The best perfumes

My pocketbook took a beating over the holidays, and I'm still recovering—which means hopping a plane to an exotic locale isn't in my near future! Fortunately, I have an active imagination, so I was able to travel around the world without booking a flight. My mode of transportation: fragrance.

CUBA (HAVANA)
Perfume: Havana Vanille by L'Artisan Parfumeur

The closest I've come to Cuba is Cuba Café in NYC, but the smell of this sultry vanilla, rum, and leather blend sends me straight into the arms of Diego Luna in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.

MOROCCO (MAGHREB DESERT)
Perfume: L'Air du Desert Marocain by Tauer Perfumes

I've been to Arizona, but I'm ready for a new kind of desert—the Maghreb. After one sniff of this spicy, woodsy floral, being plunked into an arid climate is becoming more and more appealing. "Imagine finding peace in a room while lying on the bed, exhausted from the heat of the day. The window is open and the cool air, filled with scents of the desert and streets below, drifts in," says Andy Tauer about his fragrance. Mmm.

FRENCH POLYNESIA (TAHITI)
Perfume: Coco Monoi by Thymes

I've never been to Tahiti—or any of the Polynesian islands (unless you count staying at Disney World's Polynesian Resort). But inhaling this musky, white tiare-laced scent transports me in seconds. The alluring fragrance is inspired by monoi, the ancient Polynesian tradition of macerating tiare (the Tahitian equivalent of gardenias) in coconut oil.

FRENCH POLYNESIA (WALLIS)
Perfume: Manoumalia by Les Nez

Before creating Manoumalia, perfumer Sandrine Videault spent time on the South Pacific island of Wallis, immersing herself in its scents. The blend of exotic florals mixed with vetiver and ylang-ylang intoxicates the senses and brings to mind tropical evenings amid lush greenery and moonlit water.

FRANCE (PARIS)
Perfume: Nina by Nina Ricci

One whiff of Nina by Nina Ricci and I fell in love. Makes sense, given that the fruity floral is inspired by the romantic City of Light. The traces of peony, moonflower, and vanilla-laced red toffee apple take me straight to the French capital's cobblestone streets, aromatic flower carts, and fresh fruit stands... after picking up a pain au chocolat at a nearby patisserie, I bump into a sexy stranger... he smiles and introduces himself as Jean-Luc... Okay, you get the picture.

FRANCE (REIMS)
Perfume: Citron de Vigne by Fresh

I've been to Monet's gardens in Giverny, but I've yet to visit a French vineyard, the culture of which, depicted in movies like A Good Year and French Kiss, seems so enchanting. Fortunately, the scent of Citron de Vigne by Fresh is inspired by France's Champagne wine region and translates the smell of sun-drenched grapevines and rich pinot noir perfectly.

ITALY (CAPRI)
Perfume: Fiori di Capri by Carthusia

When capri pants experienced a revival around the start of the millennium, I partied in them like it was 1999. And that, sadly, is my only connection to Capri, the Italian isle where the calf-length trousers originated in the 1940s. But thanks to the Mediterranean notes of wild carnation and lily of the valley in Carthusia's Fiori di Capri, I suddenly feel like Brigitte Bardot in Le Mépris.

ITALY (BIELLA)
Perfume: Ca' Luna by Acqua di Biella

Ca' Luna by Acqua di Biella is inspired by Biella, a small town in the Piedmont region of Italy. One whiff of this unisex fragrance's unique mélange is like entering an old country palazzo—at first I smell only the green notes of lichen and ivy lining its ancient walls. Once inside, each corner I round greets me with the warm aromas of white pepper, sandalwood, leather, musk—I can't stop smelling my wrist!

AUSTRALIA
Perfume: Australian Wild Jasmine by Lucy B.

Sourced from Australian bush flower essences, this sweet-smelling fragrance combines jasmine with water lily, magnolia, pineapple, and white ginger. Also available as roll-on perfume oil, the Aussie scent takes me down under in seconds.

