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From smoky vanilla to spiced florals, these are the new-season scents worth having on your radar.
My desk is currently awash with new perfume launches. Autumn always brings with it a fresh crop of fragrance launches, but this year there seems to be a particularly good selection: richer interpretations of familiar favourites, interesting new launches from brands I already love and plenty of scents that make swapping out the light, citrusy perfumes we often associate with summer easy work.
The difficult bit is knowing where to start. Fragrance is incredibly personal, and recommending one without knowing anything about the person wearing it is a little like being asked to put on a dinner party for someone without knowing their dietary requirements. I can tell you what I think smells brilliant, but that’s not necessarily the same thing as finding a perfume you’ll want to wear every day.
So when people ask me what they should try, one of my first questions is usually: what do you already wear? If you love Glossier You, for example, I’d probably point you towards another musky, skin-close fragrance rather than an enormous oud. Equally, if your usual perfume is rich, woody and fills a room, something sheer and barely there probably isn’t going to scratch the same itch. Looking at the notes and fragrance families you’re repeatedly drawn to is one of the easiest ways to narrow down an increasingly crowded fragrance counter.
And there’s plenty to choose from this autumn. So, to make finding your next fragrance a little easier, I’ve matched some of the season’s best new launches to the well-known scents you might already wear and love – based on the notes, fragrance families and overall feel they have in common.
If you wear YSL Libre Intense, try Chloé Le Nectar Parfum Intense
If you love the warm white florals and vanilla-tonka richness of YSL Libre Intense, Chloé Le Nectar Parfum Intense is well worth a spritz. It still has the femininity you’d expect from Chloé, but takes things in a richer direction, with bergamot giving way to neroli, orange blossom and rose. As it settles, creamy tonka bean, earthy patchouli and amber woods come through, giving those florals more warmth and depth. It’s a great switch if you want something floral that feels made for cooler weather.
If you wear Maison Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir, try Merit New Wave
If you’re drawn to the enveloping amber and vanilla warmth of Maison Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir, Merit New Wave offers a less sweet, slightly more unexpected take on the same idea. Pink pepper and angelica seed give it a dry, herbal opening, followed by orange blossom and ylang ylang. Underneath, incense, woods, musk, vanilla, tonka and tobacco make it warm and cosy without becoming syrupy. It has that rich amber quality Grand Soir fans will recognise, but with an earthier, smokier edge that makes it feel very different.
If you wear Guerlain Shalimar, try Byredo Future Memories
If you like the smoky, powdery vanilla of Guerlain Shalimar, Byredo Future Memories is a brilliant, slightly more modern alternative. Vanilla is central to both, but Future Memories starts greener and fruitier, with tart blackcurrant and galbanum before iris brings in a smooth powderiness. As it dries down, the vanilla becomes warmer and slightly boozy, with musk and amber-like notes adding depth. It’s not an overtly sweet vanilla… instead, it feels smoky, smooth and slightly unusual – exactly the sort of scent that comes into its own in the colder months.
If you wear Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, try Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu
If you love Coco Mademoiselle’s signature combination of florals, patchouli and amber, Crush Absolu will feel instantly familiar – just richer and fruitier. The biggest difference comes at the beginning, where juicy lychee and grapefruit give it a bright, almost mouthwatering quality. Rose and jasmine follow, before the familiar patchouli appears alongside amber, vanilla and vetiver. It has the same Chanel polish of the original, but with more warmth and depth, making it an easy autumn switch for anyone who already considers Coco Mademoiselle a signature.
If you wear Guerlain Insolence, try Dries Van Noten Velvet Violet
If the distinctive powdery violet of Guerlain Insolence is what keeps you coming back to it, Dries Van Noten Velvet Violet takes that note even further. Violet leaf is paired with pink pepper and clary sage, but it’s the toasted sesame and roasted barley that really set it apart, adding a warm, nutty, unisex quality. Tonka bean brings creaminess, while vetiver stops it becoming overly sweet. You still get that recognisable violet powderiness, but the overall effect is toastier, warmer and particularly good for autumn.
If you wear Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, try Phlur Vanilla Canyon
If you like your vanilla rich, woody and a little smoky – à la Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, then Phlur’s Vanilla Canyon is one to try. It opens with plum and tonka bean before jasmine and honey introduce some sweetness, then settles into Madagascan vanilla, patchouli and oak wood. It’s sweeter and fruitier than Tobacco Vanille, but shares that sense of vanilla having real depth rather than smelling purely sugary. The oak and patchouli give it a dry, woody finish that makes it feel particularly suited to colder weather.
If you wear Kilian Angels’ Share, try Jo Malone London Ginger Biscuit
If Kilian Angels’ Share is your idea of the perfect autumn perfume, chances are you enjoy warm spices, vanilla and fragrances that smell almost good enough to eat. Enter: Jo Malone London Ginger Biscuit which plays firmly in that territory, combining spicy ginger with roasted hazelnut, tonka bean, nutmeg, cinnamon, caramel and vanilla. Where Angels’ Share has its distinctive boozy warmth, Ginger Biscuit feels more like freshly baked biscuits and toasted nuts. It’s sweet and cosy, but the zing of ginger stops it becoming too heavy.
If you wear Burberry Her, try Valentino Born in Roma Ruby Donna
If you love the juicy berries and sweet warmth of Burberry Her, Valentino Born in Roma Ruby Donna should be an easy sell. Strawberry is the star here, giving the first spritz a bright, juicy sweetness before jasmine sambac brings in a floral note. Madagascar bourbon vanilla then warms everything up as it settles on the skin. It’s a simple combination, but a good one: fruity, sweet and noticeable without smelling sickly. If berry-led perfumes are already your thing, this feels like a natural next step.
If you wear Le Labo Thé Noir 29, try Victoria Beckham Beauty Hotel Portofino
If you love the fig, bergamot and smoky woods of Le Labo Thé Noir 29, Victoria Beckham Beauty Hotel Portofino explores a similar territory but takes it somewhere richer. Bergamot and basil give the opening a fresh, green quality, before wild fig, saffron and agarwood start to deepen things. Incense, papyrus and black amber make the dry-down darker and warmer still. Despite the Portofino name, this isn’t necessarily a breezy citrus holiday scent; it’s woody, slightly smoky and complex, with enough freshness to stop it feeling too heavy.
Images: Stylist; courtesy of brands
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