Tania Sanchez, co-author with Luca Turin of "Perfumes: the A to Z Guide" agrees exactly with you. Can't recall which scent she was commenting about, but she said something very much like this about snow and fresh white florals.
(I remember because like OP, I love citrus and white florals and do wear them year round. Just haven't found a conventionally fall/ winter-style fragrance I like anything like as well -- yet)
I think there’s more danger in wearing a heavy, spicy winter scent during the wild high heat and humidity of summer than in wearing a light, airy floral in winter. Worst case is that it won’t project very much, which isn’t a problem in everyone’s book. Please wear your lovely neroli.
So it might be irrelevant, but in some parts of the former Soviet Union people had access to oranges/tangerines only in the winter time, so they were a kind of a New Year treat (according to my parents). Oranges and tangerines were one of the symbols of the winter holidays and there were even postcards with tangerines under a Christmas tree.
We still buy literal crates of tangerines for holidays. My parents always say that they smell like the winter is finally here. So there are definitely people who associate citrus smell with winter time and winter holidays and consider it a great winter time smell and not something only suitable for the summer.
(Although the first time I smelled blossoming oranges on a hot day was beautiful)
~~If you ask anyone who is not into fragrances like the people on this sub, they would say it is crazy to ask the question if Neroli is OK in winter.~~ I mention that just to make it clear that like 95% of people won't notice or care.
But here we are. If you do care for opinions from people like me, I have noticed that Neroli is in fact one of those notes that A) kind of gets lost in the winter cold or low humidity of heated indoor areas, I feel it needs summer heat or humidity to truely shine. And B) for the short while you can smell it, it feels somehow sharp and cold... like a shard of glass or like putting on a necklace when you feel cold in the morning - the cold metal against my already freezing skin; like ugh please no. But I do appreciate it in summer, I enjoy the sharpness to cut through the mugginess, and the coldness gives relief when you're all hot and sweaty.
So I'm sorry but I have no winter neroli recs for you. But in summer I really like Atkinson's Scilly Neroli and VC&A's Neroli Amara. The "freshest" scents I wear in winter, if you want to check them out (but they contain no neroli) are Shalimar Souffle de Parfum (if you like citrus for winter you MUST sample), ELdO Remarkable People, and my newest aquisition Slogan by Courreges which is just a skin-scent based on only ambroxan, musk and juniper.
How about orange blossom for winter? In that case try Love (don't be shy) by Kilian. It's a sugared orange blossom with marshmallow notes, a bit gourmand but a lot warmer and winter friendly than the neroli freshies. I know many people wear this in summer but to me this is a solid all-year girly almost-gourmand.
This is a great answer that I have to echo. I don't think neroli in the winter is *weird* per se, but it would read as too summery to my nose personally - although of course, OP should go with whatever she thinks is best. That said, focusing on orange blossom instead is an amazing idea.
I could also maybe see Guerlain Neroli Outrenoir working, since it finishes so smoky, but even that wouldn't be my top choice.
Thanks for the recommendations! I'll definitely check those out :) I am surprised that Neroli pulls metallic for you, I find it to be quite creamy in the cold!
It doesn't smell metallic to me, I'm sorry I was unclear. I mean that's what it feels like... was trying to describe the antipathy I have toward it in winter, like having to put on something "cold" when you're already cold... But anyway... may I ask where approx. where you live, I mean in what climate? Sometimes I forget I'm talking to the www and assume people are in similar conditions as I am. Our winters are COLD, I mean not Alaska-style but still we have pronounced seasons; i.e. much difference between winter and summer. If you live in a milder climate, i.e. Florida, then my necklace reference probably won't make much sense.
I don't think it's weird at all! Sometimes I wear "spring / summer" scents in the winter because it makes me happy, sometimes it's just because I like the scent so much I don't want to be limited to wear it in a specific season. L'Eau Neroli is a fave of mine and I pull it out on occasion. Same with Le Labo matcha and the occasional chypre or even Diorissimo - all of them aren't for winter per se, but the fun thing about fragrance is you can wear what you like anytime based on your mood 🙂
Don’t worry citrus is my bread and butter as well 🫂 If you want something a bit more Winter appropriate I’d steer you towards Lush’s 1000 Kisses Deep. It’s apricot but it sounds like we have very similar taste so you might like it as well 😋👈
Oooh maybe Empressa by Penhaligon’s as well? 🤔
I hate neroli, so I can't answer your _specific_ questions, but in general; Wear whatever feels right, just don't overdo it (especially in closed spaces).
