The Sexiest New Scents For Sultry Summer Rendezvous!  

By Leslie Marin

May 2006 – Each season, fragrance designers grace us with a new crop of delicious scents that tantalize and tease. This Spring/Summer 2006 season is no different, so here are our choices for the yummiest fragrances that have just hit the stores and are begging to be part of your steamy summer days and nights!

ELIZABETH W MAGNOLIA EAU DE PARFUM Available through Anthropologie, this light and airy scent conjures up images of lazy summer evenings and coquettish glances at the boy next door. With a blend of white magnolia petals, saffrom and sandalwood that’s harmonized with gardenia and mimosa, how could it not? $28

ACQUA DI PARMA’S BLU MEDITERRANEO This gorgeous perfume already has an impressive celebrity fanbase, and it’s easy to see (well, smell) why. The notes of mandarin & bergamot are perfectly balanced to keep this fragrance sweet and floral without becoming syrupy. $98 (but worth every penny!)

GAP SCENT EDITIONS PERFUME OILS Once a luxury reserved only for the rich, customized fragrances are now available for everyone. At Gap, you can mix & match 12 single-note aromas to create just the right scent for you. Have some fun and design different fragrances for different occasions and all your different moods!

BULGARI BLU NOTTE There’s no question that Bulgari’s latest fragrance is designed to be worn after dark. According to the company, Blue Notte’s blend of dark chocolate, galanga, and iris works its magic by embodying “…refined seduction, along with the mystery of the night.” $48

STILA MIDNIGHT BLOOM Another seductive perfume perfect for the night, Midnight Bloom is a mesmerizing mix of sweet fig, sandalwood & golden amber. Put it on and you can’t help but think of a stroll down a moonlit beach with the man of your dreams. $50

THIERRY MUGLER VIOLET, PEONY & LILY Lighter and friskier that Mugler’s legendary Angel, these three new heavenly scents come in bottles that are as captivating as their contents. Each delightful ‘flower’ is $60.

MOSCHINO COUTURE Actress Mena Suvari has named this spicy, musky fragrance as her signature scent. She loves ~ and so will you ~ the smoldering undertones that draw people in and have them asking, “What ARE you wearing?!”

GUCCI ENVY ME The name says it all ~ wear this scent and you will be envied! Fresh with peony and pomegranate, this sophisticate fashion fragrance is housed in a logo-emblazoned bottle.

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA’S PERFUMES Only two words are needed to describe this fragrance ~ fresh & glamorous!

PINK BY NANADABARY Dab on this warm, inviting Asian-inspired scent that features nutmeg, coriander and bourbon vanilla notes and you’ll be wearing the same fragrance that Madonna counts as one of her favorites. $125

HERMES UN JARDIN SUR LE NIL Hermes’ perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena turned to the understated glamour of the city of Aswan on the Nile River for inspiration for this new scent. The notes of green mango, cassia tree leaves, and lotus blossoms that he found there yielded an exquisite fragrance that is worthy of the revered Hermes name. $125

ISLAND MICHAEL KORS Inspired by Kors’ travels to exotic beaches the world over, the fragrance is meant to “…transport you with one spray,” according to the designer. The blend of honeysuckle, Chinese kiwi & Bulgarian rose gives a light yet sophisticated impression ~ think Cannes, The Virgin Islands, and yummy tropical drinks all rolled into one!

FLOWERBOMB FROM VIKTOR & ROLF Viktor & Rolf are known for designing clothes that get people noticed, and now they offer a fragrance that has exactly the same effect. Laden with potent rose, Flowerbomb is powerful and magnetic and the perfect compliment to head-turning fashion!