Author: Suzy Nightingale

The Year in Perfume – 2025’s Scents We Won’t Stop Wearing

Every year brings its share of scented temptations, but 2025 has felt particularly generous – the sort of year where the “to sniff” list grows longer every time you blink. Between sun‑drenched citruses, mischievous gourmands, meditative greens and velvet‑textured woods, our desks (and wrists) have been gloriously busy. This is not a definitive roll‑call (that would fill a whole other issue of our multi award-winning magazine) so much as a scented snapshot – a handful of fragrances that have truly bewitched us and that will, without question, keep us company well into 2026 and beyond.

Think of it as a highlight reel of olfactory crushes: some flirty, some contemplative, but all of them joyfully memorable.

From strawberries glistening in the sun to star‑bright florals, from fog‑shrouded saffron fields to emerald English hedgerows and tropical cocktails, these launches share a common thread: they each tell a story with real character. They feel fascinating, distinctive, and surprisingly versatile, inviting repeat wear rather than one‑spritz novelty. Whether your heart lies with airy greens, polished woods, addictive vanilla or a gilded, amber-y glow, there is something here to match your mood. And beyond that, perhaps to mark a new chapter in your own fragrance wardrobe in this new year, turning the page into a new adventure that strips away the darkness, leaves what you have outgrown, and forges ahead to glorious new ground…?

 

 

 

 

Creed Fragaria

Strawberries in perfume can so easily tip into cartoon jam territory, but Fragaria is more silk scarf than sticky spoon – a polished, pretty and surprisingly nuanced ode to the fruit. Bergamot, Timur pepper, pink pepper and mandarin give a sparkling, gently spiced opening, like sunlight glinting off ruby‑red berries. In the heart, strawberry, orris butter and a violet accord create a soft‑focus, lipstick‑and‑linen mood, while a base of patchouli, fir balsam and pink praline adds depth and a subtle, gourmand warmth without ever becoming heavy. It feels like British summertime captured in a crystal flacon – cheerful yet chic, and far more versatile than its playful pink bottle might suggest.

£265 for 75ml eau de parfum creedfragrances.co.uk​

 

 

 

 

 

Boadicea the Victorious Opal

A kaleidoscope rendered in scent – iridescent, shape‑shifting and quietly dramatic. Coffee, bergamot, black pepper, cinnamon, bay, metallic notes and saffron create an arresting, almost shimmering opening that feels like stepping into a jeweller’s shop warmed by espresso and polished wood. The heart of cocoa butter, davana, orris butter, suede, clary sage, geranium, nutmeg, lavender and rose reads as soft leather, lipstick smudges of love letters, and spiced petals twined together: all texture and glow. In the base, iris, sandalwood, roasted tonka, woods, cashmeran, patchouli, moss and musk settle into a long, luxurious trail that clings to scarves and evening coats like a memory of candlelight and kisses. Phwoar.

​From £95 for 10ml parfum boadiceaperfume.com

 

 

 

 

 

Molton Brown Bluebell & Wild Strawberry

Oh now this put us in mind of a gloriously sunlit stroll on the first day of spring – a walk through dappled woods where fruit, flowers and damp earth share the air. The opening of wild strawberry, blackberry, bergamot and green galbanum is juicy yet cool, like berries nestled among crushed leaves. A heart of bluebell, tuberose, lily of the valley, coriander and violet leaf creates a luminous floral haze, at once airy and slightly nostalgic, as if you have stepped into a storybook illustration of a forest clearing. Amber, driftwood, sandalwood and white woods in the base add a gentle warmth and a brushed‑wood texture, grounding all that freshness into something quietly sensual and very wearable.

£140 for 100ml eau de parfum moltonbrown.co.uk

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Juliette Has a Gun Miami Shake

Miami Shake was sheer, unabashed fun: an ice‑cream parlour of a perfume, but with the wink of grown‑up musk beneath the sprinkles. Strawberry provides a bright, cheeky opening, ripe and slightly sun‑warmed, before a heart of whipped cream, orange blossom and ice‑cream‑cone accord turns the whole thing into a soft‑serve fantasy. In the base, vanilla absolute and creamy musks linger like the last smear of melted sweetness on the tongue, giving the fragrance surprising longevity and a skin‑hugging coziness. It is the sort of scent that makes you smile as you spritz – a neon‑sign gourmand you can wear with a leather jacket or a sundress, depending on your mood. ​

£100 for 50ml eau de parfum spacenk.com

 

 

 

 

 

Marc‑Antoine Barrois Aldebaran

Tuberose as seen from space – a single white flower shining like a star against the ink‑dark sky. Built around tuberose absolute, it opens with a truly unique cool, green, stem‑like brightness that quickly unfurls into creamy petals, luminous yet never blowsy. Paprika threads in a soft, rosy heat at the heart, adding a blush of spice that keeps the floral from feeling too pristine, while maté brings a subtle smoky‑tea nuance, like a shadow at the edge of the light. Tonka bean in the base wraps everything in a gentle, almond‑vanilla warmth, rounding the edges of the tuberose and extending its glow into an almost otherworldly halo. It is poised, modern and slightly hypnotic – a floral for days (and nights) when you want to feel like the main event.

​£120 for 30ml eau de parfum harrods.com

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Maison Crivelli Safran Secret

Safran Secret is the olfactory equivalent of walking into a saffron field veiled in mist – golden threads glowing through grey air. The composition pivots around a rich saffron note, spiced with cinnamon at the top so it feels both luminous and warmly tingly, like sunlight catching dust motes. In the heart, A sense of rosiness and blushed skies weave together a sense of petals and a textural leathery-touch in elegant tension, creating a mood that is part velvet, part well‑worn armchair. The grounding woodiness at the base brings a smouldering, resinous depth, leaving a trail that is smoky and cocooning without ever losing that saffron brightness. This is fragrance that manages to be both mysterious and comforting – perfect for those who like their spice with a philosophical side. Dare we say, it’s also a scent that demands a certain thoughtfulness, a kind of intellectualism, bottled, if you will. Despise libraries and learning and depth of any kind? Move on. But if you value thinking, taking time, digging deeper – you’ll welcome this invitation to pause and consider awhile.

​£220 for 50ml extrait de parfum selfridges.com

 

Connock England Verdant

Doing exactly what its name promises, this is a lush exhale of green that feels like stepping through a garden gate into a tangle of foliage and blossom. What a head-clearing rush of thankfulness and bliss this brings (something we have relied on to dispel the many dark clouds that infiltrated throughout the year, and for which we remain truly thankful). The top notes of galbanum, eucalyptus, blackcurrant, fig and lemon are a gust of cool, green brightness – hedgerows, crushed leaves, snapped stems and citrus all at once. In the heart, peppermint, geranium, English rose, lavandin, carnation and clove create a beautifully balanced bouquet that whispers of cottage borders and herb patches brushed by the breeze. Sandalwood and amber in the base add just enough warmth and smoothness to keep the greenery from feeling stark, giving Verdant a wearable, skin‑snuggling finish that still retains its airy, outdoorsy soul.

​£40 for 30ml eau de parfum connockengland.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

Ormonde Jayne Vetiveria

Vetiver, but in its best tailoring – crisp, bright and globe‑trotting. Inspired by the islands of Indonesia, it opens with an invigorating rush of Sicilian lime, Timur pepper, sage and juniper berry, an aromatic‑citrus cocktail that feels like standing on a cliff with the wind in your hair. An unusual pairing of snowbell, lavender, jasmine and orange blossom in the heart softens the edges, lending a gentle floral shimmer that keeps the composition from becoming too stern or rooty, if you know what we mean? In the base, vetiver takes centre stage, a vibrant verdancy that’s texturally threaded with moss, rockrose and tonka bean, creating a dry, earthy, slightly smoky warmth that lingers beautifully on skin and scarves (but we adored wearing on scorching hot days, too!) It is uplifting yet grounded – a vetiver that feels just as right for a city commute as for a barefoot wander.

