In the beginning of the quarantine, wearing perfume at home despite having nowhere to go sounded like such a waste. But a few weeks in, we found ourselves holding onto every source of happiness we could find—spritzing on our favorite fragrance obviously being one of them. A few sprays here and there usually did the trick! That's why before the year ends, we wanted to give a shoutout to the scents that mentally took us to places other than our home:
Best Fragrances 2020
1. Jo Malone London Fig & Lotus
You can always count on Jo Malone to make a no-brainer fruity-floral, and Fig & Lotus is exactly that. It has a comforting milky depth to it thanks to lotus and vetiver notes, making its fruitiness more graceful and refreshing rather than nose-blindingly bright.
Fig & Lotus Cologne, P4200 (50ml) P8350 (100ml), JO MALONE LONDON, SM Aura
2. Chloé Nomade Eau de Toilette
We've sung enough praises for the original Nomade that a flanker like this one would have been vaguely disappointing. Thing is, it wasn't. We love how it clearly pulled all the good things from its predecessor—a sharp floral oakmoss—to create a fresh, litchi-scented spinoff that can surely be a crowd-pleaser (not that we've worn it anywhere with a large crowd yet, of course).
Nomade Eau de Toilette, P3598 (30ml), P4998 (50ml), CHLOE, Rustan's
3. Bvlgari Omnia Golden Citrine
Citrus lovers, don't miss this one or you might just regret it. Putting this zesty fragrance on feels like drinking iced lemonade at a summer amusement park trip—quite specific, but trust us when we say you'll get it once you smell it. Its initial brightness aside, it delivers a dash of romance and maturity with the ever-reliable ylang-ylang.
Omnia Golden Citrine Eau de Toilette, P5700, BVLGARI, Department Stores
4. Narciso Rodriguez Ambrée
Don't let its peachy bottle fool you—Ambrée is not a fruity fragrance. It's a powdery, yellow floral musk with a beautiful skin-like drydown. And while you'd think that vibe would make it more of an evening scent, we feel quite the opposite, because it's light enough to be a go-to for the summer if you love a more subdued spritz.
Ambrée Eau de Parfum, P3550 (30ml) P5400 (50ml), NARCISO RODRIGUEZ, Rustan's
5. Chanel N. 5 L'Eau
Everyone already knows about Chanel No 5, but we think everyone needs to also be aware of its equally addictive yet low-key cousin, No 5 L'Eau. The two aren't very similar—L'Eau is lighter, more citrusy, with a youthful powderyness to it. It's something you'd want to spritz right before dinner to make a good impression.
No 5 L'Eau Eau de Toilette, price unavailable, CHANEL, Rustan's Makati
6. Tom Ford Bitter Peach
There's nothing bitter about Bitter Peach. In fact, it's more like a spicy, sweet peach concoction, which vaguely reminds us of a deceivingly sweet rum cocktail. Though it isn't your average Tom Ford scent, we're a sucker for peach notes and a fresh gourmand that's easy to wear. Not to mention that it comes in such a gorgeous bottle that almost blew Rose Prick's matte powder pink packaging out of the water.
Bitter Peach Eau de Parfum, P17,000, TOM FORD, Adora, Greenbelt 5
7. Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Eau Gourmande
This scent takes us right back to beach, where there's a surprising surplus of coconut water. It's a delectable gourmand that's so creamy you can almost taste the almond and coconut milk until the musk, vanilla, and ylang-ylang hit your senses. We loved this so much we'd spray it just before bedtime, in hopes of dreaming of the resort vacay we didn't get to have this year.
Almond Coconut Milk Eau Gourmande, P3350, LAURA MERCIER, Rustan's
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