In some ways, the world of fragrance continues to be dominated by desserts. Creamy, luscious gourmands chock full of vanilla are perhaps the biggest trend of the year. But even in this space, there’s still room for uniqueness — take A Whiff of Wafflecone from Imaginary Authors. As sweet, indulgent, and diffusive as you’d ever want, it also features a surprising current of gourmet smokiness, evoking the hot caramelizing sizzle of the waffle iron.
And there was plenty to discover beyond the invitation to revisit sugar-crazed suburban childhoods. From exciting florals to casually innovative reinventions of wood and warmth, here are some of our other favourite fragrance new releases from 2023.
Trend: Sunny Florals
PENHALIGON’S
A delicious tropical dream, with amber and vanilla poured over piles of abstracted white flowers. Fans of Soleil Blanc have found their new level-up.
MAISON CRIVELLI
A dazzling laser beam of orange blossom refreshment, textured with pink pepper and a translucent current of leather and vetiver.
THOMAS DE MONACO
A glittering dreamscape of honeyed linden and mimosa. It sparkles with salt crystals and dances weightless on the skin; a warm psychedelic sea breeze.
Trend: Sandalwood Reimagined
ETAT LIBRE D’ORANGE
A virtual reality scent experience, transporting you to an old wooden bridge over a gently flowing river. Fades to a sheer, urban-fountain sandalwood.
GOLDFIELD & BANKS AUSTRALIA
Two kinds of sandalwood mingle with airy spices and creamy resins in a sumptuous tropical slipstream. Effortless, sexy, symphonic — you have to smell it for yourself!
Trend: Contemporary Warmth
ORMONDE JAYNE
A weightless, ultramodern oud lit through with pepper, saffron and moss. A gorgeous new take on a classic smoky floral; we’ve never smelled a version quite this easy or electric.
AMOUAGE
Somehow, this luxurious fragrance takes heaps of luxurious Omani frankincense resin and makes it nostalgic, breezy, even playful. Five star vacation in a bottle.
ZOOLOGIST
We are living in the age of vanilla. Zoologist found a way to enliven the genre with rustic farmhouse textures of chamomile, hay, and, yes, beer extract. Unique, wearable and surprisingly soothing.
Trend: Fragrance as Function
D.S. & DURGA
One of the most original ideas to come along in this, or any other year, this candle certainly divides opinion. But for those who love it, its silky, soothing, slightly salty scent adds a strangely addictive touch to a room. It’s also the rare scented candle that can add glowing ambiance without competing with the savoury aromas of a meal.
Molecule Travel Set
ESCENTRIC MOLECULES
Not just a collection of trial sizes — this set is a mini perfume lab in a box. Each of the five Molecule-series fragrances are a single base note in alcohol, which means you can wear them alone, in combination with each other, or as magical enhancements under any other scent. Because of their simplicity, it’s hard to go wrong with almost any mix and match, making this kit a source of endless scent experimentation.
MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN
Famed perfumer Francis Kurkdjian conceived the Aqua Universalis fragrance as more than just a perfume: it’s a lifestyle-in-a-bottle. Now, adding this invisible touch of olfactory elegance to your life is as easy as doing the laundry. This fabric softener is top-shelf garment care and a clever way to add an extra gleaming layer to your personal scentscape — in a fragrance that smells a bit like a flower-shop-meets-ultra-luxe-laundromat.