​£195 for 88ml eau de parfum ormondejayne.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kajal Kolada

Kolada brings a playful, cocktail‑hour spirit to the line‑up, channelling the joy of a tropical drink in the hand and sand between the toes. A juicy, fruity‑creamy opening conjures the idea of a piña colada – think sun‑ripened fruit, a caress of coconut and a breeze carrying hints of florals from a nearby bar terrace. As it develops, the addictive sweetness is tempered by a gauzy floral and woody backbone, so while it stays firmly in the feel‑good, escapist camp, it never quite becomes a tooth-rotting sugar rush you may have at first feared. The result is a cheerful, mood‑boosting scent that smells like holiday snapshots and clinking glasses, ready to teleport the wearer to brighter days whenever needed. And oh boy, how we have needed them this last year, especially. Wonderful to dive in to a gloriously transportive scent such as this, and flick the metaphorical v-signs as you spritz to your heart’s content.

£195 for 100ml extrait de parfum bloomperfume.co.uk​

 

 

 

 

 

Goldfield & Banks Tales of Amber

Oh my, this is epic. It reads like a slow, cinematic pan across a sun‑drenched landscape – all burnished horizons and warmth as it settles and sighs on your skin. True to the brand’s Australian roots, it treats amber not as something sticky and syrupy, but as a glowing, mineral‑rich warmth. Citrus and aromatic facets flicker at the start, suggesting dry heat shimmering off rocks, before resinous, amber-y notes swell in the heart. Woods and soft spices underpin the structure, creating an impression of sun‑warmed bark, dried grasses and skin that has spent the day outdoors. It is an amber that feels expansive rather than enclosed – as wearable on a brisk British evening as it would be on an outback trail at dusk. One to wear if, for example, you’re attending an event or sharing a space with a social vampire (you know the type? Someone who sucks the joy from the air when they arrive?) Simultaneously a chic comfort blanket and a backbone of strength, we’ve been addicted to from first sniff.

£227 for 100ml extrait de parfum harrods.com​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BDK Parfums Vanille Caviar

You think you know vanilla? Well, this one’s worn with a raised eyebrow: gourmand, yes, but with refinement and texture that keep it firmly in perfume, not pudding, territory. Built around a Madagascan vanilla absolute, it layers in creamy, almost custard-y facets with touches of resin and woods, giving the impression of vanilla pods split over polished wood rather than a dessert trolley. Hints of spice and possibly a whisper of citrus or floral brightness stop the sweetness from cloying, while musks and woods in the base stretch the composition into a long, close‑to‑the‑skin trail. Put simply, it’s the sort of vanilla that works just as well with a cashmere jumper as with an evening dress – comforting yet quietly sultry with a bit of sass. You think you can last without me, it seems to say; well we’ll see about that. Something we all need to remember, and spritz on as a scented shield against negativity, stupidity, or any other pathetic slights slung our way as the new year dawns!

£190 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acqua di Parma Buongiorno

An utterly joyous standing ovation to the morning – banish thoughts of the bleary alarm‑clock kind. This is where windows are flung open onto Tuscan hills and the kettle hums in the background. Lemon, spearmint, rosemary, basil and petitgrain create a bracing, aromatic top, as if you have crushed herbs between your fingers while slicing citrus over a wooden board. A heart of lavandin and mandarin leaf adds a softer, sun‑kissed floral facet, rounding out the herbs with a Mediterranean, linen‑fluttering in early morning sunshine kind of blissfulness. Cedarwood leaves, amber accord and white musk in the base lend warmth and a lightly woody structure, making the scent feel less like cologne and more like genuinely comforting hug that nonetheless gently pushes you out of your own nonchalance – ideal for days when you want clarity, and a reminder that leaving darkness, the light will find you. Smile: you are in for a new adventure…

£217 for 100ml eau de parfum acquadiparma.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Scarlet Segments – Joyously Juicy Blood Orange

Blood oranges are the drama queens of the citrus bowl – all ruby‑streaked flesh and sweet‑tart juice, with a flavour that hints at raspberries and dark berries as much as classic orange. Their scent shares that duality: still bright and zesty, but with a deeper, almost wine‑stained richness that makes them feel more sensual than their sunny cousins.

In perfumery, blood orange can deliver both sparkle and shadow, lifting a composition with citrus light while adding a surprisingly plush, velvety undertone. It is this tension – between juice and peel, sunshine and dusk – that makes blood orange such a compelling note to wear, especially when the weather turns cold.

 

 

 

 

Unlike sharper lemon or breezy bergamot, blood orange has a natural sweetness and slight berry nuance that means it can glide seamlessly into leather, tobacco, woods, spices and resins without ever feeling thin. In winter, that quality really comes into its own: the bitter pith becomes softer, the juiciness more comforting, and the whole fruit seems to glow against the backdrop of smoke, cocoa or amber.

Please, we beg you – if you’ve been following along our month of citrus-centric celebrations, allow yourself to finally succumb to the mindset of trying your citrus-infused fragrances for winter, and not simply saving for summer holidays. With blood oranges in particular, think of them as scented equivalents of ruby cocktails by candlelight, of succulent segments dipped in dark chocolate, or sunlit warmth slicing through the dullest of days and longest nights. Here, blood orange steps into the limelight in five very different ways, each one proving why this distinctive fruit deserves a starring role in the colder months…

 

 

 

 

Shay & Blue Blood Oranges

Gloriously reminiscent of slicing into a perfectly ripe blood orange over a polished wooden table, the air suddenly filled with a mist of sweet/tart oils. The opening is all juicy segments and zest, lip‑smackingly bright but already hinting at the richer story to come. Soon, a note of hot Napa leather unfurls in the heart, wrapping that sanguine citrus in something more sensual and tactile, like a buttery leather jacket scented with fresh peel. As it dries down, musk, charred woods and amber smoulder quietly beneath the fruit, turning the whole composition into a delicious contrast of freshness and warmth – ideal for days when you want your citrus with a hint of smoke and swagger rather than sunshine alone.

£80 for 100ml eau de parfum shop

 

 

 

 

 

Parfums de Marly Kalan

Kalan is blood orange dressed in scarlet velvet – vibrant, spicy and unapologetically bold. It opens with a striking combination of blood orange, black pepper and assorted spices, the citrus fizzing over the darker facets like a flame over embers. In the heart, lavender and orange blossom absolute introduce a “red‑hued” floral softness, while solar notes give a warm, sun‑on‑skin glow, as though the fruit were being warmed on a stone terrace. The base of white sandalwood, moss and precious woods then steps in, adding creamy, resinous depth and a touch of forest shade. Blood orange here is not a garnish but a spotlight, cutting through the richness and making the whole composition feel vibrant and alive – a perfect choice when you want a citrus that holds its own against smothering in winter wool and heavy coats.

