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What a difference the humidity makes!

post #1 of 14
5/28/07 at 8:28pm
Thread Starter 
I've been in Miami for the last few days. Up until yesterday, it was relatively dry for this time of year. I tried a sample of Virgilio/Diptyque and loved it. It was herbal, green and spicy. Today the humidity ramped up a lot. I tried Virgilio again, and it smelled so foul, really obscene - like human waste.
The last time I experienced an extreme like this was in Mexico City during the winter. The humidity is extremely low at that time of year. All my heavy-duty Serge Lutens lasted as long as citrus scents.
I guess it's like the old saying, "It's all about context" or, "don't expect what you bought on vacation to be the same at home."
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post #2 of 14
5/28/07 at 9:01pm
There are a number of fragrances that I have re-discovered when worn in different weather conditions.

I first tried Dior Homme last fall, and the iris was just too solitary and prominent to my nose. In the much warmer spring temperatures here though, the iris now smells tightly integrated with the other now more prominent notes of lavender, leather, cardamom and vetive. It smells more dynamic and full, and a lot more attractive - its a staple now.

My experience with Original Santal was similar. I went ahead and bought a 2.5 oz bottle last fall despite the then very anti-OS sentiments at Basenotes (the other blogs and sites had given it good reviews though). Some were comparing it to Joop!, some to Allure homme, and some even to XS pour homme (quite a diverse bunch there!). I decided to let my own nose decide once and for all. Initially it smelled a tad sweet (although not to the extent that some of the comments here had me believe!), but it was when I worn it in warmer weather that the whole melange of spice notes like cinnamon and coriander, alongwith the juniper berry and whiffs of sandalwood conjured an attractive aroma which I enjoy every now and then.

On the flip side, there were a few fragrances which revealed their slightly unsavory sides when oversprayed. I found out that in warm and/or humid weather the tobacco in Guerlain Vetiver and the ginger in Tabarome Millesime can be too overwhelming if more than 3-4 sprays are used. Used in moderation, these two still work beautifully in heat.
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post #3 of 14
5/28/07 at 11:14pm
Ah yes, humidity. When I first sample an unfamiliar fragrance, I've learned, instead of just sniffing, to position my nose just so, EXhale, and then inhale. The moisture from my exhaled breath brings out a much fuller complement of notes from the fragrance.
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post #4 of 14
5/28/07 at 11:38pm
I actually had a bad experience w/ my "beloved" Gaultier2 due to humidity! It was in October when I bought my first bottle of Gaulter2. The weather was just getting cool here in Kansas, & the humidity was relatively low. I enjoyed G2 all winter. Then, just a few weeks ago I decided to wear it to an event that I was volunteering for. I had decided to wear it ahead of time, without looking at the weather forecast. The day happened to be one of the warmest days so far this year, & the humidity levels were really up there. My volunteer "station" was to stand in the doorway for the event & make sure people had tickets. The warm & humid air was streaming in, & my G2 was turning into a very sweet & cloying mess. I was really self-conscious throughout the entire event .
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post #5 of 14
5/29/07 at 4:47am
Ambre Extreme I loved back in March now I can't stand one spray of, it's now hauntingly cloying. However Passage d'Enfer which had only some flinty incense quality back then, now has lily in full bloom. Not sure if it's the heat or the humidity though. Having moisture on skin(right out of a shower) somehow decreases projection of scents on me, and a fragrance lasts much longer when I apply to fully dried skin. Not sure how this might tie to humidity.
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post #6 of 14
5/29/07 at 5:28am
Massachusetts gets some pretty extreme humidity (although friends from Louisiana scoff when I say this) and all of my beloved rose-based scents get drydocked during these spells. I think I'd probably be responsible for an asthmatic's death.
However, I find that very citrus-y scents work remarkably well. People might think me somewhat odd, but I have a bottle of Jo Malone's Grapefruit that I will only wear when it is going to be hotter than hell with high humidity. Let's just say that it mingles perfectly with my own "musk."
I've never experienced the human waste phenomenon of Virgilio (thankfully) but it smells just way too much like cheap potpourri to me.
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post #7 of 14
5/29/07 at 9:27am
I think these are better with slightly humid weather:

Terre d' Hermes
Bois du Portugal
Original Santal
Green Valley


Actually, I think I might like just about everything more outdoors and in humid weather. It opens a scent up and makes it brighter, imo.
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post #8 of 14
5/29/07 at 1:48pm
I have found that Rose 31 works well in humid weather.
Carven Homme lightly applied is suprisingly nice in humid warmer weather.
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post #9 of 14
5/29/07 at 4:59pm
Humidity sucks
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post #10 of 14
5/29/07 at 8:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

Humidity sucks

Ah, Mike, You live in Miami?
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post #11 of 14
5/29/07 at 8:26pm
I find several scents by Jean Claude Ellena work well in high humidity. I can smell the earthy musky quality of TdH better in higher heat and humidty. Looking forward to experiencing Poivre Samarcande, Vetiver Tonka, Osmanthe Yunnan and Angeliques sous la Pluie in the coming days.
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post #12 of 14
5/29/07 at 9:02pm
Yeah, humidity SUCKS. And in Miami, we get it a LOT.

If I lived somewhere else, I'd get to wear M7, Gucci PH, A*Men, etc. a lot more often...
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post #13 of 14
5/30/07 at 9:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jock_With_Scents View Post

I have found that Rose 31 works well in humid weather.
Carven Homme lightly applied is suprisingly nice in humid warmer weather.

Good to know about the Carven, I got a good deal on it and ordered 3 bottles! Believe it or not, I'm wearing Ambre Sultan in South Carolina the last two days and it is really lush.
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post #14 of 14
5/30/07 at 10:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

Humidity sucks

I agree 100%.
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › What a difference the humidity makes!