solaire suntan lotion. It has a green neroli note with a slightly dirty musk drydown. Crazy good.
The other beach scents from Bond 9 are Hamptons, Coney Island (carnival-like) and Andy Warhol Montauk (driftwood).
CB I Hate Perfume's At The Beach 1966 is the grandest of the beach fragrance genre. It is seashells, sandy beach, suntan lotion and the ocean. CB captures every memory and moment in scent. From a fresh snow to the air before a thunderstorm. This beach is every vacation you have ever taken. Magical.
Bobbi Brown's Beach is a gloomy day on the beach. It is grey skies, more sand, ocean spray, pebbles and a light sweater.
Michael Stars had a fragrance ages ago. It was a floral tuberose lei meets rocky sandy beach explosion.
CSP's Vanilla Frangipane is a long discontinued gem from my Makeupalley Fragrance board days. My decant was gifted to me by the great Autumn/Tealief. It was the most incredible vanilla tropical concoction. Delicious and sultry.
Lovers of beach fragrances...Let us know your favorites in the comments!
Reviewer: Annie
Graphic Credit: Melanie Parker
Disclosure: The products mentioned in this review have been purchased, gifted or sniffed by the reviewer.
Bobbi Brown's Beach and some of the Azuree bottles were provided by the companies.
posted by Annieytown @ 5:00 PM
15 Inspired Comments
15 Inspired Comments:
Nice post! I have fond memories of spritzing myself with Fire Island in the back of the Bondmobile, while sitting with you and Patti and Angie. That, and CB At the Beach 1966, are my beachy favorites. I also loved Creative Universe's Mare, now discontinued. x
Great review, Annie! I love Azuree Soleil and to me it is the most wearable of the beachy scents. I was baffled by Bobbi Brown Beach, which you have described perfectly here, not beachy to me at all.
I have not tried I Hate Perfumes.
Fire Island is great and I like it on The Caveman!
Miss J: CB and CSP Vanille Frangipane are the best in the genre. Addictive.
Patti: CB's fragrances are art. Some are unwearable...but you admire them. CB At The Beach is wearable and perfect. If we ever spend more time in NYC...his store is worthy a visit. Plus we can pick up Mr Koneko a bottle of Bacon fragrance.
I love BB Beach! Great jasmine scent. Guess I don't get the "gloomy" part? There's one scent I'm really curious about - Rem by Reminiscence. Their website calls it, "summer encapsulated in a fragrance," and "evokes the sublime languor of Saint Bart's." Anyone tried this one?
Hi! I was wondering what your thoughts were on the Terracotta editions of "Eau sous le vent" and "Huile du voyageur", bu Guerlain. They are released during the summer only and, although like Azuré, they are not a perfume per say, the smell is one of my favorites for the summer. It is based around the Frangipani and has hints of coconut, sea salt, and an overall suniness to it. Perfect after a day in the sun!
I, too, seem to have a hoarding issue with Bronze Goddess. I have part of my original Azuree Soliel oil and frag. plus the Bronze Goddess and backups. As I sit here and think just how many I have, I scared myself. What is it with that scent?
Fire Island rocks. Best ever beach one to me . Simple as that. Bobbi Brown Beach is a fav too. I don't see it as a gloomy day. I am particularly into the Sandbar soap with Beach scent.
my fave beachy scents: eau des merveilles by hermes(sunbaked driftwood) & dior eau svelte (fresh seabreeze + suntan oil). thks for fun post!
I'm rather smitten with Terracotta Eau Sous Le Vent by Guerlain. I'm not sure if it's still available but my Sears for some reason still carries it at a pretty affordable price. Everything from the bottle to the dry down makes me think of my favourite vacation I've never taken. It's soft but not boring, comforting like a sun on a lazy afternoon by the sea.
The loudest "suntan lotion" fragrance I've tried was Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Coco. I couldn't take the plunge but really wanted to. It was unapologetic and in one word, delicious. I'd love to get it but what a girl to do with a whopping 3.3 oz of this.
Thank you for this post! You made this somewhat unpleasant day a lot more interesting and, dare I say, dreamy.
- your faithful reader, cherryglass
Annie,
I am going to say it, you have not been to the right lake erie beaches. Really some of them are pretty nice, though nothing compares to the power of an ocean.
Griffie
Karin: No I have not...but now I want to!!!!
Barbara: I have not tried these.
My Guerlain counter at Saks has improved recently because it has a great SA...Mr James! Looking forward to testing it out!
Beauty A: I think we hoard...because it was limited edition and we know it can be ripped from our grasp...without a minute notice.
That is for the Precriptives readers!
***raises fist in salute***
BB seems like a slightly overcast day. I just see shades of gray.
Anon: I forgot about that Hermes one!
I want to smell that Dior.
I need to start making a list.
Anon: Damn. I need to pay attention to my Guerlain counter. You had me with "lazy afternoon"!
Go and get that CSP.
One of my fargrance regrets is not getting a big bottle of CSP Vanille Frangipane.
Griffie: This is very true.
What are the best Erie beaches?
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