By Sophia Lennox
Elm Staff Writer
For perfume fans, finding a new or signature scent can sometimes be tricky. With so many products and scent notes to choose from, first-time buyers and even perfume aficionados may feel like they are swimming through a sea of cherry blossom and sandalwood.
Fortunately, the following four options offer a variety of scents and aesthetics that are perfect for any interested shopper.
Cherry Ambition by 7 Virtues
With popular fragrances like Tom Ford’s “Lost Cherry” and Sniff’s “Tart Deco,” there are a lot of options when it comes to finding a tart, fruity, cherry scent.
One of the best, most unique cherry scents is Cherry Ambition by 7 Virtues. Most perfumes pair the note with vanilla for a warm and deep scent, but Cherry Ambition combines the scent with sandalwood, mandarin, and pink pepper for a bright, powerful, spring scent.
Once applied, the perfume will last all day, preventing the need for frequent reapplication. According to 7 Virtues, partial proceeds from each perfume benefits a different charitable organization — in the past they have worked with Days for Girls and Charity Water. Cherry Ambition specifically benefits advancing menstrual equity in North America.
All their scents are vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free, ethically sourced, and packed in recycled materials. This fragrance is a great choice if you are looking for a unique twist on a classic perfume scent from a company with commitment to environmentalism and social justice.
Curious by Britney Spears
According to Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics, Britney Spears has released 42 perfumes since 2004.
Today, many of her perfumes are still popular, but none more so than her first fragrance, Curious.
The scent profile includes jasmine, magnolia, and vanilla musk, and is overall a very clean and feminine smell. It has a strong nostalgic scent, smelling like an elevated version of popular 2000’s scent profiles. The perfume is very playful and not overpowering, as it is more subtle, with an oceanic, floral, clean scent.
Curious still comes in the famous blue UFO bottle shape, making it a standout piece on a desk or counter. This perfume is a great choice if you are looking for a fun, affordable, and refreshing scent.
Lust by Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
Lust is a memorable scent. It is a very powerful, earthy smell that changes on your skin. The fragrance contains jasmine, rose absolute, vanilla, sandalwood oil, and ylang ylang oil. Each of the individual notes make up different levels of the perfume, which after about five minutes, will rest on your skin and give you a smooth, creamy, balanced scent.
One of this scent’s strengths is that it balances the feminine and masculine, making it a good scent for anyone to feel comfortable in.
According to Lush Cosmetics, all their perfumes are vegetarian, cruelty free, and ethically sourced. This scent is a great choice if you are looking for a confident, warm transition from colder to sunnier weather.
Paper- by Commodity
Paper- is a scent that, according to its designer Jerome Epinette, “comes alive on the skin.”
Smelling it straight from the bottle does not do it justice, as it truly develops after about 10 minutes on the skin. There are three different versions — Paper-, Paper, and Paper+ — with varying levels of intensity thanks to the first ingredient: Iso E Super. This synthetic chemical fragrance creates an individualization factor, so the varying levels of intensity sit differently on the wearer, making it personal.
All three variations include sandalwood and cedarwood, making a woodsy scent without being overpowering or bitter. Paper- pairs it with amber and Paper+ includes vetiver, making them warm.
This perfume is a great choice if you want a clean, gently musky scent that stays close to the skin. The Paper variants are expensive, but they come in a sampler kit of all of Commodity’s “space scents” if you would like to experience how each one transforms on your skin.
Photo by Sophia Lennox.
Photo Caption: From left to right the four perfumes mentioned in this article: Cherry Ambition, Curious, Lust, and Paper-.