SNIFF TEST

FROM PARIS, WITH LOVE Perfumer Armand Petitjean, who founded the house of Lancôme in 1935, was a huge proponent of living life “à la français.” This year, the house pays homage to Petitjean with a collection of six new fragrances, a mix of floral and oud scents, each blended by a different nose. Vive la France! Maison Lancôme Les Parfums Grands Crus (Prices vary, starting at $215 for 100 mL)

THIS BOY’S LIFE Inspired by the affair between Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel and Arthur “Boy” Capel, Olivier Polge, master perfumer for Chanel, expressed Capel’s sense of style and virility through a rose geranium and fougere accord (a mix of coumarin, musk, geranium and lavender often used in men’s colognes). He then used lemon grass, orange blossom, sandalwood and vanilla to bring in a feminine energy. The result is an olfactory combination of fire and ice, strength and creativity—and the passion that exists somewhere in between. Chanel Boy Eau de Parfum Spray ($420 for 200 mL) HEART’S CONTENT “Fundamentally, fragrance is about being sexy and attractive,” says Michel Germain, the founder of Séxual Paris perfumes. He should know: Germain was drawn to the world of fragrance when he met his wife and was mystified by her refusal to wear scent. “She said, ‘I’d wear perfume if I could find one that made me feel sexual,’” he says. “That got my attention!” His new creation, Séxual Paris Tendre ($107 for 125 mL), is a blend of warm amber, rose and “champagne” mandarin meant to evoke a French romance.