Seven scintillating spring scents

Spring is my favourite season; it feels like a Friday, the last month of term, the night before Christmas. It is the season of idealism; plans are made, expectations build up and enthusiasm bubbles over.

There is something so romantic about the expectation of summer — and holidays — as the cold and grey winter ends and colour comes back into our lives. Spring is the season of the nose, of gorgeous fresh scents, and, unfortunately, swollen sinuses. From the warm musty notes of winter come forth sprightly scents of vitality and flirtation. Spring is all about colour; the sensations of light hues, blues, greens, pastels and pinks are in our dusted-off outfits and in the notes of the sunshine and fresh gusts of wind.

For some reason I always envision the aesthetics of The Talented Mr Ripley when I imagine spring, moving way past the morals of the movie, into the gorgeous aspirational sets, vehicles, outfits and wind-swept hair.

Fragrances are the most accessible and sensual manner to transport yourself to an idea, lifestyle, or moment — hence why their adverts are gorgeous feasts of the senses. This spring, unleash the complex you and let your desires exude from your neck and wrists.

Mami Wata Neo-Animism Fragrance — Green: R1500

South African surf brand Mami Wata is such an organic and awe-inspiring local export. Every product, and their international collaborations, are meaningful and have a uniquely African depth. Neo-Animism is a fresh fragrance with the salient note of green bar soap and the subconscious scents of ocean minerals. Made with Etat Libre d'Orange and French nose Mathilde Mijaoul, the fragrance elicits memories of home, days spent in the sun and of fresh linen.

Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum: R3,355.00

Santal 33 is inspired by freedom and the universality of sensuality. The scent has become an iconic fragrance of men and women across the world. Ingredients such as cardamom, iris, cedarwood and violet are addictive and craft a romantic narrative that can jump from the French Riviera to the Outback to an art gallery opening.

CONCRETE by Comme des Garçons: R2975

Concrete is a unisex perfume with predominantly woody notes emphasised by warm spice. The scent explores material preconceptions and then disregards them, so rather than a hard, brutalist scent, the nutty sandalwood with hints of pepper is soft and creamy in a solid composition.

Eau’d Terre EDP 100ml: R 795.00

Dis-Chem’s in-house line of fragrances really impressed me. Eau’d Terre is an easy and cost-effective scent, to use after the beach, on the move and before sunset cocktails. The base notes of sandalwood, tree moss and amber, top notes of pink pepper and blood orange, and heart notes of Juniper berries make Terre sexy, bold and seductive — my girlfriend loves it.

Tom Ford Bitter Peach Eau de Parfum 100ml: R6,700.00

Belying the nuanced sweetness Pêche de Vigne and Sicilian blood orange oil is a sensual inhibited mix of rum-infused davana oil and patchouli. Tom Ford’s Bitter Peach Eau de Parfum is the scent of springtime shenanigans and abandon for those who bask within aspirational hedonism and the welcoming of senses.

Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio Absolu: R2,565.00

Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio Absolu maintains the shape of the iconic spring perfume, yet shows the amber-hued fragrance. The bottle, along with the scent, explores the union between freshwater and warm wood, a sensual and complex twist on modern masculinity and our relation to nature.

Issey Miyake L’eau D’issey Pour Homme 200ml EDT: R2,085.00

L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme is another woody aquatic fragrance. Crafted as a versatile eau de toilette, yuzu is the top note with the freshness of lemon that then explores nutmeg and water lily to the intensity of tobacco and sandalwood. The scent explores the La Dolce Vita and cafe culture. Make sure to pair it with a pressed-linen shirt and a Russian classic.