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These sophisticated scents offer a new and interesting take on fragrance, outside traditional masculine/feminine labels.
They might be described as smelling “masculine”, but with the beauty world pivoting towards gender neutral offerings these new scents are sure to have wide appeal.
1. Tom Ford Ombre Leather, $255
An ode to the desert heat of the American Midwest, this version of Ombre Leather is more floral than the original. Ford, who drew on the smells of his childhood in Texas when developing the parfum, describes it as “a deeply textural scent that imprints you with a tactile sensuality. It makes one feel different, beautiful and desired.”
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2. Oribe Desertland scented candle, $129
The vast and still desert vibe continues into the home with Oribe’s Desertland candle that captures the warm air of a green, blooming desert. Crisp and bright top notes dry down into sandy cedarwood and vetiver.
3. DS & Durga Portable Fireplace Auto Fragrance, $20
Perfect for those who love the smell of a crackling fire on a crisp evening, with no risk of smoke inhalation. It has all the smells of a well-built fireplace: warm oak ash, cedar, pine and resin.
4. Aēsop Miraceti eau de parfum, $265
Translating to “the boat”, Miraceti is a sea shanty in a bottle. A warm, resinous fragrance peppered with herbal notes and underpinned by woody accords that fittingly evoke the sea and musk.
5. 19-69 L-Air Barbès eau de parfum, $350
Strongly inspired by the androgyny figure in Helmut Newton’s Le Smoking, a photo of YSL’s Le Smoking suit from French Vogue in 1975, 19-69’s L’air Barbès is an olfactory tribute to Paris. A silky-smooth citrus scent with elements of concrete and ink.
6. Fort & Manle Amber Absolutely eau de parfum 50ml, $299
For those who want to smell rich, opulent and eccentric, with seductive wafts of plum, honeyed amber atop deep cedarwood. Like a rich oil painting of fruits stacked in a mahogany bowl.
7. The Virtue Holy Smoke parfum 50ml, $198
New Plymouth brand The Virtue set out to create “a lingering scent trail evoking vivid memories of a moment that once was.” Take their Holy Smoke parfum, which starts as a sharp mix of fruit cinnamon bark, clove and tonka bean before opening up to reveal cherry wood, frankincense and amber. This is what we imagine the hot priest from Fleabag smells like.
8. Abel Green Cedar eau de parfum, $240
A velvety green scent made with cedars derived from natural sources. As well as wild harvested Atlas Mountain cedar, there are also pleasantly unexpected notes of natural magnolia, cardamom and cumin.
9. Comme des Garcons Wonderwood eau de parfum 100ml, $229
Comme des Garcons has bottled what reads as an entire forest of woody smells for this heady scent. Madagascan pepper, bergamot, Somalian incense, nutmeg, cristalon, cashmeran, gaiacwood, cedarwood, carvi graines (caraway), javanol, sandalwood, vetiver and oud all make an appearance.
10. Loewe Black Licorice soap, $90
Perfume your body from the shower onwards with Loewe’s indulgent soap bar. Inspired by the Ancient Greek and Roman bathing practices, this perfumed with the sweet and arboraceous aroma of the liquorice plant’s roots.
