JASON ARSHAN
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Like a lot of people, the new year is when I look back on my life to see what I’ve done and look forward to my future to see what I plan to do next. The new year symbolizes a refresh. One of the best ways to psychologically refresh yourself is to update your fragrance wardrobe with new scents to make you feel as new as the year. For most people, the new year begins in January, but in Persian culture we celebrate our new year in the spring. Spring is when the earth essentially revitalizes itself. So it makes perfect sense to start looking to revitalize your fragrance wardrobe at this time of year. These are some fragrances that I recommend updating your 2026 fragrance wardrobe with.
Polo Red Eau de Parfum Extreme by Ralph Lauren
Polo Red Eau de Parfum Extreme is the biggest departure from Ralph Lauren’s line. It opens with the very familiar Polo experience of spicy ginger, before drying down into an intense musky vanillic experience. This is a seductive spice and one I highly recommend you get your nose on.
Purchase Polo Red Eau de Parfum Extreme
Stronger with You Powerfully by Emporio Armani
The best Stronger with You yet. Powerfully is even better than the now iconic original. It’s a warm spicy scent that takes the roasted chestnut from the original, drenches it in syrup, then amplifies the roasted texture to a whole other degree. Whether it’s a signature scent or a special occasion, Stronger with You Powerfully hits all the right notes for all the right reasons.
Purchase Stronger with You Powerfully
Pure Platinum Parfum by Coach
I’m always hesitant to say that something is the best ever, but I think this is easily the best Coach release we’ve had in years. With lavender, rum absolute, and ambrox, Coach has somehow managed to balance a calm, relaxing scent with intensity. It’s a long lasting easy wear that I keep reaching for ever since I got it. This is just as good a wear for office hours as it is for afterhours.
Flower District by Fulton & Roark
Fulton & Roark’s Flower District is a unique fresh floral that garners its freshness from greenery. There’s rhubarb, amber resins and birch, but it’s the violet and tomato leafs that bring out the freshness in a way that has to be worn to be appreciated.
Rhubarb Thief by Heretic
Rhubarb is having its moment in fragrance right now and none so prominent as Heretic’s Rhubarb Thief. Rhubarb is front and center. With thyme, carrot seed, pink jasmine, cypress, oakmoss, this perfume is pulling a whole new facet in fragrance. Still where it really shines is the robust and rounded in your face rhubarb. There’s a big story going around about KitKat getting a lot of chocolate stolen from them. If someone said their rhubarb was stolen, I would without question point everyone toward Heretic’s Rhubarb Thief.
Purchase Rhubarb Thief
Dujjonku by KST SCENT
Last year KST Scent entered the gourmand category of fragrances and as a gourmand lover, I am here for it. Both Hotteok and Banana Milk Coffee were recently nominated for Golden Pineapples and that speaks so much to what award winning perfumer James Nguyen brings to the gourmand table. Here KST Scent introduces their take on the Dubai Chewy Cookie which is Korea’s response to the massive Dubai Chocolate trend. This scent is light, fluffy, with a chocolatey, nutty mixture that blends cultures in a beautiful way.
Acqua di Gio Elixir by Giorgio Armani
The original Acqua di Gio continues to hold its status as one of the greatest fragrances of all time. As Armani began releasing sequels, that greatness expanded into variations of the original DNA. Elixir is the biggest departure as it’s more airy and less tropical, but that doesn’t take away from the wonder. If you love the original Acqua di Gio, but are seeking variety in your life, Acqua di Gio Elixir is a phenomenal choice.
Purchase Acqua di Gio Armani Elixir
Lavande Fétiche by Christian Louboutin
This is a wild scent in all the best ways. It’s a dark and spicy leathery, lavender that is confidently naughty. For some, this would be great for special occasions. For others, it will be the iconic signature scent they’ve been looking for.
Velvet Night 76 by Krigler
Take all your expectations on what a night fragrance should be and flip it on its head. Krigler is a house that has always moved to the beat of its own drum. I wouldn’t call them a trendsetter, but rather they’re simply focused on doing their own thing and representing their legacy in the best way. Velvet Night 76 is a prime example of this. With orange blossom, tuberose, vanilla, Jasmine, and musk, you would think you’re getting a daytime scent, but upon first spray you quickly realize the Velvet Night 76 has expertly captured the scent of a moonlit night. It’s romantic in a way that has changed how I view night scents forever.
Child’s Play 2 by Xyrena
Arguably the coolest perfume house today, Xyrena, just got cooler. The epic VHS clamshell cases now have VHS styled perfume bottles. To introduce this new design, Xyrena debuted with Child’s Play 2 and Bride of Chucky fragrances. Chucky and Tiffany are horror icons. Bride of Chucky is my favorite from the franchise, but Chucky is my guy, so I had to buy Child’s Play 2 for my collection. To me this smells like peaches and plastic, with just a hint of tobacco in the base. Xyrena fragrances range in wearability from heavy on the art to easy wear, Child’s Play 2 is an easy wear and one I’ve been wearing often since adding it to my collection.
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Having dedicated over a decade of his life to the psychology of scent, "the voice of fragrance" joined Pinappos with the express purpose of sharing his passion for perfume from a unique perspective. During his journey, he has launched Arshan Persia, hosts the annual Golden Pineapple Fragrance Festival, and has quietly built a reputation as one of the world's foremost fragrance connoisseurs.