£225 for 75ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com

 

 

 

 

 

4160 Tuesdays Another Kiss by the Fireside

Now imagine yourself transported to a storybook kitchen: cosy, glowing and gently spiced. The scent opens with a bright, comforting blend of blood orange, cinnamon leaf and lavender, like mulled citrus simmering near an open hearth. That zing of blood orange keeps the spices from becoming too heavy, lending a juicy, almost sherbet‑like sparkle to the warmth. In the heart, rose and geranium unfurl like bunches of flowers on an old pine table, while the base of vetiver and leather evokes worn armchairs and logs stacked by the fire. The blood orange here acts as both a welcome and a wake‑up call – a shot of colour against the smoky backdrop, making this the perfect “come in from the cold and thaw out” fragrance.

£65 for 50ml eau de parfum in the Shop

 

 

 

 

Tocca Stella

Stella slinks in a silky slip dress – flirty, luminous and effortlessly charming. At the top, bitter orange and blood orange mingle with a refreshing aqueous accord, creating an impression of freshly peeled fruit glistening with juice. The blood orange adds a soft, sweet tang that feels more romantic than bracing, instantly transporting the wearer to a sun‑drenched Italian piazza, even if it is actually drizzling outside. As the fragrance moves into its heart, white freesia, wild diamond orchids and spicy lily bloom, turning the citrus into a flirtatious floral bouquet. A base of sheer musk and sandalwood lingers delicately on the skin, leaving a trail that is warm yet airy. Worn in winter, Stella feels like an instant mood‑lift – a blood‑orange halo that keeps spirits bright even when daylight is in short supply.

£47 for 20ml eau de parfum thefragranceshop.com

 

 

 

 

 

Amouage Boundless

Zooming us straight to the heart of the rainforest, surrounding it with spices, resins and dense woods to create a rich, enveloping cloak of scent. The opening pairs blood orange oil with cardamom, ginger CO₂ and elemi, so the citrus arrives not alone but as part of a glittering, aromatic quartet: juicy, peppered, resinous and slightly smoky all at once. As it settles, a heart of vanilla Bourbon and benzoin resinoid unfurls like molten amber, the sweetness deepened by cocoa and threaded with dry, herbal tobacco in the base. Guaiac wood, papyrus, oakmoss, frankincense, myrrh, vetiver and patchouli then build a complex, incense‑laden tapestry that seems to glow from within. Through it all, the memory of blood orange lingers – less a sharp top note than a golden‑red radiance running through the composition, keeping this opulent scent uplifting rather than oppressive, even on the darkest winter days.

£320 for 100ml eau de parfum amouage.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Grapefruit scents for cleansing the palate

There comes a point in the season when even the most devoted amber lover starts to crave something that feels less like a Christmas pudding and more like a cool glass of sparkling water. After weeks of mulled wine, mince pies and densely packed party fragrances, the nose can feel a little… over‑socialised.

This is where grapefruit comes into its own: crisp, bittersweet, zesty and ever so slightly tart, it slices cleanly through olfactory clutter, resetting our senses and reviving our energy levels with a single spritz. In perfumery, grapefruit notes can feel anything from juicy and mouthwatering to dry and pithy – adding sparkle to florals, bite to woods or a tonic‑water fizz to musks and ambers.

 

 

 

 

Crucially, grapefruit is not just for summer. In colder weather, the same notes that can feel almost sharp in the heat often become softer, juicier and more rounded, like segments from a chilled fruit bowl enjoyed indoors while the wind howls outside. Paired with woods, amber, iris or incense, grapefruit takes on a more sophisticated, grown‑up quality: less “poolside spritz”, more “palate‑cleansing sorbet” between rich courses.

So, if the festive season has left your nose feeling weighed down by gourmand custard and boozy vanilla, these grapefruit‑laced fragrances offer a beautifully zesty reset – a way to clear the air without losing any sense of style.

 

 

Parfums de Marly Perseus

Ah, now this feels like flinging open the curtains on a winter morning and letting cold, dazzling light flood the room. A sigh of relief via a vivid accord of bergamot, pink grapefruit and blackcurrant bud bursts out of the bottle, juicy and slightly bitter, like biting into perfectly chilled citrus segments. As the initial zing softens, a refined heart of vetiver and green mandarin emerges, bringing an earthy, gently grassy backbone that keeps things grounded rather than airy‑fairy. Dry woods, cashmere wood and an ambergris accord add a sun‑warmed, skin‑like warmth in the base, so the scent moves from icy sparkle to golden glow on the skin – an ideal “reset” fragrance after too many dense, festive spritzes.

£270 for 125ml eau de parfum selfridges.com

 

 

 

Gritti Pomelo Sorrento

Imagine a bowl of jewel‑bright citrus sitting on a white tablecloth in low, winter sunshine: refreshing, joyful and quietly luxurious. Grapefruit and pomelo lead from the very first spray, their juicy pulp and delicate bitterness evoking freshly cut segments rather than fizzy sweets, while green notes and a whisper of mint suggest cool air moving through citrus groves. In the heart, green tea and a bouquet of white flowers and rose lend a silky, almost watery translucency – like a palate‑cleansing sorbet between courses – before vetiver, iris and amber in the base add a gently woody, powdery dryness. The result is a grapefruit‑driven scent that still feels soft enough to wear with a cashmere jumper, offering clarity without feeling too bracing.

£230 for 100ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com

 

 

 

Escentric Molecules Escentric 04

Veritably taking grapefruit and hooking it up to the mains, E04 turns the citrus into something almost neon. Built around Javanol – a futuristic sandalwood molecule with a natural grapefruit facet – it opens with a rush of methyl pamplemousse and pink grapefruit peel, shot through with lime, bergamot, juniper berry and pink pepper. The effect is like twisting a whole fruit over an ice‑cold gin and tonic, the fine mist of oils catching the light. As the fragrance settles, a subtle bouquet of hedione, freesia, osmanthus, rose and orris hums quietly in the background, while Javanol, Polysantol, labdanum, mastic, vetiver, musks, Ambroxan and Iso E Super create a sleek, polished woody base. It smells less like “a grapefruit fragrance” and more like grapefruit‑tinted air – a cleansing, silvery aura that cuts straight through seasonal stuffiness. Phew!

£130 for 100ml eau de parfum libertylondon.com

 

 

 

Brioni Eau de Parfum Éclat

Think grapefruit in a perfectly tailored suit – crisp, suave and effortlessly fresh. The opening pairs juicy grapefruit with pink pepper and olibanum (frankincense), creating a sparkling, gently smoky citrus top that feels like chilled bitter peel over glowing resin. As it moves into the heart, an elegant rose and patchouli accord introduces a soft, modern chypre facet, giving the grapefruit something refined to lean into rather than letting it evaporate into thin air. The dry‑down of creamy sandalwood, musk and ambroxan feels like warm, sunlit skin under a crisp white shirt, lending a sense of ease and comfort that keeps the brightness from ever feeling stark. This is a wonderful “day after the party” scent – clean, clear and quietly invigorating.

£80 for 60ml eau de parfum debenhams.com

 

 

 

Perroy Tangerine Pearl

A minimalist little jolt of citrus brightness – like a single, perfectly judged wedge of grapefruit on the side of a rich dessert. Here, grapefruit appears in the heart, supported by punchy pomelo, and a zingy note of ginger that feels almost effervescent on first spray, as though tiny bubbles were dancing on the skin. As the fragrance develops, iris in the base lends a cool, powdery smoothness, transforming the tartness of the citrus into something more velvety and cocooning. The overall impression is of a clean, luminous grapefruit accord folded into sheer florals and soft spice – ideal for those moments when you want to feel refreshed and polished without announcing your presence from across the room.

