Grasse is world-famous for its fragrant flowers, which have been cultivated for centuries to supply the perfume houses, because the region’s climate and soil nurture iconic blooms like jasmine, May rose, orange blossom and tuberose. Still harvested with great care, these flowers are prized for their complex scents. Jasmine adds sensual warmth, May rose brings soft elegance, and orange blossom offers luminous freshness. Together they form the heart of many classic fragrances. Among these flowers, tuberose stands out for its creamy, intoxicating depth, and the latest perfume to capture this is T-HÉRITAGE from Galimard.
When we talk about fragrance notes in a perfume, our thoughts can often go straight to the ingredients rather than considering the texture. However, it’s often the latter that resonates more with a customer. These sensory references play on our emotions, and help us to “feel” the scent in action rather than merely rely on the smell. The idea of texture obviously links perfectly with the world of fashion, and so it’s no surprise that many of these clothing companies have explored the world of fragrances. Hugh Parsons is one of the most recent “reboots” to re-enter the market, and so how would you like a trip to Notting Hill?
And so we find ourselves at the end of another incredible year of exciting perfume releases, where variety has most definitely been the scented key word. Amber fragrances proved to be very popular this year, with quite a few new ones vying for the crown, but there were also an array of new brands that each brought with them unique philosophies as well as some really innovative processes. So, as we approach the end of 2025, it’s time to once again look back at twelve months of reviews on stephanmatthews.com and, by channelling my inner Blyton as usual at this time of the year, pick My Favourite Five.
It’s time to hold onto your hats as we hurtle headlong into the final stretch before Christmas. It’s the moment when many people suddenly realise that they’ve unfortunately left everything to the last minute, and that those promised “delivery times” just aren’t going to cut it. That’s when the humble high street can come into its own once more. You’d probably be surprised by how many perfumes and colognes are still available for you to buy in person, and that they come conveniently gift-wrapped! So, if you’re looking for the ideal fragrance to buy for the man in your life, look no further than the new Versace Man Eau Fraîche Extrême.
The world of perfume is an ever-changing one, with new releases promising a uniqueness which often fails to truly materialise. Whatever the blurb might say on the press release or in the advert, companies are generally locked into the acceptable cycle of what customers want. The latest “trend” might see a flurry of pretenders to the throne of the original, and so finding something in the industry that does grab the attention is definitely worth celebrating. So, with Christmas just around the corner, and a welcoming space still under the tree, it’s time to discover Prem Rouge from the newly launched Dilli House.
Christmas is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to start thinking about the festive aromas that will surround you for the next thirty-one days. Candles are synonymous with Christmas, whether that’s the tall countdown ones or the luxuriously fragranced variety, but choosing a scented centrepiece gets harder every year. The number of candles out there is phenomenal, and that means there are both hits and misses. That’s why I’ve done the legwork for you once again and hunted out some sure-fire winners. So, from Oxfordshire to Cornwall, it’s time to discover my annual Top Five Candles for Christmas.
The question of what inspires us, or what we find inspirational, is something that is intensely personal to each of us. What one person finds extraordinary another may find pedestrian. This also carries over to perfume. Finding the inspiration for a new fragrance, when nearly everything has already been done, is the continual challenge of every perfumer. We’ve had towns, we’ve had desserts, we’ve even had the scents of arousal, but these seem to be on a loop that return every few years. What is more unusual is being inspired by a building, but that’s exactly what we find in Côte Vermeille, the new release from Karen Timson.
“Everything is new to someone” is a phrase that, while probably applicable to most things, should definitely be the eternal mantra of the perfume industry. With so many fragrance releases each year, and new ones forever being created, it’s impossible to stay on top of them all. The great thing about perfumes though is that they sit there quietly waiting to be discovered, and this can often be quite a while after they originally launch. Finding a fragrance after the initial buzz has died down can actually make it feel a little like a personal discovery, and this is exactly how I felt when I came across Betel from Lush.
The combination of history and legend shows up time and again when we talk about the Celts - whether that’s Wales, Scotland, Ireland or Cornwall. The passionate storytelling that passes through generations creates timelines which, even if exaggerated, form the basis of cultural identity and fierce patriotism. Cornwall has its fair share of myths and legends, from King Arthur through to the Mermaid of Zennor, but the addition of its famous tin industry has provided the perfect scented pairing for the new release from Ataratma. So, by taking a pinch of saffron and combining it with a lost land, it’s time to discover the legendary Shakti Saffron.
There are certain rituals that can provide us with a momentary step away from the daily grind and, in a world where “me time” is becoming more of a rarity, can also help to reset our senses. I’m talking about the humble act of washing our hands. From the days of the famous Coal Tar Soap right through to the more modern perfume-inspired offerings, the release of scent that comes from plunging your hands and the bar into water is the perfect way to achieve fragranced cleanliness. So, in an effort to get you to ditch the hand washes and reconnect with this simple pleasure, it’s time for me to share my favourite five.