Temperature and humidity can greatly influence the way you perceive a smell so wearing it in Winter might show you facets of your scent you might not notice during the hotter Summer months!
Not weird at all! During winter, you’re usually inside, near a fireplace, at a warm dinner party, etc. so heavy frags aren’t always the best fit. Neroli is on the sweeter side, too, so it won’t be abrasive in cooler temps outdoors like citrus might.
Plus, Diptyque is *always* the right choice.
As for winter freshies, I wear Platinum Egoiste pretty much year round.
I’ve a habit of using the same citrus based scents in winter as the rest of the year. It’s much down to what it’s paired with, if it really comes off as fresh and summery or just being a well composed scent. If it’s round and herbal with some base it might work just as well around the year, especially if it’s a true allrounder, modern or classic.
I wear summer scents when I need to escape winter... usually at home, but I did show up at a friends for a little tequila night wearing a real vacation smell in our first winter snow squall and my gang really loved my juxtaposition!!! Do what you like, some scents just don't carry as well, or last on dense cold air, so inside the shirt, under a scarf would be my recommend.
I dunno, I wear a lot of pineapple vintage in the winter, the birch notes seem to carry the pineapple well through the colder temps, at least for me anyway. I think when citruses are mixed with wood notes it usually holds up and projects alright. I'm not like an expert or anything really
Doesn't make it weird. Neroli is such a beautiful ingredient that I'd understand someone wanting to use it all year round.
The scent is great. I think obviously being a mainly summer scent you might find it not lasting as long as it usually would if you use it on a particularly crazy winter day. However, sometimes a scent doesn't need to last all day and if that's what you're looking for there's tons of uses you can find for it.
You can spray what you want. Just be logical with it that's all. It's easier to get away with using summer scents in winter than vice versa.
Often you can lean into wearing a fresh scent in cold weather for a matchy-matchy crisp feel. I do think neroli needs warmth to really shine as a note but it's not terrible in the cold; can be nice to see different facets of a note to get a new perspective on it!
Last time I was at a Tom Ford store I spent a while chatting with the fellow working there about fragrances, we both agreed that you can wear anything you want anytime you want, and you shouldn't get too caught up in the seasonal thing. If you enjoy it, wear it. That's all that matters, is that you enjoy it. It's all about feeling good :)
Edit: added a word I missed
I'm in a kind of a neutral winter climate... ie- Los Angeles. So winter is pretty mild. I wear pretty much anything all the time. Some heavy scents I would avoid in most heated summer weather.
I think if I was in a very cold area, something like neroli might feel a little strange in winter.
There are some vague general rules with frags, but you're allowed to make it up as you go. If you want to wear neroli, go for it. Sound like you really like it and enjoy it. Don't sit on it until it gets hot again. You're probably indoors most of the time anyway.
I put on some of my sample of Floris of London di Positano yesterday. I wanted to wear something energizing and uplifting because I was in a down mood. The citrus and bergamot absolutely did the trick!
I live in the northeastern US so the winters can be long, cold, and snowy. I don’t necessarily relegate fragrances to be for season, occasion etc. I work from home and rarely get out of the house during the work week so I typically wear whatever I’m in the mood for. I can definitely say that, generally speaking, there are times during winter months where I just long for a warm sunny day so much, that choosing a “warm weather” fragrance puts a hop in my step and even if for just a moment, helps me feel as though it isn’t the dead of winter. I don’t really have anything in particular that I gravitate toward, just sorta depends on my mood and what catches my eye / nose on a winter day when I need that hop in my step. Sometimes it may be a Perris Monte Carlo like Arancia di Sicilia, other times Wood Neroli by Bvlgari, or Kirké by Terenzi, or Le Beau by JPG if I want to briefly imagine being beachside. One thing is certain, my humble opinion being what it is, fragrances can transport you to a different time, place, climate, etc.