£75 for 50ml eau de parfum theperfumeshop.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Does Santa Smell Smoky? Fragrant ‘Fumes’ to Up His Game

There’s a long‑standing rumour that Santa smells of cinnamon biscuits, hot chocolate (or something rather stronger in many households), and a faint whiff of tangerine peel, but think about it for a moment: anyone who spends that much time shimmying down chimneys is far more likely to reek of soot, singed wool and woodsmoke. Picture the scene – centuries of fireplaces, wood-burners and log cabins, all leaving their mark on that famous red suit. This year, though, perhaps it is time to upgrade Father Christmas from “accidentally smoky” to “smoulderingly sophisticated”, with scents that bottle embers, incense and the delicious curl of smoke on frosty air.

When perfumers want to create a smoky effect, they have all manner of tricks at their disposal. They might use birch tar, cade or guaiac wood to evoke bonfires and smouldering logs, lapsang style tea notes for a more diffused haze, or incense materials such as frankincense and myrrh to conjure curling church smoke and sacred rituals.

 

 

 

 

Oudh – the dark, resinous wood prized for its nuanced depths – is another star player, bringing mysterious, smouldering shadows, especially when paired with leather, labdanum and patchouli. Even “foodie” notes like caramel, toasted sugar, peaty whisky or tobacco can be charred at the edges in a formula, suggesting everything from roasted chestnuts to the last glowing coals of a festive fire. If Santa is going to smell smoky, these are the kinds of notes that will have him leaving a truly memorable trail behind the sleigh.

So, should Father Christmas wish to level up his scented game this year – whether he is whooshing down chimneys or simply dancing around the tree – these five fragrances would suit him (or any smoke‑loving wearer) perfectly…

 

 

 

 

50ml cylindrical bottle with copper orange lid of Tartan Cask extrait by Sarah Baker

Sarah Baker Tartan Cask

Tartan Cask smells like Santa has slipped away from the workshop to a Highland hunting lodge, wrapped in a woollen blanket with a glass of something seriously peaty in hand. Well, we’ve long had suspicions that the elves do all the actual work and the snowy-haired one gets all the glory while boozing it up, instead! Lean into the relaxation vibe via peaty whisky, bread and hops give an almost chewy, malty opening, as though nosing a cask‑strength dram beside a bar laden with crusty loaves and ale. Smoke, cedar and Buddha wood billow in like log‑fire fumes caught in thick tweed, while moss, labdanum, leather, heather and tobacco add damp‑stone atmospherics and a gently boozy fug. The overall effect is deliciously smoky, mossy and lived‑in – the kind of scent Santa might wear on his off‑duty Boxing Day walk through the hills.

£165 for 50ml extrait de parfum in the Shop

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kajal Lamar Noir

If Santa ever traded his red suit for a black leather jacket and headed out for a glamorous, lantern‑lit soirée, Lamar Noir would be his signature. A rush of tropical fruits, green apple, bergamot and violet opens like a bowl of jewel‑bright sweets on a polished table, juicy and inviting but already shadowed by something darker. In the heart, caramel, vanilla and balsamic notes melt together with geranium and rose, creating the impression of sticky toffees and lacquered petals slowly turning glossy and smoky at the edges. Down in the base, leather, oudh, amber, cashmere wood, sandalwood, guaiac wood and musk smoulder in slow motion, like perfumed smoke rising from scented woodchips. It is plush, sweet, sultry and gently ashy – the olfactory equivalent of sparks arcing beneath a velvet‑black sky.

£199 for 100ml extrait de parfum kajalperfumes.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

BY KILIAN Smoking Hot

Smoking Hot is what happens when Santa swaps mince pies for a hookah bar and decides to lean fully into his rebellious side. And why not? Hard work deserves a break. It opens with a blast of apple hookah and cinnamon bark – think spiced, shisha‑style apple clouds curling in the air of a dimly lit lounge. As the scent warms, fire‑cured Kentucky tobacco absolute unfurls, rich and smoky, threaded with mossy facets that make it feel like a well‑worn leather armchair beside a crackling fire. Bourbon vanilla Pure Jungle Essence then wraps everything in a thick, caramelised sweetness, with Orcanox adding a musky, skin‑hugging heat that reads as irresistibly “hot” rather than cosy. This is smoke with swagger for Santa babe, a haze of apple‑tobacco and scorched sugar that would trail wonderfully behind Santa as he slips from rooftop to rooftop. Golly.

£225 for 100ml eau de parfum bykilian.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Edeniste Oud Ghazal

Now we imagine Santa detouring through a Middle Eastern palace, his usual chimney smoke replaced by plumes of luxurious bakhoor. Inspired by the tradition of burning agarwood chips soaked in resins and spices, this fragrance swathes the skin in a rich, incense‑laden haze of cardamom, oudh, cedarwood, vetiver and labdanum. Threaded through this smoky, woody‑spicy structure is a syrupy black cherry accord and davana’s liqueur‑like glow, which lend the composition a mouthwatering, almost candied fruitiness without tipping into dessert territory. Hints of saffron, pink pepper, olibanum and lavender add sparkle and complexity, like sparks flying from an incense burner in a dimly lit salon. If Santa wanted to smell like a cloud of luxurious, cherry‑smudged oudh smoke drifting through a star‑studded night, this should be his pick.

£250 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

 

 

Ruth Mastenbroek Firedance

Firedance feels like Santa has stepped away from the sleigh and onto a moonlit terrace, where bonfires crackle and a single red rose smoulders in the buttonhole of his velvet jacket. It opens with a crisp, tart crunch of apple and lemon, bright as the first spark from a struck match. Almost immediately, Damask rose surges forward – big, rich and velvety – entwined with a supple leather accord that makes it feel like rose petals pressed against a well‑loved biker jacket. As the scent deepens, oudh and patchouli build a smoky, resinous base, with an amber-y glow that radiates from the skin like firelight reflecting off faces in the dark. This is a rose set ablaze – smoky, sooty and hypnotic – for a Santa who perhaps prefers his festivities with a hint of flamenco drama and a trail of embers in the snow.

£70 for 30ml eau de parfum ruthmastenbroek.com

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Party Perfumes: Sparkle With Scent

What to wear when you’re in the mood to party? Well, we think there’s something irresistibly glamorous about a perfume that seems to fizz the moment it hits warm skin – a scent that behaves less like a sensible winter coat and more like a sequin-speckled garment, scattering light with every movement.

Aldehydes are among perfumery’s most celebrated tools for achieving this effect: synthetic aroma molecules that can smell clean, soapy, metallic, Champagne‑like or almost abstractly “bright”, used to give fragrances a sense of lift, radiance and diffusion – the olfactory equivalent of turning up a dimmer switch. Historically, they were famously used to give Chanel No. 5 its iconic, “whoosh of bubbles” opening and have continued to help fragrances feel more modern, expansive and effervescent ever since.

Perfumers also reach for other ingredients when they want a composition to feel sparkling: zesty citrus notes like bergamot, mandarin and lemon; rosy‑fruity pink pepper; cool, airy musks; dewy florals such as iris or orange blossom; and even certain incense or woody notes that can be polished to a silvery gleam rather than left smouldering. These nuances can make a scent feel as though it shimmers a few inches above the skin, trailing a little atmosphere of light around the wearer – a quality that feels especially joyful, like a disco for the soul in the depths of winter.

 

 

 

 

Beyond the wonderful gourmands, rich ambers and woody fragrances many of us instinctively reach for at this time of year, there is something mood‑boosting about wearing a perfume that dances on the skin and feels almost effervescent in the air, particularly if that perfume is your plus‑one for a party!

