Phlur is considered one of my all-time favourite fragrance brands. I like its minimalist aesthetic. I like its emphasis on storytelling by means of scent. Most of all, I like the merchandise themselves—the varied assortment of perfumes and body mists. Whereas I may focus on Phlur’s perfume portfolio for hours (really, I already have), the model’s latest fragrance has formally snatched my consideration away from all others. Meet Phlur’s Cherry Stem Eau de Parfum, a sultry scent that simply grew to become my primary fall fragrance.
I will be the primary to confess that cherry scents may be contentious. Truthfully, I’ve steered away from them up to now, as they are typically too candy, syrupy, or synthetic for my style. If it offers Pink 40 slightly than contemporary, ripe fruit, I am robotically out.
Nevertheless, when finished properly, cherry scents are surprisingly subtle. That is the case with Cherry Stem. Impressed by flirtatious meet-cutes in dimly lit bars, this upscale cherry perfume is so sultry and alluring that I am unable to cease sporting it. I am going to even go as far as to say it is my all-time favourite cherry perfume. Sure, it is actually that good. Forward, study extra about this perfect-for-fall perfume and get unique perception from Phlur’s inventive director, Chriselle Lim.
(Picture credit score: @kaitlyn_mclintock)
Perfume household: Fruity woods
Fragrance notes: Black cherry, orange brandy, red freesia, sugared jasmine, plum nectar, ebony woods, caramel, soft leather accord
“Cherry Stem was inspired by flirtation,” Lim says. “The crossing of legs, the lingering eye contact across the bar… It’s mysterious, seductive, but still full of energy. A lot of cherry scents can lean juvenile or syrupy, but Cherry Stem perfectly captures what I wanted a cherry fragrance to be: fruity but more complex, sexy, and mature.”
Unlike other cherry perfumes, this one doesn’t scream cherry and leave it at that. Black cherry, while still the shining star, is enveloped in other highly sophisticated notes. There are florals (freesia and jasmine), gourmands (brandy and caramel), and grounding notes (wood and leather). The effect is elevated, layered, and complex—a perfume that will leave people wanting more.
Cherry Stem was inspired by flirtation—the crossing of legs, the lingering eye contact across the bar… It’s mysterious, seductive, but still full of energy.
Chriselle Lim, Phlur’s Creative Director
“Cherry Stem is the perfect fall scent: mysterious, dark, and sexy at the same time,” Lim says. I agree. The wood and leather notes evoke the chic, shadowy interior of an imagined bar. The floral and gourmand notes evoke the cocktail that sits in front of you, garnished, of course, with a single cherry. It’s warm, cozy, and daring all at once. It’s the ultimate date-night scent, whether that’s solo, with a significant other, or with the intriguing stranger you spotted from across the bar.
Phlur fragrances are famously layerable, and Cherry Stem is no exception. “I always apply my fragrances on my pulse points, which are my wrists and neck,” Lim says. “In terms of pairings, if you want to lean into the depth and leather, Cherry Stem and Rose Whip work well together. I also really enjoy Heavy Cream on top of Cherry Stem when I want a more gourmand scent.”
Shop the Fragrance
PHLUR
Cherry Stem Eau de Parfum
Shop the Recommended Pairings
PHLUR
Rose Whip Eau de Parfum With Musk
Perfume household: Floral
Perfume notes: Pink pepper, black currant, rose, osmanthus, nutmeg, amber, cashmere wooden, musk
PHLUR
Heavy Cream Physique and Hair Perfume Mist
Perfume household: Gourmand
Perfume notes: Lemon sugar, marshmallow, orange, jasmine blossom, coconut cream, ambrettolide, vanilla mousse, salted caramel, whipped cream