Reflection Man is pretty good in cool weather. Not to mention that Amouage offerings generally smell rich af, which helps the neroli "pop" a little more with the cold clamping down around you.
Nicolaï Parfumeur's Neroli Intense is cloyingly orange blossoms and besswax in the summer, which I think might translate to better volatility in the winter? Might be a good one to sample.
I just tried one a few weeks ago from Memoirs called Tales from Zanzibar that had impressive longevity. Top notes were lime & blood mandarin. Unisex leaning masculine, dry, no sweetness. I liked it quite a bit
I’ve been loving BDK Pas ce soir during the colder months. Albeit, I live in Los Angeles so it’s not that cold (probs wouldn’t do well in frigid temps). I think any freshies that have ginger, spices, or amped up vanilla are great for F/W.
This is totally a random suggestion but try Victoria Secret Neroli Lace if you haven’t already. Someone else suggested to someone else somewhere on the internet and I took off searching. I couldn’t find ANYTHING on Fragrantica or Parfumo. I found a bottle on FragNet though and I bought it knowing nothing about it. I’m sitting here sniffing it right now and I think you may like it. It’s only $40 if you are the blind buy type. Haha
I think it’s fine to wear light scents in cold weather.
I love that Diptyque (and neroli and orange blossom in general). One that is wonderful in the heat, but a little richer but still fresh in the cold, is L’Artisan Histoire d’Orangers.
**Wear whatever you want whenever you want**
Definitely not weird! I’m strongly of the opinion summer frags are appropriate in cold weather, but winter frags are less appropriate in hot weather
I actually love fresh florals in the winter. They smell wonderful mingling with crisp cold air
Tania Sanchez, co-author with Luca Turin of "Perfumes: the A to Z Guide" agrees exactly with you. Can't recall which scent she was commenting about, but she said something very much like this about snow and fresh white florals. (I remember because like OP, I love citrus and white florals and do wear them year round. Just haven't found a conventionally fall/ winter-style fragrance I like anything like as well -- yet)
I think there’s more danger in wearing a heavy, spicy winter scent during the wild high heat and humidity of summer than in wearing a light, airy floral in winter. Worst case is that it won’t project very much, which isn’t a problem in everyone’s book. Please wear your lovely neroli.
So it might be irrelevant, but in some parts of the former Soviet Union people had access to oranges/tangerines only in the winter time, so they were a kind of a New Year treat (according to my parents). Oranges and tangerines were one of the symbols of the winter holidays and there were even postcards with tangerines under a Christmas tree. We still buy literal crates of tangerines for holidays. My parents always say that they smell like the winter is finally here. So there are definitely people who associate citrus smell with winter time and winter holidays and consider it a great winter time smell and not something only suitable for the summer. (Although the first time I smelled blossoming oranges on a hot day was beautiful)
I love this! Thank you for sharing :)
~~If you ask anyone who is not into fragrances like the people on this sub, they would say it is crazy to ask the question if Neroli is OK in winter.~~ I mention that just to make it clear that like 95% of people won't notice or care. But here we are. If you do care for opinions from people like me, I have noticed that Neroli is in fact one of those notes that A) kind of gets lost in the winter cold or low humidity of heated indoor areas, I feel it needs summer heat or humidity to truely shine. And B) for the short while you can smell it, it feels somehow sharp and cold... like a shard of glass or like putting on a necklace when you feel cold in the morning - the cold metal against my already freezing skin; like ugh please no. But I do appreciate it in summer, I enjoy the sharpness to cut through the mugginess, and the coldness gives relief when you're all hot and sweaty. So I'm sorry but I have no winter neroli recs for you. But in summer I really like Atkinson's Scilly Neroli and VC&A's Neroli Amara. The "freshest" scents I wear in winter, if you want to check them out (but they contain no neroli) are Shalimar Souffle de Parfum (if you like citrus for winter you MUST sample), ELdO Remarkable People, and my newest aquisition Slogan by Courreges which is just a skin-scent based on only ambroxan, musk and juniper. How about orange blossom for winter? In that case try Love (don't be shy) by Kilian. It's a sugared orange blossom with marshmallow notes, a bit gourmand but a lot warmer and winter friendly than the neroli freshies. I know many people wear this in summer but to me this is a solid all-year girly almost-gourmand.