Of course, a fragrance with built‑in sparkle does not demand a packed dancefloor or a black‑tie invitation. Why not put together a playlist of favourite tunes, slip into something with a bit of shimmer, and boogie on down in the kitchen – all while wearing a scent that twinkles as enthusiastically as the fairy lights?

These aldehydic and radiantly bright compositions are perfect for channelling a party mood, wherever you happen to be celebrating…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas de Monaco Fleur Danger

Fleur Danger feels like a bouquet forged in silver – a flower of metal and light that crackles with energy before yielding to velvety warmth. Metallic aldehydes combine with a distinctive “steel” accord, pink pepper and a lick of rum to create an almost electric opening, like shattering ice in a cocktail shaker under neon lights. As it settles, saffron, raspberry and a suede‑like leather emerge, glowing against sandalwood, musks and vanilla, so the sparkle never quite fades – it just softens into a smouldering, after‑midnight gleam.

£245 for 50ml extrait de parfum lessenteurs.com

 

 

 

 

Les Eaux Primordiales Encens Superfluide

Encens Superfluide is liturgical incense with the lights turned up – a swirl of sacred smoke shot through with a bright, almost celestial shimmer. Aldehyde C12 at the top lends a cool, silvery radiance, giving the frankincense a weightless, floating quality, as though curls of smoke were illuminated by stained‑glass moonlight. Beneath, labdanum, oud, leather and castoreum add heat and depth, so the perfume moves in hot‑and‑cold waves on the skin: glowing embers one moment, incense sparks the next, making it perfect for adding drama to any after‑dark gathering.

£175 for 50ml eau de parfum lessenteurs.com

 

 

 

Amouage Dia 40 Woman

Dia 40 Woman is an opulent ode to vintage aldehydic florals, reimagined with the lavish concentration of a modern extrait – a true statement piece for evenings that call for pearls and lipstick. Bright cyclamen‑style aldehydes at the top mingle with musks, blackcurrant and violet leaves, creating a soft but unmistakable halo that feels like candlelight glancing off crystal glassware. In the heart, rose, orange blossom, tarragon and ylang‑ylang bloom in full, dressy splendour, while a base of orris, sandalwood and other creamy woods stretches the composition into a long, elegant trail – the kind that makes every entrance feel like a red‑carpet moment.

£425 for 100ml extrait de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

 

 

Diptyque Fleur de Peau

Fleur de Peau is a gauzy, iridescent skin scent that glows rather than shouts – perfect for parties where closeness, rather than sillage, does the talking. Musks and iris form its tender heart, giving a soft‑focus, almost cashmere texture, while ambrette adds a subtle fruity‑ambery nuance and a tactile warmth that feels like the quiet heat of shared laughter. Pink pepper and a whisper of aldehydes bring a gentle sparkle to the top, like the fizz of a softly poured glass of Champagne, keeping the composition radiant and modern rather than retro‑powdery.

£160 for 75ml eau de parfum diptyqueparis.com

 

 

 

 

 

BDK Parfums French Bouquet

French Bouquet is classic Parisian glamour bottled – a perfectly powdered chypre whose aldehydic fizz feels like clinking coupe glasses beneath chandelier light. Bergamot and coriander open with a clean, tailored brightness before aldehydes sweep in, lending rose, jasmine and orange blossom that unmistakable “champagne bubble” quality associated with old‑school Paris perfumery. As the fragrance unfurls, oakmoss, musk, patchouli, vetiver and touches of tobacco, sandalwood, violet and tonka bean create a sophisticated, gently smoky base, like vintage silk and lipstick blotted on fine linen – the ideal companion for a little black dress and a late‑night piano bar.

£196 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

A Christmas Cake of Fragrance

Seeing as our sense of smell makes up to 80% of what we taste, we’re treating this festive season as a perfect excuse to celebrate in fragrant form (as well as stuffing ourselves, obvs). And how handy that Christmas cake contains a veritable perfumer’s dream of aromatically enticing ingredients: think of that boozy fug of brandy, the glisten of candied peel, the succulent delight of soaked fruits, and toasted nuts cosseted in sugar and spice. The following fragrances gather those traditional ingredients and swirl them into perfumed form, ready to be worn as your own festive pud – and thankfully, minus the washing up.​..

 

 

 

 

Kajal Almaz

A jewel-bright opening of bergamot and blackcurrant quickly gives way to a tumble of ripe raspberry, rose and heliotrope, like sugared berries spooned over warm sponge. In the base, vanilla, amber and an addictive brown sugar accord melt into woods and musk, evoking the crust of caramelised sugar on a baked dessert and the gloss of fruit soaked in syrup. It feels like the gleaming, ruby-studded crown of the Christmas cake itself.​

£175 for 100ml eau de parfum bloomperfume.co.uk

 

 

 

Boadicea the Victorious Majestic

Here, the spices and red fruits are dialled up to decadent effect: lemon and red fruits sparkle at the top, laced with cardamom and resinous labdanum for instant warmth. A richly spiced heart of cloves, cinnamon, saffron, florals and leather unfurls over a base of vanilla, cocoa – tinged patchouli, oudh, amber, tonka, woods and musk, like slices of jewel – bright cake set on polished wood in a room filled with incense and candlelight.​

£360 for 100ml eau de parfum boadiceaperfume.com

 

 

 

Thursday Fragrance Magic + Science

The composition reads like a confectioner’s dream: candied peel, sour cherry, cardamom, sugared violet and musk coming together in a deep, sweet and spicy haze. The candied peel brings that chewy, citrus-sugared zing you get when you first cut into a densely fruit-packed cake, brightening the darker cherry and spice while musk softens everything into a cosy, skin hugging glow.​

£125 for 100ml eau de parfum thursdayfragrance.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Amouage Overture Woman

Brandy is writ large here as an opulent calvados-esque accord of apple, saffron and bergamot, immediately conjuring a glass of something golden poured over warm pudding. As it develops, rose, benzoin, myrrh and cinnamon melt into frankincense, leather and labdanum, becoming a luxurious, boozy amber that feels like the delicious anticipation as that brandy-sloshed cake is ceremonially set alight to sizzle seductively.​

£320 for 100ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com 

 

 

 

 

 

Widian Almond

From the first spritz, creamy almond is draped over juicy mandarin, raspberry, plum, peach and a hint of coconut, like the marzipan layer being smoothed over a mound of glazed fruit. A bouquet of white florals in the heart softens the nuttiness, while a base of patchouli, ambrette, Siam benzoin, vanilla and musk turn it into a plush, almond-cream fantasy, echoing frangipane tart and thickly rolled marzipan icing.​

£156 for 100ml eau de parfum selfridges.com

 

 

THoO Dates Delight

Riyadh dates and peony create a luscious, almost jammy opening that feels like spooning sticky date paste from a bowl, ready to fold into batter. In the heart, coumarin, caramel, tonka bean and cinnamon swirl together before a base of honey, labdanum, benzoin and an icing sugar accord settles on the skin – a dusting of sweetness that perfectly captures that final sifting of sugar over a rich, fruit-laden masterpiece.

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Bravo for bergamot! Citrus sparkle for colder weather

Clinging to the craggy Calabrian coastline, bergamot trees gleam like polished jade against rock and sea, their glossy leaves and peculiarly knobbly fruits belying the fact that this is one of perfumery’s brightest, most hard‑working ingredients. And here we say: bravo for bergamot!

Let’s delight in this fragrant treasure…

Harvested from October to February, the citrus spheres swell from vivid green to sun‑tinted yellow, often so weighty they snap delicate branches, yet only around a hundred tons of true bergamot oil are produced each year. It remains a crop that stubbornly refuses to thrive anywhere else with the same complexity – a scented secret jealously guarded by this small corner of southern Italy.

