Winter’s blooms
The seasonal shift in weather brings with it a few cyclical lifestyle changes. Freshly painted toes are swaddled in thick cable knit socks, refreshing G&TS make way for a warming glass of red wine. It’s also a
fitting time to upgrade your signature scent. Our penchant for fresh florals and zingy citrus juices is superseded by a desire for something richer and more potent. Colder temperatures ignite an innate desire to surround ourselves with warmth, and that extends to our fragrance tastes as we seek out notes that err on the darker side. Incense, leather and black coffee are some of the decadently rich notes featured in the
wave of new season scents, offering a depth that is not only comforting but confidence-boosting too.
1 Lacura Dark Blossom Eau de Parfum, £5.99 for 100ml, Aldi
Aldi has cornered the market in successful perfume dupes, and this one certainly smells like a fragrance 10 times the price. The only giveaway of its supermarket roots is its longevity, which is slightly lacking, but at less than £10 you can afford to spritz to your heart’s content. It’s a woody floral with top notes of pink pepper and orange blossom, trailed by a sultry vanilla, cedar and cashmere wood base. Available now for pre-order, it hits the shelves on 6 November, so snap it up.
2 Christian Louboutin Loubicharme Eau de Parfum Intense, £260 for 90ml, christianlouboutin.com Yes, it’s pricey, but the bottle is beautiful – a ‘leave out on the dresser’ piece – and this is not a case of style over substance. A unisex fragrance, it has a fresh, green quality to it, with geranium and rose undercut by woody patchouli and rich incense. As a sweetener, the royal beetle that adorns the bottle is said to bring good luck.
3 Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau de Parfum Extreme, £88 for 50ml, yslbeauty.co.uk With an ingredients list that includes coffee, longwearing patchouli and sustainably sourced Bourbon vanilla, this is a fragrance that straddles the glamour of a heady floral fragrance with the cool edginess of a gourmand.
4 Miller Harris Oud Eclat Eau de Parfum, £170 for 100ml, millerharris.com Raw, woody oud, derived from the tropical agar tree, is balanced by sparkling sugary top notes, which make for a mesmerising scent that will have you wanting to sniff your wrist repeatedly. This unisex fragrance has dawn-todusk staying power.
5 Givenchy L’interdit Eau de Parfum Rouge,
£58.50 for 35ml, Boots The wintry notes of this perfume – tangy blood orange and accents of ginger – seem very ‘of the season’, but this is no festive fragrance. This warm and spicy floral bouquet will see you through Christmas and beyond. It’s a powerful and sensual number that leaves a trail of sandalwood, evoking the warmth of being in front of a log fire.