The United Kingdom and Ireland has, between them, the most standing stones and stone circles in the world. However, with Scotland and Cornwall featuring high in the listings, there’s clearly a Celtic thread. The meaning of them has become lost over the centuries, with popular theories being markers or ceremonial spaces, but one thing is clear about them all - they all have an energy and a connection with the past that is palpable. The vibrations that many pick up on are said to be the energies of past gatherings and occurrences, whether that be peaceful or otherwise, and this is perfectly realised in the new perfume Spirit from Vallense.
There are certain products that, with the best will in the world, seem to defy reinvention. Companies are constantly tweaking bestsellers, adapting award-winners, even persuading customers that the same offering is somehow “new and improved”. It takes a real visionary to look beyond the tried-and-tested, and create something that pushes the accepted norm into a whole new realm. Unsurprisingly, the latest break-through product comes from an independent creator. Jonathan Ward has reinvented the diffuser, thrown in a generous splash of creativity, and is set to scent the season with his new Hermitage Noel Pourri Mouillé.
The horizon is something that often reignites memories, brings thoughts into focus, or even forces us to confront challenges that have lain buried. Looking out onto an expanse of ocean, rolling fields, or even deserts, unlocks feelings and emotions in a way that feels private and unobstructed. This idea of “vastness” has often found itself as part of the inspiration for perfumes, because with vastness comes expanse, and with expanse comes volume. The fashion for voluminous, head-turning fragrances shows no signs of slowing down any time soon, and Soki London has definitely delivered with their new release. All hail Cleopatra.
Fashion and fragrance have a long history of collaboration, from Chanel and Worth through to Gaultier and Versace, but there's another side of the rag trade that has inspired perfumed patterning. The male tailoring industry is one that manages to encompass all age groups and social standings and, thanks in part to the sharp silhouettes and tweed accents of the Peaky Blinders, the resurgence in tailor-made clothing brings with it a need for a fragranced flourish to finish the ensemble. So, if you’re looking for refined elegance with a traditional cut, look no further than Mayfair from The Savile Row Company.
With October firmly on the horizon, it’s definitely time to reach for the jumpers, scarves and woollen coats. Wrapping up warm becomes a morning ritual as you step out into the crisp air, and we often think more about getting to our destination rather than enjoying the journey. That’s why adding an additional layer of perfume before you leave the house can make battling the elements a little less of an ordeal. Counteracting the coldness of the season has traditionally been done by reaching for a gourmand or amber fragrance, and so finding the combination of both in Tramontana by Tessa Williams is perfect timing.
The traditional bottle of cologne used to be a staple in every household, but it fell out of favour in certain countries when the eau de toilettes and eau de parfums overtook it in popularity. There was the obvious comparison of strength and longevity, the cologne being more fleeting than its rivals, but in the new push for “quiet fragrances” the humble cologne is fighting back. France never abandoned this celebrated splash, and it's one of its oldest companies that is trumpeting the return. Jean d’Aigle has a history stretching back to 1945, and its Chypre Eau de Cologne is ideal for autumn as it celebrates its 80th birthday.
Succulent fruits, bursting with overripe juices, is what many people think of when autumn shows its face. The days of warm breezes and sand between your toes are replaced by woolly jumpers and the click of the heating. These fruity aromas also appear regularly in the new perfume releases at this time of the year, partly as a hark back and partly to signal the approaching festive decadence. Now, overly sweetened fragrances are not to everyone’s taste, and even including a fruit in the name can be troublesome. Thankfully Jessica Buchanan of 1000 Flowers has dared to challenge preconceptions with the textural Figuier Sauvage.
How do you reinvent and reinvigorate a popular period that includes both personal and humanitarian growth? It’s a broad canvas, and not one that many companies would tackle without an element of apprehension. Movements that took the world by storm are deeply anchored in both the subconscious and lasting cultural effects, and so deviation from the original philosophy needs to be cautiously approached. That’s why the launch of Sana Jardin’s Air of Aquarius perfume is so pitch perfect. Forget the patchouli-laced memories of the seventies, it’s time to embrace a mind-expanding interpretation for a new age.
If you’re a perfume fan then you can’t have failed to notice that the number of new releases every year continues to grow. An exact figure is impossible to calculate, but we’re definitely in the thousands rather than the hundreds. This is a far cry from the days when companies would launch a new fragrance possibly every three to four years, it now feels more like one every three to four months. So, finding “your” perfume amongst the noise can be an almighty challenge. Enter Fario who, with the release of their Autograph fragrance, have tackled the issue of originality head-on in their debut signature scent.
When we think of tropical plants and luscious gardens, we're often taken to places such as the Seychelles or the Côte d’Azur with their succulents and creamy florals. What we forget is that the United Kingdom is also blessed with incredible homegrown plants, flowers and shrubs. Trying to find damsons, or the Scottish primrose, outside of the UK is next to impossible. It’s these country-specific plants that inspired the various botanical gardens around the world and, while Kew Gardens is often first to spring to mind, it’s the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh that’s celebrated in Kingdom Botanica from Kingdom Scotland.