Inside that rough skin lies an oil that perfumers treasure for its astonishing range – from effervescently fresh and almost floral in October to more peppery, zesty and herbaceous by February. Scraped from the peel with traditional ‘peeler’ devices, the deep green essence emerges as a rounded, many‑faceted material that can feel like sunshine, silk and cool stone all at once. As perfumer Pia Long so perfectly puts it, bergamot is a ‘wonder material’ with so many facets that other notes can effortlessly ‘hook onto’, the Little Black Dress of perfumery that simply ‘goes with almost anything’.

 

 

 

 

No wonder the top noses so often single it out as their most‑used ingredient, even if it rarely gets the diva treatment reserved for more glamorous notes. It was there at the birth of modern perfumery in the early 1700s, sparkling through Farina’s original Eau de Cologne and effectively founding the entire ‘fresh’ olfactory family. Centuries later, Sylvie Ganter of Atelier Cologne still calls bergamot a ‘happy fragrance’ note – ‘sparkling, joyful and elegant’, bringing light and transparency even to dense woods and oudh, and making her smile as if she’s ‘on vacation’ each time she wears it.

Guerlain’s Thierry Wasser goes further, describing bergamot as ‘the alpha and omega of Guerlain’, the joyful, smiling burst that opens everything from Eau de Cologne Impériale to La Petite Robe Noire. For him, it is ‘lightness’ and ‘a bursting side to the head notes’, sourced meticulously from long‑term partners in Calabria and declared, with affectionate flair, ‘a staple, darling! We love it!’ Shalimar, often thought of purely as a grand vanilla‑amber Oriental, secretly leans on an astonishing 30% overdose of bergamot to keep its depths buoyant, what perfumer Sophia Grojsman once described as ‘dark but transparent’ – a near‑impossible effect without that citrus radiance.

In winter, bergamot becomes not just refreshing but deeply, almost soul‑reviving: the olfactory equivalent of opening a window in a stuffy room and letting a cold, bright wind swoop through. Its energy works like a wake‑up call for perfumes that might otherwise feel too heavy in low temperatures, adding lift, movement and an extra sparkle against wool coats, scarves and frosted air. Top notes that might seem fleeting in summer suddenly feel longer‑lasting on chilled skin, so that first whoosh of bergamot hangs like a halo over the darker notes beneath.

 

 

 

 

Bergamot’s magic lies in the way it ‘marries’ tempestuous florals with earthy, resinous bases, smoothing any rough edges so the composition feels seamless – the invisible hand that turns potential clashes into chemistry. Think of it as sunlight through stained glass, illuminating every colour rather than outshining them; or like the first sip of Earl Grey tea, where that airy citrus lifts the tannic heft of black leaves. Bergamot does the same for fragrance structures, adding an almost tea‑like floralc-y and gentle sparkle that reads as sophistication rather than spiky sharpness.

There is science to this serenity, too. In the 1970s, when a component called bergapten was found to be phototoxic on sun‑exposed skin, demand for bergamot oil crashed and synthetics rushed in to fill the gap. But natural bergamot proved irreplaceable, and new production methods that remove those risky molecules – creating ‘bergamot FCF’, or furanocoumarin‑free oil – allowed perfumers and perfumistas to breathe a sigh of relief and return to the real thing. Today, bergamot is once again a pillar of citrus, chypre, woody and even gourmand compositions, lending uplifting brightness without any scrubbed‑out austerity.

 

 

 

 

For perfumer Lyn Harris, bergamot is one of the ‘most important’ citrus oils precisely because it is so beautifully balanced: rounded, versatile, a perfect base for any citrus bouquet and equally at home enlivening chypres and Orientals. Pierre Gueros notes that while lemon, orange and grapefruit are used for sheer impact and fruity freshness, bergamot is prized for its tea‑and‑lavender nuances, its lack of harsh edges and its ‘soft, classical sparkle’. In the Middle East, he found it to be the only citrus acceptable in fine fragrance because it was not associated with cleaning products – a telling reminder of how elegant and knowingly nuanced this material feels on skin.

And in colder months, that elegance translates into a very specific kind of comfort: not cosy, exactly, but quietly exultant, like crisp winter sunlight glittering on snow. Bergamot‑rich scents can be exhilarating yet never brash, offering clarity when the world feels grey and a sense of movement when moods stagnate. We love their energising nature – the way a single spritz can make shoulders drop, lungs expand and thoughts feel a little more spacious, whether you’re facing a frosty commute or twinkling party lights. When the days are shortest, what we love is how bergamot’s radiance can feel like a personal dawn, repeated with every spritz.

Below, a line‑up of some of our favourite bergamot‑centric fragrances that shimmer beautifully in colder weather, each with its own style of citrus glow…

 

 

 

 

Nishane Wulong Cha

A brisk, silken gust of bergamot, orange and mandarin sweeps through cool air, bright yet never shrill, immediately conjuring the idea of iced tea sipped in winter sunshine. Oolong and nutmeg add a cashmere‑soft, gently spiced steaminess that folds around you rather than projecting too loudly. Musk and fig ground the freshness in a velvety, almost creamy trail, making this feel both invigorating and soothing.

£175 for 50ml extrait de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

LL_MENS_MONTBLANC_EXPLORER.jpg

Montblanc Explorer

Here, an Italian bergamot accord cuts through the chill like a clean, glacial breeze, sharpening the senses before earthy vetiver and patchouli unfurl. The citrus spark stops the woods and leather from ever feeling heavy, lending a crystalline edge that keeps everything brisk, modern and outdoorsy. It is the olfactory equivalent of zipping up a favourite jacket and heading out into the cold with intent, purposeful but polished.

£39 for 30ml eau de parfum theperfumeshop.com

 

 

Akro SMILE

This feels like bottling the moment someone makes you laugh on a grey day: sage and bergamot fizz in the top, crisp and green‑gold, while raspberry adds a playful, neon blush. There is a luminous clarity to the structure that makes it wearable at any time, yet it never tips into minimalism – it is joyfully present. Originally blended as a private ‘happy’ talisman, it now beams that optimism outwards with every mist.

£160 for 100ml eau de parfum lookfantastic.com

 

 

 

Floris Bergamotto di Positano

Imagine standing on a winter shore, the memory of summer warmth lingering in the air – that is the mood here, where bergamot and mandarin sparkle against salty marine notes. A heart of orange blossom and green tea feels like light on water, softened with a touch of vanilla creaminess so the brightness never bites. Woods, amber, ambrette and ginger hum underneath with mellow, sun‑stored warmth, like skin remembering an Amalfi holiday beneath your coat.

£120 for 50ml eau de parfum florislondon.com

 

 

Experimental Perfume Club Bergamot Incense

A study in contrasts, this scent sets bergamot’s zesty, herbaceous facets against the meditative curl of frankincense and the cool poise of iris. The result is a halo of citrus that glows rather than glares, illuminating the resinous shadows without dispelling them. It feels like a contemplative walk on a clear, cold morning – bright air, long blue shadows, and a quietly luminous energy that stays close to the skin yet transforms your whole mood.

£125 for 50ml eau de parfum experimentalperfumeclub.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Great Britain: A Portrait in Perfumes

It is a thrilling time in British perfumery – indie brands gaining retail spaces, and hosting hugely popular pop-up shops. There’s a huge amount to celebrate, and whereas in times past, it was only France and Italy people traditionally tuned for their fine perfumery, the niche world has shaken that gap wide open and allowed the creativity and beauty of these British brands to truly shine through.

