Iris Fragrances: Playful Perfumes for Introspective People4 min read
Of all the floral notes in perfume, nothing stands out like iris. Iris has a powdery, older feel and can also smell like damp cement, or like a sidewalk does after a thunderstorm. There’s actually a word for this, called petrichor, and it means “the smell of the earth after a rainstorm”, and it’s one of the things iris does best in a perfume.
Iris perfumes also have a tinge of melancholy to them that is absolutely delicious. Not everything has to be sunshine and silliness, and for those quieter more introspective moments, iris perfumes are great companions.
Iris perfumes are also not very shy, strangely. It’s rare to find one that’s quiet or subtle, for such an introspective style of perfume. But despite their intensity, iris fragrancescan be very evocative and romantic, so it’s worth the time to wear a few and discover their dolorous charm. Because sometimes being by yourself is beautiful, too.
Here are a few suggestions for a few iris fragrances that might appeal to you. They range from dry and woody to sweet and voluptuous, so dive in and see where they take you!
Prada Infusion D’iris Cedre by Prada
Prada Infusion D’iris Cedre from Prada is a clean and ephemeral skin scent that’s light, lovely and very dry. The neroli in the top notes is quite sheer, highlighting the powdery tones from the iris, and giving it an inner glow.
The cedar is gentle, not sharp or sour, with enough smoky-sweet benzoin in the base to give the floral facets some solid ground to grow from. Iris Cedre can be worn by either men or women, and its lightness will make for an excellent introduction to iris-based scents for anyone who’s not worn them before.
Anthology La Temperance 14 by Dolce & Gabbana
D&G’s Anthology line is interesting in that the inspirations for the launch are all characters from the Tarot. La Temperance 14 (so named for being the 14th card in the deck) is an iris scent that is a bit on the spicier side.
Pink pepper and ambrette seeds in the top notes pop with sharp dry firewood facets, which blend down into the heart notes of rose and iris. Iris plays really well with spices and wood in perfume, and the powdery feel of iris marries well with the dryness of spices like pink pepper.
So if you want to discover a completely different side of both florals and spicy perfumes, La Temperance 14 will be a lot of fun for you.
Electric Wood by Room 1015
Electric Wood is a unique scent inspired by the aroma of charred electric guitars. Scorched oak and cedar emanate from the heart of this fragrance, but it’s the iris note surrounding the dry woods that sends up the ashes. Its powdered petals cushion the intensity of the dry woods, while still supporting the fun, “torched guitar” feel of this fragrance.
Electric Wood also features the romantic melancholy that iris imparts to perfume, but in a cool, rock-and-roll, “our band gave it all up for the fans tonight” kind of way that no other perfume has.
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