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.
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 There was always an argument that the notion of “flowers are for girls” and “woods are for men” was outdated, if it ever really applied in the first place to be honest, but the advent of more fluidity around gender has meant perfume companies have had to finally start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.
Are you a bibliophile, a bibliophage or a reader? The joy of disappearing into a book is something that the world rediscovered during the years of lockdown and, forgiving the slight downturn as the world reopened, has remained strong during 2024. New authors come and go, new subjects are touted as the next new thing, but there are some book categories that remain solid sellers. Perfume and horticulture are two such topics, which does beg the question, “why has it taken so long to combine them into the perfect coffee table tome?” Well, the wait is finally over as we welcome Fragrance: From Plant To Perfume.
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.
