#warm-weather-scents

#warm-weather-scents

The work these technicians are doing is as meticulous as that of engineers layering silicon on a microchip. Their job is to produce trial batches of perfumers' scent formulas, typically as many as 250 a day, which will be evaluated, tweaked and made again until one version is finalized.

Vetiver is one of the most distinctive notes in perfumery, inspired by a verdant, tropical grass grown in countries such as Haiti, India, and Indonesia. In perfumery, it's the roots that are valued for their aromatic compounds, producing a unique oil that is both earthy and fresh.

"It's not exactly a dream vacation to come and be harassed by mosquitoes," says Hervé Bossin, director of the medical entomology laboratory at Tahiti's Institut Louis Malardé.

Burberry's Hero eau de toilette is a great pick for a classic, everyday cologne. It's masculine and woody, with base notes of cedarwood. Add a burst of freshness at the top from bergamot and juniper, and the result is crisp, deep, and a little spicy. Fragrance Family Woody, spicy Notes Bergamot, juniper, black pepper, Atlas cedar, Virginia cedar, Himalayan cedar Sizes 1.6 oz, 3.3 oz, 5 oz

My skin and winter have never gotten along. The minute the air becomes cold outside and the heat clicks on indoors, my skin turns tight, flaky, and angry. No matter how much moisturizer I slather on, my face eventually grows dry all over again, and my hands never seem to stop cracking. No amount of fancy serum, overnight cream, or Vaseline could ever keep up.

Being an incense obsessive myself, it's important to note that while there's a loose parallel with the sticks you light at home, incense colognes are far more malleable and dimensional. On the skin, incense becomes an atmosphere built from resins and woods that shifts and evolves with your chemistry as it diffuses throughout the day.

Fulton & Roark's Calle Ocho extrait de parfum is our final pick here; it's perfect if you want something musky, warm, and woody with tonka bean kept firmly at the center. It opens with a rich, spiced kick of cinnamon and rum, then gets darker and smoother with bitter chocolate and a touch of jasmine before settling into a deep, resinous base of labdanum, tobacco leaf, tonka bean, sandalwood, and musk.

Green Irish Tweed opens with a lot of iris and violet, but it settles into a lovely ambergris. It's masculine and musky without being stuffy. It's fresh and spring-y without being reserved for warm months. The sillage is hefty, especially with that floral opening, so be careful.