Isn’t it wild that a little shock of something – even if it’s brand new shampoo Or a random bit of hand soap in the office bathroom – what can take you back in an instant? I’ll be minding my own business and encounter a familiar-but-unexplained smell, and suddenly, I’m transported back in time to the early aughts, holding a caramel Frappuccino and asking Sephora Where to find sales associate Jessica Simpson’s Desert Beauty line. I’ve always been fascinated by the power of scent, even as a beauty editor who frequently writes about perfume. I think seasonal scents, in particular, evoke nostalgia on an almost supernatural level.
Science refers to this phenomenon as scent-induced nostalgia, and fragrance brands really know how to capitalize on it lovingly. Starting in the fall and leading up to the holiday season, an abundance of perfumes and body lotions dripping with flavors of vanilla, pumpkin, caramel, gingerbread and warm apple pie begin to appear everywhere. Every whisper of these delicious notes evokes a familiar, comforting feeling that makes you want to wrap yourself in the scent and visit again and again. Gilmore GirlsThe question is, how do fragrance and beauty brands create these fragrances in the first place?
bath & Body Works
Strawberry Pound Cake Great Fragrance Mist
Bath & Body Works has long been synonymous with seasonal fragrances, and every year, loyal customers and fans look forward to its fall and holiday releases. As expected, it’s a huge undertaking to bring the brand’s iconic fragrances to life, so the brand has partnered with renowned perfumers and fragrance houses. Patty Hidalgo, a perfumer at International Flavors & Fragrances, is one of Bath & Body Works’ longtime collaborators. They’ve created an incredible 130 scents (!) for the company over the years, including Strawberry Pound Cake and Champagne Toast. When it comes to creating a dessert-themed scent, Hidalgo describes a process that blends collaboration, headspace techniques, and practical inspiration.
bath & Body Works
Champagne Toast Fine Fragrance Mist
“Not only having visual inspiration or just looking at the recipe – that’s also very important – but you have to taste it because taste and smell are very related,” she tells Who What Wear. She explains how perfumers often work with flavorists to hone the scent, especially when it comes to gourds. “They can help me capture the authenticity of something like a graham cracker,” she says. “The smell, the texture, the crispness between the spices… it might be something that, from a perfumer’s point of view, I wouldn’t have thought about or it might be something I don’t use that often.”
Lush is another brand whose seasonal offerings have a cult-like impact among customers. Emma Vincent, in-house perfumer for Lush, is behind fan favorites like the Turmeric Latte and says she finds inspiration from dishes and experiences during her travels.
One of her recent creations was the instantly popular Chelsea Morning Perfume, a delicious scent inspired by the Joni Mitchell song of the same name. One of the lyrics of the song reads, “The sun poured down like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses,” it was here that Vincent began to recognize the scent. “I was wondering, ‘How would I make butterscotch?’ I used fenugreek, which was quite sticky and resinous, I also used vanilla absolute and tonka and lemon myrtle for shine,” she says. “I was trying to replicate this bright ray of sun through perfume.”
Kayali
Yum Pistachio Gelato 33 Eau de Parfum Intense
At Kayali, sweets are a major part of the fragrance brand’s DNA. Founder Mona Kattan says her creative process usually begins with a mood or memory rather than a season. “For Yum Pistachio Gelato 33, I wanted to create an ode to my favorite dessert—pistachio gelato! The inspiration for it came from a girls’ trip to Rome with my sister, Alia, in 2014, where I ate pistachio gelato for the first time ,” she says.
Kayali
Yum Bouji Marshmallow 81 Eau De Parfum Intense
The brand’s latest launch — Yum Bouji Marshmallows, featuring the flavors of strawberry, pink marshmallow and whipped vanilla — was inspired by the sweet “Marshmallow” nickname given to Kattan by her husband.
pearfat perfume
Bread + Rose Eau De Parfum
Elie Kiral says that almost all the perfumes in Pierrefatte Parfum’s collection start with a story rather than a specific scent. Instead of starting with traditional holiday motifs, she would find inspiration elsewhere – such as the mythical Italian witch La Befana for her sold out holiday release His autumn scent was for Be Very Afraid of the films of the same name and David Cronenberg.
pearfat perfume
I Broke My Own Heart Eau De Parfum
When Kiral works with a delicious note, she will try to compare it to something unexpected. “The clearest example of this in my work is my perfume I Broke My Own Heart, which has cocoa and vanilla but also seaweed,” she explains. “I wanted something salty and darker than the savory-smelling notes I was typically using.”
A few more of my favorite scents to try this holiday season
Le Monde Gourmand
Chai Epicy Eau De Parfum
Le Monde Gourmand makes some of my all-time favorite fragrances. (Hats off to my 2010 favorite pistachio brulee!) Chai Apicé is perfect for cozying up in the cold weather. This viral scent is rich and warm yet light. It has notes of purple fig, muguet musk and golden woods.
Cirque Du Soleil
L’eau de parfum eau de parfum
Cirque du Soleil’s L’eau de Parfum just launched just in time for the holidays and it’s a dream for perfume lovers like me who love a theme! A tribute to the dazzling, dazzling circus troupe, this fragrance features a balanced yet exciting combination of notes – cotton candy, freesia, sandalwood, vanilla bean and caramelized amber. It is perfect for big tops.
Fragrance Beauty x Sabrina Carpenter
Me Espresso Eau De Parfum
“I’m working late because I’m a writer. I love everything I’ve smelled from Sabrina Carpenter’s perfume line, and the newest, Me Espresso, is a great addition to my collection. It’s captivating. Has and intriguing notes of cocoa powder, espresso bean, jasmine, vanilla orchid, biscotti, and sugary amber.
Arquiste Perfumer
Lor De Louis Eau De Parfum
I recently discovered Arquist perfumes and am deeply impressed by the stories it tells through its fragrances. Case in point: this warm but bright scent that was inspired by Louis XIV’s fondness for the Orangerie of Versailles.
