My Cozy Winter Fragrances
This winter season has been unusually cold and depressing where I live so I came up with a rotating perfume capsule that could get me out of this crappy mood and brighten up the endless landscape of white and gray outside. The temps are finally getting warmer so things aren’t as gloomy anymore, but I still want to give a shoutout to these cheerful fragrances that kept me company during the dead of winter.
1 // Josie Maran Vanilla Vibezzz Fragrance Mist* ($26) – More of a body mist than a perfume, this easy to wear spray feels more like a summer pick. The internet is split on this one: some people think it smells like spoiled milk while others agree that it’s one of the more unique vanillas out there – lactonic with barely any floral aftertaste. I guess we really don’t have a lot of those, huh?
- Top notes: bergamot, juniper berries
- Heart notes: violet
- Base notes: vanilla bean, cedarwood
To me it smells exactly like a melted vanilla popsicle that you forgot while playing outside. It’s light and subtle, and has a creamy coziness to it that layers well with other scents in my collection. What makes Vanilla Vibezzz mist extra special is the milky, skincare-infused formula with argan oil and jojoba that act as a lightweight body moisturizer. As expected from a body spray, the longevity is non-existent, and after a couple hours I can no longer smell it on myself. I really enjoy it while it lasts though.
2 // LUSH Candy Rain Perfume ($65) – LUSH fragrances were not on my radar, even though I’ve been a fan of the brand’s bath bombs for nearly 2 decades. I randomly checked their app to see if they had any active sales and noticed that Candy Rain was half-off.
- Top notes: buchu oil
- Heart notes: almond
- Base notes: tonka absolute, cocoa absolute
To me this totally smells like Candy Rain hair conditioner and the scent makes me so happy! It’s so nauseatingly sugary, the smell alone would trick your tongue into thinking you have something sweet in your mouth. It’s very long-lasting on my skin, and even more so on the clothes. The notes create an illusion of caramel and chocolate, but I feel like it smells like durian cake. I don’t like fresh durian, but I love when it’s diluted like that because it has that burnt caramel vibe.
3 // Demeter Butterscotch Cologne Spray ($50 for full size) – I was looking for a photorealistic butterscotch scent to scratch a temporary itch for some bitter caramel without having to dish out 3x more for 7 Virtues. Happy to report that Demeter delivered, even though it smells a touch artificial and plasticky at first. This version of Butterscotch is as simple as it gets, and you can wear it on its own or as a layering piece with other gourmands. I’ll warn you that it definitely comes across as bitter, it’s not a sweet caramel scent at all. If you want sweetness, I recommend pairing it with a vanilla or a jasmine-heavy perfume on top.
- Heart notes: Toffee
The projection is pretty weak and the scent stays close to the skin, but that’s just how EDTs are. On my skin, the scent lasts about 2-3 hours and while it doesn’t fully disappear, you’d have to put your nose directly to it to smell anything. I doubt I will repurchase this one, just because it doesn’t work well with my body chemistry to wear on its own.
4 // The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods ($94) – This one is actually kind of interesting. Most vanillas smell candy-like on me, but Vanilla Woods is more creamy and woody than it is sweet, which makes it unique in my collection. I got it in a Sephora sample set and loved it so much that I’m considering buying a full-sized bottle eventually.
- Top notes: pear
- Heart notes: rose
- Base notes: vanilla, caramel, amber
Not gonna lie, the opening is a bit weird and almost chemical, but once it dries down and evaporates a bit, it leaves the most beautiful sandalwood-like creaminess on my skin. Also, since it’s an EDP, Vanilla Woods has very good longevity – easily 6+ hours directly on skin, and 2+ days on clothes.
5 // ALT Cherry Smash No. 12* ($39) – Mom said we have Tom Ford Lost Cherry at home. I only smelled the OG at the store and didn’t give it a proper wear test, but to my nose these two smell nearly identical. I’m sure the ingredients in ALT are less luxurious, but if you only care about the scent, this price point is hard to beat. FYI, Tom Ford is $255 for 30ml and Cherry Smash is $39 for the same amount, so save yourself hundreds of dollars and try ALT first.
- Top notes: cherry, bitter almond, cherry liqueur
- Heart notes: cherry syrup, jasmine, rose
- Base notes: tonka bean, cedarwood, sandalwood, peru balsam
Cherry Smash delivers a punch of spicy boozy cherry right into your nostrils from the very first sniff. It smells like cordial cherries soaked in liqueur on top of a decadent red velvet cake. It’s a cliche thing to say, but I’m actually literally obsessed with this perfume – it just smells so sexy and delicious! Very good longevity, too – on my skin it lasts all day, and multiple days on the clothes. ALT perfumes are listed as “extrait de parfum” so the scents are more concentrated than EDT and EDP, which pretty much guarantees good projection and longevity. Cherry Smash is very potent and I typically wear only 1 or 2 sprays – any more would turn me into a walking cloud.
*indicates PR samples
