One for those who love sweet scents that have an expensive edge to them, this perfume smells like marshmallow, Chantilly cream, blackcurrant, raspberry and grapefruit. But lurking underneath all of that is an enveloping hug of musk and ambrette that oozes warming luxury.
£68
We’ve said it once, but we’ll say it again: Libre is potentially one of the most crowd-pleasing perfumes out there. Orange blossom is in abundance, but it’s blended with lavender, neroli, musk and vanilla to create the most inoffensively divine evening perfume around.
Forget everything you think you know about oud. Not only is this bottle a total work of art, but the juice inside is unlike anything you have ever smelled before. It blends deep, woody oud with bergamot and musk for a zingy, palatable result. However, it’s the nose-tingling addition of liquorice and vanilla that makes this one of the most uplifting scents our noses have ever come across.
Nothing says winter decadence quite like Jo Malone London’s limited-edition festive offering. This year, the cult fragrance brand has created an olfactory masterpiece in Starlit Mandarin & Honey. The inclusion of mandarin makes it sparkling and a little bit fizzy, but it’s the warming honey and milky coumarin that make it a total showstopper of a spritz.
Byredo has knocked it out of the park once again with the latest addition to its fragrance offering. Mumbai Noise is an exquisite cocktail of the most warming and delicious aromas you know. Like meandering down an Indian market on a balmy evening with the scents of wood, coffee and fruit filling up your nose and your soul all at once.
You might think of oak wood to be a particularly heavy and unwearable sort of scent, but this perfume proves that to be a misconception. With citrusy bergamot and neroli mixed with sandalwood, oak moss, amber and frankincense, it’s just as beautiful when worn with a jumper and jeans as it is a tailored power suit.
This year, Baccarat Rouge 540 went viral on TikTok, and we must admit that we’re pretty miffed about the whole thing. You see, this perfume has been beauty’s best-kept secret for years. Its sweet, creamy and floral notes make it the talk of every dinner table we’ve ever sat at, and it’s the sort of scent that will have people chasing you down the street just to know what it’s called. It’s perfumery at its finest, and we’re gutted we have to share it with the rest of the world.
If you’re an avid reader of Who What Wear, you’ll know that Aerin is one of our favourite perfume brands around. Cedar Violet is the brand’s latest launch, and it just might be the best. It’s woody, earthy and crisp in all of the best ways—like taking a walk through the forest on a cold, sunny winter’s day.
The best thing about Maison Margiela’s Replica fragrances is that you know exactly what you’re getting just by looking at the bottle. It’s as though Nat King Cole himself had this spritzed all around because it is just like chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
Again, this stuff does what it says on the tin. Dark Rum is like a well-loved leather armchair that has absorbed all of the rich smells of winter. Think zesty oranges, plum pudding and rich amber.
If you ask us, this is one of the most underrated Tom Ford perfumes ever created. For a few years, it’s been really tough to get hold of (rumour has it it was discontinued), but in recent weeks, we have seen it cropping back up in time for gifting season. Oud makes it long-lasting and rich, but it’s not woody in the slightest. Like taking a dip in the sea on Christmas morning, it’s fresh and invigorating with a cooling hit to it. We’re just praying it’s back for good.
Rich woods mingle with zesty bergamot, grapefruit and orange to create one of the most delectable scents around. It’s a massively under-the-radar fragrance (much like Baccarat Rouge 540 once was), and it oozes rich elegance. And it smells equally as delicious on every gender.
By far our favourite fragrance launch of the year, this warming fragrance is a feat. It’s mossy, musky and a little bit woody, but mostly it’s sweet and delectable thanks to nutmeg. This is the kind of perfume that makes you want to nuzzle your face into someone’s neck and never leave.
