The cliché of summer romances and springtime new beginnings notwithstanding, in my experience the chilly air of late autumn or winter is a perfect backdrop against which to start a new relationship. This may well be preluded by an unprompted flirt, a natural reflex of mutual affinity despite—or without even knowing—the odds.

Today was going to be my first day returning to the office in a semi-regular pattern, but the persistent rain coupled with my particular meeting schedule discouraged me. Tomorrow is another day. Instead, I worked from home again and wore Kierin NYC 10 a.m. Flirt from the discovery set I purchased.

Also known as Highline Flirt, this perfume is very “of this era,” with a winning fig-cedarwood aura that reminds me of a certain modern office space occupied mostly by younger millennials and Gen-Z professionals (although no one in said space could tell me what the ambient fragrance was, and some had never noticed it).

Fig is one of my favorite notes, an early love from when I first fell down the perfumery rabbit hole. Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio and a version of Olfactory NYC Leo with extra fig (and cedarwood) added, some of my first “niche” purchases, remain faithful companions.

10 a.m. Flirt opens very briefly with a dry, smoky note—I would be convinced of vetiver’s presence, but it’s not listed. The smell is a concentration of crushed and cut grass and leaves, so dark green that it looks black, to use a synesthetic comparison. After a few moments, this yields to a cooler, woody (Cashmeran) tone. The featured floral is gardenia, which retains its earthy aspect, at least during this phase.

This part is cozy in the way of being bundled up in a coat while walking outside on a brisk day. Breath steams up the air just a little. A hint of soap makes the wearer seem freshly showered, but there’s also a trace of cigarette smoke to my nose. I’m always wary of perfumes that might make me smell as though I’ve just had a smoke, because I haven’t. This makes me suspect violet leaf, which is also not listed… but it’s got that ever-so-slight cucumber background. Not for too long, though.

The flirt soon settles into familiarity as a creamy floral on the drydown. A low-fat, oat-milk floral, perhaps? It’s certainly not voluptuous like Mugler Alien Goddess (a recent vanilla jasmine grandiflorum delight). This one has mild sweetness and will need reapplication to keep the vibes on.