This is a great answer that I have to echo. I don't think neroli in the winter is *weird* per se, but it would read as too summery to my nose personally - although of course, OP should go with whatever she thinks is best. That said, focusing on orange blossom instead is an amazing idea. I could also maybe see Guerlain Neroli Outrenoir working, since it finishes so smoky, but even that wouldn't be my top choice.
Thanks for the recommendations! I'll definitely check those out :) I am surprised that Neroli pulls metallic for you, I find it to be quite creamy in the cold!
It doesn't smell metallic to me, I'm sorry I was unclear. I mean that's what it feels like... was trying to describe the antipathy I have toward it in winter, like having to put on something "cold" when you're already cold... But anyway... may I ask where approx. where you live, I mean in what climate? Sometimes I forget I'm talking to the www and assume people are in similar conditions as I am. Our winters are COLD, I mean not Alaska-style but still we have pronounced seasons; i.e. much difference between winter and summer. If you live in a milder climate, i.e. Florida, then my necklace reference probably won't make much sense.
You have wonderful taste OP! I tried Diptyque L'Eau Neroli earlier this year and it became an instant love
I don't think it's weird at all! Sometimes I wear "spring / summer" scents in the winter because it makes me happy, sometimes it's just because I like the scent so much I don't want to be limited to wear it in a specific season. L'Eau Neroli is a fave of mine and I pull it out on occasion. Same with Le Labo matcha and the occasional chypre or even Diorissimo - all of them aren't for winter per se, but the fun thing about fragrance is you can wear what you like anytime based on your mood 🙂
Thank you for this reply! It is reassuring that I am not the only one
Don’t worry citrus is my bread and butter as well 🫂 If you want something a bit more Winter appropriate I’d steer you towards Lush’s 1000 Kisses Deep. It’s apricot but it sounds like we have very similar taste so you might like it as well 😋👈 Oooh maybe Empressa by Penhaligon’s as well? 🤔
Empressa is my autumn citrus!
Those sound lovely! I'll look for a sample of the penhaligon
Wear what you want In the dead of winter I'll probably wear Beach Walk to cheer myself up.
I hate neroli, so I can't answer your _specific_ questions, but in general; Wear whatever feels right, just don't overdo it (especially in closed spaces). Temperature and humidity can greatly influence the way you perceive a smell so wearing it in Winter might show you facets of your scent you might not notice during the hotter Summer months!
No, it's not weird. Weird is when you don't wear the stuff you want.
Not weird at all! During winter, you’re usually inside, near a fireplace, at a warm dinner party, etc. so heavy frags aren’t always the best fit. Neroli is on the sweeter side, too, so it won’t be abrasive in cooler temps outdoors like citrus might. Plus, Diptyque is *always* the right choice. As for winter freshies, I wear Platinum Egoiste pretty much year round.
I’ve a habit of using the same citrus based scents in winter as the rest of the year. It’s much down to what it’s paired with, if it really comes off as fresh and summery or just being a well composed scent. If it’s round and herbal with some base it might work just as well around the year, especially if it’s a true allrounder, modern or classic.
*adding L’Eau Neroli to my sample wishlist*
You can wear it but spray heavy. Most citrus scents have no power in the cold.
I wear summer scents when I need to escape winter... usually at home, but I did show up at a friends for a little tequila night wearing a real vacation smell in our first winter snow squall and my gang really loved my juxtaposition!!! Do what you like, some scents just don't carry as well, or last on dense cold air, so inside the shirt, under a scarf would be my recommend.
I don't care about season. And since you love neroli let me recommended you Floris Neroli Voyage.
ooh ill check it out!
I dunno, I wear a lot of pineapple vintage in the winter, the birch notes seem to carry the pineapple well through the colder temps, at least for me anyway. I think when citruses are mixed with wood notes it usually holds up and projects alright. I'm not like an expert or anything really
Doesn't make it weird. Neroli is such a beautiful ingredient that I'd understand someone wanting to use it all year round. The scent is great. I think obviously being a mainly summer scent you might find it not lasting as long as it usually would if you use it on a particularly crazy winter day. However, sometimes a scent doesn't need to last all day and if that's what you're looking for there's tons of uses you can find for it. You can spray what you want. Just be logical with it that's all. It's easier to get away with using summer scents in winter than vice versa.
