Sunny scents to lighten gray days

In Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Audrey Hepburn’s character talked about battling the mean reds.  Now that we’re in the midst of monsoon season, we have to contend with the sad grays — days that are sunless and rainy.  We need anything solar to lighten our moods, so here are our picks of the best sunny fragrances to bring light and warmth to the cold, cloudy weather.

For the young and trendy

Ferragamo, well known for its fragrance line Signorina, which is celebrating 10 years, has expanded the line with the new Signorina Libera, inspired by the strong bond between Ferragamo and trendy young ladies.  Signorina Libera is a vibrant, floral-musky scent that leaves a seductive trail, contained in a sunny-hued bottle tied with Ferragamo’s iconic Vara bow in yellow. “The whole campaign is all about expressing your inner sense of joy with positive energy,” says Luxasia senior product executive Bea Mijares.

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Signorina Libera is available at SM, Rustan’s, Robinson's, Landmark, and soon in Zalora.

For those who long for the romance of Paris

Did you know that chérie is French for “sweetheart” or “dearest”? The new Kate Spade Chérie is a fruity-floral scent that takes the Kate Spade New York experience to Paris. This bold, playful scent is very different from Kate Spade EDP and Sparkle. It’s raspberry-forward, and the red bottle’s round, glossy curves are inspired by pop art.

“For Kate Spade Chérie the campaign is all about a woman taking time to enjoy herself and going to the City of Love for a spontaneous day of romance,” Mijares says.

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Kate Spade Chérie is available at SM, Rustan’s, Robinson's, Landmark, and leading department stores.

A sexy summer scent for special occasions

Jimmy Choo, famous for his shoes and python accessories, is all about sexy glamour, and he carries this aesthetic into his fragrances, the latest of which is Jimmy Choo Rose Passion, “the most glamorous, sexy, and seductive launch ever,” according to Luxasia senior training manager Tin Conde. The fuchsia, python-print packaging is very Jimmy Choo, while the scent has notes of coconut water, orchid and vanilla. The result is a floral, ambery, solar scent that’s very intoxicating, sexy and seductive. “It’s perfect for special occasions, if you're going out with friends to parties,” says Conde.

Summer vibes in beautiful bottles

Every year since 2012 Dolce & Gabbana has been launching a new design for Light Blue, it’s top-selling scent, and this year, the beautiful blue-and-white pottery from a small town in Sicily called Caltagirone inspired the limited summer edition, Light Blue Summer Vibes, the bottles of which bear the pottery’s Majolica prints.

“Sicily is also where the ingredients are from: Sicilian lemon and bergamot,” notes Luxasia product manager Dana Barrozo. “The female fragrance has a fresh, fruity scent, while the Pour Homme has a woody, aromatic scent.”

The collectible, limited-edition bottles express D&G’s gratitude to all the Light Blue lovers out there.

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Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Summer Vibes is available at leading department stores and Rustans.com.

A masculine fragrance perfect for rainy season

Bulgari’s Man line is all about masculine fragrances capturing the power of the natural elements. First there was Bulgari Man in Black, a warm, spicy scent that represented fire; Man Wood Essence to convey the strength of wood; Man Glacial Essence to capture ineffable air; Man Terrae to bring him down to earth; and now Bulgari Man Rain Essence to distill the fresh, transformative and regenerative power of water. It’s a fresh, woody musk that’s just perfect for our current weather.

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Bulgari Man Rain Essence is available at leading department stores and Rustans.com.

For those going on a date

They say scent has the greatest power to evoke memories, and that’s what Maison Margiela does in its Replica line — recreates memories of specific places in time, e.g. a jazz club in Brooklyn, 2013, or a barbershop in Madrid, 1992.

For its latest fragrance, On a Date, the memory is Provence, 2014: In the golden light of a late summer evening, the scent of ripe grapes and fresh roses fills the air. A perfect rendezvous overlooks the magnificent vineyards of Provence, reflecting the positivity and excitement of a date.

The result of a collaboration between master perfumer Carlos Benaim and master sommelier Manuel Peyrondet, On a Date captures the sparkling fruitiness of ripe grapes and the delicate character of wild roses.

“First, I sought the best way to express the aromas of red wine,” says Benaim. “I translated its finesse and freshness by using Crème de Cassis, davana, and then I also explored the aromas of rosé wine by expressing its energy and roundness. I translated the sensations of these two wines into a totally new accord to liberate one intense emotion. One of my other wishes was to integrate the rose, which is the flower of love par excellence. It offers delicate and fresh floral notes with fruity inflections that recreate the sweet feelings brought by seduction.”

Adds Peyrondet, “For me, perfumes are all about making you feel good. On A Date has a strong personality. It was inspired by the exceptional terroir of Provence, which offers a contrast of unique aromas.”

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On A Date is available in 100ml and 30ml formats, and as a Replica candle. Maison Margiela Replica fragrances are exclusively distributed by Rustan Marketing Corporation, available at Rustans.com, Rustan's Alabang, Makati, and Shangri-La Plaza, and Power Plant Mall.

Dreamy waters of inspiration

Sisley’s Les Eaux Rêvées, or “The Dreamy Waters,” express an imaginary place where the inspirations of the d’Ornano family — the creators of Sisley — collide, join together and become one.

L'Eau Rêvée d'Hubert transports us to this dream world with an icy mint start, spiked by an aromatic geranium with clear green notes and earthy accents. The blend gives the scent a refined uniqueness that works as an “enhancer” with other scents, intermingling and drawing out new dimensions in another fragrance.

The packaging was designed in collaboration with two artists, Elzbieta Radziwill (the artist who painted the boxes), and Bronislaw Krzysztof (the sculptor who created the bottle top). Both box and bottle are made in France and recyclable.

Named as one of InStyle magazine’s Best Beauty Buys of 2023, The Dreamy Waters collection is made up of six universal eau de toilettes that will take you on unique olfactory journeys.

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Sisley Paris fragrances are available at Rustan’s and Rustans.com. Follow the author on Facebook and Instagram @thebeautytraveler_ph.