July 2014: Sweet, Simple Pleasures

The more you experience perfume, the more you grow to love complexity. You suddenly notice that perfumes can have delightful plot twists and bizarre left turns and surprise cameo appearances by notes that seemingly don’t belong.

But you also grow to appreciate scents that don’t entangle you in a web of mystery. Sometimes you want to spray a perfume without feeling the need to analyze the accords or critique the composition. You want to have perfumes that make you happy without always having to explain why.

This month, we're celebrating the sweet, simple pleasure of good smells. Because yes, perfume can be an intellectual pursuit, but it can just as easily be about good, old happiness.

Cherry Musk by Ramon Monegal. Yes, it's called Cherry Musk, but don't get any ideas—this isn't your niece's perfume. Cherry Musk is a delicate, jammy rose warmed by white musk, and it transcends generational barriers. It's full of sophistication without any complications, and it's one of our favorite daytime scents (not to mention a lovely bedtime fragrance to lull you into sweet dreams).

St. Tropez Dispenser by Smell Bent. It's no wonder this little gem has appeared in magazines like Vogue and Lucky. Inspired by one of those languid days on the sands of St. Tropez, this perfume is a beach in a bottle. And the fact that it comes from Smell Bent, the always-fun house of Brent Leonesio, makes it even more delightful to wear. (And for this price, you might as well snap up two so you're never without.)

Tirrenico by Profumi del Forte. For a saltier sea on a summer day, we head to Tuscany's Forte dei Marmi, the inspiration for Tirrenico. Creator Enzo Torre combines "the fragrance of the sun, those good creams of summer, the thirst-quenching fresh fruits eaten on the beach, and wet woods." Put us on a plane.

We hope you love this month's collection as much as we do. Be sure to let us know!