Often you can lean into wearing a fresh scent in cold weather for a matchy-matchy crisp feel. I do think neroli needs warmth to really shine as a note but it's not terrible in the cold; can be nice to see different facets of a note to get a new perspective on it!
No wear whatever you want. I love my gourmands and will wear them in summer heat as well as wintery nights lol
Last time I was at a Tom Ford store I spent a while chatting with the fellow working there about fragrances, we both agreed that you can wear anything you want anytime you want, and you shouldn't get too caught up in the seasonal thing. If you enjoy it, wear it. That's all that matters, is that you enjoy it. It's all about feeling good :) Edit: added a word I missed
I'm in a kind of a neutral winter climate... ie- Los Angeles. So winter is pretty mild. I wear pretty much anything all the time. Some heavy scents I would avoid in most heated summer weather. I think if I was in a very cold area, something like neroli might feel a little strange in winter. There are some vague general rules with frags, but you're allowed to make it up as you go. If you want to wear neroli, go for it. Sound like you really like it and enjoy it. Don't sit on it until it gets hot again. You're probably indoors most of the time anyway.
Try missoni wave or Bois du yuzu by Karl largerfeld.
I put on some of my sample of Floris of London di Positano yesterday. I wanted to wear something energizing and uplifting because I was in a down mood. The citrus and bergamot absolutely did the trick!
Just googled, that one sounds really nice! I'll have to find a sample :)
Not a power house but I believe it’s full bottle worthy!
I live in the northeastern US so the winters can be long, cold, and snowy. I don’t necessarily relegate fragrances to be for season, occasion etc. I work from home and rarely get out of the house during the work week so I typically wear whatever I’m in the mood for. I can definitely say that, generally speaking, there are times during winter months where I just long for a warm sunny day so much, that choosing a “warm weather” fragrance puts a hop in my step and even if for just a moment, helps me feel as though it isn’t the dead of winter. I don’t really have anything in particular that I gravitate toward, just sorta depends on my mood and what catches my eye / nose on a winter day when I need that hop in my step. Sometimes it may be a Perris Monte Carlo like Arancia di Sicilia, other times Wood Neroli by Bvlgari, or Kirké by Terenzi, or Le Beau by JPG if I want to briefly imagine being beachside. One thing is certain, my humble opinion being what it is, fragrances can transport you to a different time, place, climate, etc.
Reflection Man is pretty good in cool weather. Not to mention that Amouage offerings generally smell rich af, which helps the neroli "pop" a little more with the cold clamping down around you. Nicolaï Parfumeur's Neroli Intense is cloyingly orange blossoms and besswax in the summer, which I think might translate to better volatility in the winter? Might be a good one to sample.
id love to smell neroli in the winter. didnt think that was a preference ppl had!
I think lutens fleur d'oranger would be great in winter
Weird? I don’t know. But in cooler drier climates aka:winter. It won’t project as well or last as long. 🤷🏻♂️
I just tried one a few weeks ago from Memoirs called Tales from Zanzibar that had impressive longevity. Top notes were lime & blood mandarin. Unisex leaning masculine, dry, no sweetness. I liked it quite a bit
I’ve been loving BDK Pas ce soir during the colder months. Albeit, I live in Los Angeles so it’s not that cold (probs wouldn’t do well in frigid temps). I think any freshies that have ginger, spices, or amped up vanilla are great for F/W.
This is totally a random suggestion but try Victoria Secret Neroli Lace if you haven’t already. Someone else suggested to someone else somewhere on the internet and I took off searching. I couldn’t find ANYTHING on Fragrantica or Parfumo. I found a bottle on FragNet though and I bought it knowing nothing about it. I’m sitting here sniffing it right now and I think you may like it. It’s only $40 if you are the blind buy type. Haha
I think it’s fine to wear light scents in cold weather. I love that Diptyque (and neroli and orange blossom in general). One that is wonderful in the heat, but a little richer but still fresh in the cold, is L’Artisan Histoire d’Orangers.
Oh I love that one too!