 

Here are just four of the fragrance houses painting a portrait of Great Britain in perfumed form…

 

 

Jorum Studio:

A uniquely Scottish fragrance house established in 2019 by perfumer Euan McCall and designer Chloe Mullen. With a refined sensibility for creative compositions grounded in classical perfumery, the Edinburgh-based Jorum Studio presents a continually evolving interpretation of contemporary scent.

 

Fragrant Example: Spiritcask £89 for 30ml extrait de parfum jorumstudio.com

Pear, new-make whisky and chamomile glimmer above ylang-ylang and malt, threaded with silky ribbons of cognac and jasmine. As the fragrance deepens, cocoa, maple and smoky caramel curl through oakwood, leather and bourbon vanilla, evoking the comforting warmth and quiet mystery of an ancient Scottish barrel, its spirited history lingering in every golden drop.

 

 

 

 

Kingdom Scotland:

With a former career in Scotch whisky, Imogen Russon-Taylor founded the first fully Scottish fragrance house in 2018. Her vision? To ‘bottle Scotland’ – using perfume to share old narratives in new ways, tapping into the rich stories associated with perfume and natural ingredients proudly sourced in Scotland.

 

 

 

Fragrant Example: Botanica £150 for 100ml eau de parfum in the Shop

Crafted in partnership with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, this pays tribute to the work, passion and pioneering spirit of botanists, scientists and fearless Scottish plant hunters past, present and future. Opening with the brightness of spiced plum blossom and pink pepper, it unfurls lush blackcurrant buds and green botanicals over a warm floral heart and grounding, woody base.

 

 

 

Wales Perfumery:

In 2019, Louise Smith set up a dreamy scented scenario of having her perfumery based within ‘a secret walled garden’, after extensive training in France, Italy and London, she felt confident enough in her own abilities, and ‘…eventually started my own perfume workshops here in Monmouth’s beautiful Wye Valley.’

 

Fragrant Example: The Celts Collection £27-120 walesperfumery.com

This latest selection of scented offerings is ‘an olfactory journey through the ancient Celtic world, celebrating the tribes who shaped the identity of Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, and Brittany. Each fragrance in this collection tells the story of a distinct Celtic people; their landscapes, their customs, their spirit…’

 

 

Connock England:

Having grown up surrounded by perfumery ingredients – her father an important player in the natural ingredients world, travelling the globe sourcing materials – it was perhaps unsurprising that Amanda Connock founded her own house. The extraordinary kukui oil formed the basis of an initial collection, now blooming into a glorious evocation of botanicals.

 

 

Fragrant Example: Connock Verdant £20-85 connockengland.co.uk

A breath of outdoorsy air – green and herbaceous, with notes of English rose and fig, blackcurrant, peppermint and eucalyptus, buffed by amber and sandalwood. Bodycare, haircare, home fragrance and eau de parfum can be layered to the max (and oh how glorious it is to wear in cooler months, now, for bracing freshness!)

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Perfumer Profile: Vanina Muracciole

The immensely talented Vanina Muracciole was born of Italian and Corsican heritage, growing up amid the wild tangle of the maquis, with garrigue herbs, heated pines and sunbaked earth steeping themselves into her memory as naturally as breath. From an early age, scent was not some mere fragrant frippery, but a calling: the trail of Hermès Bel Ami, smelled when she was just eight, struck her so powerfully that she decided there and then to become a perfumer, to one day craft perfumes capable of stirring the same profound emotions in others.

You can read her answers to an exclusive interview with The Perfume Society, here. But let’s take a deeper dive into this fascinating nose’s inspirations and working techniques, shall we?

Studying chemistry first, then refining her knowledge at the renowned perfumery school ISIPCA in Versailles, Vanina combined scientific rigour with a deeply intuitive, emotional response to raw materials, a balance that still defines her creations today. From there, her path took her to Milan and then Grasse, working with MANE, where she honed both her technical palette and her sensorial style, expanding her olfactory vocabulary from the scrubland of Corsica to the classicism of French perfumery, and the precise demands of global clients.

 

 

 

 

Later collaborating with master perfumer Thomas Fontaine at Jean Patou, Vanina immersed herself in the heritage of one of perfumery’s most storied houses, absorbing a sense of structure and elegance that threads through her work. In 2012, she stepped away from the corporate world to become an independent perfumer, a move that opened the doors to niche and confidential houses and gave her the freedom to follow more daring olfactory paths while staying true to her own sensibilities.

Her portfolio since then reads like a who’s who of contemporary artistic perfumery: Jovoy, Jeroboam, Le Galion, Comptoir Sud Pacifique, Fragonard, Lubin and Masque Milano, among others, have all turned to Vanina to distil their stories into scent. Whether creating the leathered elegance of a classical chypre or the gourmand warmth of vanilla and coffee, she listens closely to the narratives brands bring her, translating even the smallest detail of a brief into nuanced accords that feel both modern and timeless.

Perhaps nowhere is her vision more clearly expressed than in her work with François Hénin, founder of Jovoy and the boutiques that helped shape niche perfumery as we know it. Fascinated by musk yet often anosmic to it, François wanted a collection that explored this elusive note from every angle, and turned to Vanina to make the idea tangible. The result was Jeroboam, launched in 2015, a line of extrait de parfums in (originally) compact bottles that belie the power within, each composition an elegant overdose of musks, woods and florals that bloom with remarkable tenacity on skin, like an intimate secret that somehow fills the room.

 

 

 

 

For Vanina, inspiration begins with life itself – the colours of a place, the energy of a crowd, the taste of pesto pounded in a mortar, the cool damp of autumn undergrowth when picking mushrooms, the sunburnt aromatic haze of the Corsican maquis. A mood board or visual brief is not just a box to tick, but a vital bridge between image and odour: she thinks in colours when she reads a brief, imagining the fragrance as a chromatic atmosphere long before the first formula is written. Everyday moments become sparks for olfactory worlds, whether that is the neck of a sleeping baby, the salty breeze stepping off a plane into Corsica, or the soft warmth of Ambroxan, one of her most beloved materials, with its woody amber smoothness and whisper of vetiver.

Chypre structures, too, sit at the heart of Vanina’s olfactory soul: bergamot, cistus, lavender, jasmine, patchouli and oakmoss, arranged in endlessly nuanced variations, form for her the architecture of a perfect perfume. She dreams of the great chypres of perfume history – Miss Dior 1947, Scherrer N°1, those original constructions that combined strict structure with audacious character – and seeks to channel that same originality, harmony, vibrancy and intensity into her own compositions.

When she talks about perfumery today, Vanina is clear eyed, nostalgic yet optimistic. The 1980s and 90s, she feels, were a golden age of creativity, when launches such as Anaïs Anaïs, Giorgio, Paris, Samsara, Opium, Cool Water, Zino and Kenzo Homme pushed boundaries and expanded consumers’ expectations. That level of avant garde daring may have dimmed for a time, yet she sees niche perfumery as the engine now driving innovation, and hopes that the major mainstream players will once again find the courage to be bold, to take risks not just with marketing but with the juice itself.

 

 

 

 

In her own day-to-day work, Vanina often juggles around ten projects at once, a testament both to her demand and to the way her mind moves, switching between ideas yet keeping each thread distinct. Creating a fragrance can happen with lightning speed or unfold slowly over months – there is, she insists, no rule – though illness can force her to rely on memory and brain when her nose briefly ‘switches off’. She emphasises the importance of training the sense of smell, of consciously connecting brain and nose with each evaluation, building a personal library of reference by smelling as often as possible, thoughtfully rather than passively.

