2024 autumn fragrance rotation
my perfect perfume and candle rotation for september, october, and november
At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is in no way inferior to the smell of the sea, bitter where it borders on taste, and more honeysweet where you feel it touching the first sounds. Containing depth within itself, darkness, something of the grave almost.
—Letters on Cézanne, Rainer Maria Rilke
I feel like I don’t post about perfumes as much as I love writing and talking about them, so here is me trying to remedy that! Here is my fall perfume rotation for this year. I am biased, but I do think this is a perfect blend of cozy, woody, creamy, vanilla-y, and cinnamon-y—the perfect recipe for fall.
I love perfumes and the idea of them. Scents hold so many memories that sometimes, I will smell something specific and have a vivid flashback, transported back to somewhere from years ago—a mundane day at the park with my parents when I was seven, on a school bus in middle school, or even think of friends I fell out with years ago. I’ve given perfumes away because I associate them with memories I don’t want to be reminded of anymore.
Your sense of smell is actually directly connected to the amygdala and hippocampus, which are the two regions that control your emotions and memories. I think that’s why I think of perfumes as something precious, something that requires a lot of thought to purchase (also because most of them are very expensive). A week ago, I bought a perfume that reminded me of the laundry detergent my grandma uses so my clothes smell like her. A few months ago, I missed my best friend so much that I bought her summer signature perfume because I hadn’t seen her in over a year.
As such, I truly believe that one of the loveliest and most romantic things to describe are perfumes. Like literature, each scent interprets differently for everyone and attaches itself to a personal constellation of memories. Talking about perfumes is quite literally the olfactory form of translating and analyzing a text.
[This post is is too long for email and is best viewed on a computer / laptop screen. All notes are from Fragrantica!]
CELINE black tie
Black Tie is the embodiment of what I view Celine’s brand image to be. It’s elegant, modern, and feminine while being timeless. It is a vanilla-forward fragrance with a cozy orris dry down, which prevents it from feeling completely gourmand. The beauty of this perfume is in its simplicity—it is the most perfect balance of vanilla and orris, with a light cedar note that begins to chase the tail end of the scent—reminiscent of a cold fall night, wrapped up in a blanket by the fireplace.
I also love Dans Paris from Celine, which is also a vanilla fragrance. However, I like that one for summer, as it is lighter, slightly greener, and with a much lighter sweetness.
XERJOFF apollonia
Apollonia feels like a scent that shouldn’t even exist. This is moondust in a bottle. A clear body of water stitched into a flowy, diaphanous white dress. It’s a disarray of paradoxes: warm yet icy, grounded yet ethereal. The transparent, smooth musk is reminiscent of ivory-toned crushed velvet. It’s angelic, celestial, and addictive. This is Glossier You’s cold, elegant older sister who thrives in a big city.
LE LABO thé noir
The Noir 29 is my favorite scent from Le Labo. While everyone is catapulting Santal 33 or Another 13 to signature scent status, let me sing this perfume’s praises from the rooftops. This is a luxurious, complex woody fig scent. Instead of a fresh fig tree, this one smells like making fig jam at a campfire while drinking tea. It is an amalgamation of slightlys: slightly woody, slightly fruity, slightly sweet, slightly smoky, slightly creamy. All of these qualities mix together to create an incredible masterpiece. It’s sophisticated and mystical with a sultry edge; this scent is the coolest girl you will ever meet.
(Unfortunately, I did wear this on a night out in November last year and suffered the worst hangover known to mankind, so it is still taking some time to recalibrate my brain into not gagging when I smell this. But I love this scent and will definitely be wearing it in the colder months again this year.)