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Colognes’ olfactory renewal

Orange blossom, neroli & petit-grain

Orange blossom is one of the stars of the moment. And we don’t mean just for women, since Dior put it at the heart of Fahrenheit 32 and Gaultier in Fleur du Mâle. The couturier now also offers a Cologne version in a frosted bottle. Orange blossom is often refreshed with bergamot and petit-grain, a gentle essence with green accents, obtained by distilling orange-tree leaves and twigs. English brand Miller Harris is featuring it in a new scent christened ‘le petit grain’. Orange-blossom essential oil, also known as neroli, is also at the heart of Diptyque’s new unisex cologne L’Eau de Neroli.

Grapefruit, citron & other citrus fruits

Lemon, bergamot, orange…citrus is the keystone of traditional eau de colognes. But brands were able to bring citrus up to date by renewing the offer. Grapefruit fans are in luck, because the note is in vogue. Marc Jacobs Grapefruit is a grapefruit eau jazzed up with ginger and ozone notes. Another Grapefruit, from Comme des Garçons, is a sparkling blend of pink grapefruit and yellow mandarin orange. Another trendy citrus fruit: citron. The fruit of the citron tree, a cousin of the lemon tree (in fact, citron means “lemon” in French), has had two fragrances named after it recently. Roger & Gallet’s Citron is lightly floral and musky, while Nicolaï’s Cedrat (French for citron) is more virile, with notes of pepper and patchouli.

Couture Freshness
If you’re looking for a more sophisticated freshness, you can’t go wrong with Dior Homme’s niche colognes (Cologne Blanche, Eau Noire and Bois d’Argent). They pair the splash sensation of cologne with denser waves of balms, wood or spices. Designed for men, they have nonetheless attracted women looking for something off the beaten path. At Armani, Vetiver Babylone and Rose Alexandrie, the new eaus in the Armani Privé collection, perpetuate the subtle, thoroughbred character of the collection’s early scents (Bois d’Encens, Cuir Amethyste et al.). But while the earlier fragrances came as long-lasting eau de parfums, these new ones last more like a light eau de toilette. Vetiver Babylone, for instance, blends the woody scent of vetiver with the fresher notes of mandarin orange, cardamom and citron. The bottle is also bigger, inviting you to splash it on generously. Renowned for the elegance of their colognes, Italian brand Acqua di Parma is also combining freshness and long-lastingness this season, with Colonia Intensa, an eau de cologne with notes of chypre woods and leather.