COSTA RICA
Perfume: Sugarwood by Costamor

Brand-new to the fragrance industry, Costamor debuts its first fragrance, Sugarwood, on luckyscent.comnext month (three more scents will roll out by summer). Inspired by founder Elizabeth Wright's childhood memories of Costa Rica, Sugarwood is a soft, woody floral laced with the fresh scent of sugarcane. Sniffing the vibrant eau, I can totally envision myself strolling along the sugarcane-strewn village path that Wright credits as Sugarwood's inspiration.

THE CARIBBEAN (ST. BARTH)
Perfume: Vanille West Indies by Ligne St. Barth

I once blogged about a luxurious spa treatment at the Hotel Saint-Barth Isle de France that a group of lucky celebrities got to experience. Now I've finally gotten a piece of the luxury (okay, maybe it's more like a sliver) with Vanille West Indies by Ligne St. Barth. The blend of vanilla, caramel, and orchid is amazingly soothing. All I need is a glass of vanilla rum...

ENGLAND (WINDSOR)
Perfume: Cutting Garden by Royal Apothic

Royal Apothic is known for its exquisite candles and home fragrances—and in February, its signature scents will be available as eau de toilettes, too. Having been to Windsor, I'm a fan of Cutting Garden, which is inspired by the blooms that once filled the vases of Windsor Castle's royalty. The bouquet of gardenia, rose, jasmine, lily, and iris makes me feel like a queen.

ENGLAND (LONDON)
Perfume: The Beat by Burberry

What can I say—I'm a Burberry girl. I own at least a few of the luxury brand's delicious-smelling perfumes, but I'm currently loving The Beat eau de toilette. With its notes of Ceylon tea, pink pepper, mandarin, and white musk, I find myself traipsing around Trafalgar Square, arm in arm with a Colin Firth-slash-Mark Darcy clone.

INDIA (BANGALORE)
Perfume: Ritual de Bengalore by Cinq Mondes Pluie d'Aromes

Inspired by Bangalore gardens, Ritual de Bengalore by Cinq Mondes Pluie d'Aromes blends vanilla and cardamom spice for a soothing yet vibrant scent. One spritz and I'm ready to kick off my Sunday shoes with Shahrukh Khan in a Bollywood musical.

JAPAN (KYOTO)
Perfume: Hinoki by Comme des Garçons, Monocle Series

The idea of soaking in an outdoor hot tub, surrounded by exotic greenery sounds pretty good to me right about now. Woodsy and mysterious, Comme des Garçons' unisex fragrance Hinoki is meant to evoke the experience of spending a chilly spring morning relaxing in a hinoki tub at the Tawaraya in Kyoto.

JAPAN (TOKYO)
Perfume: Hamarikyu Gardens by Anthropologie

As its name implies, Anthropologie's fragrance is inspired by the Hamarikyu Gardens, one of Tokyo's largest traditional gardens. The scent is intended to place you among the plum trees, camellias, and irises, while sipping green tea in the garden's Nakajima teahouse. And it's a success; I'm going to have a mini tea ceremony and brew myself a cup...

CHINA
Perfume: Sugar Lychee by Fresh

While I was growing up, lychee nuts were a childhood treat (the small Cantonese town where my family is from is known for the sweet, juicy fruit). Thanks to Fresh's Sugar Lychee fragrance I can enjoy it bottled, too! Decidedly more grown-up than the fruit of my youth, the perfume's warm and sophisticated, alluring traces of lotus flower and freesia add a flirtatious touch of fun.

UNITED STATES (NEW YORK)
Perfume: 212 Sexy by Carolina Herrera

Ask any Manhattanite: The borough's original 212 area code is the most preferred and arguably the most prestigious of the triple digits doled out to the island's residents. Thanks to Carolina Herrera's Big Apple-inspired scent, which boasts a seductive blend of woodsy florals, now anyone can claim the coveted digits.

UNITED STATES (LOS ANGELES)
Perfume: Velvet Rope by Apothia

Lights, camera, action! Created by the Los Angeles-based brand Apothia, Velvet Rope smells of seductive musk, jasmine, and grapefruit. From its soft velvet packaging to its intoxicating fragrance, I feel like I just stepped onto the red carpet on a warm L.A. night. California, here I come!