Coco Chanel was once quoted as saying, “a woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future” and Elizabeth Taylor stated that a woman’s perfume collection should rival that of her jewellery. My love of fragrance started young when I used to sit at my grandmother’s vanity as a little girl, doing my best imitation and dabbing some of her Chanel No.5 on my wrists. She still wears it to this day. For me, an ensemble is never truly complete until I spritz on my favourite fragrance as I hurry out the door. Whether you choose to dab perfume on your wrists and neck, or walk through a fine fragrant mist, that final touch often acts as a woman’s best accessory. The perfume a woman wears is deeply personal and sensual. It can be just as alluring and seductive as the knockout dress and heels you pair it with, and nothing can evoke the memory of a faraway place or romantic evening like a perfume. There will always be that classic fragrance that you wear for a lifetime, for my grandmother, Chanel No.5. However, the latest crop of Summer scents is definitely giving those classics a run for their money.

Feminine:
Chloe
I was hesitant to even pick this bottle up at first. I though it would be much too much to wear a perfume by my own name. One spritz of the new Chloe though, and all that went out the window: I was hooked. Iris, Freesia and Rose make this soft, feminine fragrance the perfect daytime go-to.
Spicy:
Beyonce Heat
The woody, fruity mix in Beyonce’s eponymous scent is just as fierce as the diva herself. This sexy, alluring fragrance will definitely bring some heat. It’s a must for date night.
Fresh:
Clean Summer Linen
This simple, unpretentious limited edition fragrance evokes a sunny Summer afternoon at the park or the beach with top notes of sun-drenched citrus fruits like bergamot and Italian limoncello.
Bold:
Alien Sunessence
Thierry Mugler’s new limited edition Summer fragrance exudes the line’s signature sensual and exotic blend adding a new twist with energizing pink grapefruit, monoi flower and warm white amber. The bottle itself mirrors the multifaceted rays of a tropical sunset. Just add your best sundress or bikini: this one is a little piece of Summer in a bottle.

Chloe, Summer Linen and Sunessence available at Sephora. Beyonce Heat available at Shoppers Drugmart.

By: Chloe Berge, Vancouver