Among her own creations, she looks back fondly on L’Art de la Guerre for Jovoy as her first fragrance, the start of her independent chapter, yet when asked about her most beautiful creation, she answers without hesitation: her daughters. Their presence is woven through so many of her scented memories – the smell of a baby’s skin, the tenderness of a kiss on a child’s neck – reminding us that for all the chemistry, all the technical language and market strategy, perfumery at its heart remains a profoundly human art.

Through Vanina Muracciole’s work, that humanity is made fragrant, lingering like the most exquisite sillage long after the wearer has left the room…

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Liberate the lemon! Free these citrus scents from seasonal exile…

Are your lemon scents languishing on the shelf in wait of summer and sunshine? We urge you to liberate them from seasonal exile and hug them back to your bosom for winter! Because actually, their effervescent sparkle and uplifting aromas can be the perfect perfume to reach for in the colder season…

The citrusy aroma of lemon is so often thought of as the sparkling garnish in perfumery, yet it is far more than a mere squeeze of zest at the top of a composition. Bright, lively and almost effervescent, lemon has an extraordinary ability to make other notes feel as if someone has drawn back a curtain and let the light in. Lemons and flowers, especially, are a perfect marriage in fragrance, just as a twist of lemon in cooking cuts through richness and sharpens flavours; that same clarifying quality helps petals feel fresher, clearer, more radiant on skin. So, while it may be familiar from classic colognes and breezy summer splashes, lemon is quietly working its magic in far more fragrances than you might suspect.

Its story winds back through centuries and across continents, with arguments about whether those first lemons hung from trees in north-east India, Burma or China, long before they travelled with traders and farmers. What is clearer is that Arab growers helped carry this evergreen beauty toward Europe, where it eventually took root and began to flourish, and that later still lemon seeds were transported across the ocean as part of that great wave of botanical migration. Today, lemons are cultivated almost anywhere there is enough sun, their fruit beloved in kitchens and medicine cabinets as much as in perfumers’ laboratories. The oil itself is obtained by cold – pressing the peel, a method that preserves its brightness and captures an aroma uncannily close to sniffing a twist of fresh zest held right beneath your nose.

 

That’s perhaps why lemon in fragrance feels so instantly recognisable – and so instantly cheering. It brings an almost tactile sparkle, at once refreshing and comforting, like opening a window in a stuffy room or taking the first sip of icy lemonade. In olfactory architecture, lemon is usually a top note, the early firework that flares and then softens, but while its overt juiciness may be fleeting, it changes the entire mood of what follows. Think of it as olfactive sunshine bottled, a golden filter through which woods, florals, spices and musks are gently, beautifully reframed.

Because lemon is so strongly associated with summer days and Mediterranean afternoons, those bottles often get relegated to the back of the shelf once the central heating clicks on and the knitwear emerges. Yet there’s something deliciously counterintuitive about wearing a bracing citrus when the air outside has a nip to it. In the cold, lemon behaves differently on skin; the sparkle feels crisper, more crystalline, as though the zest has been chilled in frost. That brightness can be wonderfully bracing on grey mornings, cutting through fog – both literal and mental – and lending a sense of clarity to the day.

 

 

Layered over cashmere, enveloped in a scarf, those same citrus notes that might seem almost too sprightly in high summer become a kind of portable light therapy in winter. The contrast between cold air and warm skin makes lemon’s radiance feel more focused, less diffused, so that each spritz is like stepping briefly into a sunbeam before tucking yourself back into your coat. If your mood is flagging, or your energy feels as colourless as a January sky, reaching for something sharply, joyously lemon – laden can be an instant mood shift. These are fragrances that deserve to be worn, not left languishing until the first daffodils appear.

So, if you have bottles you automatically label as “summer scents”, now is the moment to liberate them from seasonal exile. An extra dose of sunshine is arguably most needed precisely when there is none to be found outside, and a bright, lemon-laced perfume can feel like a brisk walk along a sunlit seafront, minus the sand in your socks.

With that in mind, here’s our edit of gloriously lemon-y favourites that feel made for winter wearing. Think of them as your scented daylight savings: a way to borrow back a little radiance, one spritz at a time…

 

Farina 1709 Eau de Cologne

Lemon shines in its most iconic role, twirling at the heart of a true Cologne classic that feels as though it has been freshly poured from a Venetian glass cruet in some light-drenched apothecary. Zesty lemon and kindred citruses fizz across the skin in airy waves, so translucent they are almost gauzy, before soft herbal and floral nuances and a delicately musky, woody undertone begin to glow through. In winter, that bracing opening feels like splashing your face with chilled water before stepping into the day, the tart peel note slicing cleanly through indoor fug and radiating a subtle, well – groomed freshness from beneath scarf and sweater.

Try a sample in our Essence Deluxe Discovery Box!

 

 

 

Kajal Sawlaj

Here, lemon is not a shy squeeze at the rim of the glass but a gleaming arc of brightness that slices through a richer, more opulent composition, lifting the blend with forked – lightning flashes of citrus. A vivid burst of lemon and other sunlit fruits and spices lights up the opening, gilding aromatics and florals before deeper, leathery, resinous and woody notes gather like shadows at the edge of the frame. That interplay makes it an especially beguiling winter wear; the lemon keeps the structure feeling airier than its warmth might suggest, so that the fragrance moves around you like a heated halo, the zest sparkling above a luxuriously smouldering base.

£171.14 for 100ml eau de parfum 50-ml.co.uk

 

 

 

30ml bottle of Argentum Everyman

ARgENTUM Everyman

This feels like a quietly luminous second skin, built around that connection between citrus brightness and tender green. Fresh circles of lemon rise first, airy and almost dewy, before dissolving into a gorgeously verdant bouquet where star anise, aromatic clary sage and wild daffodil weave together with a soft, salty – sweet breath of mimosa and powdery cassia. In winter, the lemon’s radiance slices through the chill with a gentle clarity, while the rich base of patchouli and cedarwood hums close to the body, giving the scent a mossy, cocooning depth that makes it feel like walking through a frost – tipped garden in perfect, contemplative calm.

£78 for 30ml eau de parfum in our Shop

 

 

 

 

 

Boadicea the Victorious Lavish

Opening with a truly generous squeeze of lemon, the zest tumbling over bergamot in a cascade of glinting droplets that instantly feels like standing beneath a skylight flooded with sun. As the fragrance settles, rose and a creamy scattering of nutmeg unfurl, warmed by vetiver, guaiac and other smooth woods and amber beneath, so that the initial brightness deepens into something plush and cocooning. Worn in winter, that big lemon opening is joyously almost too much in the best way, a dazzling contrast to leaden skies before it relaxes into a sophisticated glow around you, the zest still shimmering at the edges of a soft, spicy, woody warmth.

£37 for 10ml eau de parfum boadiceaperfume.com

 

 

 

 

 

Ghawali Noble

Pairing lemon with a juicy bite of apple in the top, giving the citrus an almost crystalline crunch, think: frost-dusted fruit in a chilled bowl. That vivid opening quickly drifts into aromatic facets and a gentle floral heart of lily of the valley, before cedarwood and musk wrap everything in a serene, polished softness that feels quietly regal rather than showy. In the colder months, the lemon here behaves like a streak of light across satin, illuminating the composition just enough to keep it feeling airy while the musky woods purr closer to the skin; it is the kind of understated radiance that works beautifully under a cashmere coat, offering a private flicker of brightness you can carry with you all day.

£175 for 75ml parfum selfridges.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale