Photo: Courtesy of Hogarth; Saks Fifth Avenue1/14Romantic Novels
Always in the mood for a bodice ripper? Lust in Paradise lives up to its sensuous name with a blend of peony, lychee, and pink pepper so sexy even Fabio would approve. Despite its provocative name, the niche scent’s sophistication means it’s less Fifty Shades of Grey and more Story of O.
The Pisces by Melissa Broder, $15, amazon.com
Ex Nihilo Lust in Paradise, $225, saks.com
Photo: Courtesy of Orbit; Twisted Lily2/14Science Fiction
Nomenclature’s fragrances lean futuristic with its molecular inspirations and outside-the-box notes. If an android wore a fragrance it might be Orbital, the delightfully weird violet, rhubarb, and roast coffee scent. On paper those notes might seem like an odd combination, but the forward-thinking blend is woodsy and comforting.
The Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson, $10, amazon.com
Nomenclature Orbital, $165, aedes.com
Photo: Courtesy of Little, Brown, and Company; Diptyque3/14Greek Mythology
Still entranced by tales of gods and heroes? Diptyque’s latest was inspired by the Greek myth of Minthe, the naiad who attempted—and failed—at seducing god of the underworld, Hades, and is transformed into mint leaves by Persephone. The tragic story makes for a refreshing perfume filled with geranium, white patchouli, and a sparkling top note that won’t make you think of toothpaste.
Circe by Madeline Miller, $17, amazon.com
Diptyque Eau de Minthé, $175, diptyqueparis.com
Photo: Courtesy of Penguin Books; Fray Ardens4/14Existential Novels
After pondering the meaning of existence with Sartre and Camus you’re ready for just about anything, and artsy Marfa-based line, Fray Ardens offers perfumes that have plenty to unpack. With notes like “soul smirk” and herbs don’t expect a straightforward floral; Anima is far too interesting for that.
The Age of Reason by Jean-Paul Sartre, $12, amazon.com
Fray Ardens Anima, $206, frayardens.com
Photo: Courtesy of Doubleday; Selfridges5/14Thrillers
Whether it’s consumed via podcast, on Investigation Discovery, or in the pages of a Truman Capote book, crime stories are addictive—much like the aptly titled Lady Vengeance. Bulgarian rose and patchouli provide all the mystery and danger minus all the gore.
My Sister, the Serial Killer: A Novel by Oyinkan Braithwaite, $15, amazon.com
Juliette Has a Gun Lady Vengeance, $135, sephora.com
Photo: Courtesy of Penguin Random House; Fragrantica6/14Satire
While you can’t bottle the wit of Oscar Wilde, Serge Lutens’s De Profundis captures a bit of what made his oeuvre so compelling. Absurdity, extravagance, and passion are all present in Lutens’s violet-heavy composition. An exuberant floral tempered with a note of ash, it is a fragrant love letter to the playwright.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, $7, amazon.com
Serge Lutens De Profundis, $375, barneys.com
Photo: Courtesy of Penguin Books; Selfridges7/14Jane Austen
Lilacs blooming on the English countryside? It doesn’t get more pastoral than that. Emma Woodhouse would approve of Olivia Giacobetti’s heavenly scent, regardless of what Mr. Knightley thinks.
Emma by Jane Austen, $11, amazon.com
Frederic Malle En Passant, $280, fredericmalle.com
Photo: Courtesy of Broadway Books; Aedes8/14Mysteries
Few things are as engrossing as a good whodunnit. (There’s a reason the world is still obsessed with Sherlock Holmes.) The ending of Vilhelm Parfumerie’s Smoke Show isn’t a carefully guarded secret—it’s all leather and saffron with a smoky dry down—but its scent is as compelling as any mystery.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, $12, amazon.com
Vilhelm Parfumerie Smoke Show, $245, saks.com
Photo: Courtesy of Picador; Selfridges9/14Historical Fiction
If Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory are your speed, the entire Boadicea the Victorious range is sure to appeal. Each handcrafted bottle looks like an heirloom, and the story behind each perfume aligns with tales of kings, queens, and conquerors alike. Almas is fittingly regal, with luxurious notes like oud and neroli complementing pineapple, a fruit once considered so rare it was only consumed by royalty.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, $18, amazon.com
Boadicea the Victorious Almas, $605, Selfridges.com
Photo: Courtesy of Scholastic Press; All Saints10/14Young Adult
Couldn’t put down The Hunger Games? Still secretly yearning for another installment of Divergent? By now we know that a young adult tag doesn’t really have an age limit, and the same goes for fragrance. All Saints’s musky and metallic Metal Wave skews youthful, but you don’t have to be Gen Z to appreciate the crowd-pleasing combination of juniper berry and magnolia.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, $10, amazon.com
All Saints Metal Wave, $79, allsaints.com
Photo: Courtesy of Andrews McMeel Publishing; L’Artisan Parfumeur11/14Cookbooks
Food and fragrance go hand in hand, but a true foodie wants something more than the standard restaurant lover. Perfumer Celine Ellena’s tribute to Les Folies Bergères, the Parisian cabaret famed for its balls and Josephine Baker’s banana dance is so decadent, you’ll want to devour it. With notes like spiced amber and banana, who could blame you?
Bon Appétit Desserts, $24, amazon.com
L'Artisan Bana Banana, $165, artisanparfumeur.com
Photo: Courtesy of Ace; Selfridges12/14Fantasy
Before Game of Thrones there was Dune, Frank Herbert’s expansive sci-fi fantasy centered on sandworms, chosen ones, and mind-altering spice mélange. Described in the books as cinnamon-scented, the concept finally becomes a fragrance with Etat Libre d’Orange’s latest. Additions of cardamom, ginger, and incense offer a different vibe, but the heady, consciousness-expanding idea of the scent does the series justice.
Dune by Frank Herbert, $18, amazon.com Etat Libre d’Orange Spice Must Flow, $215, selfridges.com
Photo: Courtesy of Commonwealth Books; Maison Francis Kurkdjian13/14Poems
It takes a deft hand to master poetry, and Francis Kurkdjian is one of the most skilled perfumers of his generation. As the nose behind countless Burberry and Jean Paul Gaultier scents, his eponymous line is where he gets playful. With Gentle Fluidity, his two-part fragrance, he takes the same set of notes—coriander, nutmeg, vanilla, juniper—and by varying the recipe, produces wildly different scents. A Dadaist experiment in perfumery that manages to smell terrific, you’ll be tempted to pick up both bottles.
Chanson Dada by Tristan Tzara, $15, amazon.com
Gentle Fluidity Silver and Gold, $225, franciskurkdjian.com
Photo: Getty Images; Byredo14/14Library Lovers
Ever want to take home the entire library? To settle in between the stacks and inhale the leather binding and old paper? Don’t worry, Ben Gorham has got your back. Bibliothèque is the ultimate fragrance for book addicts. While peach, lily, and peony prevent the scent from turning into a straight-up homage to the scent of paper, it’s ideal for anyone who refuses to believe print is dead.
Byredo Bibliothèque, $250, byredo.com
