As the weather starts to turn colder, and the attic is once again searched for the mysterious disappearing box of decorations, our thoughts turn to the scents that will surround us during the month of December. In my house the aroma of warmed tinsel is a regular treat, but the Christmas Candle is also a tradition that requires a lot of thought each year. With so many choices out there, navigating the ever-growing options can be daunting. So, from Paris to Glasgow, with a stop at Leighton Buzzard, I’m back for another year to recommend the perfect flickering feast in my annual Top Five Candles for Christmas.
Autumn can be a bit of strange period for perfume releases, because it’s often seen as a little bit of an in-between season. We’ve just left the sunshine of the summer with its radiant citruses and are transitioning into the cold weather that’s traditionally personified by winter resins. That means this three-month period is one that is usually given over to celebrating crisp autumnal green notes, unless you’re jumping forward early to December. One company that has cleverly combined both of these into a single release is C.Atherley with their new Geranium No.2 scent, and it’s destined to be just as successful as No.1.
The discussion around gender within fragrance is a topic that has really come to the fore over the past ten years. There was always an argument that the notion of “flowers are for girls” and “woods are for men” was outdated, if it ever really applied in the first place to be honest, but the advent of more fluidity around gender has meant perfume companies have had to finally start addressing the issue head on. It’s a very fine line to walk, without coming across as if you’re riding off the back of someone else’s cause, but it’s one that Superdry have successfully championed in their new duo of exciting fragrances.
There can be no doubt that in the United Kingdom we have hit autumn with a vengeance. The wind is howling, the rain is falling, and a “crispness in the air” actually translates as “bloody cold”. However, it’s the vastly changing seasons that make this wonderful island such a special place to live. Having said that, it does feel a little early to be reaching for the amber-imbued sweetness that is reserved for the winter months. Happily Versace have come to the rescue with the beautifully timed Eros Energy. With some tantalisingly crisp citrus and woody facets, it feels like Versace have hit gold once again.
